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DR Strings BLACK BEAUTIES™ - Black Colored Bass Strings: Medium 45-105

  • Based on 5,733 reviews
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Availability: In Stock.
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Arrives Friday, Sep 11
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Set name: 45-105


Features

  • PATENTED K3 COATING: DR's proprietary ultra-hard black K3 coating delivers more volume, fewer unwanted overtones, and greater clarity and articulation than standard uncoated bass strings.
  • EXTENDED STRING LIFE WITHOUT SACRIFICING TONE: The thin jet-black K3 coating seals every string against perspiration and corrosion, preserving your tone and feel far longer so you spend more time playing and less time restringing.
  • ROUND CORE STAINLESS STEEL CONSTRUCTION FOR BRIGHT, FLEXIBLE TONE: A round core wire with stainless steel roundwound wrap delivers enhanced flexibility, smooth feel, tight lows, balanced mids, and bright articulate tone that cuts through any mix.
  • FITS 4, 5, AND 6-STRING BASSES IN MULTIPLE GAUGES: Available in light, medium, and heavy gauges for super long scale basses up to 37 3/4 inches, Black Beauties are engineered to fit most 34-inch and select 35-inch scale instruments.
  • HANDWOUND IN THE USA WITH PREMIUM AMERICAN MATERIALS: Designed and crafted by hand in New Jersey for over 30 years, Black Beauties pair time-tested craftsmanship with a bold jet-black look built to perform on any stage.

Description

Since 1989, dry has been committed to crafting hand made, superb-quality instrument strings. By blending the best of old-fashioned handmade craftsmanship With cutting edge materials or string coatings, dry continues to push the boundaries of the string-making process. That commitment to quality is what has brought countless top-flight bassists and guitarists to string-up with DRs - from u2's Adam Clayton to phish's Trey Anastasia and everywhere outside and in between. For reliable tone - acoustic or electric - you can rely on the handcrafted strings from dry with the dry Extra-Life black beauties bass strings, you'll snag the signature crisp tone, clarity, and volume of dr's traditional handmade strings. Yet, you'll get the added bonus of dr's super-thin coating on the plain strings and on the wrap wire, which extends the life of your favorite strings. And, just as the name suggests, dr's Extra-Life black beauties sport a stealth-style black coating. From the Manufacturer BLACK BEAUTIES™ Black Colored Bass Strings aren’t just about the sleek and sophisticated look. They feature a round core wire and a stainless- steel wrap wire to maintain brightness and feel. All strings in the set are coated with a jet-black version of DR’s K3™ ultra-hard coating, delivering longevity, more projection, fewer unwanted overtones, and outstanding clarity and articulation.

Brand: DR Strings


String Gauge: Medium


Color: Black


Instrument: Electric Bass Guitar


String Material Type: Coated


Brand Name: DR Strings


Instrument: Electric Bass Guitar


Number of Items: 6


Global Trade Identification Number: 37


UPC: 600781001137


Included Components: Set of 4 bass guitar strings


Item Type Name: Acoustic Guitar Strings


Item Weight: 0.08 kg


Manufacturer: DR Strings


Model Name: BLACK BEAUTIES


Model Number: BKB-45


Manufacturer Part Number: BKB-45


Set Name: 45-105


Warranty Description: No warranty.


String Material Type: Coated


Coating Description: coated


String Gauge: Medium


Color: Black


Finish Type: Uncoated


Sound Profile: Punchy, Balanced Tone


Recommended Uses For Product: Bass guitar


Frequently asked questions

If you place your order now, the estimated arrival date for this product is: Friday, Sep 11

Yes, absolutely! You may return this product for a full refund within 30 days of receiving it.

To initiate a return, please visit our Returns Center.

View our full returns policy here.

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Top Amazon Reviews


  • Amazing sound and perfect tuning!
Set name: 45-105
I am currently using these DR Strings Black Beauties on my bass, and I couldn't be more satisfied. The sound quality is magnificent—crisp, punchy, and clear. What impressed me the most is how well they hold their tuning; I rarely have to readjust them. Plus, the black coating looks absolutely stunning and feels great on the fingers. Highly recommended for any bass player looking for premium tone and reliability! ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on May 19, 2026 by Ross Duran

  • Best sounding, playing strings I have found for my Rickenbacker 4003!
Set name: 45-105
I own 10 bass guitars and use a variety of DR string models on all of them. One of my favorite DR sets is their Sunbeams, which I use on all of my short scale basses. I was looking for something with a coating to try on my 4003 and had read good things about these Black Beauty strings which I discovered are basically coated Sunbeams, just like the other DR coated strings like the Red Devils! Prior to swtitching over to these I had been running with DR Lo-Riders on my 4003 which I also use on my Fender Jazz Basses. Contrary to the nice top end bite I get from these on my 62 and 73 Jazz, I just wasn't getting the classic RIC tone I wanted out of the 4003 with LO-Riders installed, so this is why I decided to give these a try. I had been running with DR Red Devils on my Fender Jaguar and my Gretch DuoJet for a long time so I already knew that these coated DRs have a great tone, reduced fret clatter and easy on the fingers to boot, so I already knew there was a good chance these Black Beauties were going to deliver what I was looking for. After installing them on the 4003 and adjusting the truss rods to account for the reduced string tension compared to the Lo-Riders I was thrilled with the results! These strings have proven to be the perfect match for the Rickenbacker! I am getting that classic 4001/4003 tone in spades and with the added bonus of less string noise when sliding, and much reduced fret clank when playing fast runs up and down the neck. Because these are coated, you need to take care when installing them that you don't just yank the strings through the bridge as you install them, otherwise you risk scraping off the micro-thin coating. When installed properly, you should not have to worry about the coating coming off with normal use. I use a pick most of the time and have not seen any evidence of the coating coming off where the pick contacts the strings, or in any of the most commonly played sections of the fingerboard. Have to take these 1-2 Star reviews on here with a grain of salt based on my own personal experience with these... I have read a few bad reviews on here complaining about the coating coming off or the strings being dead out of the box. I can't comment on the dead string issue, but in terms of the coating coming off, it sure sounds to me like these folks failed to read the instructions about using care during installation. If you just pull these quickly through the bridge holes like normal strings without regard for the coating, there is a very high probability that you will fracture the coating which will eventually result in the coating cracking off the string over time. I have DR coated strings on 6 of my 10 guitars and none of them have ever had a problem with the coating flaking off or the strings going dead prematurely. Two of my guitars have had a set of Red Devils on them for over 14 months and they still sound great even after hundreds of hours in the studio. In conclusion, I have nothing but high praise for these strings and recommend them for anyone looking for a high quality coated string with great tone and feel. The black strings also look really cool against the black JetGlo finish of my 4003! If you are looking for the same string in a different color, check out the Red Devils or the Cool Blue versions! Same string, just a different color coating. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on December 5, 2013 by The Resident Gourmet

  • Great sounding and looking strings!
Set name: 45-125
It took a few practices to get used to the feel of the coating, but I like it now, and it sounds great. What I really like about these strings is switching from Ernie Balls (the b string is 130 and the E is 100), the B and E strings are slightly closer in thickness (125 and 105), so there isn’t a giant difference in volume. It doesn’t sound like a bass cannon when you hit the D note or even open B, but it still sounds just slightly meatier when you grab the fifth fret on the B vs the open E. Plus the black looks killer on my Warwick Corvette! ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on July 28, 2026 by Dan Horton

  • Love these strings!
Set name: 50-110 Tapered
I love these strings. They sound bright and have a good feel, yet cut down on some of the string noise. The coating lasts fairly long. My first set got heavy use for 10 months and the coating is only worn on the area of my strumming hand.
Reviewed in the United States on July 15, 2026 by MW

  • Nice looking and the tone is just what was looking for.
Set name: 40-100
If I knew anything about Guitar strings at all this review would probably be much more helpful and written better but here is the situation. I am a piggy bank for my 2 twin boys and one of them wanted these strings so bad he bugged me for days. He took out the trash, mowed the lawn, and even did laundry (which I had to redo) but, you get the idea. So after I soaked him for all I could get I went ahead and ordered these and then held them over his head for another day to get a few more extra chores out of him. At the end of it he put the strings on his guitar and he loves them. He was crazy about the black on black esthetics of the strings and the gravelly sound..... at least that's what he said anyways. So if you can decipher that teenager/ musician code I would say they were worth the torture he put us through. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on September 25, 2025 by Crystal

  • Black and Beautiful...
Set name: 45-105
I'll start off by saying that I've been a big time DR fan for over 10 yrs and used DR's exclusively during that time. I took a chance about a year ago and decided to try the BB's and fell in love! This is the 4th set of BB's that I've ordered and they won't be my last... I really like them! They sound amazing and the feel is that of a regular non-coated string only they don't stick to your fingers like regular strings sometimes do (which is what causes blisters)... Especially if your hands sweat a lot. I am an agressive finger-style player and I absolutely love these strings! They look great, last longer than regular strings and sound just as good and better and they really make my Warwick's colors "pop" in the light. My only complaints are that a little bit of the black finish did wear off of the strings near the bridge (over the pickups) from extreme playing stresses on 2 of the 4 sets I've used. But, even with some of the finish wearing off of the string, I didn't notice any tone loss. Keep in mind, the black strings are difficult to see in the dark while on stage but it isn't something that one couldn't get used to. Both of my basses "sing" and "growl" with the BB's and they look evil awesome! I play in several bands from the most extreme death metal to the 1,4,5's of country and these are my strings of choice... I've used them in the studio recording, live shows and rehearsals. I am an agressive bass player and not very nice to strings... I thump on um! The set that is on my Warwick Streamer 4 string has been on for about 3 months and have 4 gigs, 10 rehearsals and a lot of playing hrs on them and they still sound 70% of new! The set that's on my Thumb 5 string bass has had the BB's on even longer and they still sound atleast 50% of new! Wish I would've discovered these earlier, could've saved a lot of money from having to buy regular strings every week! ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on July 16, 2012 by Insomnatic

  • Great strings for tone and fingers.
Set name: 45-130
These strings ae really nice, good tone and easy on the fingers.
Reviewed in the United States on August 25, 2026 by Richard A. Hasting Jr.

  • Keep them clean
Set name: 45-105
DR'S great strings, have tried them all in all colors, they all sound good with a unique sound quality.
Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2026 by Jay combs

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