mandolin vs. guitar

[ryler]

I love mandolin.  Listening to it, that is.  What is it like to play compared to guitar?  Does it mess with your guitar learning if you're still in quite the learning stage rather than the "perfecting" stage of guitar playing?  This is curiosity speaking, rather than intention.  For the time being, I'm quite committed to learning guitar and don't intend to deviate.  But I do love the sound of the mandolin.  So, what's it like to learn multiple stringed instruments?  And specifically, what's it like to learn mandolin from a guitar background?  Specifics, gimme specifics.  Thanks.

[unclrob]

At this point if I were you stick with just the guitar until it feels almost second nature,ie: you can play a bunch of songs and your pretty happy with the results.There are two ways to learn a second instrument,the right way and in the case of the mando the way the strings are laid out is like the lower 4 strings of the guitar but upside down,low to high G,D,A,E.the cheaters way I learned from reading about a session player named Tommy Tadesco.What he did was to tune the strings like the higher strings of the guitar so you had low to high D,G,B,E.Doing this you can play standartd guitar chords.I started this way but have since gone on to learn propper mando chords.Like most things it just take's time.For mando I just started learning songs with the propper mando chords and at least once a week I practice mando chords.To add to all this I'm working on banjo which is a little easier as a banjo is in a G tuning and I can use some guitar chords to get started.It just take's time ,practice and the willingness to go beyond the normal insanity of work,kids and all that life throws at you and finding a few hours in which practice.Oh ya its worth it in the end as its an amazing stress releiver.Good luck and have fun.
By the way I play guitar,bass,some banjo,some mando,lap steel,some pedal steel and MIDI guitar{which is like playing keyboards without playing keyboard},I'm also teaching myself piano.

[ducktrapper]

Very different creatures but at some point, string slinging is string slinging. As a pretty good guitar player, I can squeeze a tune out of anything with strings (that doesn't have to be bowed). Some might find that branching out actually broadens their musical abilities and understanding. Let's face it, music is music and mandolin will have you thinking outside the box if nothing else. I'd try a ukulele first maybe. Lots of fun there and pretty easy to play, especially, if you can play guitar. At the end of the day, using different tunings, scales and fingerings are a good thing.    

[ryler]

Thanks for your insights.  You're probably right, Duck, about uke for the next thing as far as it sharing more similarity with guitar.  I really know that I need to learn this one thing well first, but am just curious about the "when" of branching out to different stringed instruments.  And then it will be the "how" and then it will be the "which model" etc.   

[unclrob]

I started out as a guitar player thenwe put a band together and someone had to be the bass player.I became the bass player about year after I started guitar.About 5 years later I took on mando and pedal steel I guessI was 16.Added banjo about 6 months later.I'm a pretty good guitar and bass player.The others I'm fair to really bad BUT I fun and thats what counts for me.

[ducktrapper]

I started out as a guitar player thenwe put a band together and someone had to be the bass player.I became the bass player about year after I started guitar.About 5 years later I took on mando and pedal steel I guessI was 16.Added banjo about 6 months later.I'm a pretty good guitar and bass player.The others I'm fair to really bad BUT I fun and thats what counts for me.

Couldn't agree more. Without fun ... it's ... like this forum occasionally ... too serious ... no fun!  

[unclrob]

 

[lyric_girl]

Just know that mandolins are not as inexpensive as you might think. If you're like me and you have to have an F style mando (the one with the fancy strap holder) , then you looking at a minimum of $1000 for something decent.

[Johnny M]

Just know that mandolins are not as inexpensive as you might think. If you're like me and you have to have an F style mando (the one with the fancy strap holder) , then you looking at a minimum of $1000 for something decent.

I'd move that figure up to around 2K.  Your money can go a lot further if you go the A style route.

Also be aware that your guitars will start to collect dust once you get a mandolin in your paws.

John