Fret measurement down the board

[Keith Erickson]

Hello & good morning Folks,

I was always wondering how you measure the frets and get those exact measurements on down the fretboard while keeping the integrity of the notes?

Thank you for letting me ask the silly question http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Dave Cohen]

Measure the distance from the nut to each fret position. If you were to measure the distance from each fret to the next, any errors would accumulate as you progressed up the fretboard.

[Bill Snyder]

Keith you can use programs like WFRET to give you the measurements or put the formula into a spread sheet. WFRET will even print out a scaled template to use if you trust your printer to print that accurately. I have used it and when I checked the accuracy with my rule (to 1/64th of an inch) it appeared to print very accurately.

[markishandsome]

Fret Calculator (http://buildyourguitar.com/resources/fretcalc/index.htm)

[Paul Hostetter]

One thing that helps me is using a big ol' 18" Starret rule graduated in 1/100ths of an inch. This way I calculate in inches and the decimal increments lay out very smoothly. 100ths of an inch are finer than metric. Stew-Mac has a very nice fret calculator (http://www.stewmac.com/FretCalculator/) online too. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[markishandsome]

I used to borrow a 1/100 rule from a machinist friend but have never seen one available at any store or in any catalog.

[Bill Snyder]

I used to borrow a 1/100 rule from a machinist friend but have never seen one available at any store or in any catalog.
Incra makes one.

[Paul Hostetter]

A quick look at Starrett's current catalog shows their C305R-18 to be 18" long, Full-Flexible 3/4" x 1/50" thick, with quick-reading 10ths, and aircraft quick-reading 100ths, 32nds and 64ths. They may have others. Mine is a machined heavy steel job which I bought at a flea market about 35 years ago. 18" is a good length because you can lay out any board, from Neapolitan mandolin to Pete Seeger banjo and P-bass.

Their C416R-24 is a 24" item, heavy spring-tempered steel, 1 1/4" x 1/10" (the basic dimensions of mine, only longer) in 32nds, 64ths, plus aircraft quick-reading 50ths and 100ths. This makes a serious straight-edge too.

[John Morton]

Here's the scoop on rigid scales from the MSC catalog: http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNPDFF?PMPAGE=1341&PARTPG=GSDRVSM&PMT4NO=25857192&PMITEM=86421344&PMCTLG=00&PMT4TP=*LTIP

And here are the flexible scales:
http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI....P=*LTIP (http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNPDFF?PMPAGE=1341&PARTPG=GSDRVSM&PMT4NO=25857192&PMITEM=86421344&PMCTLG=00&PMT4TP=*LTIP)
5R and 16R are the styles that include 1/100ths. A cheap scale is OK, but don't get anything that doesn't have engraved graduations. I like the satin chrome finish for visibility.

John

(Those links aren't specific, sorry. Just check pp. 1340 & 1341 in the catalog.)

[Paul Hostetter]

Hi John -

Both those links led to the same page, but whatever. It's all there. I prefer the rigid one, satin chrome with engraved poobah, 18" long:

http://www.lutherie.net/starrett.100ths.jpg

I heard you ripped it up at Weiser this year!

[martinedwards]

or you could buy preslotted boards from any of the luthier's supplies companies.:D

[Keith Erickson]

WOW!!! This is great information!!! Thank you all so much http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

So in measuring where the frets need to go, then it would be safe to say that using a ruler broken down to 100th's is a standard tool?

Sorry for the silly questions. When one question get's answered then others appear. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[markishandsome]

I think the standard tool is more likely a phone call to someone who offers slotting services, as Martin indicates. Anyone planning to slot more than one board would almost certainly buy or make a template, probably computer-machined for accuracy. You can also buy fret scale rules that just have the fret positions scribed rather than regular divisions. 1/64 rules are easier to come by and are probably what most amatuers and hobbyists would use. Of course everyone would prefer the higher accuracy of a 1/100 rule, but most people probably wouldn't spring for one if they were just going to do one or two instruments. Most pro builders use templates, unless they do a lot of repairs on a broad range of instruments with non-standard scales.

[Paul Hostetter]

Oh please. I recently cut seven boards, no two even remotely matched. I don't use templates. People who use 64ths are doomed to have to tune what results from their use.

[mandolinplucker]

My way is evidently wrong, but it has worked on the few boards that I have done. I have a digital caliper and use the side of it that takes the inside measurements. The points are sharp. I set it to the correct length and lock it down and press the points into the wood. I measure from fret to fret since the caliper isn't long enough to measure from the nut each time. if I get the numbers wrong,then I can see how,by missing one measurement it would make the others wrong down the line but otherwise it seems like a pretty accurate way to do it. I cut them with a japanese pull saw and a shop made miter box. So far it has worked fine. Just thinking about trying to read a rule marked in 100ths makes my eyes squint and my head hurt.

[Paul Hostetter]

Compared to what you've been doing, the 100ths rule is a breeze. It's not at all hard to read, but you know the old adage: measure twice, cut once. At least when you're measuring twice, you're measuring the entire board layout and can double-check things like the location of the octave before your saw pulls a trace of dust.

[billhay4]

Most fret calculators will calculate scale lengths in millimeters and rulers with a metric scale are a lot easier to come by.
Bill

[markishandsome]

1 mm is almost 3/64. Unless you're superhumanly good at eyeballing between divisions, millimeters don't cut the mustard. 1/64 rules are probably at least as common in the US as decent quality metric ones, if you really want to stick to the hardware store.

[Mario Proulx]

Be aware that not all rulers are created equal, and many/most have slight errors. Nothing terrible for day to day use, but for accuracy...? There's a reason a machinist's tools are expensive.

For measuring fret slots, there are countless CNC operators out there that will cut you a template for a few bucks, given the numbers(easily available via the fret calculators) if an already available template doesn't exist for your scale length. Much more accurate, easy, and you'll have the template for life.

[delsbrother]

But... That makes so much sense!