Hey bet. I may be wrong about this, but I believe that the mandolin is tuned just like the violin. You ought to be able to pick up the mandolin easily since you play violin.

I also inherited a mandolin from my grandfather. I just had it repaired. It still needs work, but I had just enough repair done to get it into working condition.

If you live in the Portland Oregon metro area I can recommend someone. Where are you?

Margarita