Learn About Different Shapes of Mandolins

Part of the Video Series How to Play the Mandolin

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Learn about various shapes and styles of mandolins with expert music training tips in this free online instrument instruction video clip.

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Learn About Different Shapes of Mandolins
Hi! I am Michael Oberst for Expertvillage.com and I am mandolin instructor. Mandolins come in several different forms. Mandolins evolved from the Lute family so naturally the early mandolins looked a lot like lutes with a rounded back and an uncarved headstock, the back resembled a bowl, but around the turn of the 19th century. They brought about a few new different styles in the look of the mandolin brought about by guitar founder for Gibson Orville Gibson. Gibson mandolins were made primarily in two different styles an A style, which is pear shaped and has no points to the body. Then the F style or Florentine style and that is what the style of this mandolin here is with the carved and the spiraled edges and the pointed edges here and also the spiral and headstock. So, the Florentine style was a more elaborate style. Both styles of mandolin either have two F shaped sound holes or an oval shaped sound hole. The F shaped sound holes are like the violin style holes . The F style or Florentine is primarily most commonly used in blue grass music while the A style, the pear shaped style is more commonly found in Irish music, folk music and classical.

About the Expert

Expert: Mike Oberst is a mandolin instructor and professional musician based out of Cincinnati, Ohio. He is proficient in nearly ten different instruments. Read More