A Beginners Guide to the Parts of Guitar

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Cartoon dinosaurs playing on stage

This week’s Bronto Brothers comic showed Axe Raptor snapping a string mid-set and calmly fixing it on stage. Real players deal with this more often than you might think. If you understand your instrument, a broken string is an inconvenience—not a disaster.

Below is a clear, age-friendly guide to the basic parts of a guitar, how to restring it, and how to tune it.

🎾 The Main Parts of a Guitar

1. Headstock

The top of the guitar.

  • Tuning pegs (machine heads): Tighten or loosen strings to change pitch.

2. Nut

A small strip (usually white or cream colored) between the headstock and fretboard.
It keeps the strings spaced correctly.

3. Neck

The long wooden section you hold with your fretting hand.

4. Fretboard (Fingerboard)

The flat front of the neck.

  • Frets: The thin metal strips.
    Pressing a string behind a fret changes the note.

5. Body

The large main section.

  • Sound hole (acoustic guitars): Projects sound.
  • Pickups (electric guitars): Magnetic devices that capture string vibrations.
  • Bridge: Anchors the strings at the body.
  • Saddle: A small raised strip in the bridge that supports strings.

6. Strings

‘[Standard guitars have six strings:

  • E (low)
  • A
  • D
  • G
  • B
  • E (high)
Parts of a guitar

🔧 How to Put On New Strings

The process is slightly different for acoustic and electric guitars, but the basic steps are similar.

Step 1: Remove the Old String

  • Loosen the tuning peg until the string is slack.
  • Remove it from the tuning post.
  • For acoustic guitars: pull out the bridge pin.
  • For electric guitars: slide the string out through the back or bridge.

Step 2: Insert the New String

  • Acoustic:
    Insert the string’s ball end into the bridge hole. Push the bridge pin back in while gently pulling the string upward.
  • Electric (standard style):
    Feed the string through the bridge or back of the body until it comes up over the neck.

Step 3: Thread the Tuning Peg

  • Pull the string toward the headstock.
  • Leave about 2–3 inches of slack.
  • Insert the end through the tuning post hole.
  • Bend the string and begin winding.

Step 4: Wind It Properly

  • Turn the tuning peg so the string wraps neatly downward on the post.
  • Each wrap should sit below the previous one.
  • Keep gentle tension on the string while winding.

Step 5: Stretch and Re-Tune

New strings stretch.
Gently tug upward along the fretboard, then tune again. Repeat until it holds pitch.

🎯 How to Tune a Guitar

Here are three reliable methods:

Clips to the headstock and detects vibrations.

  • Simple visual display (needle or color light).
  • Accurate even in noisy rooms.
  • Ideal for live performance, like Axe Raptor on stage.

2. Smartphone Tuning App

Search “guitar tuner” in your app store.

  • Uses the phone microphone.
  • Convenient for beginners.
  • Works best in quiet environments.

3. Pitch Pipe

A small handheld device with labeled notes.

  • You blow into the chamber for each string’s pitch.
  • You must match the sound by ear.
  • Great for training your listening skills.
Different ways to tune a guitar

Bonus: Tuner Pedal (Electric Guitarists)

Plugs directly into the guitar.

  • Mutes the signal while tuning.
  • Extremely accurate.
  • Common in live bands.

Final Tips from the Stage

  • Always carry spare strings.
  • Replace strings one at a time (so neck tension stays balanced).
  • Wash your hands before playing to extend the string life.
  • Change strings every 1–3 months if playing regularly.

A broken string during a concert can feel dramatic—but knowing your instrument turns panic into confidence. Axe Raptor didn’t miss a beat. With practice, you won’t either.

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