Paul, I assume you use fingerpicks when you fingerpick a 12-string guitar, correct?
One problem fingerpicking a mandolin is that the strings are so darn close together. The fretboard is more narrow than most soprano ukulele fretboards, for example. The right hand fingers would be really scrunched together. And the strings are really taught, much more so than guitar or ukulele strings (the latter of which are usually nylon as well).
I think it is theoretically possible to fingerpick a mandolin, but it would be pretty difficult in practice. A mandola might be more "doable."
Paul Certo said:
I don't play mandolin, but I finger pick everything else I play, even 12 string guitars, and my friends 8 string uke and 10 string tiple. Tiples have 4 courses tuned like a uke. Two courses are paired strings, and two are tripled strings. I don'r see a reason you couldn't fingerpick a mandolin, but I don't recall seeing anyone do it. Start a new trend.
Paul
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