Scale length vs. fretboard length questions

[specialkman]

I got my wife an inexpensive Rogue mandolin for Christmas a couple years ago and she never played it. I started playing it a couple of months ago. It's not a bad instrument but I started wondering about the length of the fretboard. I have large fingers and I'm having difficulty picking the various notes without cramming my fingers together. I was looking at a Washburn M3SWE mandolin and it seems to be larger. The measurement of the Rogue from the top of the fretboard to the bottom of the fretboard is 9 7/8 and has 20 frets. The measurement from the top of the fretboard to the bridge is 13 7/8. Is this a standard size? Is the Washburn larger or am I just going to have to learn to cram my big fingers in those little frets. Help!!!:(

[JEStanek]

That's pretty standard for a mandolin. Mike Marshall has big hands and can play a pretty good mandolin. You'll get used to it. Practice! and Welcome to the Café.

Jamie

[specialkman]

Thanks for the info. I play bass guitar so that's why the frets seems so small. I guess I'll just keep practicing.

[mandroid]

the mandolin family, like the violin family has several scale lengths and voices.
CGDA & GDAE alternate, mandola, octave mandolin, and mando cello. then back to the bass
you are familiar with ..

oh, there is a 13.0 inch classical mandolin scale too ...