A guitar novice may think a guitar is shaped in a certain way to offer aesthetic appeal. Though appearance may be important, guitar body shapes are influenced by science as well. This is due to the fact that a guitar's body can greatly influence its sound. The way in which a guitar's body is shaped can mean the difference between music that sounds good and music that makes you want to plug your ears.

Consider a hypothetical guitar, with a large, box-shaped body. This type of guitar would most likely provide for poor sound production. It would probably sound fairly good at two frequencies, while producing very bad sound at all other frequencies.

With its many curves, a guitar's body is meant to be able to provide for a full range of frequencies. However, there are many different types of guitar bodies and shapes. Therefore, different guitars are capable of producing varied frequencies, bringing forth diverse sounds. In spite of the variation in frequencies, guitars of different shapes still sound like guitars.

In general, dreadnoughts produce louder sound than other types of guitar bodies. These guitar bodies typically produce more intense lows. By contrast, guitars with smaller bodies tend to produce more balanced sound. Thinner bodies, on the other hand, tend to project less. Some individuals consider the sound emitted by these thinner bodies to be much more pleasing than other types.