Gauges: 45-65-85-105 The Ernie Ball Hybrid Slinky Coated Bass Strings offer extended life and great playability. An ultra-thin layer of Ernie Ball"s exclusive enamel coating protects the strings and preserves their bright sound, while retaining the natural feel of uncoated bass strings. This micro-thin layer of exclusive enamel coating prevents decay and corrosion up to five times longer than an uncoated set of replacement bass strings. Ed Friedland, the "Bass Whisperer," had a chance to take a sneak peak at a few of their coated bass sets and had this to say: "The coated bass string sounds virtually identical to the non-coated; it"s not until I move back to the bridge and dig in that you can hear the slightly warmer character. The string has the detailed mids and full bottom you want from nickel, and an upper midrange presence that will get you heard amidst thrashing guitars and crashing cymbals. Bottom line: if you already dig Ernie Ball Slinkys, you"ll dig the coated versionand you"ll dig them for longer. If you prefer the sound of nickel strings after they"ve broken in, these coated replacement bass strings will give you that sound straight out of the pack."