Bridge

Definition:

A bridge is a device that supports the strings on a stringed musical instrument and transmits the vibration of those strings to another structural component of the instrument—typically a soundboard, such as the top of a guitar or violin—which transfers the sound to the surrounding air. Depending on the instrument, the bridge may be made of carved wood (violin family instruments, acoustic guitars and some jazz guitars), metal (electric guitars such as the Fender Telecaster) or other materials. The bridge supports the strings and holds them over the body of the instrument under tension.

Other Guitar Term

a clef (looks like an ampersand “&”) placing the G note above middle “C” on the second-lowest line of the staff. The staff is the five lines where notes and musical directions appear.

A piece of leather or fabric worn to support the guitar when standing. Straps attach to the button-like connectors on the sides of the guitar body. Some acoustic guitars that do not have the connector at the top end of the body require a small band that loops around the the headstock of the guitar just above the nut. This band allows for a guitar strap to connect to the top half of the guitar.

Standard tuning defines the string pitches as E, A, D, G, B, and E, from lowest (low E2) to highest (high E4). Standard tuning is used by most guitarists, and frequently used tunings can be understood as variations on standard tuning. There are hundreds of such tunings, often minor variants of established tunings.

Scale length refers to the distance between a guitar’s nut and its bridge. So in other words, a guitar’s scale length is determined by the gap between the two main components that seat its strings. It can therefore be thought of as the measurement of the maximum sounding length of a guitar’s strings. (https://blog.andertons.co.uk)

The guitar saddle can be a piece of bone or plastic on an acoustic guitar and a metal construct on electric guitars that is attached to the bridge and lifts the strings to the desired height transfering vibration through the bridge to the soundboard. The height of the saddle raises or lowers the action of the strings of the guitar.

An open string is any string that is played without fretting a note (placing any finger on the freboard).