Inlay (guitar) - Headstock, Neck and Pickguard

Headstock, Neck and Pickguard

Beyond the fretboard inlay, the headstock and sound hole are also commonly inlaid. The manufacturer's logo is commonly inlaid into the headstock and pickguard, if present. Sometimes a small design such as a bird or other character or an abstract shape also accompanies the logo. The sound hole designs found on acoustic guitars vary from simple concentric circles to delicate fretwork. Many high-end guitars have more elaborate decorative inlay schemes. Often the edges of the guitar around the neck and body and down the middle of the back are inlaid.

Because some electric guitars (like the Fender Telecaster and Stratocaster) do not have a separate fretboard under which they can fit a truss rod, they fit it in the back of the neck and cover it with a strip of dark wood. The has popularly become known as a "skunk stripe," and while it is not inlay, some makers use inlay to simulate it.