I’ve wanted a mandola for several years. I’m quite competent on the mandolin and guitar, and I think that the instrument will provide me with a different kind of sound to the guitar, but without the tinniness of the mandolin.
So I bought one. Except I discovered after I bought it that it’s actually a bouzouki. :smack: It’s double-stringed, way too big for my fingers, and I’m no good at playing in other positions. It’s also very poorly made, very poor action, and I found the same model in a store for a good €80 ($80) less than I paid. :wally
My question is, if you are familiar with them, would a mandola be any better? I’m aiming just to play in 1st and 2nd position only, and strumming chords. Can you get flat-back ones that are only single-strung?
I’d give my left eye to find someone who gave mandolin lessons around here. I used to play the violin but I find that I really still need lessons. <sigh>
Sorry I couldn’t answer your question put I think I’d vent a bit about mandolins.
I don’t think you need lessons: it was Violin playing that turned me onto the mandolin. Being able to pick a guitar helped. But since it’s the same fingering, I just got used to the frets, and then got a violin tune book and started from there.