How Many Strings Does a Bass Guitar Have?

Tune your bass guitar before practicing or recording a track. Otherwise, your instrument may sound off-key. If you’re looking for the best bass guitar, you may wonder how many strings does a bass guitar have. Regardless of the music style, electric and acoustic bass guitars typically target lower notes than a traditional electric guitar. While there are enough bass guitar types to make a beginner panic, don’t stress too much. We’re here to help you figure it out! That said, consider checking out our guide on how to fix a bass if you’re dealing with a more serious issue.

How Many Strings Are on a Bass Guitar?

The most common type of bass guitar features four strings. Still, just like other musical instruments, there are many bass variants. The musical register of a bass guitar is typically lower than a regular guitar, but some models have extra strings that offer an expanded range for music makers. If you want a further-expanded range, find out can you use guitar pedals for bass. When it comes to how many strings are on a bass guitar, you’ll find a wide variety of string configurations across electric and acoustic basses.

Four-String Basses

As stated earlier, a regular bass guitar features four strings. This is the most common type that people see at musical performances, and it is the standard beginner model. This type of bass features a standard tuning of E-A-D-G from the highest to the lowest string.

Extended Range Bass Guitars

Extended range bass (ERB) guitars are any bass guitar that offers more than the standard four-string setup. There is some division between ERB basses because some feature double or triple the number of each standard bass string, while others provide additional notes compared to a four-string instrument. While the number of strings can reach eight or more, the most common variation is between four and six strings.

Five and Six-String Basses

Generally, five and six-string instruments are intended for advanced bass guitarists due to the increased number of strings a musician needs to manage. With a five-string bass, the tuning is B-E-A-D-G, and the strings are closer together than a standard bass. The standard six-string bass features a B-E-A-D-G-C tuning, but the increased range comes with a wider neck. This makes it somewhat more challenging to play, but some musicians, like jazz players, appreciate the versatility of the extra strings.