OK, Tim. Guess I was barking up the wrong tree. You might say I was arf track. To your superior knowledge of the instrument, I bow. Wow! :^)

To Tim's comment about playability, let me add: Just like guitars, different mandolin models have different string spacings, neck widths, back-of-neck shapes, etc. It's good to shop around to find the one that fits your hand most comfortably. If you have large hands, check out the Garrison line.