Guitar Studio: Online Music Academy

The most important parts of an electric & acoustic guitar

In our guitar lessons, we often use specific names and terms, and discussions about components like the bridge, nut, headstock, and others are common on the internet. As a beginner guitarist, it’s helpful to understand these terms. Knowing the correct names of guitar parts is valuable, whether you’re playing with other musicians or ordering and replacing new or worn parts. Since much of the professional jargon in the music world is in English, we’ve listed both the Dutch and English names for these parts below.

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Headstock: The headstock is the outermost part of the guitar neck where the tuning pegs are located. It is a vulnerable area, and if the guitar is dropped or knocked incorrectly, the headstock can sometimes break at the point where the nut is attached. Additionally, the headstock endures significant force and pressure from the tension of the strings. To handle this stress, the headstock is often glued to the neck at a specific angle, which varies depending on the brand and type of guitar.

Tuning Pegs (tuning screws, tuning knobs, tuner mechanisms): The tuning peg is a mechanism around which the string is wound. It allows you to fasten the string and adjust its pitch, either finely or coarsely (some guitars also have fine-tuning mechanisms on the bridge). Depending on the guitar model, the tuning pegs can be located at the top, bottom (as seen in headless guitars like those from Steinberger), or on both sides (such as with Ibanez guitars featuring the Floyd Rose system).

Nut: The nut of the guitar neck is a small piece of material—often plastic, bone, graphite, or brass—over which the strings pass from the headstock. The playability of the guitar in the lower positions largely depends on the height of the nut; ideally, it should be as low as the first fret. Some guitars feature a “zero fret” to address this.

The nut’s material can vary, but a common issue is friction between the string and the nut, which can cause tuning problems if the string sticks. Several solutions can address this issue, including:

  • Filing the nut slots to reduce friction
  • Using a nut with ball bearings
  • Installing a locking nut, such as those found on Ibanez guitars
  • Applying graphite lubrication to the nut slots

Neck (Guitar Neck): The neck of the guitar extends between the headstock and the body, and it is where the frets are mounted. The shape of the neck and the distance between the frets and the strings (known as the action) significantly affect the ease of playing.

The ideal action varies depending on personal preference and musical style. For metal, a lower action is often preferred for faster playing and easier fretting. In contrast, for styles like funk, where a more aggressive attack is common, a higher action may be recommended to prevent string buzzing. Generally, a lower action makes a guitar easier to play because the strings are closer to the frets, requiring less finger pressure.

Guitar necks are commonly made from woods such as mahogany or maple, while the fingerboard (or fretboard) is often crafted from rosewood, ebony, or maple.

Fretboard (Fingerboard): The fretboard is the section of the guitar neck that holds the frets in place. It is typically made of a different type of wood, such as rosewood, maple, or ebony, and is glued on top of the neck.

Frets: Frets are the metal strips embedded in the fretboard. They are usually made from an alloy of 18% nickel, 55% copper, and 27% zinc. This alloy provides a balance between hardness and durability, but frets will eventually wear out (a condition known as fretwear) and may need to be replaced. Frets come in various sizes, including small, medium, narrow, and jumbo, with variations in both height and width.

Body: The body is the largest part of the guitar and comes in various sizes and shapes. It significantly influences the guitar’s sound, with the choice of wood and construction methods playing crucial roles. Ergonomic body shapes tend to be more comfortable, while unique designs like the Flying V or double neck guitars, though visually striking, can be less practical and are often more suitable as display pieces.

Electronics: This includes components such as pickups, the pickup selector switch, the input jack, and knobs. Guitar electronics can range from simple setups with a volume potentiometer to complex systems with built-in preamps and active controls. Mechanical parts like the input jack and pickup selector switch are prone to wear and may need replacement over time.

Pickups: Pickups are magnetic sensors that convert string vibrations into electrical signals. Guitars may have one, two, or even three pickups. There are single-coil pickups and double-coil pickups (humbuckers). Humbuckers consist of two coils with opposite polarities and are known for a warmer, noise-resistant sound, ideal for rock. Single-coil pickups produce a brighter, sharper sound characteristic of many Fender guitars. Some pickups feature a push-pull switch to alternate between single-coil and humbucker modes.

Pickup Selector Switch: This switch allows you to choose which pickups are active. Depending on the number of pickups, the switch may be a 3-way or 5-way selector.

Input Jack: The input jack is where you plug in the guitar cable. Over time, the input jack can become loose or faulty, causing crackling or signal dropouts. In such cases, it may need to be tightened or repaired.

Knobs (Potentiometers): Knobs typically control volume and tone. The volume knob adjusts the output level, while the tone knob adjusts the treble frequencies, affecting the brightness or dullness of the sound. Some guitars feature push-pull potentiometers that can switch between pickup modes or activate built-in boosters.

Bridge: The bridge is attached to or mounted on the body of the guitar and holds the strings in place. For electric guitars, common types of bridges include stoptail, tremolo, and tune-o-matic bridges, each offering different features and functionalities.