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Common body shapes for modern acoustic guitars, from smallest to largest:
Range – The smallest body shape, also considered a "mini jumbo", is three-quarters the size of a jumbo shaped guitar. A range shape typically has a rounded back which provides projection and volume for the smaller body. The smaller body and scale length make the range guitar an option for players who struggle with larger body guitars.
Parlor – Parlor guitars have small compact bodies and have been described as “punchy” sounding with a delicate tone. The smaller body makes the parlor a more comfortable option for players who find large body guitars uncomfortable.
Grand Concert – This mid-sized body shape is not as deep as other full-size guitars, but has a full waist. Because of the smaller body, grand concert guitars have a more controlled overtone and are often used for its sound projection when recording.
Auditorium – Similar in dimensions to the dreadnought body shape, but with a much more pronounced waist. The shifting of the waist provides different tones to stand out. The auditorium body shape is a newer body when compared to the other shapes such as dreadnought.
Dreadnought – This is the classic guitar body shape. Used for over 100 years, it is still the most popular body style for acoustic guitars. The body is large and the waist of the guitar is not as pronounced as the auditorium and grand concert bodies. This allows mid-range frequencies to stand out, helping the guitar cut through an ensemble of instruments.
Jumbo – The largest standard guitar body shape found on acoustic guitars. The large body provides more punch and volume, while accenting the “boomy” low end of the guitar.