The part of the guitar neck where chords are created placing fingers in specific patterns is known as the neck. Thin wire devices, also known as frets, divide this part into sections called frets. Typically, pearl or abalone fret markers are used to identify the frets; however, some guitars do not use these markers on the neck and instead finish it with a light oil.
The neck is attached to the guitar body using one of two mounting styles. The first is the neck through method, in which a portion of the guitar body is made up of an extension of the neck. The bolt-on method is the second. The neck is attached to the body with screws or bolts.
The average guitar neck may appear to be made of solid wood, but it is not. A typical guitar neck is made up of two or more pieces of wood glued together and shaped to fit the hand in a specific pattern. To resist twisting and bowing, the neck is usually made of a very hard wood, such as maple. A cut is made inside the maple wood to allow for the placement of a steel rod, known as a truss rod, beneath the fretboard. The fretboard, which is usually rosewood or mahogany, is glued to the top of the maple neck, with the steel truss rod sandwiched in between.
To counteract the effects of tightened strings, the truss rod allows the user to adjust the amount of tension and bow in the guitar neck. To allow for the proper pitch of the chords when played, small cuts are made across the fretboard in a specific measurement called the scale. The fret wire is slid into these cuts, creating a surface for the strings to press against in order to produce chords. Fret wires must be replaced frequently, especially on well-used guitars, to ensure proper tonality and chording when played.
The profile refers to the shape of the backside of the guitar neck. This can take the form of a thick D shape, a thin D shape, or anything in between. Some vintage guitar models have unique neck profiles that make them extremely popular among experienced players. As manufacturers attempt to replicate the neck of a vintage model onto a new model, this can often result in a reissue of some guitar models.