| Playing the guitar can get you a lot of attention at a | | | | The P's are humorous sounding, but their meanings do |
| party or in a group of friends. People always turn to | | | | not come close to their auditory assumptions. For |
| the guy with the guitar and ask him to play part of a | | | | instance, pickups do not relate to getting a partner with |
| recognizable song. This can make you feel ignored if | | | | your music, but they are actually a characteristic of the |
| you have nothing to offer to the situation. | | | | electric guitar. They serve the same purpose that frets |
| But if you are musically inept, there are ways you can | | | | do on an acoustic instrument, but the pickups will |
| compete with the guitar guy. If you learn some things | | | | determine the vibrations before sending them to an |
| about the guitar, such as terms and mechanics of the | | | | amplifier. |
| instrument, you can impress your friends and possibly | | | | The pickguard is the piece of plastic that is located |
| even the guy holding the guitar at your next dinner | | | | right under the hole of an acoustic, or it can be a piece |
| party. | | | | of metal that is attached to the body of the guitar. |
| The three B's are what you should learn first. The | | | | Basically, the pickguard is there just to make sure that |
| binding is the trim that runs along the top and sides of | | | | you don't scratch up your instrument, or break your |
| the guitar. The binding can give the guitar a more | | | | nails. Lastly, there is the plug, which is used as a means |
| polished look, and it protects the edge of the guitar | | | | to plug in your amplifier. |
| from small scratches and bumps. | | | | There are a few other phrases that you can brush up |
| The second B is the body of the guitar. The body can | | | | on in order to get a better feel for guitar jargon. |
| be one piece of wood (electric guitars) or it can | | | | However, some of them are basic and |
| consist of the top, back, and sides. The third B is the | | | | self-explanatory. |
| bridge. The bridge is the piece that separates the | | | | For instance, if you don't know what strings are, you |
| strings from the anchor part of the instrument. The | | | | don't need to talk about guitars (or live outside of the |
| bridge can also anchor the strings depending on the | | | | large rock that you have been hiding under). Tone |
| type of the guitar. | | | | control, volume control, tailpiece, and the top should all |
| The neck is probably the most important part of a | | | | be terms that you can figure out without breaking too |
| guitar. The neck is what attaches the strings from the | | | | much of a sweat. |
| base of the guitar to the tuning pegs. The fingerboard | | | | The mechanics of a guitar doesn't really make for a |
| is attached to the neck and is usually made of a | | | | fascinating conversation at a party. It hardly compares |
| specialty wood, such as rosewood or walnut. | | | | to being able to actually play a cool tune on the guitar. |
| On the fingerboard are frets - the raised pieces of | | | | If you want to learn about guitars, do it for your own |
| metal or wood that helps keep the string from vibrating | | | | benefit and knowledge instead of to try to impress |
| too much so a better sound comes out of it. Many | | | | people at a party. If the guy playing the guitar at the |
| guitars also have dots on the fingerboard for a quick | | | | party bothers you, the best thing to do is to get over it |
| and easy reference for playing notes and chords. | | | | and just enjoy the atmosphere. |