> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.beyondtheheadstock.eu/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Reading a Guitar Spec Sheet: What the Terms Actually Mean - URL: https://www.beyondtheheadstock.eu/coming-soon/ - Published: 2026-08-18T21:50:26.000Z - Updated: 2026-08-31T15:17:44.000Z - Author: Jeroen Verraest - Tags: News, Deimel, firestar, artist If you've ever looked at a hand-built guitar's product description, you've probably run into a wall of terms that read like a different language. Body, neck, frets, scale, neck shape, nut — builders list these as a matter of course, but rarely explain what they mean. This isn't about the specific woods or hardware a builder chooses. That's a separate conversation. This is about understanding what each term on the spec sheet is actually describing, so the choices start to make sense. ## Body The body is the main structural section of the guitar — the part that houses the bridge, pickups, and electronics, and that the neck attaches to. On an electric guitar, the body's size, shape, and construction affect resonance, sustain, and overall weight. When a spec sheet lists the body as "one piece," it means it's built from a single slab of wood rather than several pieces glued together — a detail builders often highlight because single-piece bodies are harder to source and are seen as more consistent in tone and appearance. ## Neck The neck is the long structural section that connects the body to the headstock. The fretboard sits on its upper surface, while the player’s fretting hand holds and moves along its back. Necks are attached to the body in different ways. A bolt-on neck is secured with screws or bolts, a set neck is glued into the body, and a neck-through construction extends continuously through the centre of the instrument. Each approach affects the instrument’s construction, serviceability, and overall feel. Many guitars and basses use a separate fretboard glued to the main neck. This is often described as a two-piece neck. In contrast, a one-piece neck uses the same piece of wood for both the neck and the playing surface. ## Frets Frets are the thin metal strips embedded across the fretboard, spaced out to divide the neck into individual notes. Pressing a string down behind a fret shortens its vibrating length, producing a specific pitch. The number of frets on a guitar determines its total playable range — more frets mean more notes available higher up the neck. Fret specs sometimes include a wire type or part number, which refers to the specific fret wire used (its width and height), affecting feel and how easily the strings can be bent. ## Scale (Scale Length) Scale length is the distance between the nut and the bridge — effectively, the length of the vibrating part of each string. It's usually given in inches (like 25.5"). Scale length affects string tension, playing feel, and tone: shorter scales generally feel looser and warmer, longer scales feel tighter and brighter. Some specs list a "compound radius," which refers to the curvature of the fretboard surface changing along its length (for example, rounder near the nut and flatter near the higher frets) rather than staying a single fixed curve throughout. ## Neck Shape Neck shape describes the cross-sectional profile of the neck — literally, what shape it is if you sliced straight through it. This is different from the neck's construction (see "Neck" above); it's specifically about how the neck feels in your hand. Builders use various naming conventions (often borrowed from vintage guitar shapes) to describe how full, thin, rounded, or flat that profile is. It's one of the most personal specs on the sheet, since what feels comfortable varies a lot from player to player. ## Headstock The headstock is the section at the top end of the neck where the tuning machines are mounted and the strings are anchored. Beyond its function, headstocks are often a builder's signature visual element — shape, angle, and artwork on the headstock are frequently used to distinguish one builder's instruments from another's at a glance. ## Nut The nut is a small component at the point where the headstock meets the neck, with grooves cut into it to guide each string at the correct spacing and height before it continues down to the tuners. It's a small part, but it plays a big role in tuning stability and how the guitar feels right at the very top of the neck. Nuts are made from a range of materials, each with different effects on tone, string slip, and durability. --- Once you know what each of these terms is actually referring to, a product description stops reading like jargon and starts reading like a genuine set of design decisions. In future articles, we'll get into how builders choose between different options for each of these — and why those choices matter. Source guitar: [Deimel Firestar Artist editions](https://deimelguitarworks.com/guitars/firestar/fs-artist/?ref=beyondtheheadstock.eu)