The neck extends out the upper end of the body.

On the neck is the fingerboard. The double bassist presses the strings against the fingerboard to change their pitch.

The four strings stretch across the body and fingerboard of the double bass, from one end to the other. They are made of steel, and each is tuned to a different pitch. Double bass strings are very thick!

The strings of the double bass are tuned by turning the four metal machine heads -- unlike the smaller stringed instruments, which use wooden pegs.

The tail piece attaches the strings to the other end of the double bass. Unlike the smaller stringed instruments, the double bass has no fine tuners on its tailpiece. All tuning is done by turning the machine heads.

The endpin is a spike that extends out the bottom end of the double bass. The double bassist balances the instrument on it. The endpin slides into the body of the double bass when it is not in use.

The bridge supports the strings and transmits their vibrations to the body of the double bass. It is made of wood, and is curved so that you can bow each string separately. It is much bigger on a double bass than on any other stringed instrument.

The soundholes are called f-holes because of their shape. They help the body of the double bass to vibrate, and help release the vibrating air inside the instrument. This makes the double bass sound louder.

The bow is made of horsehair attached to a rod. When the horsehair touches the strings of the double bass, they vibrate, creating a pitch.

A jazz bass player will usually pluck the instrument instead of bowing it. Otherwise, the double bass plays a role in the jazz band very like its role in the orchestra. It is the rock on which all the harmony is founded - just as the rhythm is built on the drums. This means that the bass player must play simply and clearly most of the time. But when it's time for a bass solo, bass players can really let go, and play as complex music as they can imagine!