Have you ever looked at a bass guitar and found yourself wondering what all the things on the bass do? Or what all the parts are called? We explore the anatomy of the bass guitar to help you identify everything on your bass.
A) Bridge and Saddles
The bridge is the block at the back of the guitar that holds the saddles. The saddles are the individual metal blocks that each string sits on.
B) The Body
The body of your bass can be made from a variety of woods and can be solid, semi-hollow (or chambered) or hollow-body.
C) The Scratchplate
The scratchplate has a number of uses. It can change the aesthetics of the bass, it can protect the bass body from scratched caused by aggressive strumming, and in the case of the bass pictured, it can hold all the bass’s electronics.
D) Strap Button
The strap button has only one function; it a place to attach your bass strap
E) Machine Head
When putting strings on your bass, they will wrap around the machine head. By tightening or loosening the machine head, you can tune your bass up or down.
F) Tuning Peg
The machine head does most of the work when it comes to tuning, but without the tuning peg, it would be useless. The tuning peg is the part of the bass that you turn in order to tune your bass.
G) Headstock
The headstock is the part of the bass that holds the machine heads. This is where you would traditionally find the logo for the brand of the bass. IN this case, you’ll notice the Fender logo.
H) Fret Wire
If you play on a piano, you will notice how every key is a different note. For guitars, each fret is a different note. The frets are separated with fret wire, the metal wire on each side of the fret.
I) Pickup
Pickups are magnets that translate a vibrating bass string into an audio signal. There are a variety of pickups that your bass can use. Read this article to find out more about pickups.
J) Tone Knob
The number of tone knobs will vary from bass to bass. The tone knob determines how much mid-range your bass will have. Turn it all the way down, it will sound like your bass amp is wrapped in a thick blanket.
K) Volume Knob
This controls the output volume of the bass, when plugged into an amp or sound card.
L) Input Jack
This is where you plug the bass cable into your bass.
