Glossary

Not ALL terms will be covered here, but I've tried to collect a representative vocabulary from the guitar world, and tried to describe and define each of them for you. Let me know if I've missed anything.

Action: Action is the measurement of how high an instruments' strings are from the fretboard. In practical terms, it describes how "easy" a guitar is to play. A guitar with "low" action tends to have light strings that lie very close to the frets; consequently, it takes very little effort to press each string down into contact with the frets. A guitar with "high" action has its strings further away from the frets. This typically happens on guitars strung with heavy gauge strings, where the tension of the heavier strings actually pulls the neck forward. A guitar with "high" action will require more effort on the part of the player to press the strings down onto the neck.
Archtop: This term describes a guitar with an arched top, similar to those found on a violin or cello. (picture?) Instead of a large soundhole on the face of the guitar, these instruments typically have "f-holes," or two soundholes located further down on the body, on either side of the bridge.
Bridge: Describes the general area on the body of a guitar where the strings finally make contact with the face, or are attached there.
Dreadnought: This describes one of the shapes for a "traditional" acoustic guitar. Typically, this body style is quite large and full, which contributes to a big sound. (again, picture?)
"Regular" Case: A case is a box or container designed to hold and transport a musical instrument. Guitar cases usually also include a small pocket for picks, extra strings, and whatnot. For our purposes here, cases are usually made out of cardboard covered with vinyl or some other coating.
Cutaway: This term describes any area removed from the "normal" contour of an acoustic guitar to allow easier access to the upper frets. This tends to take place on the side of the neck towards the high-E string, and typically gives you easier access to the next five to seven frets.
Endpin Jack: This is a special strap jack combination that replaces the pin usually found at the very end of the guitar. Using this for the pickup jack is an efficient use
Face: This refers to the large surface area of an electric guitar generally regarded as the "front" of the instrument. This is the surface to which the sides, fretboard, and neck are attached. It is, in large measure, the source of a guitar's amplified tone (especially with piezo and contact pickups).
Frets: The small pieces of wire crossing the guitar neck in a perpendicular fashion.
Fretboard: This is the proper name for the piece of ebony or stained wood that runs along the top of the neck. Both the frets and the position markers or inlays are fastened into the fretboard.
Gauge: Term used to describe the thickness of a guitar's strings. Heavy gauge strings are the thickest, and light gauge strings are the thinnest.
Gears: Strictly speaking, these are the toothed, interlocking wheels that drive your machine heads. In layman's terms, this is the mechanism that takes your twisting of the tuning pegs, turns it 90%, and applies to the tuning post so that it will wind on more or less of your strings.
Gig Bag: A cheaper alternative to a case, the gig bag offers a soft, padded bag in which to carry your guitar.
Hardshell Case: Any particularly tough (i.e., NOT cardboard) guitar case. These can be ATA approved flight cases, or they can be Ovation-style molded cases. Either way, these cases provide EXTRA protection for you instrument from the perils of physical trauma, moisture, and temperature change.
Headstock: The area opposite of the body across the neck.
Heel: That chunk of wood under the neck that helps it attach to the body of a guitar.
[Neck] Inlays: These are any decorative patterns or symbols along a guitar neck. In addition to providing ornamentation, they serve a purpose similar to that of the position markers in that they help a player find his or her place on a neck quickly (by providing easy to see visual cues).

Neck: The long, narrow piece of wood extending out from the body to the headstock. It serves as a platform for the fretboard and frets.
Nut: The piece of plastic, bone, ivory, or graphite across which the strings must pass when they move from the neck to the headstock.
Pick: This term describes almost ANY object used to cause the strings to sound. I've seen people use anything from fingers, to plastic picks, to coins, to drumsticks (!) to strike their strings.
Pickguard: This is the name for that piece of plastic that protects the face of your guitar from the full frontal assault of a Pete Townsend strumming or picking spree.....
Pickup: Any device that turns the sound of your acoustic (or electric) instrument into an electrical signal to be processed, recorded, or projected from a P.A. system.
Position Markers: These are the little dots on the neck of your guitar which can help you find out "where you are" while playing your instrument. If your guitar has no decorative inlays on the fretboard, it'll have these.
Saddle: This describes the piece of plastic/bone on an acoustic guitar which actually raises the strings above the bridge and places them in playing position.
Slide: Describes any device (other than frets) used to fret notes on a stringed instrument while playing. Though slides tend to be made from glass or metal, other options work. I've seen microphone stands, beer/whiskey bottles, shot glasses, and screwdrivers used for this purpose. All you need is an object smooth enough to slide nicely along the string, and dense enough to actually "fret" the string (i.e., provide an endpoint for the vibrating string).
Soundhole: This USED to be an easy description: it was the enormous HOLE in the face of your instrument!! However, the advent of some new instrument styles has required a re-definition of this feature. In general, the soundhole is ANY hole cut into the face of your acoustic guitar for the purpose of allowing the sound to "escape" and project into the outside world. This includes the F-holes on an archtop, the Custom or Signature Ovation guitars (that have holes worked into a decorative leaf pattern up toward the top of the body) and some Washburn acoustic basses (which are designed with a series of slanted lines cut through the body into the main body cavity). Basically , ANY hole intentionally cut into your instrument for acoustic purposes is a soundhole.
Strap: This describes ANY object that attaches your instrument to your body for performance. This includes the standard guitar strap, the soundhole strap (for classical guitars), and even the innovative {"rotating strap" used by ZZ Top in the "Legs" video (someone PLEASE correct me if I have this wrong!!). Include discussion of strap locks
Strings: These are the lengths of steel, nickel, plastic, or gut that run from the bridge, through the nut, and out to the tuning pegs of your instrument. These are the pieces that actually MAKE the sounds that you play when you play your instrument.
Tremolo Bar (Whammy Bar): This I mention only because of a recent development in Acoustic guitar technology. Peavy has recently offered an acoustic with a tremolo bar on it!!! The call it the Ecoustic ATS. I have SEEN one, but not played it much. Talk with your dealer if you wanna check one out.
Tuning Peg: These are the little knobs on the headstock of your guitar that allow you to tune your instrument (on SOME instruments - most notably Steinberger-style guitars - the tuning pegs are down at the bridge).
Truss Rod: This is the name given to a threaded piece of metal that runs through the neck of MOST guitars and electric basses. The rod is designed to help balance the tension between the guitar strings and the neck of the instrument. By adjusting the truss rod, you can raise or lower the action on your guitar. You can see it in the picture I drew for showing fretboard grime.
Whammy Bar: See "Trem Bar".