The A style or teardrop mandolin is a staple in the mandolin family and is regarded as a versatile instrument. They can have an arched top, flat top, F shaped sound hole, or oval sound hole.

Banjo mandolin, Banjolin, Manjo what every you call them they are a mix of a mandolin neck and scale length on a banjo rim or body. These are the Rodney Dangerfields of the instrument world "they don't get any respect".

The bowl-back mandolin , known as a Neapolitan style or round-back (or "tater-bug," colloquial American) has a vaulted back made of a number of strips of wood in a bowl formation, similar to a lute, and usually a canted, two-plane, uncarved top. This instrument is popular for classical music or jazz.

F style mandolins are identifiable by their body scroll and body points. They also typically have a scroll shaped headstock. Often used for bluegrass music.

The mandocello is a guitar sized instrument that is used in mandolin orchestras. It is tuned like a cello C, D, G, A. Players sometimes use the mandocello as on octave mandolin with a special stringing.

A mandola is a larger body that a mandolin and tuned the same as a viola, C, G, D, A These were used in mandolin orchestra.

Just like a mandolin but with a longer scale and tuned one octave lower G, D, A, E. Great for Irish, Scottish music and responsible for countless barn-fights.