Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by BrianQ. on December 30, 2018 at 7:02pm

Have you tried Wfret? It’s an old one,but it works if you’re looking for a physical template?

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Permalink Reply by Timothy Hunter on December 31, 2018 at 12:55am

http://www.buildyourguitar.com/resources/fretcalc/jscrptclc.htm

tried this one? it asks for scale length then number of frets and gives the measurements on screen.

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Permalink Reply by Keith Rearick on December 31, 2018 at 6:56am

Guys, thanks for your help. Was looking for one that you could print out. WFRET.zip is the one from before. But can't seem to get it to work. Will keep trying.

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Permalink Reply by Keith Rearick on December 31, 2018 at 7:18am

Okay, I found a good one to use, that you can print out, on one sheet of paper, then cut out and tape together.

https://brian-c.github.io/fretboard-template-generator/

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Permalink Reply by Timothy Hunter on January 2, 2019 at 2:30am

This program has its limitations.  just tried to do a short scale bass which is my current project.

this will only print 1 page. i can change to mm and set page size to A4( 210mm x 297mm) but it doesnt fit on the page and the 1"square is not on the page.

EDIT ok its when you change to metric that the square goes away. thats a bit short sighted i think why offer metric but then not print a reference box to check scale?  all printers are different dont take the printout for exact 100% without checking!

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Permalink Reply by Keith Rearick on January 2, 2019 at 6:44am

Agreed, on not accepting what is, without checking.  Timothy, there is only one page,  because the whole template is there. 
Either you cut it up to use, tape together, or put your fret board up on end, and mark it on the board. Did notice though, that there isn't any mark, for where the bridge goes.

Had an epiphany last night though. Buy a roll of adding machine paper, and transcribe onto it, then onto fret board, or tape to board and start cutting frets.

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Permalink Reply by Keith Rearick on December 31, 2018 at 7:23am

Now I can order a few of the sale items, and not pay for Gitty's templates. Like saving money.

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Permalink Reply by BrianQ. on January 2, 2019 at 8:20am

Or you can simply glue it to some scrap cardboard?

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Permalink Reply by Taffy Evans on January 2, 2019 at 10:52am

Hi, I would think that applying glue may shrink the paper or cardboard and so give slightly inaccurate readings.

Back in the day before www, computers, google and apps I purchased [by writing a letter] a fretting chart, it was on a large sheet of paper. It covers any scale  and fret spacings. The first thing I did was to transfer the whole thing to an aluminium sheet. After 40 years still going strong.

I plot the scale using an aluminium strip, then transfer the fret markings, then put a small saw cut at that mark. This allows me to place the strip on the finger board clamp it and push my knife into the saw cut fret position markers, and into the fretboard.  

Also with the nut and saddle marked on the straight edge I can easily plot the best bridge positions on the guitar in relation to a particular scale.

Cheers Taff

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Permalink Reply by BrianQ. on January 3, 2019 at 9:44am

I’ve never seen glue shrink paper? But, i did use them quite a bit before I bought the stewmac metal scale length set & the paper one did match up perfectly with it?

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Permalink Reply by Taffy Evans on January 3, 2019 at 10:20am

Hi Brian, probably me just overthinking things again. I thought that paper would expand when wet from the water in the glue, and shrink when drying. I was thinking that as wood expands and shrinks as it takes on or loses moisture, veneers can even wrinkle due to this, that paper and /cardboard might too. 

I live and learn. But if in dought..............

Taff

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