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Inspired by Howard Klepper's post in the "heel block" thread, I thought it would be fun to start a thread about the different names of the guitar anatomy.

Where did it all start and why? Should the guitar word look at standardizing some of the names, and maybe come up with some new ones?

What do you all think?

Post away folks.

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Here is one for the devolution of guitar anatomy Rod,

The BUTT wedge.

I have also experienced several different names for the same thing and butt wedge is one of them. I also remember a stink over calling kerfing, "kerfing" instead of kerfed lining. I like all of the variants for the names of parts. I wonder if it is regional or not?

Now I am going to glue my skimmidoodle to my lichtenstein.

Homeboy

[QUOTE=Hesh1956]


Here is another one: Why are finger braces called finger braces? I don't know so I am asking.[/QUOTE]

I don't know for sure, but I had assumed they were called finger braces because they are about the size of fingers.

     Yeh! I got problems with "butt wedge"! Sounds dumb! Never heard it before until recently! Why isn't it a "butt bout" then? What about butt bracing? I don't know!

    I hate to get political but I say we all write our congressman and take care of this travesty!!

[quote=Homeboy]Now I am going to glue my skimmidoodle to my lichtenstein. [/quote]

    This is a family forum Homey we don't appreciate talk like that here!

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Well, what we call neck is in other languages referred to as an "arm" (Brazil example)

If the soundboard is the "top" why isn't the back called the "bottom"?peterm39060.6401736111

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

Jeez, I dunno:

"Up" the neck means toward the body away from the head.

The high strings are geographically lower than the low strings when the
instrument is in playing position.

On a guitar the saddle is the bridge and the bridge is the saddle
(compared to mostother stringed instruments).

"Kerfing" is just sloppy usage in my opinion.

Martin calls it a "top plate" but others insist it's a "popsicle" or "tongue
depressor" brace.

"Cross" brace or "X" brace? Maybe that's like Xmas. . .

Ivoroid, Pearloid, Turtleoid, Clown Barf - gotta love 'em.


I figure it's from the software industry that we now see references to
"build quality" instead of workmanship, and my latest "build."

As owners and trainers of the world's biggest vocabulary and most
dynamic language, about all we can hope for is a sort of temporal
"snapshot."   As they say, the only constant is change. . .Frank Ford39060.6428472222

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How come the heel is attached to the neck??

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

Top-Back, Front-Bottom?
End Graft, Butt Wedge, Tail Graft, Tail piece?
Head Stock, Peg Head
Linings, Kerfing, Kerfed Linings, Lined Kerfings
popsicle brace, upper transverse brace
Tuners, Machine heads
Tail Block, End Block
Heel Block, Head Block, Neck Block
Sides, Rims, Ribs
Back Graft
Back strip, Center strip
Fretboard, Fingerboard (I can see it being called fingerboard on a fretless)

And why do we have a bridge with a saddle on it? Why isn't the bridge called the horse or spur or the saddle called the deck. Of course I'm just being silly now.
And howcome they are called bridge pins and not string pins?

I did a little google on guitar anatomy to see what's out there.

Here are some pics

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"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

   At martin when I was working there back in the early 90s, the term "top
plate" was used for the popsicle brace and they still use the term "butt
wedge" when referring to what some call the "end graft". I think both
terms are practical since it is a wedge that covers the butt joint of the
sides at the "rear block" as Martin calls their "tail block". On the other
hand, it is a graft that integrates the binding scheme at the end of the
guitar.

   Finger braces, tone bars, "X" braces, side braces, cross grained center
strip and others are terms that were said a thousand times a day at the
Martin facility back then. "Front block" and "rear block" are their terms for
the neck and tail blocks respectively.


     I like the fact that builders sometimes have their own terminology for
components of the guitar and allow their customers to get familiar with it
while they work together designing and building a guitar. It's actually a
cool part of the intimacy of the relationship that is forged through that
communication. I'm flattered when a customer actually takes the time and
puts in the effort to use my terminology when we discuss the details of
their guitar.

    I tend to prefer using Martin's terms or something similar since it is the
industry standard set and many were invented by that compnay over the
many years that they've building great guitars. Other younger companies
adopted alot of their terminology just to break away from that of Martin
and some have even been forced to devise their own jargon as they've
designed and invented new pieces, techniques, or processes. I think it's
all cool and interesting.

     When you talk to someone who has either worked at the Martin
facility or has been an authorized Martin warranty repair person, you'll
most likely hear all of the familiar Martin terms used. The same is true of
guys who've spent time at Tayor Guitars or with their guitars in repair
situations and the same goes with most other brands or builders.

     ....and Hesh....I was picking with a bunch of guys in Paducah, KY one
night and a few said that they needed to change the "wires" on their
guitars.....and they were talking about their strings. Go figure! That was
on the back porch of Steven Curtis Chapman's Dad's house and those
guys were the oldtimers among us.

Good stuff,
Kevin Gallagher/Omega GuitarsKevin Gallagher39060.9065972222

[QUOTE=Kevin Gallagher]    At martin when I was working there back in the early 90s...and they still use the term "butt
wedge" when referring to what some call the "end graft". I think both
terms are practical since it is a wedge that covers the butt joint of the
sides at the "rear block" as Martin calls their "tail block". On the other
hand, it is a graft that integrates the binding scheme at the end of the
guitar.[/QUOTE]
I don't know, Kevin...The fact is, it's not always a wedge, nor are we "wedging" it into place. Since we are cutting away a portion of the assembled sides, and replacing it with something else (or the same wood, reworked), it is indeed a graft. If the guys at Martin want to wedge their butts, they're welcome to it; but "end graft" is more descriptive of the process, and sounds more professional to boot.

Carlton,

    You're right. The simple fact of it not always being a wedge has me
leaning toward end graft for myself. No matter what that shape...it is a graft.
That, and the fact that I've never really been thrilled about bringing up a
wedged butt to a new customer.

Regards,
Kevin Gallagher/Omega Guitars

Maybe the neck is called the neck cuz it's got a headstock (or peghead, if you prefer) on one end? At least the Spanish foot (on classicals) is connected to the heel, which makes at least some anatomical sense.

Those of you who build classicals -- do you also build an extension into the top of the heel block, such that it exends partway under the fingerboard? Along with the "foot" and the block itself, this arrangement winds up looking sort of like a "C" when viewed from the side. I call this little top extension the "chin". Don't ask me why, especially since it's connected to the heel, which is connected to the foot . . .

Best,

Michael

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[QUOTE=Hesh1956] [QUOTE=Homeboy]

Now I am going to glue my skimmidoodle to my lichtenstein.

Homeboy[/QUOTE]

That's probably safer then flossing your cheeks.......

I learned the term "end graft" for the butt wedge.

Here is another one: Why are finger braces called finger braces? I don't know so I am asking.[/QUOTE]

Flossing butt grafts Hummmmmm MichaelP39062.724537037

Butt wedge? wouldn't that be a thong?

[QUOTE=RCoates] Butt wedge? wouldn't that be a thong?[/QUOTE]

What...like for your feet? That should be somewhere near the heal than.

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"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

I'm not to worried about standardizing the parts of the guitar. I kind of like the variation. It makes for some amusing mis-understandings from time to time. We don't have a regulating body to controls what we call or how we make our instruments and that's just fine with me. Even in the short time that I've been doing this ( less than 5 years), I've seen new terms appear for things (zoot) or terms that were less common become more common. (popsicle brace)

I learned the terms for the interior components from Cumpiano and Natalson and still tend to use those. I say sides instead of ribs, for example. But many of the classical builders that I know perfer ribs. Since I know both terms, and so do most of the other builders that I speak with, we all understand each other just fine.

I suspect that it would be possible to listen to a luthier talk about building and, through analysis of the terms used, determine which teachers, books or forums they used to learn their craft. Larivee trained builders seem to have a certain way they talk about building that is characeristic. I can't describe it at the moment but I remember noticing it at the last A.S.I.A symposium I attended.