Guitar is a complex instrument and a hard one to master. Still, this polyphonic instrument is one of the most popular musical instruments. An electric guitar is special because it is portable, inexpensive, versatile and you can find thousands of video tutorials to learn this amazing instrument. To learn how a guitar works, you need to be familiar with different parts of the instrument.

Headstock

It is the upper part of your electric guitar’s neck. This is where all the strings end. The headstock holds the tuners. Tuner type and arrangement depend on the headstock’s shape and size.

Tuners

These geared mechanisms allow you to lower and raise your electric guitar string’s tension to create pitches. If you look at the headstock’s back, you will find one string wrapped around each post. The following are the other names used for tuners:

- Tuning gears
- Tuning machines
- Tuning pegs

Strings

Each string produces a musical note when vibrated. This makes them an integral part of a guitar. All parts of the instrument are designed to make sure that each string produces the best sound.

Nut

This piece of plastic holds strings in place in its little slots. It is between the headshot and the neck. There are two places where strings don’t vibrate including the bridge and the nut.

Frets

You can find these skinny metal pieces on the fretboard. Frets mark the place of a note. The number of frets affects the tone of your electric guitar.

Fret Markers

A fret marker can be any shape like a dot. This marker signifies your position on the fretboard. You don’t need fret markers anymore to move from one fret to another once you get used to playing the instrument.

Fretboard

Made from wood, fretboard is also known as fingerboard. Frets are embedded on this top part of the neck. A guitarist produces chords and notes with this part using the non dominant hand.

Bar

Strings stop vibrating on this part of the guitar. It is also known as wang bar, vibrato bar, whammy bar and tremolo bar. Attached to the bridge, this metal rod varies string tension.

Pickup Selector and Pickups

Pickup selector determines a pickup to be activated. Electric guitars have pickups to convert guitar string vibrations into electrical signals. A guitar amplifier receives and boosts this signal.

Bridge

The bridge of a guitar serves multiple purposes. In addition to securing the strings, the bridge can be adjusted to change the intonation. The bridge ensures that the guitar stays tuned.

Body

This solid, semi-hollow or hollow playing surface houses volume controls, tone, pickups and other electronics and bridge assembly.

Volume and Tone Controls

You can use these knobs to control frequencies for the treble and bass and loudness of the sound.

Output Jack

This part of the guitar carries a signal to the amplifier. A standard electric guitar uses a ¼" mono jack.

So, now you are familiar with the different parts of an electric guitar, it will be easy for you to understand the working of your electric guitar.

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