As a guitarist, you should be well aware of the construction of your instrument. As you know there are several types of guitars to choose from.
No matter if it is a bass guitar, or an electric guitar, an acoustic or a hybrid of acoustic and electric guitars, you will find that all kinds of guitars have many things in common.
At the core, all types of guitars be it restrictively expensive or just a cheap product have the same basic parts.
All these parts have their unique function, but all of them work in perfect harmony to ensure a good quality sound.
If you thought, that the more sophisticated models have more complex construction to produce better quality music then you are absolutely wrong.
All types of guitars consist of the same basic parts; It is the quality of individual parts and above all the manufacturing skills that distinguish the classic brands from the cheaper nondescript versions.
Read on the article below to learn about the most important parts of the guitar that render a unique sound quality to this most commonly used musical instrument.
Body
The body of the guitar holds together all other parts of the guitar. You will come to see different types of bodies in different kinds of guitars.
The body may be either solid or hollow and generally made of solid wood. As for example, the acoustic guitars come mostly with a hollowed-out body.
They are also equipped with a “sound hole” from which emits the sound of the guitar. The body is either made of a single piece of wood or two or more pieces are joined to construct the body.
Some guitars are constructed with a semi-solid body which is created by a block of wood running through a hollow body. But these types of constructions are believed to lack good tonal qualities.
However, the electric guitars with a solid body come with pickups that help to amplify the vibrations created by the strumming the strings.
However, some electric guitars have a cutaway or two, which gives you easier access to the fingerboard’s top notes.
Neck
The neck is like the backbone of all types of guitars. The neck is adjoined to the “body” of the guitar.
The neck is generally made of hardwood like maple. In some cases, the neck can also be made of graphite composite to make your instrument lightweight.
The neck is the place where you rest your hands for support. It is the part of the guitar that bears the entire pull of the strings. Touching various parts of the neck, you are able to produce different notes.
The neck is attached to the body either through a screw fitting or with the help of the glue.
Headstock
At the end of the neck, you can find the head of the guitar which is also referred to as headstock or peghead.
On closer scrutiny, you will come to find small peg-like instruments which are called tuners that help you to adjust the pitch of the strings.
There are types of guitars that come without headstock. In these guitars, the strings are anchored behind the nut, and the tuning machines that are located on the bridge sustain the tension of the strings.
Fingerboard
The fingerboard is often a separate piece made of hardwoods like maple, ebony, or rosewood that is attached to the neck.
You can find rows of dots or other marks commonly made of wood and sometimes with pearl or metal inlaid along the length of the fingerboard. They are meant to provide guidance with regard to the positioning of your fingers.
Frets
A closer look at the neck of the guitar will reveal a number of metal strips running through the entire length.
These metal pieces are called “frets“. You can find some 21 to 24 frets on any guitar. These frets put a limit to a string’s vibrating length and thus maintain the exactness of particular note.
Strings
Strings produce the sound of the guitar. The strings start from the tuning pegs and run down to connect to the body at the ‘bridge‘ over the neck and soundhole.
Each string has its corresponding tuner and on turning the tuners the strings are pulled tightly. The tighter strings make for better and higher sound.
You may come across many other parts used to make a guitar.
