# Does anyone here play the mandola? Info please.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-here-play-the-mandola-info-please/123119>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [August 9, 2002, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-here-play-the-mandola-info-please/123119 "2002-08-09T09:50:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\
**Post date:** [August 9, 2002, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-here-play-the-mandola-info-please/123119/1 "2002-08-09T09:50:16Z")

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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?

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**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\
**Post date:** [August 9, 2002, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-here-play-the-mandola-info-please/123119/2 "2002-08-09T10:30:30Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by jjimm \*  
> \*\*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.

\*\*

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.

Marc

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**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\
**Post date:** [August 9, 2002, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-here-play-the-mandola-info-please/123119/3 "2002-08-09T10:40:36Z")

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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.