Question. Often when I am reading about guitars on the internet I hear about different parts of the guitar, can you give a brief description of the different parts of a guitar?
Answer. Here is a brief description of some of the more commonly misunderstood parts of the guitar.
Headstock
The headstock is the part of a guitar at the end of the neck opposite to the body.
The headstock is generally used for supporting the tuning pegs used to wind the strings. There are many shapes that headstocks can come in depending on the type of guitar.
The headstock usually displays the brand of guitar.
Machine Heads
The machine heads or tuning pegs are found at the headstock.
The machine heads tighten or loosen the strings so the string can be tuned.A basic gear mechanism is used to wind the strings.
Winding tools are available and can be used to rapidly unwind and wind strings for quick changing.
Frets
Are the bars or ridges (usually made of metal) that sit on the fingerboard or neck of a guitar; when the string is depressed by your fingers at the metal bar it will make a note of the desired pitch.
Frets are arranged on guitars to produce specific musical pitches. On the typical guitar or bass each fret represents one semitone or half step.
Fretless guitars do exist.
Bridge
The bridge is found down on the body. The function of the bridge, in addition to simply holding the strings in place, is to transmit their vibrations to the top of the guitar, to the instrument’s soundboard or pickups.
There are many different types of bridge and they can be made from a variety of materials depending upon the type of guitar. For example electric guitars usually have metal bridges and acoustic guitars usually have wooden ones.
Question. I’ve just spent a reasonable amount on a new guitar. What should I be doing to take care of it and what are some of the common problems that I should look out for?
Answer. The main things you should pay attention to are heat and humidity. These are the two things that will turn your instrument to mush. Heat is obvious enough; too much heat can warp the wood in your guitar. This will kill any chance of your guitar staying in tune or sounding good. It might also make it harder to play.
People who have guitars damaged by heat generally have left their instrument in a car in the sun. This is not good for your guitar, and you MUST NOT do this. Guitars can stand some varying temperatures but anything extreme will warp and damage your guitar.
Low and high humidity can also be a problem. Low humidity can cause you guitar to dry up and crack. This will ruin your string clearance, causing your strings to rattle. High humidity can also be a problem especially for electric guitars. Moisture from the atmosphere or sweat can tarnish and corrode the metal parts. A little tarnish is not a big deal, but rusted electronics are a big deal.
You can prevent problems caused by high and low humidity by keeping your guitar in a place that is neither very dry nor very moist. This will depend somewhat on where you live. Some places will naturally have more of a problem with high or low humidity. Keeping your guitar in a cool place out of sunlight is the best option, but you should use your judgment depending on where you live. Your guitar is an important part of your life and you should treat it well.
Next week we’ll give you some tips on developing your own “sound”.
This week we look at how you use a metronome to help with your timing while learning to play the guitar.
A metronome is a device that makes a sound to indicate beats so you can keep in time when you are playing the guitar. A metronome keeps perfect time so that you can learn the songs you love properly. Also metronomes are adjustable, meaning you can make them beat faster or slower. This lets you learn a song at a slower pace before building it up to full speed.
Older metronomes were like wind up clocks that had a swinging pendulum and were generally powered by a spring. On the end of the pendulum was a weight that could be moved to change the tempo (tempo is a musical term that basically means speed). Modern metronomes are electronic and generally battery powered. They are operated by pressing buttons or turning a dial. Older metronomes make a clicking sound like a clock whereas more modern metronomes generally make a pinging sound to denote each beat.
Metronomes are very important for all musicians because they will keep your playing in time. Nearly all modern rock recordings are made with a metronome and most dedicated professionals practice with one. The reason for this is that without a constant beat it is easy for a musician to go out of time. This also applies to practice as you should be trying to play in time as much as possible.
Newer metronomes can do some pretty amazing things like playing differing time signatures like 3/4, 6/8, and 7/8 for example. They can also be set to make different sounds depending on the beat. For example you can set most newer metronomes to have a different sound at the start of a bar so you always know where beat one is.
When using a metronome you should push yourself but practice with tempos that you can handle. This will make you a better player — though you may find it difficult at first it is something that will pay dividends in the future.
Using a metronome is very important when you are practicing but there are times when you should play without it. When you are trying to be creative or if you are experimenting with different things there is no real need to use a metronome.
As you can see a metronome is a very useful tool to have in your “learn to play guitar” toolbox and there are many good online metronomes you can use for free.
We also include a software based metronome in the Full Jamorama Beginners to Advanced course if you are interested.
Tune in next week when we provide some great Tech Tips about looking after your prized guitar to keep it in the best condition for years of playing.
Question: “Which is best on an electric guitar, a set neck, a bolt-on or a neck through body?”
Set Neck Guitar
Answer: It’s not so much an issue of “best” as it is “which sound do you prefer?”
The way a neck attaches to the body colors a guitar’s voice. String vibration transfers to the body through the neck/body joint (as well as through the bridge).
With a set neck guitar such as a Les Paul, the fit of the neck to the body is crucial – there must be no gaps or high spots to compromise the glue joint.
This way the neck and the body are “bonded” without adding pressure to the overall construction. Some builders feel a set-in joint gives the guitar a “singing” quality – notes seem to swell after the pick attack until they reach their final amplitude.
Smooth, warm sustain with moderate attack are characteristics often attributed to set-in guitars.
Bolt-On Neck Guitar
A bolt-on neck is practical – it’s easy to remove for repair or replacement – and versatile. A number of cottage industries have arisen that provide replacement or modified bolt-on necks for Fender Stratocasters, Telecasters and basses.
A good fit is still critical, as one builder/repair expert explains: “For a bolt-on to have the best possible tone, the neck must fit tightly in the pocket and make good contact on all sides of the joint. Any gap will result in lost sound”.
A bolt-on produces an identifiable timbre that emphasizes certain frequencies over others. It’s often defined as a “twang,” and is the result of the pressure exerted when you pull the neck into the pocket with screws.
Neck Through Body Guitar
Neck through body construction usually employs maple for the neck paired with softer woods for the “wings” that form the body. Since the majority of the instrument is maple, the tone is often bright, with quick attack and tight bottom end.
The small body wings of a neck-through don’t develop the lower frequencies that a separate body produces, and the result is often a bright, thin-sounding guitar.
Neck-through instruments work well in high-volume playing situations that call for definition and clear low end. Some neck-through guitars – Gibson’s Firebird, for example – use a mahogany neck section. This softer wood provides a warmer, rounder tone more characteristic of a set neck guitar.
Question. When I play chords I always touch the strings that I should be playing open. How can I avoid this?
Answer. Touching the wrong strings when you play chords is a common problem that many beginners face when learning the guitar. Today we will look at some simple solutions.
1. Try and press your fingers straight down. Your finger should be at a 90 degree angle with the string. This means that only the tip of your finger should be connecting with string.
2. Are your fingernails short? If your fingernails are long, your fingertip will not be able to sit on the string and your fingers will touch the other strings on the guitar.
3. Place your thumb directly on the back of the neck of your guitar. This puts your hand in a good position to keep your fingers clear of the wrong strings.
4. Practice with chords you find easy. Look at how your hand sits when you play these chords. Try to use the technique that you use on easier chords with more difficult chords.
5. Using a capo at higher frets can make it easier on your fingers as the frets are closer together. However for people with big hands this can make it more difficult. So experiment with a capo to see if it helps you.
Each person has different size hands, finger shape and flexibility. For this reason there is no universal rule that will change your playing to avoid touching the wrong strings when playing. You should practice chords as much as you can until you feel confident and comfortable with them.
Good luck with your practice.
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