Double Bass String Guide
Which strings are on your double bass?
Match the coloured silk at the tailpiece and in the pegbox to find possible string makes and ranges. This chart covers 39 double bass string ranges and variants, with patterns, colour names and notes to help you distinguish similar strings.
Showing all 39 ranges.
No matching ranges. Try clearing a colour filter or checking whether the winding has a spiral or an extra band. Some strings and variants are outside this chart.
| Maker & range | G string | D string | A string | E string | Variants & notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CorelliUnspecified legacy range | Tailpiecewhite/violet spiral Pegboxblack | Tailpiecewhite/violet spiral Pegboxmagenta | Tailpiecewhite/violet spiral Pegboxyellow | Tailpiecewhite/violet spiral Pegboxred | Historical code Older unnumbered chart. Catalog number unspecified; do not apply this scheme to all Corelli bass ranges. View source for Corelli Unspecified legacy range |
| D’AddarioHelicore Hybrid | Tailpiecegreen/yellow spiral Pegboxred | Tailpiecegreen/yellow spiral Pegboxyellow | Tailpiecegreen/yellow spiral Pegboxblack | Tailpiecegreen/yellow spiral Pegboxgreen | Manufacturer chart Published bass chart. Light tension adds yellow; heavy adds orange. Low B uses blue pegbox silk. Check variant and winding material. View source for D’Addario Helicore Hybrid |
| D’AddarioHelicore Orchestra | Tailpieceblue/yellow spiral Pegboxred | Tailpieceblue/yellow spiral Pegboxyellow | Tailpieceblue/yellow spiral Pegboxblack | Tailpieceblue/yellow spiral Pegboxgreen | Manufacturer chart Published bass chart. Light tension adds yellow; heavy adds orange. Low B uses blue pegbox silk. Check variant and winding material. View source for D’Addario Helicore Orchestra |
| D’AddarioHelicore Pizzicato | Tailpiecered/yellow spiral Pegboxred | Tailpiecered/yellow spiral Pegboxyellow | Tailpiecered/yellow spiral Pegboxblack | Tailpiecered/yellow spiral Pegboxgreen | Manufacturer chart Published bass chart. Light tension adds yellow; heavy adds orange. Low B uses blue pegbox silk. Check variant and winding material. View source for D’Addario Helicore Pizzicato |
| D’AddarioKaplan | Tailpiecegrey/black spiral Pegboxred | Tailpiecegrey/black spiral Pegboxyellow | Tailpiecegrey/black spiral Pegboxblack | Tailpiecegrey/black spiral Pegboxgreen | Manufacturer chart Published bass chart. Light tension adds yellow; heavy adds orange. Low B uses blue pegbox silk. Check variant and winding material. View source for D’Addario Kaplan |
| D’AddarioPrelude | Tailpieceblue Pegboxred | Tailpieceblue Pegboxyellow | Tailpieceblue Pegboxblack | Tailpieceblue Pegboxgreen | Manufacturer chart Published bass chart. Light tension adds yellow; heavy adds orange. Low B uses blue pegbox silk. Check variant and winding material. View source for D’Addario Prelude |
| D’AddarioZyex | Tailpieceorange/red spiral Pegboxred | Tailpieceorange/red spiral Pegboxyellow | Tailpieceorange/red spiral Pegboxblack | Tailpieceorange/red spiral Pegboxgreen | Manufacturer chart Published bass chart. Light tension adds yellow; heavy adds orange. Low B uses blue pegbox silk. Check variant and winding material. View source for D’Addario Zyex |
| InnovationGolden Slap — earlier code | Tailpiecedark green Pegboxred | Tailpiecedark green Pegboxyellow | Tailpiecedark green Pegboxcyan | Tailpiecedark green Pegboxlime | Historical code Earlier reference scheme; modern peghead codes are described below. View source for Innovation Golden Slap — earlier code |
| InnovationHoney — earlier code | Tailpieceturquoise Pegboxred | Tailpieceturquoise Pegboxyellow | Tailpieceturquoise Pegboxcyan | Tailpieceturquoise Pegboxlime | Historical code Earlier reference scheme; modern peghead codes are described below. View source for Innovation Honey — earlier code |
| InnovationSuper Silver — earlier code | Tailpieceblack Pegboxred | Tailpieceblack Pegboxyellow | Tailpieceblack Pegboxcyan | Tailpieceblack Pegboxlime | Historical code Earlier reference scheme; modern peghead codes are described below. View source for Innovation Super Silver — earlier code |
| JargarDolce | Tailpiecegreen Pegboxgreen | Tailpiecegreen Pegboxgreen | Tailpiecegreen Pegboxgreen | Tailpiecegreen Pegboxgreen | Reference chart Secondary bass reference; check gauge and packaging. View source for Jargar Dolce |
| JargarForte | Tailpiecered Pegboxlight blue | Tailpiecered Pegboxlight blue | Tailpiecered Pegboxlight blue | Tailpiecered Pegboxlight blue | Reference chart Secondary bass reference; check gauge and packaging. View source for Jargar Forte |
| JargarMedium | Tailpiecelight blue Pegboxlight blue | Tailpiecelight blue Pegboxlight blue | Tailpiecelight blue Pegboxlight blue | Tailpiecelight blue Pegboxlight blue | Reference chart Secondary bass reference; check gauge and packaging. View source for Jargar Medium |
| PirastroEudoxa | Tailpiecewhite/dark violet spiral Pegboxbrown | Tailpiecewhite/dark violet spiral Pegboxrust red | Tailpiecewhite/dark violet spiral Pegboxblack | Tailpiecewhite/dark violet spiral Pegboxdark green | Manufacturer chart Standard orchestra tuning; medium shown. Low B: tailpiece white/dark violet spiral; pegbox yellow. View source for Pirastro Eudoxa |
| PirastroEvah Pirazzi | Tailpiecegreen/black spiral Pegboxbrown | Tailpiecegreen/black spiral Pegboxrust red | Tailpiecegreen/black spiral Pegboxblack | Tailpiecegreen/black spiral Pegboxdark green | Manufacturer chart Standard orchestra tuning; medium shown. Low B: tailpiece green/black spiral; pegbox yellow. Longer E/extension variants occur; check length separately. View source for Pirastro Evah Pirazzi |
| PirastroEvah Pirazzi Slap — gut G/D | TailpieceNo silk / no colour code Pegboxbrown | TailpieceNo silk / no colour code Pegboxrust red | Tailpiecehoney yellow/black spiral Pegboxblack | Tailpiecehoney yellow/black spiral Pegboxdark green | Manufacturer chart Plain-gut G/D have no tailpiece colour code and knot ends; synthetic A/E have silk and balls. View source for Pirastro Evah Pirazzi Slap — gut G/D |
| PirastroEvah Pirazzi Slap — synthetic G/D | Tailpiecehoney yellow/black spiral Pegboxbrown | Tailpiecehoney yellow/black spiral Pegboxrust red | Tailpiecehoney yellow/black spiral Pegboxblack | Tailpiecehoney yellow/black spiral Pegboxdark green | Manufacturer chart Alternative synthetic G/D with synthetic A/E; silk on all four tailpiece ends. View source for Pirastro Evah Pirazzi Slap — synthetic G/D |
| PirastroEvah Pirazzi — light | Tailpiecegreen/black spiral Pegboxbrown + pink band | Tailpiecegreen/black spiral Pegboxrust red + pink band | Tailpiecegreen/black spiral Pegboxblack + pink band | Tailpiecegreen/black spiral Pegboxdark green + pink band | Manufacturer chart Standard orchestra tuning; light shown. Low B: tailpiece green/black spiral; pegbox yellow + pink band. Longer E/extension variants occur; check length separately. View source for Pirastro Evah Pirazzi — light |
| PirastroFlat-Chromesteel | Tailpiecewhite/ruby spiral Pegboxbrown | Tailpiecewhite/ruby spiral Pegboxrust red | Tailpiecewhite/ruby spiral Pegboxblack | Tailpiecewhite/ruby spiral Pegboxdark green | Manufacturer chart Standard orchestra tuning; medium shown. Low B: tailpiece white/ruby spiral; pegbox yellow. Longer E/extension variants occur; check length separately. View source for Pirastro Flat-Chromesteel |
| PirastroFlexocor | Tailpieceruby Pegboxbrown | Tailpieceruby Pegboxrust red | Tailpieceruby Pegboxblack | Tailpieceruby Pegboxdark green | Manufacturer chart Standard orchestra tuning; medium shown. Low B: tailpiece ruby; pegbox yellow. Longer E/extension variants occur; check length separately. View source for Pirastro Flexocor |
| PirastroFlexocor Deluxe | Tailpiecewhite/red spiral Pegboxbrown | Tailpiecewhite/red spiral Pegboxrust red | Tailpiecewhite/red spiral Pegboxblack | Tailpiecewhite/red spiral Pegboxdark green | Manufacturer chart Standard orchestra tuning; medium shown. Low B: tailpiece white/red spiral; pegbox yellow. Longer E/extension variants occur; check length separately. View source for Pirastro Flexocor Deluxe |
| PirastroFlexocor — light | Tailpieceruby Pegboxbrown + pink band | Tailpieceruby Pegboxrust red + pink band | Tailpieceruby Pegboxblack + pink band | Tailpieceruby Pegboxdark green + pink band | Manufacturer chart Standard orchestra tuning; light s
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