ukulele fret measurement

Steve Pollack March 20, 2011 at 7:55pm

I build my uke using a 14 1/8 inch scale (Mezzo Soprano) There's a great fret calculator at the Stew-Mac Web Site. It was spot on.

Mark Bliss February 28, 2011 at 2:44pm

330.2 mm is 13 inches

Sopranos run 13 to 21 inches commonly. The "standards" arent very standardized if you know what I mean...

I provided the shorter one previously as someone wanted a smaller scale. I personally would find anything under about 17 pretty hard to play very well.

Ukulele scale length:
soprano or standard	13" (33 cm)	21" (53 cm)	g'c'e'a' or a'd'f#'b'
concert	15" (38 cm)	23" (58 cm)	g'c'e'a' or gc'e'a'
tenor	17" (43 cm)	26" (66 cm)	gc'e'a', g'c'e'a', or d'gbe'
baritone	19" (48 cm)	30" (76 cm)	dgbe'

Nathan Evans February 28, 2011 at 2:21pm

This scale is based on what type of Ukulele? I am building a soprano uke and having trouble finding the fret scale dimensions.

Mark Bliss said:

330.2 mm fret scale

  fret     from nut     fret to fret

1 18.533 mm 18.533 mm  (nut-1)

2 36.025 mm 17.492 mm  (1-2)

3 52.536 mm 16.511 mm  (2-3)

4 68.120 mm 15.584 mm  (3-4)

5 82.830 mm 14.710 mm  (4-5)

6 96.713 mm 13.883 mm  (5-6)

7 109.818 mm 13.105 mm  (6-7)

8 122.187 mm 12.369 mm  (7-8)

9 133.862 mm 11.675 mm  (8-9)

10 144.882 mm 11.020 mm  (9-10)

11 155.283 mm 10.401 mm  (10-11)

12 165.100 mm 9.817 mm  (11-12)

Bridge placement (non-compensated) 332.14817999999997 mm (±0.5mm)

Mark Bliss January 23, 2011 at 1:49am

Its pretty short, too short for my fingers for sure. You may find it easy to play, but hard to play WELL if you know what I mean.

But ukes are very fun.

Enjoy!

Mark Bliss January 23, 2011 at 1:44am

330.2 mm fret scale

fret	from nut	fret to fret
1	18.533 mm	18.533 mm (nut-1)
2	36.025 mm	17.492 mm (1-2)
3	52.536 mm	16.511 mm (2-3)
4	68.120 mm	15.584 mm (3-4)
5	82.830 mm	14.710 mm (4-5)
6	96.713 mm	13.883 mm (5-6)
7	109.818 mm	13.105 mm (6-7)
8	122.187 mm	12.369 mm (7-8)
9	133.862 mm	11.675 mm (8-9)
10	144.882 mm	11.020 mm (9-10)
11	155.283 mm	10.401 mm (10-11)
12	165.100 mm	9.817 mm (11-12)

Bridge placement (non-compensated) 332.14817999999997 mm (±0.5mm)

Mark Mercer January 23, 2011 at 12:42am

For fret measurements, think "fractional" not dimensional. Any scale length can be approximated by maintaining bridge to last fret distance and using as much of the "earlier" frets as you like. Think of it as "capo" on the neck of a guitar. Also it might be fun to check out "melodic" frets (like on a mountain dulcimer, or early balalaika) they confine available keys but make the "wrong" notes impossible. Also there are some really small "weedeater" stringline that can get down to .020" . A friend (Violinist) made a fretless Uke,(not for everybody)....GO Wild! (then come back just far enough to "play the dern thing)

Scale Lengths, etc.

ukulele fret measurement

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