Last Updated on March 31, 2023 by Guitarist Authority
Straightforward and simple answer to how many strings does a guitar have? Acoustic or electric guitars have at least six strings. Bass guitars have at least four strings.
If that’s all you needed to know, thanks for reading! However, if you’d like to learn more regarding some nuances to this question as well as different types of guitars and guitar related instruments, keep reading below.
HOW MANY STRINGS DOES AN ACOUSTIC GUITAR HAVE?
Six-String Acoustic Guitar
An acoustic guitar, as we know it today, has at least six strings. Standard tuning of an acoustic guitar is E A D G B E.
Seven-String Acoustic Guitar
Also known as a Russian or Gypsy guitar. They are usually tuned to open G tuning (D G B D G B D).
Twelve-String Acoustic Guitar
Twelve strings, each of the six strings (E A D G B E) is doubled up (E E A A D D G G B B E E). However, each of the four lower pairs of tunings E A D G, have one string in the lower octave and one in a higher octave. The pairs of tunings for the higher B and E strings are tuned in the same octave.
HOW MANY STRINGS DOES AN ELECTRIC GUITAR HAVE?
Six-String Electric Guitar
Just like the acoustic guitar, electric guitars have at least six strings. However, there are also seven and eight string guitars. Standard tuning of an electric guitar is E A D G B E.
Seven-String Electric Guitar
Have an extra lower string, usually tuned to B or C.
Eight-String Electric Guitar
Have the lower string added just like the seven string guitar but they also have a higher string, usually tuned to A.
Twelve-String Electric Guitar
Same explanation as the acoustic twelve string guitar. Twelve strings, each of the six strings (E A D G B E) is doubled up (E E A A D D G G B B E E). However, each of the four lower pairs of tunings E A D G, have one string in the lower octave and one in a higher octave. The pairs of tunings for the higher B and E strings are tuned in the same octave.
Double and Multiple-Neck Electric Guitars
Common setups are one six sting neck and one twelve string neck. However, Rick Neilsen from the band Cheap Trick has different multi-neck guitars from two all the way up to nine!
HOW MANY STRINGS DOES A BASS GUITAR HAVE?
Four-String Bass Guitar
Bass guitars have at least four strings. That being said, there are also five and six string bass guitars. Standard tuning of a bass guitar is E A D G.
Five-String Bass Guitar
Five string bass guitars have an extra lower string. Usually tuned to B.
Six-String Bass Guitar
Six string bass guitars have the extra lower B string as well as an extra high string, usually tuned to C.
HOW MANY STRINGS DO GUITAR RELATED INSTRUMENTS HAVE?
Ukulele
Commonly has four strings. Standard tuning is G C E A.
Mandolin
Most mandolins have eight strings but there are also ten and twelve string mandolins.
Banjo
Banjos have four, five or six strings.
Lap-Steel Guitars
These guitars are commonly six stringed, although some have eight. Their bodies are smaller than standard electric guitars and are open-tuned.
Pedal-Steel Electric Guitars
Similar in some ways to the lap-steel, these are the guitars with the smooth sliding twangy sound that you hear in countless country songs.
Different variations have been made in single, double or triple fret boards with six to fourteen strings.
Touch Guitar
Have either eight or ten strings and a range of over five octaves.
Harp Guitar
In addition to a more standard guitar neck. A harp guitar also contains unstopped open strings like you would see on a harp.
Common setups are six standard strings and either five or six harp strings.
FINAL THOUGHT
Once again to answer the questions of how many strings does a guitar have? The simplest answer is at least four. Standard acoustic and electric guitars have six. Standard bass guitars have four. An in-depth answer needs context, hopefully we have provided that here. Thanks for reading!
