The electric mandolin is an instrument tuned and played as the mandolin and amplified in similar fashion to an electric guitar.As with electric guitars, electric mandolins take many forms: Most common is a carved-top eight-string instrument fitted with an electric pickup in similar fashion to many arch top guitars. Solid body mandolins are common in 4-, 5-, and 8-string forms. Acoustic electric and semi-acoustic mandolins also exist in many forms.