Quick tour. I'll keep it tight. Learn these names and you'll be able to talk guitar hardware with the best.
Here's the breakdown:
- 1Headstock: The top; it holds the tuning pegs.
- 2Tuning pegs: (machine heads). Turn these to tune each string.
- 3Nut: The little grooved strip where the strings leave the neck.
- 4Neck & fretboard: Where your fretting hand lives.
- 5Frets: The metal strips; pressing between them changes the note.
- 6Soundhole: Where the sound projects out of the body.
- 7Bridge: Anchor the strings down on the body.
- 8Saddle: Raises strings above the fretboard.
- 9Body: The big hollow box that makes it loud.
🔑 KEY IDEA
Fret-ology
When it comes to terminology, there are two parts of the acoustic guitar in particular that new players tend to get mixed up: the bridge and the saddle. They work together, but they have very different jobs.
The bridge is the piece attached to the body of the guitar that anchors the strings in place. On an acoustic guitar, small pins called bridge pins hold the strings securely against the bridge.
The saddle is the small strip that sits in the bridge. It raises your strings above the fretboard so they don't buzz on the frets. If you ever get a string that is buzzing a lot while you play, check the saddle to see if its sitting too low.
Congratulations, you now know your guitar's basic anatomy. Next time someone says "check the bridge", you'll actually know where to look.
Your turn 🎮
Tap the Part
Find the: Headstock
The cheat sheet
- Top to bottom: headstock, tuning pegs, nut, neck/frets, soundhole, bridge, body.
- A 'fret' is the space between the metal strips, not the strip itself.
- The nut and saddle set string height. That's why guitars feel different.
- Electrics are the same map with pickups instead of a soundhole.
Common questions
Do I need to know all the parts before I start playing?
No. You can play your first chords knowing almost none of this. But the words (nut, fret, bridge, soundhole) show up in every lesson, so a five-minute tour makes everything after it easier.
What's the difference between the neck and the fretboard?
The neck is the whole long piece your hand runs along; the fretboard (or fingerboard) is the flat front surface of it, where the frets and your fingers go.
Why do acoustic guitars have that big hole?
The soundhole lets the strings resonate inside the hollow body and project outward. It's what makes an acoustic loud without any electronics.