text: whats the differences between acoustic guitar &  acoustic electric gutiars? i don't understand the differences acoustic guitars cannot be plugged in. they have no electronics. acoustic /electric guitars look the same as acoustic[they are both hollow-bodied]. the only difference is that acoustic/electrics can be plugged in. they have a jack and a small pickup which is not highly visible yet allows the instrument to be plugged into an amplifier which increases the volume of the instrument[also allows electronic effects to be added to enhance sound quality during performance].