Can You Put Electric Guitar Strings on a Bass Guitar?

We've long wondered-what happens when you put electric guitar strings on a bass guitar? Can you tune them up to standard? What does it sound like? We had to find out for ourselves...
Dry Bass Tone - 2:22
How to Install - 3:03
"One Weird Trick" - 3:56
Playing Test: DI - 5:06
Playing Test: Guitar Amp - 6:17
Playing Test: Amp/Fuzz - 6:46
Listening to the Takes - 7:43
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[@Stringjoy]

What are the craziest strings you've ever put on an instrument? Have any of you tried anything like this?

[@ZachMcCordProg]

A bass string on a guitar 😂

[@moomoomooshit]

Wasn't one I did, but it came across my desk at the shop. Somebody took a Danelectro 6 string (one of the 90s with built in effects) and strung the thing so the anchors of the ball ends were on the end of the strat trem-style springs. It was so incredulous I took a photo at the time on a vintage digicam. I have no idea what inspired them to do it.

[@FizzyP]

I octave dropped the low E and A on a guitar using Stringjoy strings. I used your 0.095 for E1 and 0.090 for A1. The A has low 30's lbs of tension. It feels ok and makes fairly punchy sound with an acceptable attack. I like it. The 0.095 on the low E is too floppy IMHO. Unfortunately you don't make a larger guitar string and even if you did it wouldn't fit through my bridge. So, I'm in the process of modding this thing to accept an actual bass string, hence my interest in your video.

[@ArturBrzozowski444]

This experiment sounds really cool. My personal "craziest string set" was the one I kept on my hollow body. It was at least 8 years old (propably more, this guitar was stuck in music studio of my high school). When I got it the guitar strings were so rusty you could hurt yourself to death. I rubbed them with block of soap and played this guitar slide until it had a refret last year. In retrospect it's really dumb but hey, it worked

[@matthewmckenzie9093]

So um, Im a bassist. I have a short scale squier bronco bass and I sometimes tune my bass to ADGC so I can play brighter, more acoustic sounding chords. I was really hoping to hear how chords would sound with the thinner strings, because I cant afford an actual electric.

[@sierragold]

You should look up tenor guitars. They have 4 strings... and take all kinds of alternate tunings

[@matthewmckenzie9093]

@@sierragold thank you

[@sierragold]

@@matthewmckenzie9093 You're welcome

[@matthewmckenzie9093]

@Simon Simoney You should record your experiments. I just subscribed so I can see em 😂

[@Gitmadb8tedpig]

Bro they sell cheap ass beginner electric guitars. This past week I got a guitar for 50$ then picked up a bass for 200 from a pawn shop. I got a badass amp for 130 from the same shop because people don't know what they're selling half of the time. That amp was easily worth twice as much

[@wayne-4617]

As a bass player, I was confused by the title -- "Can You Put Electric Strings on a Bass Guitar? ". I was disappointed that the strings were not in fact electric. Can you collab with ElectroBOOM to find out what would happen with strings that are actually electrified on a bass guitar?

[@Javier-qk7ms]

That would be killer ;)

[@ibendiben]

The zapp bass

[@grampska]

Would love a long scale guitar string for my 8 string (octave) bass. Currently only the RS 8 string specific set works.

[@773Spair]

You could check out Kalium. Your strings may take a couple weeks to arrive, though. Mine took 25 days.

[@bassiclymike]

I've tried Rotos, LaBellas, D'Addarios... my biggest issue is the unwound octave G which is just too loud and twangy compared to all the wrapped strings. Haven't been able to find a wrapped string that could handle octave G tuning at a 34" scale. I bet if we put the challenge down to Scott, he could do it. :-)

[@grampska]

@@773Spair Even though I’m not being a fan of their strings I did give them a try, but the end bits were too fat for the thru body bridge.

[@773Spair]

@@grampska Dang. You could try garrygoodman.com/octave4plus.com.htm , but they may be expensive.

[@markferguson3745]

The two basses, or having a baritone guitarist, is my ideal band composition.I've experimented with various types of overall downtuning, but it's not quite the same, - as with using octave pedals , which many were doing decades before Royal Blood.If you can get the right ball park, you can't get the collective vibe or creative energy of having the individual contributions,- why RB is cool for a song or two, but ain't the Black Keys or White Stripes.( who weren't trying to BE more than combo's) Warren Ellis , from the Bad Seeds has a sig model 5 string that could serve some purposes; you absolutely should look outside the standard formats if a sound is talking to you.Just switching up on standard tuning can change the whole approach .

[@Evil_Teddy]

I've been playing guitar for about 20 years but I can never progress past beginner style because every guitar I play sounds like crap because my fingers are super thick. I've trimmed skin back, worked on my finger technique and still, my big fingers mute other strings. I pick up a bass, and I'm in heaven. I want a six string guitar with a neck as long and as wide as a bass.

[@Metal_Horror]

I had a friend once who really wanted to play guitar, so I offered to teach him. I'd taught guitar basics to several people at this point, and knew how to correct the common beginner mistakes. He warned me "I can't do it." I'm a patient guy; we're going to do this. So I show him how to play a chord. Typical issues that literally every day one guitarist has: some strings were muted, some weren't being held down hard enough, etc. He tells me "my fingers are too fat." Nah, we'll figure it out, this is common. After a couple of minutes of trying to correct the issue without success, I got up to physically move his finger and hands into position. I could not believe what was happening. His fingers were literally just too fat to play the chord. We could not get the chord to play right now matter how hard we tried. I had never seen anything like that before, and haven't since, but I believe you because I've seen this with my own eyes. We didn't have a bass available at that point, which is a shame, because I'm certain he would've been able to pick it up. He's one of the most intelligent people I've ever met, with a nearly photographic memory, so it wasn't that either. I play bass now; a few years ago I had a serious arm injury that ended with part of the muscles in my arm being removed and severe nerve damage. I can no longer move my wrist side to side (like a palm mute), an absolutely essential movement for playing guitar. I mostly have to play from the elbow. I don't even have enough control to strum guitar chords consistently. A friend suggested I try the bass, and lo and behold, I can play bass with a pick. The strings being farther apart make it a breeze. I've noticed a lot of players play from the elbow anyway (one of my favorites is Bruce Foxton, oh and there's Phil Lynott now that I think about it), so I don't feel ridiculous. I can't palm mute, so that kinda sucks, and I'm limited to using a pick, but I'm ok with that; almost every one of my favorite bassists play with a pick. I have no idea where the finger elitism that used to be so rampant came from (it isn't nearly as bad as it used to be). Since then I've realized I was a bass player at heart all along and didn't know it. I love groove and I love melody, and that intersection is where the bass shines.

[@bradroma]

Same. I’m a giant person. I did this, and it rules. I play a short scale 6 string bass as a baritone guitar. Turns out that string spacing was always the issue. Solving that has allowed me to actually play with some dexterity rather than cramming my fingers into tiny fretboard shapes.

[@Gitmadb8tedpig]

​@@Metal_Horrorlay you picking hand across the strings to mute, people usually do that along with regular muting to make it sound sharp, but either/or works for me

[@kentlangham5811]

I regularly put the low 4 sets of 12 string strings on my electric mandola. I like the sound that the octave strings provide over standard tuning. The .008 sometimes becomes problematic and I have to double up the high string, but when it works the sound is amazing.

[@6lillium]

I have had a Ibanez Mikro bass with piccolo bass strings for 7 years. Same thing. Open tunings, capos , lot's of fun . I do a lot of writing on it. I've played bass since 1983.... just more comfortable for me to play.

[@jamesha175]

well that was pretty cool but i would put the regular bass strings back on it

[@ajdc88]

In his autobiography, Springsteen talks about doing this...says he bought the bass not knowing it was a bass, but idk if that's possible unless you have absolutely no idea what a guitar or bass is supposed to be like

[@FizzyP]

Wasn't he confused when I bought a pack of guitar strings and there were too many?

[@royzero1485]

Guitar strings will also work on a bass tuned to the bass octave, near E, F, or F#, especially on a 34" scale. They're a little floppy for bass strings, but the string tension is in the realm of a light set of guitar strings on a guitar, iirc. I've done this on acoustic bass and electric bass as an experiment. Gives a nice 8-string sound, to my ear at least. You will need a truss adjustment of course, and probably need to raise action.

[@brianbergmusic5288]

No joke: I just tuned my 5 string bass UP to D-Standard (DGCFA#). I used a Power Slinky Bass set (110-55) for the bottom four. I robbed a 42-gauge guitar string. It was too short, so I knotted it in a piece of 45 bass string, cut the slack, then tightened it up. It somehow works, minus the butt-ugly inverted-tuck-knot on the headstock. Rationale: The 5 string bass (non-fan-fretted) was simply too short for what I wanted when I paired it with a 7 string guitar in drop-A. Even in B-standard, the output was a bit clunky and unbalanced. I gave up and decided to pair it up with a slightly down tuned 6 string (in this case, D-standard). Acoustically and tension-wise, the 5 string bass now feels like an instrument now, and not merely a tool micromanaged by the rhythm guitarist (I am a guitarist, but I do wish I was a better bassist).

[@MaestroBass]

The weirdest thing I did was use 2 different string brands on my 5 string. I believe it was D'Addario Prosteels mixed with Elixir's. I used the E from both sets, the Prosteel I tuned to B and the Elixir was tuned to E. The Prosteel tuned to B actually had me laughing because it was clear and didn't lack body. So I played an R&B and a Gospel show set up that way. And was actually asked "Man how do you get your tone" 😂😂😂 I may have to try that again and upload a video

[@Stringjoy]

Would love to hear/see it!

[@MaestroBass]

@@Stringjoy Is there a way to bulk order bassbstrings from you all. My church has opened a budget for me to order strings to keep in stock. If wholesale is an option let me know where I can contact someone. Really looking forward to the talk if so.....keep up the amazing work to everyone over at Stringjoy

[@jay31415]

> "I don't know why you'd want to do this" Um, so I don't have to buy a bass guitar?

[@electricmeatpuppet]

Welcome the world of long scale baritone guitar conversions. There are some cool groups out there like Baritone Obsessed full of great people who experiment with this sort of thing ;)

[@ArturBrzozowski444]

Speaking of 30 inch bass. What string gauge would you recommend to a short P bass?

[@Stringjoy]

Typically our 45-105 short scale set is our top recommendation

[@Falling-Coffee]

I put bass strings on an acoustic guitar tuned like a 6 string bass

[@TerrestrialMack]

I have a short scale bass with a guitar neck tuned CGDA that I made sort of based on my eastwood tenor baritone. Electric cello 🎶🎶

[@CarlosKTCosta]

I've seen a band that has two bass players and one guitar but one of the basses is a short scale with guitar strings

[@buddyholly9960]

I did that with my Bass short school I put guitar strings on it cause I prefer having 4 strings and I also loved the sound

[@mattkraig]

I’ve been waiting for a tutorial on this for years, ever since I heard Royal Blood and Death From Above. Wow, it finally happened!

[@silentgloria]

Sounds like a perfectly normal, well-ajusted castrato bass guitar. Nothing unusual going on here captain! 🐧

[@jonlynn1864]

I have tried to learn guitar but old injury to my hands so I can't finger the frets. Could (in theory) string a 6 string bass with guitar strings and then hence, finally learn the guitar at 58 years old?

[@RobotronSage]

For a beginner, learning to finger the frets is both challenging and painful As calluses develop on the fingertips and strength builds up from practice, this becomes a much easier and less painful (painless) experience. I have a steel plate in my left hand which took a while to get used to as the muscles adapt and shift, it cramps faster than what I think it would ''normally'' but even so it gets easier the more I practice and build strength / mobility in my wrist Anyway i'm basically saying don't let an injury discourage you from playing! It IS an uncomfortable experience initially but once strength is built it becomes easier to finger the frets. Once calluses are built up it doesn't hurt to play.

[@RobotronSage]

I have this same problem as a British man I am very much obsessed with the BASS range frequencies. I was quite dissapointed with my electric guitars' BASS reach. I downtuned to D which gives me an appropriate note / tone for the BASS range and is definitely ''doable'' But i'm really looking to make my BASS end pop like an 808 I think i've already come a long way with EQ and digital processing But yknow Can I just slap a bass string on an electric guitar and call it a day? Definitely getting thicker guage strings

[@ILLGREEN1]

As a hobby, I build 4 string guitars to sound bassy. You could mod an electric tenor guitar with thicker strings of .056, .046, .036 and .024 and a pair of Pbass pickups.

[@Emily_M81]

"I would love to hear a guitar with a P-bass style pickup in it." Well, EMG has you covered >_> "EMG HB - EMG's P-Bass pickup in a humbucker housing" XD No idea how close it sounds considering it's not laid out the same, or is it internally? Just get a Strat pickguard cut for a P pickup XD

[@thedaways]

For some reasons doing this popped into my head a few minutes ago. Did a search and found this video I smiled all the way through. Want to try cello strings on a bass.

[@poppyparkinson6008]

I like the sound that the octave strings provide over standard tuning.

[@DeusVault3008]

Those strings are too thick to be considered electric guitar strings. Use 8, 9, and 10 sets 20s is way too thick. They're just base strings

[@IvorRIZZZ]

I wanna try keeping the low e on a bass and stringing the rest up with guitar strings and have the tuning be D1 D2 A3 D3 esp with multiple outputs going to a bass and guitar amp i genuinely think it could be a really cool idea.

[@aureliusthegunsmith7203]

YES! MORE LOVE TO BASS PLEASE!

[@fredbates7693]

I definitely have bass fingers. Maybe I could do chords easier on a rig like that.

[@bassiclymike]

Would probably work better for string length on a bass with a 2+2 peghead setup, like an EB-3 or myriad others out there, then you don't need to worry about lenght on the G string. I currently have a 30" scale bass with Jazz pickups I want to do a Piccolo tuning on. Been looking at your bass strings, like a .025 to .060 set, but now I'm curious about the guitar string potential.

[@Stringjoy]

Definitely, and not that you say that I realize I could've done this a while ago on my 32" Ric-style (2x2) bass, I didn't even think of that!

[@bassiclymike]

@@Stringjoy If that bass has a tone similar to a real 4003, that could sound really good. Nice growly single coils, especially if you solo the bridge pup. I have a few Rick 4003's and on the bridge pup with the "vintage tone" engaged, even with regular bass strings it sounds killer with a little overdrive or distortion on it. A 30" 4003 could be a wicked good instrument.

[@Holirlikamar]

Lighting bolt lead me to put guitar strings on my bass

[@AridDot]

i have to try this, it sounds really good

[@williamchristmas6581]

subscribe to your channel

[@bobjosephdelossantos1233]

I was thinking if the neck is bigger you can put 8 strings and djent on a bass guitar like low tuned yeah IS IT POSSIBLE BRO?

[@JLeppert]

I got my electric cello guitar set from you guys. (Short scale bass 30") Two of them are guitar strings. Fairly dope.

[@91dodgespiritrt]

There should be no problem with the lighter guitar strings except that the bass tuners gearing could snap the lighter electric guitar strings so you have to be careful and tighten them very slowly. There will be a tone difference, too.

[@apothecide.1]

This is actually a great idea for experimental endeavors. I recorded your DI take and did some noise clean up, pitch shifted it two octaves down and passed it through Fortin Nameless and it sounds bonkers

[@gigi.savage]

The premise kind of reminds me of Brian Gibson from Lightning Bolt. Think he puts a couple banjo strings on a five string.

[@donklink1591]

I would liked to hear some chords and finger picking on that axe.

[@ricstormwolf]

Me watching this video is the definition of morbid curiosity.

[@timsway]

Jeez, I may have an instrument you'd be interested in. lol.

[@bongnp]

tune it like a Tenor guitar or mandolin and play chords :)

[@petertelford4900]

Why don't you put bass strings on a guitar .

[@petertelford4900]

Gidday from Australia. Why didn't you just buy piccolo strings 😂

[@stanleypenton2546]

i have learn many things from your

[@autostereoptic]

How about bass vi strings on a guitar next?

[@leoburns7197]

make more and more videos so helpful

[@DBK415]

What were the gauges?

[@brandonbowen3197]

thanks for sharing the video

[@naomiwebster5735]

ill share it with my friends

[@richardlynch5632]

Interesting video 👍😎 Are flatwounds in your future for guitar? Am really diggin' your balanced sets👍😎 👍😎❤🖖 Love brother

[@Stringjoy]

Yep! Our internal goal is to have something to show folks before the end of 2021

[@BelugaTheHutt]

I would be very interesting in any flatwound options you release, especially if you end up designing flatwound bass strings in any gauges which other manufacturers don't offer!

[@royhurdle1442]

interesting video

[@AJbassist]

isnt this kinda a bass vi ?

[@Stringjoy]

Scale length wise it is! But it's tuned an octave above a Bass VI

[@AJbassist]

@@Stringjoy awe thx u , ur great I love your string

[@kentlangham5811]

@@Stringjoy So it's in essence the high strings off a Bass VI tuned up a 3rd.

[@eloisedoherty948]

keep it up good one

[@leonajames740]

your tips are so perfect

[@morganwade9220]

great help

[@modestamertz3779]

so cool

[@Ramble1234]

I think you should do the opposite! Bass strings on a 25.5 scale guitar and see what happens. I assume the sound will definitely suffer and it'll be muddier but worth a shot?

[@spindlyspinster9332]

They are too wide to fit. You would have to custom build a new bridge, nut, and probably tuning posts, all just to put on strings that wouldn't get the right tension.

[@Ramble1234]

@@spindlyspinster9332 true. Might as well be a bass vi at that point.

[@bassiclymike]

The Ibanez Mikro bass is close to that... a 28" scale 4-string. It's begging to be made into a piccolo bass or a 4 string baritone guitar.

[@FizzyP]

I just did that to an 8 string Harley Benton guitar to give me the standard bass E1 A1 D2 G2 on my top 4 strings. Quoted from above: I did it using Stringjoy strings, even. I used 0.095 for E1 and 0.090 for A1. The A has low 30's lbs of tension. It feels ok and makes fairly punchy sound with an acceptable attack. I like it. The 0.095 on the low E is too floppy IMHO. Unfortunately you don't make a larger guitar string and even if you did it wouldn't fit through my bridge. So, I'm in the process of modding this thing to accept an actual bass string, hence my interest in the video.

[@JonNewquist]

Would be cool with octave down fuzz.

[@Stringjoy]

True dat!

[@mrgskye]

I think you're the type to "put bass strings on a guitar" and pull out a Bass VI 🙄

[@josephmistry6391]

never stop making the video

[@mrgskye]

"I play bass, as much as I play guitar" *Plays 30" bass made for student players and guitarists* 😂🤦🏼‍♂️

[@Stringjoy]

I explained in the video they reason I didn't do this before was because a guitar G string isn't long enough to make it to the tuning peg on one of my 32", 34" or 35" basses, hence why we were able to make this video once I nabbed a 30".

[@mrgskye]

@@Stringjoy but, I thought you guys made strings? 🧐

[@Stringjoy]

@@mrgskye Literally, all of this is talked about in the video bud

[@trashteeth]

did you have to work a bunch to readjust the bridge and saddles to get it to intonate? i imagine the tension would be crazy tight side note - totally gonna try this, a band i play bass for is using 8-strings in drop F and i wanna try tuning up to unison

[@Stringjoy]

Yep, it's all doable, but if you wanted perfect intonation you would definitely need to do some adjustments all around