Dean Mando Mondo Mandoline - Guitar tuned

[Fusioninspace]

Hi,

I posted a question several days ago about the Dean Mondo Mandoline. No one answered, but I'm guessing it's because there aren't that many of them out there... So I went ahead and got one off Ebay.

I've had it for several days - This thing is a hoot to play! It's essentially a short necked guitar - It's like playing with a capo on the 5th fret (A). The first three strings are doubled and the low strings are single. You can get neck access all the way to the sound hole (20 frets?) - A really freak'n high F.

You end up with a very good mandolin sound that's got a wider neck, and tuned like a guitar. Regular madonlins have really really skinny necks and are tuned like a violin.

I would recommend these to any guitarist considering using a mandolin.

 

[Anfontan]

I think it will just sound like a little guitar, a mandolin has that certain sound because it is strung like a violin and you finger the chords differently.
Like those 6 string banjos-you can't get that banjo sound without the high drone string and a flatpick on a banjo just wont get it either

 

[Fusioninspace]

No, actually it sounds very much like a mandolin. I had a Kentucky mandolin a few years ago and this thing sounds similar to that (actually better)... except it's MUCH easier to play. From a guitarist standpoint, this is an easy way to get the mandolin sound without having to learn a new tuning.