The six strings on a standard guitar, from thickest to thinnest, are E, A, D, G, B, and E

The thickest string closest to your face when you hold the guitar is the low E string. Moving toward the floor, the next strings are A, D, G, B, and finally the thinnest string at the bottom is the high E string. Both the thickest and thinnest strings are E, but they are two octaves apart — the low E vibrates much slower and produces a deeper sound.

A straightforward way to remember the order is the phrase "Eddie Ate Dynamite, Good Bye Eddie." The first letter of each word matches the string order from thickest to thinnest. Some people use "Eddie Ate Dynamite, Good Bye Eddie" or "Eddy's Awesome Dog Gets Big Ears" — any phrase works as long as it sticks in your memory.

When you look at your guitar from the front while holding it in playing position, the string closest to your chin is the high E (thinnest), and the string closest to your stomach is the low E (thickest). This matters because beginners often get confused about which end is which.

Key Takeaways

  • The six strings from thickest to thinnest are E, A, D, G, B, and E — remember them with "Eddie Ate Dynamite, Good Bye Eddie."
  • The low E string is the thickest and sits closest to your face when you hold the guitar normally.
  • The high E string is the thinnest and sits closest to the floor when you hold the guitar normally.
  • Both outer strings are E, but they sound two octaves apart because of their thickness and the tension on them.

Why the thickest and thinnest strings are both E

Guitar strings are tuned to specific pitches, and the pattern repeats at different octaves. The low E string vibrates at 82.4 Hz (cycles per second), while the high E string vibrates at 329.6 Hz — exactly four times faster. This doubling and quadrupling of frequency is what makes them sound like the same note but at different heights.

The thicker a string is, the slower it vibrates and the lower the pitch. The thinner a string is, the faster it vibrates and the higher the pitch. A thicker string also has more tension on it to reach the same pitch as a thinner string would at lower tension. This is why the low E string feels stiff and hard to press down when you are learning, while the high E string feels easier to fret.

How to tell the strings apart by feel and sound

If you cannot see your guitar clearly or want to identify strings by touch, the low E string feels noticeably thicker and rougher under your fingers. Run your thumb across all six strings and the low E will stand out when ready. The high E string feels smooth and thin by comparison.

You can also pluck each string and listen. The low E produces a deep, booming sound — almost like a bass drum. The high E produces a bright, ringing sound. The middle strings (A, D, G, B) fall between these two extremes. After a few days of practice, you will recognize each string by ear without thinking about it.

A tuner is the most reliable way to confirm which string is which. Most digital tuners show the note name on a screen when you pluck a string. If you are unsure, tune your guitar and then check each string with a tuner — this trains your ear and confirms the string order at the same time.

String numbering: why guitarists count differently than you might expect

Guitarists number the strings in reverse of the thickness order. The high E string (thinnest) is string 1, the B string is string 2, the G string is string 3, the D string is string 4, the A string is string 5, and the low E string (thickest) is string 6. This numbering system is universal across guitar tabs, chord diagrams, and instruction books.

This backwards numbering confuses beginners because the thickest string is the highest number, not the lowest. But it makes sense once you understand that guitarists think of the strings from the perspective of pitch — string 1 is the highest-pitched string, and string 6 is the lowest-pitched string. When you read guitar tabs or chord diagrams, the lines are arranged with string 1 at the top and string 6 at the bottom, matching this pitch-based order.

What happens when a string breaks or goes out of tune

If a string breaks, you will hear a sudden snap and the string will go slack. The most common string to break is the high E (string 1) because it is under the most tension relative to its thickness. When a string breaks, you can replace just that one string without replacing all six. Most guitarists keep spare strings in their case for this reason.

When a string goes out of tune, it will sound flat (lower than it should) or sharp (higher than it should) compared to the other strings. A digital tuner will tell you exactly which string is out and by how much. Tuning is a normal part of playing — strings stretch and loosen over time, especially new strings in their first few days of use.

How to remember string order during your first weeks

Write the string names on a piece of tape and stick it on the headstock of your guitar — the part at the top where the tuning pegs are. This way you can glance at it while you practice without having to memorize anything yet. Remove the tape after a few weeks when the order becomes automatic.

Another method is to practice saying the string names out loud while you point to each one. "Low E, A, D, G, B, high E" — say it five times a day for a week and it will stick. Muscle memory and repetition are how you learn this, not by reading about it once.

Some beginners find it helpful to practice on just one string at a time for the first few days. Pick the low E string and play it over and over, then move to the A string the next day. By the time you reach the high E string, you will have already internalized the order.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do guitars have six strings instead of some other number?

Six strings is the standard because it balances playability with range. Four strings (like a bass) are easier to learn but have less range. Twelve strings sound fuller but are harder to play. Six strings give you enough range to play most songs while keeping the instrument manageable for beginners.

Do all guitars have the same string order?

Standard tuning on acoustic and electric guitars is always E, A, D, G, B, E from thickest to thinnest. Some players use alternate tunings for specific songs, but they start from this standard order. Bass guitars have four strings tuned E, A, D, G (one octave lower), and 12-string guitars have the same six pitches but with doubled strings.

What is the difference between a string's thickness and its pitch?

Thickness and pitch are related but separate. A thicker string vibrates slower and produces a lower pitch. But you can also lower the pitch of a thin string by loosening the tuning peg, which reduces tension. The low E string is thick and loose, while the high E string is thin and tight — both factors work together to create the pitch difference.

Can I tune my guitar differently and still call the strings by the same names?

The string names refer to their standard tuning. If you tune the low E string down to D, it is technically a D string at that moment, but most guitarists still call it the low E string because that is its standard pitch. When you read instructions that say "play the A string," they mean the string that is normally tuned to A, even if you have tuned it differently for a particular song.