How it works
The parts of a bass guitar on one four-string electric bass: from the front, and from the side with the neck cut open. Start with the 7 main parts, then the rest of the front, then the side.
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Neck and headstock
The tuners on the headstock tighten each string. The strings run down the fretboard, where frets mark the notes, over the neck. Inside the neck, a steel truss rod is tightened to keep it straight against the strings' pull.
The body
On the body, the pickups sit under the strings and turn their vibration into a signal. The strings end at the bridge, where the saddles set each one's height. The knobs set volume and tone, and the cable plugs into the output jack.
- A bass usually has four strings and a longer neck than a guitar; its parts carry the same names.
Questions and answers
What are the parts of a bass guitar called?
The headstock with its tuners, the neck with the fretboard, frets and truss rod, and the body with the pickups, bridge and saddles, control knobs, pickguard and output jack.
What is a truss rod in a bass?
A steel rod inside the neck. Tightening or loosening it keeps the neck straight against the pull of the strings.
What do the pickups on a bass do?
They sense the strings' vibration with magnets and coils and turn it into an electric signal for the amplifier.