Bass Guitar

music · electric guitar · low sounds

Lowest guitar sound. The bass guitar makes the deepest, rumbling notes in a band, even lower than a regular guitar. It's what you feel vibrating through your chest at a concert.

Four strings usually. Most bass guitars have four thick strings, though some musicians use five, six, or even seven strings to play even more notes.

Longer neck and body. A bass guitar looks like an electric guitar but bigger and beefier, with a longer neck so players can reach all those low notes without bunching their fingers.

Replaced the double bass. Since the 1950s, musicians switched from using giant double basses to electric bass guitars because they're lighter, easier to carry, and you can plug them into amplifiers to make them loud.

Frets help playing. Bass guitars have metal strips called frets on the neck, which help players hit the exact right notes every time without guessing.