How acoustic guitars work

The strings.

The plucking or strumming of a guitar's strings sets in motion the process of sound production. The vibration of the strings moves around the rest of the instrument, eventually producing audible music.

The Backbox

Part of the vibrations from the strings reverberates through the back of the instrument and through the empty cavity of the guitar, called the sound box. These vibrations will escape through the sound hole.

The Soundboard

The soundboard, or front face of the instrument, produces the rest of the sound, being vibrated through the bridge, through with the strings pass. Thus the combination of vibrations through the sound box and soundboard caused by the playing of strings allows the guitar to produce its sound.