How Is a 6-String Bass Tuned? | The BEADGC Standard

Most 6-string basses use BEADGC tuning: B0, E1, A1, D2, G2, and C3 from low to high.

Whether you’re stepping up from a 4-string or just bought your first extended-range instrument, the low B and high C come as a surprise to most players. Tuning a 6-string bass isn’t hard once you know the layout, but a few details separate a clean setup from one that buzzes and fights you all night. Here’s exactly how the strings should sit.

The 6-String Bass Layout: B-E-A-D-G-C

The standard tuning for a 6-string bass is B0–E1–A1–D2–G2–C3, low to high. That gives you the familiar E, A, D, and G from a 4-string in the middle, with a low B bolted on below and a high C added above.

The interval between every adjacent pair of strings is a perfect fourth, so the fretboard logic stays consistent across all six strings. With A4 = 440 Hz reference tuning, the open-string frequencies are:

• B0 — 30.87 Hz
• E1 — 41.20 Hz
• A1 — 55.00 Hz
• D2 — 73.42 Hz
• G2 — 98.00 Hz
• C3 — 130.81 Hz

This BEADGC layout is the standard reference for extended-range bass on Wikipedia’s Bass guitar tuning page and in Peterson Tuners’ instrument guides. It is not the same as a 6-string guitar’s EADGBE tuning — the bass adds the low B on the bottom instead of a high E on top.

How To Tune a 6-String Bass Step By Step

Tuning starts with the middle four strings, because they behave exactly like a normal bass.

1. Tune E1, A1, D2, and G2 first — treat them as a standard 4-string and pitch them with your tuner.
2. Drop below the E string and tune the low string to B0. Let the note ring for a second or two so the tuner locks onto a stable reading — low frequencies register slowly, and a quick pluck gives a flickering display.
3. Move above the G string and tune the high string to C3.
4. Verify each pair by fretting the 5th fret of the lower string and comparing it to the next open string. The B string’s 5th fret should match the open E, and so on up the neck. Each pair rings as a perfect fourth.

If your tuner supports it, set the reference to A4 = 440 Hz before you start, and double-check your octave after you finish — a low B0 that reads correct on the tuner but sounds an octave low is easy to miss on a fresh instrument.

The One String That Flies Under The Radar

The low B and high C are more sensitive to setup and intonation errors than the middle strings. A poorly cut nut slot, a slightly off bridge saddle, or a neck with too little relief makes these outer strings buzz or play sharp as you move up the neck.

If the B string sounds flabby or the C string won’t stay in tune, check your intonation at the 12th fret before blaming the tuner. If you’re shopping for your first 6-string, pay attention to build quality on the nut and bridge — that’s where budget instruments cut corners. Our tested roundup of the best 6-string basses covers models that handle these strings well.

One Tuning You Shouldn’t Copy

There is an alternate 6-string bass tuning: E1–A1–D2–G2–B2–E3, which gives you a high B and E instead of the low B. That layout belongs to the Fender Bass VI, a guitar-family instrument with a different string spacing and scale length.

If someone hands you a 6-string bass and tells you it’s tuned EADGBE, they’re describing a guitar setup, not a bass. The Wikipedia reference for bass guitar tuning keeps the BEADGC and Bass VI layouts clearly separate, and your tuner will thank you for knowing which one you’re actually using.