Guitar 101: How Many Strings Does a Guitar Have？

 

 

The guitar usually has six strings, each of which varies in thickness and is numbered with digits, starting from the thinnest string, which is referred to as the 1st string, up to the thickest one, known as the 6th string. The 1st and 2nd strings are typically plain, while the 3rd to 6th strings are wound with metal. When holding the guitar, the 6th string is the topmost string. Guitar notes starting from the thinnest to the thickest：

1st string：E

2nd string：B

3rd string：G

4th string：D

5th string：A

6th string：Low E    

 

 

How many strings did the historical guitars have?

 

who invented the guitar ？

 

Well, although many people believe that the guitar's ancestor is the lute, in fact, the guitar did not develop from the lute but followed its own independent evolutionary path. Research conducted by Michael Kasha, a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, in the 1960s indicates that the guitar and the lute share common ancestors, dating back to various plucked instruments in ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Persia around two to three thousand years ago.    

 

 Lute Guitar 200~500 BC/Image by Met Museum.org

 

 

A Brief History of The Guitar

 

Evolution from Three-string to Five-string Guitar

 

     

Image by Guyguitar

 

 

  As we can observe, the ancestors of the guitar originated from Egypt and Mesopotamia and made their way to Europe. These early instruments typically had four strings . As we have seen above, the word "guitar" is derived from the ancient Persian "chartar," which directly translates to "four strings." From the Roman era through the Middle Ages, many such instruments and variations ranging from three to five strings can be seen in medieval illuminated manuscripts and carved into the stones of churches and cathedrals.      

 

 

Guitar-playing angel, St. Stephen's Church, 1591.

 

 

By the onset of the Renaissance, at least in most parts of Europe, the dominant form of guitar was the 4-course guitar (consisting of 4 unison-tuned pairs of strings, not 4 individual strings). The earliest known musical scores played on a four-string "Chitarra" were written in 16th century Spain. Almost concurrently, in Italy, the 5-course guitar emerged and gradually supplanted the 4-course guitar. The standard tuning had evolved to A, D, G, B, E, akin to the modern guitar's top 5 strings. In the 16th century, the four-course guitar and its cousin, the vihuela played with fingers, reached high levels of creativity and performance. Both instruments were not only beloved by common folk but also frequently employed in courtly settings. The notation methods used for instruments like guitars and vihuelas at that time were not the modern staff notation but rather used horizontal lines to represent strings, with numbers or letters indicating frets and finger positions, akin to the tablature used in contemporary folk guitar.      

 

 

 

 

In the transition from five strings to the six single-string configuration, it appears that at least some existing five-string instruments were modified to the new single-string setup. This was a rather straightforward task, as it only required replacing (or reworking) the nut and bridge, and plugging the four tuning peg holes. German master luthier Joakim Thielke (1641 - 1719) from Hamburg performed such modifications on an exceedingly ornate guitar.      

 

 

Image by Guyguitar

 

 

The Modern Six-String "Classical" Guitar

 

In the 17th century, the "guitarra battente" from Italy saw an increase in the number of strings to six courses, a trend subsequently followed by guitar makers across Europe. The popularity of the six-course string design soared, with Italians notably driving this momentum. Consequently, it is often suggested that the development of the six-string guitar was propelled by the twelve-string guitar; however, the reverse argument holds true as well, suggesting a complementary relationship between the two.      

 

 

 

 

In the latter half of the 19th century, Spanish manufacturer Antonio Torres.made decisive contributions to establishing the "standard" of today's guitar. He determined its shape, maximum dimensions, construction techniques, and introduced the revolutionary "fan-bracing" top support pattern. Quickly, his design became the recognized standard for classical guitars. Even today, the fundamental structure of classical guitars remains largely unchanged, enduring without any significant challenge.  

 

 

 

The Development of Modern Steel-string

 

 

German immigrants who moved to the United States, including Christian Frederick Martin, began crafting guitars with X-braced tops. Steel strings came into widespread use around 1900. Steel strings promised to create guitars with louder sound, but the increased tension was too much for the Torres-style fan-braced tops. It was found that reinforced X-bracing was up to the task and quickly became the industry standard for flat-top steel-string guitars.      

 

 

The evolution of guitars by Torres. Classic Guitar Construction by Irving Sloane.

 

 

Who invented the electric guitar?

 

By the late 1920s, with the addition of pickups to Hawaiian and "jazz" guitars, the electric guitar was born, although it didn't achieve much success until Gibson introduced the ES150 model in 1936, propelled to fame by Charlie Christian. Nowadays, standard electric guitars represent another popular type, usually featuring six strings made of steel. Some electric guitars have seven or more strings, providing greater range and versatility for certain playing styles.    

 

 

Martin X-shaped bracing

 

 

A New Guitar Era - Aeroband Stringless Guitar

 

 

AeroBand's CEO Frank and Eric Dahl

 

 

In 2024, marking another milestone in the era of guitars, AeroBand, a tech brand dedicated to the global expansion of intelligent musical instruments, unveiled its latest product, the AeroBand Guitar, at the 2024 Nammshow. This is the world's first pain-free guitar utilizing silicone strings. From a technological standpoint, the AeroBand Guitar represents an innovative silicone fretboard guitar. It's not merely a marketing gimmick; it's a revolutionary innovation. As Frank explains, "During my guitar learning journey, I couldn't avoid the discomfort caused by traditional steel strings, especially when practicing F chords, which led me to completely give up." In fact, according to a study published in "Medical Frontiers" in 2022, the prevalence of hand osteoarthritis (OA) increased from 3.713 billion people in 1990 to 6.7602 billion people in 2019, an increase of 82.07%. For the elderly, this breakthrough technology opens up the possibility of music to a wider audience.  

 

 

 

 

After three years of meticulous design, AeroBand engineers successfully achieved the ability to effortlessly switch between various tones using the top buttons, including acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano, four-stringed instrument, and banjo, and also tune the strings without the need for manual operation, eliminating the need for a traditional guitar capo. Additionally, the AeroBand Guitar comes equipped with high-quality built-in speakers, eliminating the need for external amplifiers. The top of the guitar body also features an AUX expansion port for easy connection to other accessories such as microphones. AeroBand engineers have carefully integrated six different microphone tones, enhancing the overall playing and even singing experience for beginners, creating a more enjoyable and convenient learning environment.  

 

 

 

In addition to rich tone reproduction, the AeroBand Guitar also features a unique detachable neck design. This design enhances the guitar's portability, simplifies maintenance, and replacement. Furthermore, the AeroBand Guitar seamlessly integrates with MIDI tools like Logic Pro and Sibelius, providing comprehensive support to musicians, expanding their creative possibilities. This makes the AeroBand Guitar an intelligent guitar that not only performs excellently in tone but also showcases innovation in design and functionality.