What Is the Difference Between A Mandolin and A Guitar?

It’s a commonplace for people to mix guitars and mandolins because the two-stringed instruments appear similar.

However, experienced musicians understand that it is not a good idea to get into the trap of confusing two instruments – a mandolin or a Guitar.

If you weren’t aware that there is an enormous difference between the two instruments, don’t worry!

You now know the difference and can impress your music lovers with the new information you’ve gathered.

When you look closer, you’ll be able to differentiate between two instruments: a mandolin and a guitar.

Even if you don’t have much musical background, there are differences between these two instruments you’ll be able to identify.

What Is the Difference Between a Mandolin and a Guitar?

The major differences between Guitar and the Mandolin are as follows:

Guitars come with either 12 or 6 strings, and the Mandolin has eight strings
The guitar pitch is typically lower, while mandolin pitch is higher

PS – Guitars are tuned typically in fourths, while an instrument like a mandolin is tuned to fifths

Guitar Vs. Mandolin different tuning:

Guitars are equipped with six strings, and each one has a specific note.
The notes on the open string guitar, beginning with the thickest string (lowest note) to the string with the smallest note (highest note), are EADGBE.
(An acronym you could think of to help you remember this is “Every Amateur Will Improve Eventually.)
On the other hand, Mandolins are equipped with eight strings, and every pair is tuned exactly to the identical note.
The notes on the free mandolin strings beginning with the largest string (lowest note) to the tiniest string (highest note) are: GDAE (or GGDDAAEE)
(An acronym that you could use to remind yourself is Giant Dogs Eat Everybody.)
Mandolins are tuned just like the violin (except Mandolin is tuned with four strings, while violins have four single strings).
It’s almost like thinking about the Mandolin like a fretted guitar that you can strum as the Guitar.
Since the Mandolin’s tuning is as a violin, You can use it in the popular genres for the violin. And this includes Country, Folk, bluegrass, and classic genres.
Of course, you can see the Mandolin used in different genres of music other than the ones mentioned above.

The Mandolin, however, is typically used in the genres mentioned above.

READ: How Many Guitar Chords Are There?

Therefore, you may be better off learning the Mandolin if you’re attracted to the genres mentioned that are mentioned above.

Guitar Vs. Mandolin for beginners:

One benefit of playing Guitar is that, since it’s so well-known and accessible, you can buy an excellent beginner guitar for not too much.

However, the reverse applies to mandolins.
Mandolins aren’t as well-known as guitars, which means fewer are manufactured, and those made are usually more expensive.
Additionally, since mandolins are less sized and less expensive, they require greater precision and time to construct mandolins.
Therefore, mandolins are typically more expensive than guitars of comparable quality.
For example, the Guitar for beginners that we recommend costs just $100.
However, we would not recommend investing lower than the above amount for an entry-level mandolin.
Therefore, the Guitar is a better option than Mandolin when you’re in a pinch for money.
It’s not the only disadvantage for the Mandolin due to its lower popularity than the Guitar.
From our experiences, we’ve seen fewer resources for learning on the Mandolin than for Guitar.
While more and more educational resources are released for both instruments each day, the Guitar’s popularity means that there are more resources available to learners of the Guitar.
And this makes learning to play the Mandolin more difficult than learning the Guitar.

So, a guitar is more popular and beginner-friendly.

Some recommendations:

01. Donner Acoustic Guitar Kit for Beginner – $141.00 to $165.98

The Most Complete Beginner Guitar Set.
Donner acoustic guitar kit includes an acoustic instrument with a gig bag padded, strap, and clip-on tuner.
Digital clip-on capo, pickguard, additional string pack four picks, clean cloth, and Allen wrench.
Includes all the accessories that beginners require.
An ideal guitar for all those professionals, beginners, so you buy it.
A Well-crafted Handmade Craftsmanship: Spruce top, mahogany back and sides, with X bracing to give a superior product
Rich and Clear Sound – A mahogany top spruce body provides better and brighter sound with a balanced tone and high-frequency intermediate frequencies and extends resonance.

02. Ibanez M522SBS F-Style Mandolin, Brown Sunburst High Gloss – $330.00 to $350.20 –

Like the original and highly acclaimed Ibanez mandolins from the ’70s and ’80s, the 2007 lineup is built up to the highest standards in artistry and still offers a price that the average musician can afford.
Ibanez Mandolin Body Shape: F-Style Neck: Mahogany Neck Backsides: Flamed Maple Sides and Back GtrTop.
The solid Spruce Top Tuners: Golden Die-Cast tuners with Pearloid Knobs inlay Pearl Block with Inlay Fretboard Rosewood Bridge and Fretboard Strings Regular Mandolin Strings.

READ: Top 06 Quickest Way to Learn to Play Guitar Faster (Infographic)

Some other questions,

Q1.) Which is easier to play the Guitar or a mandolin?

Answer: Well, a guitar is an easy instrument to play than a mandolin, but this is not to discourage you from learning it.

PS – A mandolin can be difficult to play for those whose fingers are small, and this is because we need to hold its strings in both hands.

Q2.) Can we play the Mandolin as we play the Guitar?

Answer: Not quite because a mandolin is different in its electric guitar settings.

And each pair of these strings comes across the same tune.

Q3.) Why is Mandolin difficult to play?

Answer: This is a wrong notion. Some objections can come across your way of learning Mandolin, but it’s a lightweight and compact musical instrument and comes with fewer strings.

Q4.) Are there any guitarists that double as a mandolin players?

Answer: Yes, as per Will Ward, mandolin notes go quite high, making playing those single tremolos easy.

So, there lie some pros to using the Mandolin for a guitar player.

Q5.) Does a Mandolin sound like a Guitar?

Answer: Not quite. A mandolin has some high notes that go through all other musical instruments.

So, it comes as a nice change.

Q6.) Which is easiest among a Ukulele/ Mandolin?

Answer: Ukulele is easier to learn because the Mandolin has a slightly more intuitive tuning.

Only in the notes memorizing department, a mandolin has some clear advantage.

Q7.) What is easier to learn among a violin or Mandolin?

Answer: A mandolin is hands down easy to use than a violin, and this is because Mandolin’s frets are easy to intonate while on violin; one needs hours to master even a single and simple scale.

Q8.) Are chords of the Guitar and Mandolin similar?

Answer: Not true because MANDOLIN tunes are GDAE, and Guitar’s usual is EADGBE.

G chord for Mandolin is 0023 and for a guitar is 320003.

Q9.) Can we use the guitar sheet music for a mandolin?

Answer: Transposing Guitar to Mandolin is possible. Just make sure that the transpose-worthy notes end in Mandolin’s playing range.

PS – One can only play one note for each string; check it is not omitting any notes.

READ: How to Clean A Guitar? – A Comprehensive Guideline!

Q10.) Are they both mandolin picks and guitar picks?

Answer: Mandolin and guitar picks are not the same because they are quite stiff.

Stiffness is important because most mandolin music plays fast. Also, some pro players like to use tortoiseshell picks (Not sustainable).

Q11.) What does the word Mandolin mean?

Answer: Mandolin has its name because of the hand movement while using it of playing similarly.

Mandoline is a La Cucina Italiana term for preparing soups with marinade.

Q12.) Are a mandolin and Guitar the same metaphorically?

Answer: There might be an evergreen clash between these two terms.

So, a Mando-guitar is your perfect opportunity as it can give you the best of both worlds for a long.

Q13.) Which is easier to learn between a banjo and Mandolin?

Answer: They are the same to learn because of fewer strings, and we can say that Mandolin is slightly easier to learn than a banjo.

Q14.) How long can it take for a person to learn mandolin playing?

Answer: Just like any new skill, for thirty to forty minutes of daily practice, one can reach the level of confidence and consistency within three months.