Oct 16 2008
Anatomy Of An Electric Guitar
So you are serious about dominating your electric guitar, eh? First let’s go over the different parts along with the definitions so we can refer to them later. (The acoustic guitar is quite similar)
Body: The main part of the guitar. This is also where the pickups and bridge are located.
Bridge: Part of the guitar where the strings are pass tightly and are attached to the face of the guitar.
Frets: Are metal strips running across a guitars neck. They can also be used to describe the spaces between metal strips.
Headstock: The end of the neck where the strings are tuned.
Neck: The long narrow part of the guitar where notes are fretted. Located between the body and headstock of the guitar.
Nut: Is a small piece of plastic, bone, graphite or brass with slots cut into into it for the strings. The nut is located where the neck and headstock join. Another type of commonly used nut is a locking nut for those who make heavy use of their tremolo.
Pickup Switch: A switch found on the body of the guitar used to select different pickups for different tones and sounds.
Pickups: Are what gives sound to your guitar. They are a magnet wrapped in many turns of wires, they pass underneath the strings. When a string is struck it interferes with the magnetic field of the pickup, creating and impulse that is then sent to the amplifier.
Tremolo (aka Whammy Bar) : A bar connected to the bridge of the guitar. By moving the tremolo bar up or down, you can move the bridge, thus changing the pitch.
Tuning Pegs: The pegs located on the headstock, which are used to tune the guitar by tightening or loosening the gears.
Volume and Tone Control: Control knobs on the body of the guitar used to adjust guitar volume and tone.
