Mandolins and Lutes

[deckardcanine]

Some sources say a mandolin’s a certain type of lute,
While others count them sep’rately. I won’t join that dispute.
Instead, I’ll note how mandolins stand out from all the rest
Of what we label lutes. Perhaps what first should be addressed
Is how they’re played: A mandolin most often takes a pick
For plucking, while for others, only strumming does the trick.
Most lutes are deep and bowl-like, but a mandolin is flat
And streamlined, and it doesn’t have an L-shaped neck like that.
Its pegs do not face backward; they stick outward to the side.
For extra pressure on the strings, the bridge is where it’s wide.
Some models have a pair of sound holes like a violin.
They always have four double strings; for lutes, that’s very thin.
A mandolin is more compact and easier to learn.
I’d sooner recommend it if you don’t have cash to burn.