In what follows we are going to describe the structure of a 4-strings, fretted, solid-body electric bass.

The instrument examined is a 1978 Fender Precision, modified with the addition of a pickup inserted near the bridge.
A model with a glorious history, the Precision was created by Leo Fender in 1951 and updated in 1957. Leo Fender designed his bass assembling different components. Each part can be disassembled and hence substituted independently. This was a rational and practical idea that enabled an optimization of the industrial production and made the bass become a best selling.

The two elements that contain all the others are the body and the neck. These two main parts of the bass are connected to each other mainly by means of screws (bolt-on), but they can also be glued and embedded (set-in) or the neck can go through the body (neck-through body).

Commonly body and neck are made of wood but there are also a few alternatives as resin, aluminum or graphite. They can be in one piece or made of different components glued together. The most common types of wood are alder, ash, maple, poplar, cherry, linden tree, mahogany, etc.