The body of the guitar does not amplify the vibration of the strings into audible sound.

Thanks to this, musicians can practice with headphones without disturbing people around them,[1] or obtain an acoustic tone under heavy amplification without feedback.

Las Vegas Academy has used silent guitars in a classroom setting, with students wearing headphones to hear their instrument's sound.

[2] A successful early silent guitar with a full-sized body was the Gibson Chet Atkins SST.

The portability of a small bodied guitar, as well as the ability to practice silently, is an advantage to travelers.