Although the Mexican vihuela has the same name as the historical Spanish plucked string instrument, the two are distinct.

The gauge of the strings and the order in which they are applied is important in producing a soft sound or a punchy bold sound when the instrument is strummed (the strum is called a mánico, and also references rhythmic patterns).

The Mexican vihuela is a small, deep-bodied rhythm guitar built along the same lines as the guitarrón.

This instrument is strummed with all of the fingernail tips to produce a rich, full and clear sound of the chords being played.

Many vihuela players have longer than normal fingernails on their strumming hand to facilitate their playing technique and to also get a clear crystal sound.