Choosing the Best Beginner Bass Guitar – How many strings?

There was a time when bass guitars came with only 4 strings and choosing a new beginner bass guitar was relatively simple. Now 5 and 6 string instruments are commonplace and the choice is not as easy. Here are several points to consider before buying your first bass guitar.

In the mid 1970s bass guitars with a 5th string began to appear. At first this extra string extended the low range of the instrument. This proved popular with rock musicians. Jazz musicians, however, preferred to add a string that extended the upper range, known as “tenor Tuning”. Added to the increase in range, you also have more notes available to you in any position on the fretboard. This can make it easier to play difficult pieces where you are jumping around all over the fretboard.

Not long after this the first 6-stringers were born. These extended both the upper and lower ranges. These instruments, although not as common as 5-stringers, are popular with some jazz musicians and are probably used more in the studio than for live playing.

Nowadays, you can find bass guitars with 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12 strings. In fact just about any number of strings you want, providing you are prepared to pay the price.

When thinking about a bass guitar with more than 4 strings it is important to be aware that as the number of strings increases, so does the width of the neck. This makes it more difficult to play. If you have small hands, you will find this extra width awkward will have difficulty reaching some notes. In addition, good playing technique not only requires hitting the correct notes but also preventing unwanted sounds from the other strings. This too becomes more difficult as the number of strings increases.

You want to make your journey into the world of bass guitar an enjoyable experience and for this reason the 4-string is the best beginner bass guitar. The less difficult it is to play, the less likely you are to give up and you can always make the transition to a 5 or 6 string bass when your playing ability has improved.

With the number of string choices available you would think that the popularity of the lowly 4-stringer would be declining. The truth is that it still the preferred choice of most players. Many, if not most, of the greatest bass guitar players who ever lived chose a 4-stringed instrument. Someone once said, “If you can’t play it with 4 strings you ain’t trying hard enough.”

Finally, worth considering is that a 4-string bass guitar will cost you less. Don’t forget that you will also need to purchase an amplifier, but that’s another story.