Guitar Buyer's Guide to Guitar Parts

In order to be sure you're getting a good deal on a guitar you have to have some knowledge about the parts of the guitar. Acoustic and electric guitars differ, so first we'll look at the parts of the acoustic guitar.

The guitar has three main sections: the body, the neck, and the head, also called the peg head or the headstock.

The shape of the body is defined by the skinnier part called the waist and the sections that flare out from that, known as the bouts. The front of the guitar's body is called the soundboard. In the soundboard of a hollow body guitar you'll find the sound hole. The pick guard is to protect the soundboard from scratches, and provide a decorative flourish. Anchoring the strings to the body is the bridge, which transfers the string's vibration to the soundboard. That vibration is amplified by the hollow body and exits from the sound hole. On the bridge you find the saddle, a ridge of bone or plastic that spaces the strings and improves transfer of the vibration. Bridge pins hold the string in place on the bridge.

The heel is where the neck joins the body of the guitar. Glued onto the neck is the fretboard. The frets are wire inserts that divide the neck into half-step increments of the chromatic scale. They mark where the notes are played. Decorative inlays in the fretboard help you locate your position on the fretboard more easily. At the top of the neck is the nut, which spaces the strings evenly as they leave the neck on the way to the tuners.

The head or headstock is where the tuners, also known as the tuning keys or machine head, are located. The strings wrap around the posts and are tightened to the proper pitch by turning the tuning keys.

Pictured above is an acoustic guitar showing some variation from the traditional design. This acoustic has a cutaway in the upper bout. The cutaway allows better access to the higher frets. Note also the numerous sound holes in the soundboard, and their unusual placement.

So that's the whirlwind tour of the major parts of the acoustic guitar. Later we'll have a more detailed look at how the construction and materials used for various parts of the guitar affect the sound quality.