What Are Frets on an Electric Guitar?
- A fretboard refers to the guitar's neck divided by the frets. Most guitars have dots on the fretboard to indicate certain fret intervals, but some guitars do not. While the term "fret" technically refers to the metal wire, the word also commonly refers to any of the intervals (spaces between the metal frets) created on the fretboard.
- In guitar tablature, as opposed to traditional musical notation, frets are used to indicate which notes to play. The six strings on the guitar are arranged vertically in guitar tablature and are labeled E-A-D-G-B-E, corresponding to the names of the strings. Fret numbers are then placed on specific strings in the tablature notation. A number 1, for example, would mean that the guitarist should play the note on the first fret on the specified string. The actual notes played, such as A or B, are not displayed in the tablature. Rather, fret numbers are used.
- Dots on a guitar neck are common, and are used to indicate the different frets on the fretboard. The first dot is found on the third fret, the second on the fifth fret, and so on. On some guitars the 12th fret has two dots, as that spot on the fretboard marks the beginning of a repeated scale pattern.
- The distance between frets is one half musical step. In general, two frets represent one whole step. There are two exceptions, however. The distance between the notes B and C, and between E and F, is a half step.
- Besides the frets themselves, other parts on the fretboard include the nut, headstock, truss rod and saddle. The nut is found at the top of the fretboard, near the headstock and tuners. Its function is to determine string spacing and height. The headstock is found at the very end of the guitar, opposite the body, and features the tuning heads. A truss rod runs through the center of the neck, underneath the fretboard, and prevents bowing of the neck. A saddle is usually made from bone or ivory and is found opposite the nut at the other end of the fretboard. It transfers string vibrations to the bridge of the guitar. The body of the guitar is at the bottom of the neck, where the saddle is located.