Parts of a Guitar (Beginner Diagram Guide)

Before you dive into chords and strumming, it helps to know the main parts of a guitar and what they do. This quick guide explains each part in plain language so you can tune, set up, and play with more confidence.

Core Parts (All Guitars)

• Headstock – The top of the neck that holds the tuners.
• Tuning Pegs / Machine Heads – Turn to raise or lower the pitch of each string.
• Nut – The small strip at the end of the fretboard that guides the strings to the tuners and sets string height at the first fret. Common materials: plastic, bone, graphite.
• Neck – The long wooden section you hold; houses the truss rod and supports the fretboard.
• Fretboard (Fingerboard) – The top surface of the neck where you press the strings.
  
• Frets – Metal strips across the fretboard that divide notes. Press the string just behind a fret for a clean note.
• Inlays / Position Markers – Dots or shapes that help you see where you are on the neck.
• Truss Rod – A metal rod inside the neck that adjusts neck relief (curve). It does not hold strings; it fine-tunes playability.
• Body – The large wooden section that shapes your tone and volume (hollow on acoustics, solid/semi-hollow on electrics).
• Strings – Six strings (most common). Gauge and material affect feel and sound.

Acoustic-Specific Parts

• Soundhole – Projects the sound produced by vibrating strings and top (soundboard).
• Bridge – Anchors strings on the body and transfers vibration to the soundboard.
• Saddle – The thin piece in the bridge that sets string height (action) and intonation.
• Bridge Pins – Small pins that hold the string ball-ends in the bridge (most steel-string acoustics).
• Pickguard – Protects the top from pick scratches.

Electric-Specific Parts

• Pickups – Magnetic coils that convert string vibration into an electrical signal (single-coil, humbucker, etc.).
• Pickup Selector – Switch to choose pickups or combine them for different tones.
• Volume & Tone Knobs – Control output level and brightness.
• Output Jack – Where you plug in your cable to an amp or audio interface.
• Bridge / Tremolo – Fixed or tremolo (vibrato) bridge systems that affect feel and tuning stability.

Quick Tips for Beginners

• Press the string just behind the fret (not on top) for a clean note.
• Keep the nut and saddle in good condition; they greatly affect tuning stability and action.
• Change strings regularly—old strings sound dull and are harder to tune.

Next Steps

Now that you know the parts, you’re ready to make music:

• Learn the must-know shapes in our Beginner Chords Lesson
• Lock in your timing with the 4/4 Strumming Patterns Guide
• Play real music with our Easy Guitar Tabs