So far I have been buying pre fretted necks and finger boards but will hopefully in the future be cutting my own fret slots and wondering if there is any advantage to using one scale over another.
Thanks,...Mike
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uncle crow posted a thread a while back about how to calculate your fret spacing. it is super easy. if you want me to explain it to ya i can. that way you can make your necks any length you want
Wikipedia has a very helpful page detailing the various average scale lengths for different brands of guitars, just in case you have a preferred format...
I just print it out and trim it with scissors, tape it together with scotch tape, so I have a long skinny template. Then I just tape it to the neck with the one end lined up with the nut.
Then I just mark the fret locations with a pencil, take the template off and save it, and cut the fret slots with the fret saw.
You can re-use each template a bunch of times. I have a handful of them all printed out for the most common scales I use. Usually I do a 25.5, a 24, or a 17 for a uke.
uncle Lou said:
I didn`t mean to sound disrespectful, I think with me i just like havin` a solid ruler, and i never had thought of it befor but one could use heavy paper for the print out, dang guess i could of save a 30.
Iggy said:
Point taken. However, I have made dozens of necks from the same 5 printouts, so I would kind of doubt that I will ever spend 30 bucks in paper and ink, since they are re-usable multiple times.
The ruler is a good idea too.
uncle Lou said:
Well free? If u plan on cuttin` alot of fretboards over time that free+ paper and ink can add up 30 bucks 4 the fret ruler ain`t bad
Iggy said:
You can also download the free program called Wfret and just print out the template for the scale and the number of frets you want, cut it out and tape it to your fretboard, mark the positions and cut your frets.
Did I mention it is free?
uncle Lou said:
I have the ruler it works real nice
Michael R Cossey said:
Thanks Men......I'm use to Ovation, and haven't a clue of it's scale...smile....Been thinking about getting one of those Stewmac fret scale rule/template.....
I didn`t mean to sound disrespectful, I think with me i just like havin` a solid ruler, and i never had thought of it befor but one could use heavy paper for the print out, dang guess i could of save a 30.
Iggy said:
Point taken. However, I have made dozens of necks from the same 5 printouts, so I would kind of doubt that I will ever spend 30 bucks in paper and ink, since they are re-usable multiple times.
The ruler is a good idea too.
uncle Lou said:
Well free? If u plan on cuttin` alot of fretboards over time that free+ paper and ink can add up 30 bucks 4 the fret ruler ain`t bad
Iggy said:
You can also download the free program called Wfret and just print out the template for the scale and the number of frets you want, cut it out and tape it to your fretboard, mark the positions and cut your frets.
Did I mention it is free?
uncle Lou said:
I have the ruler it works real nice
Michael R Cossey said:
Thanks Men......I'm use to Ovation, and haven't a clue of it's scale...smile....Been thinking about getting one of those Stewmac fret scale rule/template.....
Point taken. However, I have made dozens of necks from the same 5 printouts, so I would kind of doubt that I will ever spend 30 bucks in paper and ink, since they are re-usable multiple times.
The ruler is a good idea too.
uncle Lou said:
Well free? If u plan on cuttin` alot of fretboards over time that free+ paper and ink can add up 30 bucks 4 the fret ruler ain`t bad
Iggy said:
You can also download the free program called Wfret and just print out the template for the scale and the number of frets you want, cut it out and tape it to your fretboard, mark the positions and cut your frets.
Did I mention it is free?
uncle Lou said:
I have the ruler it works real nice
Michael R Cossey said:
Thanks Men......I'm use to Ovation, and haven't a clue of it's scale...smile....Been thinking about getting one of those Stewmac fret scale rule/template.....
another issue is that the shorter the length scale, the higher pitch, if I'm right you also need to adapt
depending on the size of the box. For example, a short scale used with a little box may have little chances
to result in a low pitch guitar :-)
I have made 15, and 19, for my kids, more of a Uke sized. 21' seems to be what I like for myself, good sound and good balance for the box, course depends on the how heavy you make the neck. I am talking 3 stringer here. So it looks like a balance of the sound and weight and box, leaves lots of room for just about anything.
Cheers Ron.
Well free? If u plan on cuttin` alot of fretboards over time that free+ paper and ink can add up 30 bucks 4 the fret ruler ain`t bad
Iggy said:
You can also download the free program called Wfret and just print out the template for the scale and the number of frets you want, cut it out and tape it to your fretboard, mark the positions and cut your frets.
Did I mention it is free?
uncle Lou said:
I have the ruler it works real nice
Michael R Cossey said:
Thanks Men......I'm use to Ovation, and haven't a clue of it's scale...smile....Been thinking about getting one of those Stewmac fret scale rule/template.....
You can also download the free program called Wfret and just print out the template for the scale and the number of frets you want, cut it out and tape it to your fretboard, mark the positions and cut your frets.
Did I mention it is free?
uncle Lou said:
I have the ruler it works real nice
Michael R Cossey said:
Thanks Men......I'm use to Ovation, and haven't a clue of it's scale...smile....Been thinking about getting one of those Stewmac fret scale rule/template.....
Replies
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scale_%28string_instruments%29
I just print it out and trim it with scissors, tape it together with scotch tape, so I have a long skinny template. Then I just tape it to the neck with the one end lined up with the nut.
Then I just mark the fret locations with a pencil, take the template off and save it, and cut the fret slots with the fret saw.
You can re-use each template a bunch of times. I have a handful of them all printed out for the most common scales I use. Usually I do a 25.5, a 24, or a 17 for a uke.
uncle Lou said:
Iggy said:
The ruler is a good idea too.
uncle Lou said:
depending on the size of the box. For example, a short scale used with a little box may have little chances
to result in a low pitch guitar :-)
Cheers Ron.
Iggy said:
Did I mention it is free?
uncle Lou said:
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