A mandolin is a stringed musical instrument that is closely related to the lute and the guitar. It has a small, pear-shaped body and a long, narrow neck with frets, which are used to play different notes. The mandolin is typically played with a pick or plectrum, and is known for its bright, crisp sound, and unique tuning.
The mandolin has a rich history, dating back to the 18th century in Italy. It was originally used as a solo instrument in classical music, but over time it found its way into other genres such as folk, Celtic music and bluegrass. The mandolin’s popularity grew in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and it became a staple instrument in American traditional music.
The mandolin first appeared in 15th-century Naples, Italy, as an adaptation of the lute. It was similar to various other string instruments across the globe, including the traditional Russian balalaika, a roundback version from Japan, the Greek bouzouki, the Puerto Rican cuatro, the Brazilian bandolim, and the popular dambura of the Arab world.
Mandolins and similar instruments were brought to the United States by immigrants from European countries. In 1880, a group of musicians known as the Estudiantina Figaro, or, the “Spanish Students.” landed in New York City. They played Bandurrias, which are very similar to mandolins. They are small double-strung instruments from Spain.
The Estudiante Figaro became very popular in New York and Boston. They branched out and formed several bands, with their musical style and colorful costumes. These musicians were immigrants from Italy and Spain, and brought mandolins to the US. This created an enormous public interest in this new, unknown instrument.
Classical style mandolins are still played today, in folk and traditional music. They were first developed in Naples, Italy during the 18th century.
In the late 19th century, the popularity of mandolins grew. Further development led to modern designs, and styles, that we see today.
This modern development started in the USA, when luthiers designed the arched top and flatback mandolins.
The mandolin has very unique tuning. The mandolin has eight strings that are tuned in pairs. The four pairs of strings are tuned in fifths, which gives the mandolin its bright, crisp sound. This tuning also makes it easier to play fast, intricate passages. This is why the mandolin is often used in bluegrass music.
Orville Gibson and Lloyd Loar, his acoustic engineer, were the key individuals credited with developing modern mandolins that are now associated with jug band, country, blues, and bluegrass music. The two are responsible for the creation of the F-style and A-style mandolins.
There are two main types of mandolins, Classical and Bluegrass. These types are further categorized into various models based on body shapes, styles, and soundhole. Bluegrass mandolins are broken down into A-style and F-style.
Roundwound strings are used in almost all styles of bass playing. And they are essential for slapping, popping and tapping where you want a nice bright tone.
When you first put them on you may find they are too bright. After a little playing, they will lose some of that zing. I like them after a week or so.
These mandolins have round backs and similar features to their original Italian kinds – and also to the traditional lutes.
Since bowl-back mandolins have big, voluminous backs, they produce a rounder, deeper tone than their modern counterparts. They are a go-to for musicians who play historical kinds of music, including renaissance style, classical, and baroque.
This mandolin has a round bowl which makes it perfect to handle. Some people call it a “watermelon back.” They have deeper tones as a result of the deep bowls. Despite being traditional mandolins, their prices tend to be quite high.
These mandolins were developed in America and based on classical mandolin designs. They are used in a variety of musical styles, mostly folk and bluegrass. They feature two unique body styles, A-style or F-style.
Both styles of bluegrass mandolins have flat backs. This makes them a easier to produce, than the classical bowl back mandolins.
Bluegrass mandolins came on strong in the late 19th century in two Gibson models, the mandocello (the A-style) and the mando-bass (F-style). Many mandolists believe that F-style is a better choice due to its balance while playing.
The backs and tops of these mandolins are customarily carved from a solid wood, preferably from spruce and maple. The bluegrass mandolin comes in two styles, as shown below. The Phoenix Standard and Phoenix Neoclassical are popular choices.
This style describes all other oval bodied or teardrop-shaped mandolins that are NOT either F-style or bowl-back.
This style grew after Gibson’s productions took off in the 20th century. Many come with curved tops and backs, while others have an arched back resembling a violin.
A-style models are more like guitar profiles. However, to differentiate them from the bowl-back types, we describe those with arched backs as having flatbacks. The A-style mandolins do not have scrolls, meaning they’re easier to build and less expensive.
A-style mandolins are common with Celtic musicians and with folk, Irish, and classical music.
This type of mandolin has a more prominent and broader body type, and the sound hole is round. Spruce and cedar are commonly used for the top, while mahogany, rosewood, and walnut are preferred for the sides. The backs and tops are mostly flat.
The A-style mandolin derives its name from its general shape. This device has a simple design, which makes it cheaper in terms of price.
If you’re looking for a beginner-friendly option that packs some good accessories along with it, Vangoa is a good starting point.
This style of mandolin was first produced by Gibson in the 19th century, and was their top model. The design became known for an elegant and smooth, attractive look. In early 1925, Lloyd Loar, a Gibson acoustic engineer, designed the F-5 under Gibson’s supervision, and that became their most renowned F-style model.
Even today, the F-style mandolins with Loar’s signature are some of the most expensive and loved models. All the other modern F-style mandolins are fairly close replicas, with either two F-holes or one oval soundhole.
Also referred to as Florentine mandolins, the F-style mandolins are the preferred choice out of all the bluegrass mandolins, and are also a familiar choice with country and root players.
These mandolins’ neck joints are typically ten frets. They usually have a warmer tone, and most people describe them as tubby. Oval-shaped mandolins mostly lend themselves to folk music, as well as Celtic music.
F-shaped sound holes, on the other hand, are brighter with volume. They are mostly preferred by folk and country music mandolin players.
The rule of tuning a mandolin from bass to treble is GDAE.
There are some great multi-instrument tuners out there that work particularly well with mandolins.
There are three common variations of mandolins: Electric mandolin, Octave mandolin, and Mandocello.
Electric mandolins use electronic amplification to produce sound. They typically feature metal strings, a solid body, and pickups to capture string vibrations, which are then converted into an electrical signal that can be amplified through a speaker.
Electric mandolins are popular across lots of musical genres, including rock, country, and blues. They offer a distinctive, bright and cutting tone. They bring the versatility and playability of traditional acoustic mandolins, but with the added ability to control volume and tone through amplification.
Octave mandolins have a longer scale length and larger body, which results in a lower pitch range. The strings on an octave mandolin are tuned to a lower octave, typically in fifths, to produce a rich, full sound that can add depth and warmth.
Octave mandolins are commonly used in folk, bluegrass, and Celtic music. They are typically played with a flatpick or plectrum, and can also be strummed or fingerpicked.
Mandocellos are similar to octave mandolins, with a larger size, longer scale length, and lower pitch range. The mandocello is typically tuned to an even lower octave, and is often played in ensemble with other acoustic instruments, although it can certainly still be played as a solo instrument.
Most mandolin tops or soundboards use spruce wood for construction. It has dense grains and offers a beautiful and articulate response in mandolins, as it does so for violins or guitars.
Since spruce can be costly, many manufacturers use mahogany or cedar instead, which causes some deeper tone. Nonetheless, the best quality mandolins have soundboards hand-carved from spruce.
Most bluegrass mandolins have arched tops, something that many players fancy.
More affordable mandolins have laminate tops with wood layers pressed together. Laminates come with thin veneer tops.
Although most professional mandolinists prefer spruce tops, a laminate top helps regulate a mandolin’s price while still producing a pleasant sound.
Mandolin fretboards are made of either ebony or rosewood. Both are hardwoods that allow for easy finger-to-fret action.
For maximum rigidity, mandolin necks are made using mahogany or maple. The neck may involve more than one wood glued together.
For intonation and playability adjustments, mandolin necks may have metal embedded in them.
Mandolin bridges involve ebony or rosewood and an electronic pickup for amplification.
Some typical mandolins accessories include tuners and tailpieces for tuning the instrument. Also, don’t forget to get a case or gig bag if you’re buying your first mandolin. It’s an easy thing to slip your mind when you’re going through the rest of your purchasing checklist, but it’s no fun when you need to take your instrument somewhere and realize you don’t have a good way to protect it from bumps and bruises along the way.
Most bluegrass mandolins have arched tops, something that many players fancy.
More affordable mandolins have laminate tops with wood layers pressed together. Laminates come with thin veneer tops.
Although most professional mandolinists prefer spruce tops, a laminate top helps regulate a mandolin’s price while still producing a pleasant sound.
Mandolin fretboards are made of either ebony or rosewood. Both are hardwoods that allow for easy finger-to-fret action.
For maximum rigidity, mandolin necks are made using mahogany or maple. The neck may involve more than one wood glued together.
European classical and traditional music use Neapolitan mandolins, whereas American folk and bluegrass music use carved top mandolins. British and Irish music mostly use flat-back mandolins. Brescian and Cremonese mandolins are tuned to the fifth, while Milanese, Sicilian, and Lombard mandolins are tuned to the fourth. Some Brazilian mandolins have 4 or 6 strings, compared to Genoa mandolins, which have up to 12 strings.
