Parts of the Guitar | Guitar Parts
Let’s take some time here to acquaint yourself with the guitar. I would like for you to place your guitar on your lap so you can identify the parts of the guitar as I point them out to you. The parts on an acoustic guitar (i.e., a non-electric guitar) are fewer than an electric guitar. I will first describe the parts that all guitars have and then go on to describe those exterior parts which are found on an electric guitar.
Every guitar will have the following parts; A Body, a Neck, a Headstock, a Bridge, a Tailpiece, Strings, a Nut, Tuning Keys, Frets, and a Fret Board.
The body of the guitar is the main part of the guitar that rests against your body while standing. It will also sit in your lap when you hold the guitar while sitting down. It is also the part of the guitar that has many of the other parts of the guitar attached to it. On an acoustic guitar, it houses the sound hole (where the sound comes out).
The Neck of the guitar is the long part of the guitar (about 2’ in length) that sticks out from the body of the guitar. It is where you will place your left hand (for right handed people) when you press down the strings to make music.
The Headstock is at the very end of the neck of the guitar. It has the tuning keys mounted to it and is one location where the strings attach when putting them on your guitar.
The Bridge is the part of the guitar that lifts the strings off of and away from the body of the guitar, so as to allow them to vibrate when plucked or struck with your right hand. It is mounted close to the bottom end on the body of the guitar.
The Tailpiece is the part of the guitar that holds the strings in place on the body of the guitar. It is where the string is first attached when you are re-stringing (putting new strings on) your guitar.
The Strings are the metal wires you play to make music on your guitar. There are 6 strings. The thickest string is the number 6 string and is called the low E string. The thinnest string is the number 1 string and is called the high E string. This is pretty important, as you want to memorize the names of the 6 strings. In sequential order, from the thickest to the thinnest strings, they are labeled: 6th or Low E, 5th or A, 4th or D, 3rd or G, 2nd or B, 1st or High E.
The Nut of the guitar is the part that sits where the neck and the headstock meet one another. It is like another little bridge that keeps the strings elevated off of the Neck of the guitar, in order to allow the strings to vibrate when struck.
Tuning Keys are what the strings are actually attached to on the headstock of the guitar. They can be turned clockwise or counterclockwise to either raise or lower the sound (pitch of the note) of the string. There are 6 tuning keys: 1 for each string.
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