subject: The Electric Guitar: A Brief Guide [print this page] Author: Leonard Noble Author: Leonard Noble
Leonard Noble writes about the best way to learn guitar at http://www.guitarcompass.com/ If youre new to the electric guitar, it may look a little confusing at first. However, once you get it and understand the ins and outs of the instrument, it actually becomes quite easy. In this article well take a look at the different parts of the electric guitar, and what they do. Lets get started The electric guitar can be split up into three sections; the body, the neck and the headstock. The body consists of a number of important components, such as the input, the bridge, the controls, and the pickups. The input is where a lead is plugged in, in order for the guitar can be played through an amplifier. The controls enable the player to adjust the basic volume and tone of the instrument. In order for the sound of the guitar to be picked-up and sent to the amplifier, pickups are needed. These come in a variety of shapes, sizes and configurations, and sit on the body, underneath the strings. The bridge sits on the body of the guitar and again, comes in a number of different styles. Essentially, a bridge anchors the strings to, and holds the strings above the body. The vibration of the strings is transmitted from between here and the headstock, allowing sound to be transferred to the air. Next is the neck. This part of the instrument is used by the fretting hand in order to play notes. On the top of the neck are the frets. On most electric guitars, there are ordinarily anywhere between 17-24 frets, depending on the brand of guitar. In between a number of frets are the dot inlays. These often are there to indicate the 3rd, 5th, 7th, 12th, 15th and the17th frets. At the top of the neck, the strings run through a piece of hard material at the top of the neck known as the nut. Here the strings meet the headstock, and are wound around the capstans. These capstans can be turned using the tuning pegs. Turning the tuning pegs can either loosen or tighten the string. So there we have it; the most important parts of the electric guitar explained. Leonard Noble writes about the best way to learn guitar at http://www.guitarcompass.com/About the Author:
