The standard string order on a guitar
On a standard six-string guitar tuned to concert pitch, the strings from thickest to thinnest are E, A, D, G, B, and E. The thickest string is called the low E string or the sixth string. The thinnest is the high E string or the first string. A straightforward way to remember this order is the phrase "Eddie Ate Dynamite, Good Bye Eddie"—the first letter of each word matches the string names in order.
When you hold the guitar in playing position, the low E string sits closest to your face and the high E string sits closest to the floor. This arrangement matters because it affects how you fret notes, how the strings vibrate, and how the guitar produces its overall sound. The thicker strings vibrate more slowly and produce lower pitches; the thinner strings vibrate faster and produce higher pitches.
Key Takeaways
- The six strings in order from thickest to thinnest are E, A, D, G, B, and E—remember this with "Eddie Ate Dynamite, Good Bye Eddie."
- The low E string (sixth string) is the thickest and produces the lowest pitch; the high E string (first string) is the thinnest and produces the highest pitch.
- String thickness and length work together to determine pitch—thicker strings naturally vibrate slower and sound lower.
- Knowing string order helps you tune correctly, read chord diagrams, and communicate with other musicians about which string to play.
Why strings are numbered from sixth to first
Guitar strings are numbered in reverse of what you might expect. The thickest string is string number six, and the thinnest is string number one. This numbering system comes from the way guitarists hold the instrument and the way chord diagrams are drawn on paper.
When you look at a chord diagram—the small grid that shows you where to place your fingers—the strings are displayed left to right in the same order they appear when you look down at your guitar. The leftmost line represents the sixth string, and the rightmost line represents the first string. This visual match between the diagram and the actual guitar makes learning chords much faster.
How pitch relates to string thickness
The reason thicker strings produce lower notes has to do with physics. A thicker string has more mass, which means it vibrates more slowly when plucked. Slower vibrations create lower frequencies, and lower frequencies sound like deeper, lower pitches. The high E string is so thin that it vibrates much faster, producing a higher pitch.
String manufacturers also control pitch by adjusting tension. Even though all six strings are the same length on your guitar, they are tuned to different pitches because they have different thicknesses and are pulled tight to different degrees. When you turn a tuning peg, you are tightening or loosening the string, which changes how fast it vibrates and therefore changes its pitch.
What happens if you change the string order
If you put the strings on in the wrong order, your guitar will sound completely different and will be nearly impossible to play using standard techniques. Your fingers are trained to expect certain strings in certain positions, and chord shapes rely on the standard spacing and pitch relationships between strings.
Some musicians intentionally use non-standard tunings for creative reasons—for example, dropping the low E string even lower, or tuning all strings to the same note. These are deliberate choices made after understanding how standard tuning works. For learning and playing most songs, the standard E-A-D-G-B-E order is what you need.
How to remember string order while learning
Beyond "Eddie Ate Dynamite, Good Bye Eddie," many guitarists create their own memory phrases. Some use "Eddie's Awesome Dog Gets Big Ears" or other variations. The key is to repeat the order out loud several times a day until it becomes automatic—the same way you learned the alphabet.
Another method is to practice naming strings while you hold your guitar. Point to each string and say its name, starting with the thickest. Do this for a few minutes every practice session. Within a week or two, you will not have to think about it anymore. Muscle memory and repetition are more powerful than any trick.
String gauge and why thickness varies
Guitar strings are sold in sets, and each set has a gauge—a measurement of how thick each string is. A common gauge for acoustic guitars is .010 to .047 inches, meaning the thinnest string is 0.010 inches in diameter and the thickest is 0.047 inches. Electric guitars often use slightly thinner gauges like .009 to .042.
Thicker strings (higher gauge numbers) produce a warmer, fuller tone and are harder on your fingers when you are learning. Thinner strings (lower gauge numbers) are easier to press down but can sound thinner and may break more easily. Most beginners start with a medium gauge set and adjust based on what feels comfortable and sounds good to them.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the thickest string on a guitar called?
The thickest string is the low E string, also called the sixth string. It produces the lowest pitch on a standard guitar and sits closest to your face when you hold the guitar in playing position.
Why is there an E string on both ends?
Both the sixth and first strings are tuned to E, but they are two octaves apart—the sixth string is much lower. This arrangement gives the guitar a wide range of pitches while keeping the strings in a logical order based on thickness and pitch.
Do all guitars have strings in the same order?
Standard six-string guitars all use E-A-D-G-B-E tuning. Seven-string and twelve-string guitars add extra strings, but the core six strings remain in this order. Some musicians use alternate tunings for specific songs, but they start from this standard.
How do I know which string to play if I am reading music?
Music notation and chord diagrams both show which string to use. Chord diagrams display strings left to right as sixth through first. Standard music notation uses a staff, and you learn which lines and spaces correspond to which strings and pitches during early lessons.