---
product_id: 1772084
title: "Black Beauties BKB-45 Coated Black Bass Guitar Strings – Medium Gauge, Medium Scale (BKB-45)"
brand: "dr strings"
price: "€ 59.65"
currency: EUR
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 13
category: "Dr Strings"
url: https://www.desertcart.gr/products/1772084-black-beauties-bkb-45-coated-black-bass-guitar-strings-medium
store_origin: GR
region: Greece
---

# Medium 45-105 gauge tension Iconic black ultra-hard coating Enhanced corrosion resistance Black Beauties BKB-45 Coated Black Bass Guitar Strings – Medium Gauge, Medium Scale (BKB-45)

**Brand:** dr strings
**Price:** € 59.65
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Summary

> 🖤 Play Bold. Sound Legendary.

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** Black Beauties BKB-45 Coated Black Bass Guitar Strings – Medium Gauge, Medium Scale (BKB-45) by dr strings
- **How much does it cost?** € 59.65 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.gr](https://www.desertcart.gr/products/1772084-black-beauties-bkb-45-coated-black-bass-guitar-strings-medium)

## Best For

- dr strings enthusiasts

## Why This Product

- Trusted dr strings brand quality
- Free international shipping included
- Worldwide delivery with tracking
- 15-day hassle-free returns

## Key Features

- • **Balanced Punchy Tone:** Experience tight mids, strong lows, and crystal-clear highs perfect for every genre from rock to funk.
- • **Comfort for Long Gigs:** Medium gauge tension supports dynamic playing styles while reducing finger fatigue.
- • **Durability Meets Clarity:** Ultra-thin K3™ coating extends string life without sacrificing brightness or articulation.
- • **Stage-Ready Black Finish:** Command attention with sleek black strings that elevate your bass’s visual and sonic presence.
- • **Handcrafted American Quality:** Each set is meticulously handmade in the USA, ensuring consistent tone and reliability.

## Overview

DR Strings Black Beauties BKB-45 are medium gauge, coated bass guitar strings featuring a signature jet-black K3™ ultra-hard coating for extended durability and corrosion resistance. Handmade in the USA, these strings deliver a punchy, balanced tone with strong lows, tight mids, and clear highs, ideal for professional bassists seeking both standout stage presence and long-lasting performance.

## Description

Product 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.

Review: Best sounding, playing strings I have found for my Rickenbacker 4003! - 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.
Review: Great product - Bought these several times love them and they look and sound amazing!

## Features

- Iconic Black Coating – DR BLACK BEAUTIES feature a bold black finish that enhances stage presence while maintaining tonal clarity and feel, offering both visual appeal and professional-grade performance for any 4 string bass guitar setup.
- Punchy, Balanced Tone – Built with nickel-plated steel over a hex core, these medium gauge bass guitar strings deliver strong low-end, tight mids, and clear highs—ideal for rock, funk, gospel, and other full-spectrum bass styles.
- Medium 45–105 Gauge – This 4-string bass set offers a solid and balanced tension that supports dynamic fingerstyle, slapping, and aggressive pick playing while maintaining comfort and precision during extended playing sessions.
- Coated for Durability – The black coating enhances corrosion resistance and extends string life while preserving brightness and articulation, making it a great option for frequent gigging, studio work, or long practice hours.
- Handmade in the USA – DR Strings handcrafts each BLACK BEAUTIES set in the USA, delivering consistency, long-term reliability, and standout tone for bass players who expect lasting quality from their bass guitar accessories.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| ASIN | B000EEJH9C |
| Best Sellers Rank | #585 in Musical Instruments ( See Top 100 in Musical Instruments ) #4 in Bass Guitar Strings |
| Color Name | Black |
| Customer Reviews | 4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars (5,039) |
| Date First Available | April 13, 2004 |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Item Weight | 2.82 ounces |
| Item model number | BKB-45 |
| Musical Style | Rock, blues, country, metal, pop, jazz |
| Number of Strings | 4 |
| Product Dimensions | 6 x 6 x 0.5 inches |
| Proficiency Level | All |
| Scale Length | Medium Scale |
| Size | 4-String(45-105) |
| String Gauge | Medium |
| String Material | Coated |

## Product Details

- **Brand:** DR Strings
- **Color:** Black
- **Instrument:** Electric Bass Guitar
- **String Gauge:** Medium
- **String Material Type:** Coated

## Images

![Black Beauties BKB-45 Coated Black Bass Guitar Strings – Medium Gauge, Medium Scale (BKB-45) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81GE767M5tL.jpg)

## Available Options

This product comes in different **Size, Style** options.

## Questions & Answers

**Q: would like to see black beauty flat wound short scale???**
A: That would be amazing!  We have offered Black Beauty Round Wounds for Short Scale before.  We are waiting for more to be manufactured but do not have a definite ETA.  Coated Flats would be very very difficult to make.  Flats are polished smooth after the flat ribbon wire is wound.  Unfortunately if they were coated they would not be able to be polished so will not be nearly as sooth as a traditional flatwound.  Maybe look at Black Nylon Tapewounds if you would like a black flat string. 

Jason 
FretNation

**Q: Does this have these 4 strings: 45, 65, 85, 105?**
A: Yes, this is the standard guage .45, .65, .85, .105 (5 string set has a .125 B string, 6 string set has a .35 for the high C string as well as the .125 low B). Hope I've helped

**Q: Will this fit Fender mustang?**
A: These will fit any standard 34" or 35" scale 4 string electric bass.
Measure from bridge to nut to find out the scale length of your instrument.

**Q: Does the black come off on your fingers**
A: The coating wears off eventually, but my uncontested strings leave way more black on my fingers than these do.

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Best sounding, playing strings I have found for my Rickenbacker 4003!
*by T***T on December 5, 2013*

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.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great product
*by J***A on January 1, 2026*

Bought these several times love them and they look and sound amazing!

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Sound quality
*by A***I on January 24, 2026*

Great strings easy to install sounds unbelievable very happy with this purchase will definitely purchase more in the future

## Frequently Bought Together

- DR Strings Black Beauties-Black Coated Bass Guitar Strings 45-105 (BKB-45)
- DR Strings Red Devils - Extra-Life Red Coated Bass 45-105
- DR Strings HI-DEF NEON-White Silver Nickel Plated 4 Bass Guitar Strings, 45-105, Round Core (NWB-45)

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*Product available on Desertcart Greece*
*Store origin: GR*
*Last updated: 2026-03-08*