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'''A guitar does not require, but often has '''Knobs''' or other electronic '''Controls''' to alter the electric signal produced by the pickups.''' There are usually 2-4 knobs on the front of a guitar, and they function as either ''Volume'' or ''Tone'' knobs.
→Pickup-Selector Switch
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'''The <u>tailpiece/bridge</u> is the part that connects the strings to the body.''' It is responsible for the guitar's action, intonation, sustain, and tone.
There are numerous types. The Fender ''Stratocaster'''s tremolo bridge is one of the more famous. It features individual adjustable saddles and a whammy bar. Some bridges are coupled directly to the guitar body, which claim to increase tone and sustain. Some are only attached to a few points, allowing the bridge to "float".
Also, see [[Choosing a Guitar]] and [[Setup/Adjustments]].
|Guitar Parts and Functions#Strap Pins|Strap Pins}}
'''Pickups''' are typically bar-like objects that reside between the bridge and the neck, spanning across all the strings; however, they technically refer to anything that '''converts the string movement into electricity'''. Typical pickups are magnetic transducers - either '''single-coil''' or '''humbuckers'''. Humbuckers are usually wider than single-coils because they use two coils. One is reverse wound, which makes any interference being picked up cancel out. Humbuckers are also typically wired in serial, which gives them greater output but also greater impedance, which makes them a bit more nasal-sounding. Single coils are associated with shimmering clean tones while humbuckers are a staple of heavily distorted tones.
In addition to traditional '''magnetic''' pickups, there are '''piezo''' pickups that detect vibration without using magnetism, useful to get an acoustic-like sound. And there are '''hexaphonic''' pickups that analyze each string and are typically used to convert the strings' motion into [[MIDI]] data. These are typically built into or reside very close to the bridge.
Also, see [[Choosing Pickups]].
|Guitar Parts and Functions#Strap Pins|Strap Pins}}
The '''Toggle Switch''' or '''Pickup-Selector Switch''' is usually the only switch on the front of an electric guitar. '''This is used to select which pickups are active.'''
This can be wired in different configurations, but usually a 3 pickup guitar will feature a 5-way selector with neck, neck + middle, middle, middle + bridge, bridge as you move it from pointing towards the neck to the bridge. A 2 pickup guitar usually features a 3-way selector with neck, neck + middlebridge, bridge.
The switch does not ''have'' to be a toggle switch, although it ''usually'' is. It can also be a knob-switch, push-pull switch, or a set of buttons. Also, there can be multiple toggle switches on the guitar face, to allow complex selections between magnetic, piezo, and/or hexaphonic pickups, as well as the phase, serial/parallel, or coil tap wiring of magnetic pickups. In cases of ambiguity, you'll have to refer to the switch by its function; ie ''pickup-selector''-switch. If there's only one toggle switch, it's assumed that it is used to select the active pickup(s).
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=== Knobs/Controls ===
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|Guitar Parts and Functions#Strap Pins|Strap Pins}}
The knobs connect to '''pots''', or '''potentiometers''' (aka ''audio tapers''), which add or decrease resistance to certain circuit paths inside the guitar. A '''Volume Knob''' functions as expected, reducing electrical output. A '''Tone Knob''' filters higher pitched frequencies, which allows the player to adjust the "darkness" or "brightness" of the tone. If the guitar has 4 knobs, this typically indicates that each pickup has its own set of volume and tone controls.
A guitar may additionally include mini-switches, push-pull switches (often built into pots), buttons, or other electronic controls, which can be used for a variety of purposes, often to change the phase or serial/parallel operation of pickups, or different types of pickups when it has more than just magnetic pickups. However, it could also control some form of specialized electronics in the guitar, such as sustainer devices.
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=== Electronics Cavity ===
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There is typically a large hollowed-out section of the body between the pickups and the output jack called the '''Electronics Cavity''' that houses electronics, such as the potentiometers for the knobs, the pickup selector switch, connecting wires, and if necessary a battery. Sometimes it also encompasses the pickups and output jack. The cavity may be accessible from the face of the guitar if it has a large pickguard that covers it, like a '''''Fender''''' ''Stratocaster''. Otherwise, it is accessible from the rear and covered by a piece of plastic screwed into the body.
Also, see [[Choosing_a_Guitar#Electronics]].
The '''Strap Pins''' are metal studs screwed into the body that allow a strap to be attached to the guitar. One is typically located on ("bottom") side of the guitar, in line with the strings/neck. The other is usually on the tip of the top horn, pointing towards the headstock. On some body shapes, there is no front horn, and the pin is either where the horn would be, or it is on the back of the body by the neck heel.
Some strap pins feature '''strap-locking''' technology to prevent the strap from slipping off the strap pin. Alternatively, there are other items, such as plastic disks that attempt the same effect using normal strap pins.
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|Guitar Parts and Functions#Strings|Strings}}
'''Tuners''' are the metal pieces in the headstock that secure the string ends and are used to tighten or loosen each string's tension, changing its pitch. Most modern guitars use ''machine heads'': the tuner consists of two parts linked together with gears. The part that holds the string is called a '''peg''' or '''post''' (formally it's called a ''capstan''). The part you turn is called the ''knob''.
Some tuners are '''lockingtuners''' tuners - they feature an additional screw or other means to clamp the string inside the tuning peg. This makes initially tuning a new string easier and prevents strings from slipping or rewinding differently after a whammy bar dive.
Also, see [[Choosing_a_Guitar#Tuners]].
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=== Nut ===
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|Guitar Parts and Functions#Strings|Strings}}
The '''Nut''' is the 0th fret - the last part of the fretboard before the headstock. It is basically a '''fret that is always active, giving the strings a consistent pitch and means to resonate.''' Unlike frets, it is usually made of hard plastic or bone; however, locking nuts typically use metal. The nut has grooves carved into it for routing each string. Between these and the bridge saddles, the string cannot slide as it resonates, giving it a consistent pitch.
Some nuts are '''lockingnuts''' nuts, using hex bolts to clamp the strings inside the nut, so that tension between the tuners and nut remains firm even during a whammy bar dive. Without the locking nut on some guitars, a strong whammy bar dive can cause the strings to slack to the point where they become unwound around the tuning pegs. When the whammy bar is released, the string may wind differently or not at all around the tuning peg, causing the tuning to be off.
Also, see [[Choosing_a_Guitar#Nut Action]].
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=== Fretboard, Frets, and Fret Markers ===
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Unlike the ''tuners'' attached to the guitar and used to change each string's pitch, a '''Tunertuner''' is an electronic device that detects and displays pitch. It is used to help tune all the strings to the desired pitch.
Tuners typically use one of the following sensors to determine pitch: electrical, vibrational, or audial. ''Electrical'' tuners are connected to the guitar via an instrument cable, using the electrical signal generated by the pickups. ''Vibrational'' tuners clamp or stick onto the guitar and use the vibrations induced by the resonating string. ''Audial'' use a microphone to listen to the sound produced by the resonating string.
Professional audio typically makes use of analog '''Cables''' with 1/4" diameter jacks. Cables are generally described by how many lines they hold or how much power they can carry, which generally describes what they are used for. The jacks on each end of a cable have to be compatible with the cable, but can have much wider variety.
* '''''Instrument''''' - Designed to handle single low-level signals generated by sensors or transducers, such as guitar pickups. Typically connects the guitar to an amplifier or pedal and uses 1/4" male TS (Tip/Sleeve) jacks.* '''''Line-Level''''' - Designed to handle medium-level signals generated or amplified by electronic equipment before power amplifiers. Typically connects pedals or effects units to each other and to an amplifier's front input or effects loop and uses 1/4" male TS jacks if mono, TRS if stereo.* '''''Speaker''''' or ''''''Power'''''' - Designed to handle high-level signals generated by power amplifiers. Connects power amplifiers to speakers. Uses 1/4" male TS jacks.* '''''Balanced''''' - A balanced cable uses 2 lines instead of 1 to send and recieve a mono signal, which reduces noise or other interference found in unbalanced cables. Note: a balanced cable may be used to carry a stereo signal instead of a single balanced signal, losing its noise-reduction properties.* '''''XLR''''' - Usually a line-level cable, but uses 3-prong XLR jacks. Typically used as a balanced cable, but is also capable of 2 independent signals, such as a stereo signal.* '''''TRS''''' - Same as XLR but uses a 1/4" jack with 3 connections - tip, ring, sleeve (hence, TRS). More commonly used as a stereo cable instead of a balanced mono cable.* '''''Coax''''' - Looks similar to a standard RCA A/V cable, but uses a different resistance. Used to connect digital devices using S/PDIF SPDIF encoding.* '''''Optical''''' - Basically a flexible mirrored tube used to transport bursts of light as digital data. Used to connect digital devices using S/PDIF SPDIF encoding. Not subject to electrical interference.* '''''Y-cable''''' - uses a stereo jack on one end to connect to two mono jacks on the other end.* '''''MIDI''''' - a 5 or 7 pin connector used to communicate [[MIDI]] information.
Also, see [[Choosing Cables]].
Here's a list of common effects:
* [[Compression|Compression/Limiting]]* [[Distortion Effects|Distortion/Overdrive/Boosting]]* [[EQ|EQ/Filtering]]* [[Modulation Effects|Modulation (Chorus, Phaser, Flanger, Tremelo)]]* [[Pitch-Shifting]]* [[Synth Effects|Synth/Waveform Processing]]* [[Delay]]* [[Reverb]]* [[Noise Gate|Noise Gate/Expander]]* [[Wah Pedals|Wah-wah]]* [[Foot Controllers|Volume control]]
Also, see [[Contents#Effects|Choosing Effects]].
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===Capo===
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|Guitar Parts and Functions#Capo|Capo}}
A '''Capo'''is a device that uses a spring or screw to clamp the strings against the fretboard at any particular fret desired, effectively acting like the nut. This simply raises the pitch of the strings when played without being fretted. It's useful to play in different keys, using the open position chord fingerings but with the root notes that fit the desired key. For example, if you know a song in C and want to play it in D, you would either have to learn how to play it using different chord fingerings or voicings, tune each guitar string up a whole step which takes time and may make the strings too tense to play, or simply put the capo on the 2nd fret.
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|Guitar Parts and Functions#Bridge Saddles|Saddles}}
Some headstocks have one or more '''string trees''', which reside between the nut and tuners. These route the strings at a sharper downward angle on the nut, for cleaner tone and better sustain on open notes. An angled headstock often replaces the necessity for these.
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