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Hey guys,

Can anyone tell me how to cut a fretboard at a custom scale length? I Would like to make a guitar with a 24 1/8" scale. I found stewmac's calculator, but it doesn't make sense to me. The measurements are in decimals, and I don't know how you use a ruler for some of those measurements. Any advise would be appreciated. Thanks

Sean

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change isn't synonymous with improvement
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Would you be more comfortable in metric?


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Multiply the decimal by whatever the smallest unit on your ruler is. Mine is 64ths, so I multiply by 64, and include one decimal space on that so I know whether to edge more toward one line or the other. So the first fret of your scale would be 1 and 22.7 64ths

I have a paper with a grid drawn on it, where I write out all the scales I use in that format.

I agree with what I think Tim may be suggesting -- get a metric ruler in mm, so simple to read. Use an on-line converter to go from inch to mm for the overall scale length, then use the SM fret program.

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Ken Cierp

http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/

There's a program called "wfret" that will print out a template for you for any scale length you choose. Its a free download, but I can't remember where I got from. Maybe someone could help with a link/etc. (I use the stewmac calculator to get the intonation though).

I'm a big fan of this site: http://www.ekips.org/tools/guitar/fretfind2d/

Once you enter your information, it generates the scale length for you and gives you a handful of options for saving. I use it all the time to play around with different ideas. I usually print the multi-page PDF just to see how something fits my hand, but I'll take the single page PDF to Kinkos to print the final copy for a few bucks.

Use it also. Just print out the pages and tape them together. Tape them to the fretboard and scribe a line with an Xacto knife at every fret location.

Thanks everyone for the advise! I'll try that program.

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change isn't synonymous with improvement
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Use care and check the measurements when printing. Printers are not very accurate in the paper feed direction. Typically in the left-right direction they are more accurate, but the feed direction relies on a motor to advance the paper with super precision as the ink/toner is applied. This seldom is as accurate as you want for fretting. Don't just assume a printer is accurate just because its all computerized.

And don't forget that paper changes size with humidity just like wood does. That can throw you off too. Just double check the print with a ruler before using. Of course, only if your ruler is accurate. But that's a whole 'nuther topic!

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Rodney Paul Adams

Ditto Rodney

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Ken Cierp

http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/

Thanks Rodney, My gut has always told me to not trust home printers and paper.
Back in the day in the aircraft world we had high $ printers that printed on velum.
Even the velum needed to be kept rolled (no smaller than 6 inches I think) and the temperature had to be maintained.

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Say what you do, Do what you say.

Here's a link for Wfret... http://handmademusicclubhouse.com/group ... gprintable

I've never had a problem with accuracy printing. Usually the problem is when the printer scales the file to fit, but Wfret doesn't seem to have that problem. I glue the print-out to the fret board and cut on the lines.....no worries about paper changing over time as they are single use.

How do you glue them without the paper warping/stretching/wrinkling at all?

Early on I bought a 36" precision ruler marked off in 100th inch increments. I clamp it to the board and, using magnifiers, mark the fret positions with a knife. For standard scales I use a template and the table saw.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

Digital calipers and a scribing knife.


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I draw out templates in Rhino, then email the file to my local sign shop where they laser cut it for me same day. $20 including material, which is 1/4" acrylic.


Ken Jones
Mountain Song Guitars

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Mountain Song Guitars www.mountainsongguitars.com

Or if I'm doing a multi scale, I have Andy Birko CNC them for me.


Ken Jones
Mountain Song Guitars

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Mountain Song Guitars www.mountainsongguitars.com

Some 6 inch stainless pocket rules have decimal conversions on the opposite side. They are usually under $5. Use your ruler for the whole inches and the scale to convert the decimal portion to fractional inches (to 1/64th).

i would also recommend a cnc cut board or at least a template cut board. for me, intonation is pretty important and i would not trust myself to cut accurate fret slots by measurement with a hand saw. custom scale lengths are generally not a big problem to have cnc'd, which is what i would do if i didn't have a template for my slotting jing

You could always use the tangential method.

https://youtu.be/_lp-KclqVgQ

I think all the suggestions will work OK but it seems we are making this project more and more complicated. A long scale/ruler be it metric or engineering is all that needed along with the Stew Mac program. The increments should be marked sequentially and not marked off as individual spaces this is the standard drafting practice and is necessary to avoid the chance of compounded carry over errors. Thinking about the printed template -- that will work very good as well, even if it is slightly off as long as you use the distance from the nut to the 12th fret as the base unit plus compensation for the bridge/saddle placement all will work out OK.

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Ken Cierp

http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/

If it doesn't have to be exactly 24 1/8", that scale is very very close to the first fret down on 650mm or 25.5" scales.

My point being that if you have either of these templates, you can use the the first fret as the nut, and the difference is less than +/- 1/16 over the 24 1/8" scale, depending on which one you use.

I doubt anyone could tell the difference.

Glenn

"A long scale/ruler be it metric or engineering is all that needed"

A long fractional ruler will work fine, you only need to convert the decimal portion to 64ths if that is the precision you are working to. I agree it is best to measure from a single point to avoid compounding errors.

There might be a workable possibility easily obtained, but it's not 24.125". I made a mistake sawing fret slots in a fretboard, and while I wanted 'short scale', I used a 25.34" cutting guide for 22 frets. Didn't want that fretboard. But if I lop off the fretboard above the second fret, I wind up with a fretboard scale length of 23.91". It's not 24.125", but it sure is easy to attain and cut and it lets me use a fretboard I'd already made. The difference between 23.91" and 24.125" is .215", or roughly 7/32", less than a quarter inch. If your scale length must be 24.125", then making a new cutting guide with dimensions provided by the StewMac tool would be a straightforward task. If I was making a cutting guide, I'd mark off my fret positions on my template stock and cut my slots tangent to the line, always on the same side. That way I'm lining up on a measured line when I make a cut. I use a fret slot cutting jig that you can make yourself with drawings supplied by Ken Cierp with his fretboard slotting templates. I'm very happy with the jig and Ken's templates.

There's rulers graduated in tenths, hundredths...check with machinist's supply vendors, like Enco. That would let you use decimal inches accurately. Get a ruler that will cover the length of your fretboad completely so's you're not measuring between frets, but measuring all the frets in reference to the nut, not each other, as mentioned in another response. It's a big deal.

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Peter Havriluk