People often ask me how this or that will effect the sound of a guitar. I explain that it's not an exact science and because there are so many variables it's almost impossible for anyone to know for sure. With that in mind, I came up with this simple diagram which describes some of the factors which effect a guitar's sound and to what extent.
It is my rough estimate based on my own experience and is by no means complete or necessarily true or accurate. Also, I just realised that I left out perhaps the most important factor - the player.