Expert Guide to Guitar Parts

Understanding your guitar’s components is key to unlocking its full potential. Whether you’re just starting out or have been playing for years, knowing what each guitar part does helps you master setup, tone, and playability. From the headstock to the bridge, every element contributes to your sound.

Parts of the Guitar

A guitar consists of three main sections: the headstock, neck, and body. Each influences how your guitar plays and sounds.

Guitar Headstock

Located at the top of the neck, the headstock houses the tuning hardware and other critical components like the machine heads, string trees, and often the truss rod access.

Machine Heads / Turning Pins

Also called tuning pegs, these metal knobs adjust the string tension to raise or lower the pitch. Strings wrap around tuning posts connected to the machine heads.

String Tree

Found mostly on Fender-style headstocks, string trees hold certain strings down to maintain proper tension and break angle, improving tuning stability and resonance.

Truss Rod

A metal rod embedded inside the neck, the truss rod can be adjusted to change the neck’s curvature. This affects the guitar’s action and helps prevent warping.

Nut

The nut sits between the headstock and fretboard. It aligns the strings properly and maintains their height above the fretboard for optimal tone and playability.

Guitar Neck

Connecting the headstock to the body, the neck is where you play notes and chords. It includes the fretboard, frets, inlays, and typically a truss rod.

Fretboard & Frets

The fretboard (or fingerboard) is where your fingers press down on the strings. Frets are metal strips across it that divide the neck into musical intervals, guiding accurate note formation.

Inlays

Inlays are visual markers on the fretboard (usually dots) placed at specific frets (like 3, 5, 7, and 12) to help you navigate the neck more easily.

Guitar Strings

Strings create the sound of the guitar. When plucked, they vibrate and produce musical notes. Materials vary (steel, nylon, nickel), each offering different tonal qualities and feel.

Tailpiece

Common on electric and archtop guitars, the tailpiece anchors the string ends to the body. It may be separate or integrated into the bridge system.

Guitar Body

The body influences a guitar’s tone, resonance, and feel. It also holds the bridge, electronics (for electrics), and hardware.

Common guitar body styles include:

• Telecaster: Solid slab body with bright, twangy tone.
• Jaguar/Jazzmaster: Offset shapes with mellow tones and complex switching.
• V: Sharp, angular design for aggressive play and upper fret access.
• Hollow Body: Full acoustic chambers; warm, jazzy sound.
• Semi-Hollow Body: Hollow wings with a solid center for balanced tone and less feedback.
• Dreadnought: Large acoustic body for strong projection and rich bass.
• Stratocaster/Strat: Contoured solid body, versatile tone, and comfortable playability.

Strap Buttons & Straps

Strap buttons are metal posts on the body that attach to guitar straps. Straps allow for standing play and can be upgraded with locks for added security.

Bridge & Bridge Pins

The bridge holds the strings in place on the body and transfers vibration to either the soundboard (acoustics) or pickups (electrics). Acoustic guitars use bridge pins to secure string ends, while electric bridges often include adjustable saddles.

Saddles

Saddles sit on the bridge and support each string. They influence string height (action) and intonation. Electric saddles are usually adjustable for fine-tuning.

Guitar Pickguard / Scratchplate

The pickguard protects the guitar’s finish from scratches caused by picks or fingernails. It’s both functional and decorative, and common on many electric and acoustic guitars.

Electric Guitar-only Parts

Guitar Pickups

Pickups are magnets wrapped in wire that capture string vibrations and convert them into electrical signals. The two primary types of pickups are:

• Single Coil: Known for clarity and brightness but can hum.
• Double Coil (Humbucker): Warmer, fuller tone with hum-canceling capabilities.

Knobs

Volume and tone knobs adjust output level and treble frequency. Most guitars have separate knobs for each.

Switch Caps

These are the tips on pickup selector switches, helping you switch between pickups with ease, often seen on Strat and Les Paul guitars.

Capacitors

Part of the tone circuit, capacitors filter high frequencies to shape the sound when you turn down the tone knob.

Potentiometers

These are rotary controls behind the knobs. They adjust volume or tone by altering electrical resistance in the signal path.

Whammy Bar

Also called a tremolo arm, it lets you quickly alter string tension to create vibrato effects or dramatic pitch changes.

Output Jack

The output jack connects your guitar to an amplifier or pedalboard via a cable, transmitting the electrical signal from the pickups.

Acoustic Guitar-only Parts

Soundhole

The soundhole is the central opening in the top of an acoustic guitar. It allows the body to project sound, acting as a natural amplifier.

Guitar Accessories

Amps

Guitar amplifiers make your guitar loud and shape the tone. They range from basic practice amps to full-featured rigs with built-in effects.

Tuners & Tuning Machines

Tuners help you get each string to the correct pitch. They can be clip-on, pedal-based, or built-in. Tuning machines (machine heads) adjust string tension manually.

Decals & Rosettes

Rosettes are decorative rings around the soundhole of acoustic guitars, often made from inlay materials. Decals are custom visual touches added to personalize a guitar.

Capos

Capos clamp down across the fretboard to change key without altering chord shapes, making quick transpositions or open tunings easy.

Pedals

Effects pedals modify your tone with sounds like distortion, delay, reverb, and modulation. They’re essential for customizing your electric guitar sound.

Guitar Parts FAQs

What are the twisty things on a guitar called?

The twisting metal pieces on a guitar are called tuning pegs, machine heads, or turning pins. Located on the headstock, they adjust the tension of each string by tightening or loosening it. This tension changes the pitch of the string, allowing you to tune the guitar. 

What are the three major parts of a classic guitar?

A classic (or classical) guitar has three main parts:

1. Headstock: where the tuning pegs are located.
2. Neck: includes the fretboard, frets, and connects the headstock to the body.
3. Body: the main resonating chamber with the soundhole, bridge, and strings.

These parts work together to create sound and make the guitar playable. The body amplifies the sound, the neck allows for note and chord playing, and the headstock controls string tuning.

Where do I find guitar parts?

You can find high-quality guitar parts at Eddie’s Guitars, both in-store and online. Whether you need new tuners, a replacement bridge, pickups, or aesthetic upgrades like pickguards and inlays, Eddie’s offers a curated selection of trusted parts and accessories.

How do I avoid strumming pick noise while recording acoustic guitars?

You can reduce strumming pick noise during recording by using softer picks (like nylon or felt) and adjusting your picking angle to glide more smoothly across the strings. You can also position the microphone away from the picking hand, aiming it toward the 12th fret or bridge area rather than directly at the soundhole. This method reduces harsh attack sounds.

How do the different parts of a guitar affect sound?

Each part of a guitar influences its tone, volume, and overall feel:

• Body type and wood: Affects resonance, warmth, and projection. Solid bodies produce tighter, more focused sound, while hollow and semi-hollow bodies offer richer, airy tones.
• Pickups (electric guitars): Single coils provide bright, crisp tones; humbuckers offer thicker, warmer sounds with less hum.
• Strings: Different materials and gauges affect brightness, sustain, and playability.
• Bridge and saddles: Impact string action, intonation, and sustain. Vibrato-equipped bridges can also alter pitch.
• Neck and fretboard materials: Influence sustain and attack. Maple fretboards tend to sound snappier, while rosewood gives warmer tones.
• Nut and tuning machines: Affect tuning stability and clarity.
• Amplification and pedals (for electrics): Heavily shape tone through effects and EQ.

In short, every component contributes to the sound. Even small upgrades (like changing a saddle or switching pickups) can make a noticeable difference in your tone and feel.

How do I replace the strings on my guitar?

To replace guitar strings:

1. Loosen and remove the old strings by turning the tuning pegs.
2. Remove the strings from the bridge or tailpiece.
3. Insert new strings through the bridge (or into bridge pins for acoustics).
4. Pull the string up to the headstock and thread it through the tuning post.
5. Tighten while keeping tension on the string, and wind it neatly.
6. Tune each string to pitch using a tuner.
7. Stretch the strings gently and retune as needed.

It’s best to change one string at a time to maintain neck tension, especially on acoustic and classical guitars.

What is the function of each part of a guitar?

Every part of the guitar serves a specific role:

• Headstock: Holds the tuning machines for adjusting string pitch.
• Tuning Pegs/Machine Heads: Tighten or loosen strings to tune.
• Nut: Guides strings from headstock to fretboard and sets their height.
• Neck: Houses the fretboard and truss rod; it’s where you form notes and chords.
• Fretboard & Frets: Allow accurate note placement and tone shaping.
• Inlays: Mark specific fret positions for easier navigation.
• Body: Amplifies sound (acoustic) or houses electronics (electric).
• Bridge: Anchors strings and transfers vibration to the body or pickups.
• Saddles: Adjust action and intonation.
• Pickups (electric): Convert string vibrations into electrical signals.
• Controls (knobs/switches): Modify tone and volume.
• Soundhole (acoustic): Projects sound outward from the body.
• Output Jack: Sends signal to an amplifier.
• Strap Buttons: Attach a strap for playing while standing.

Knowing Your Guitar, Inside and Out

Knowing every part of your guitar empowers you to maintain, modify, and master your instrument. For expert advice, high-quality gear, and trusted service, visit Eddie’s Guitars, your partner in all things guitar.

Expert Insight From: Donny Thurmon – Electric & Acoustic Guitar Expert
Donny has over a decade of experience in the music retail industry and a rich knowledge of both electric and acoustic guitars. His hands-on experience helps ensure our recommendations and insights are grounded in real-world expertise.