This is my first UBass Build. I've had the parts for over a year but just finally got around to putting them together just before Christmas. My intentions were to build it with a 20" scale length but when i started cutting the slots for frets I grabbed a printout I used for another build for a Baritone Uke with scale length of 23".I had it completely built and was playing around with it through an amp before I noticed the Octave 12th fret was no where near where it should be. Luckily the strings were long enough and I had enough room to move the bridge 3"!! Im pretty happy with it now. (These pics were taken before I lengthened the scale)
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Select based on if you entered a scale length of inches or millimeters. Please note, the fret calculator will not convert scale lengths, you can use our measurement converter to convert your scale length.
Selecting your instrument also calculates the bridge position for proper intonation.
Notes on fret layout
The most accurate way to lay out your scale is making all measurements from the nut (using the "fret to fret" distance only to confirm your layout). Laying out frets only by measuring fret to fret will compound error. For example, if you're laying out frets by marking with a scribe and your accuracy is ± (plus or minus) 0.020", you could be off by as much as 1/4" at the 12th fret.
Measurements are given from the end of the fingerboard (face of the nut) to the center of a fret slot.
Bridge placement for 23.000" scale length
Distance indicated is from the fingerboard face of the nut, to center of rear-most row of mounting screws.
Fender® style bass bridges
23.676" (± 0.030")
Here it is in mm (I find this easier than inches, fractions, etc.)
Fret position calculator
Number of frets
Scale length
(No fractions)
Inches
Millimeters
Select based on if you entered a scale length of inches or millimeters. Please note, the fret calculator will not convert scale lengths, you can use our measurement converter to convert your scale length.
Selecting your instrument also calculates the bridge position for proper intonation.
Notes on fret layout
The most accurate way to lay out your scale is making all measurements from the nut (using the "fret to fret" distance only to confirm your layout). Laying out frets only by measuring fret to fret will compound error. For example, if you're laying out frets by marking with a scribe and your accuracy is ± (plus or minus) 0.5 millimeters, you could be off by as much as 6 millimeters at the 12th fret.
Measurements are given from the end of the fingerboard (face of the nut) to the center of a fret slot.
Bridge placement for 584.000mm scale length
Distance indicated is from the fingerboard face of the nut, to center of rear-most row of mounting screws.
Comments
Fret position calculator
Number of frets
Scale length
(No fractions)
Inches
Millimeters
Bass
Reset
23.000" fret scale
fret from nut fret to fret
1 1.291" 1.291" (nut-1)
2 2.509" 1.218" (1-2)
3 3.659" 1.150" (2-3)
4 4.745" 1.086" (3-4)
5 5.769" 1.025" (4-5)
6 6.737" 0.967" (5-6)
7 7.649" 0.913" (6-7)
8 8.511" 0.862" (7-8)
9 9.324" 0.813" (8-9)
10 10.092" 0.768" (9-10)
11 10.816" 0.724" (10-11)
12* 11.500" 0.684" (11-12)
13 12.145" 0.645" (12-13)
14 12.755" 0.609" (13-14)
15 13.330" 0.575" (14-15)
16 13.872" 0.543" (15-16)
17 14.385" 0.512" (16-17)
18 14.868" 0.484" (17-18)
19 15.325" 0.456" (18-19)
* Frets that are red are "octaves".
Typically 19, 21, 22, or 24
What is scale length?
Select based on if you entered a scale length of inches or millimeters. Please note, the fret calculator will not convert scale lengths, you can use our measurement converter to convert your scale length.
Selecting your instrument also calculates the bridge position for proper intonation.
Notes on fret layout
The most accurate way to lay out your scale is making all measurements from the nut (using the "fret to fret" distance only to confirm your layout). Laying out frets only by measuring fret to fret will compound error. For example, if you're laying out frets by marking with a scribe and your accuracy is ± (plus or minus) 0.020", you could be off by as much as 1/4" at the 12th fret.
Measurements are given from the end of the fingerboard (face of the nut) to the center of a fret slot.
Bridge placement for 23.000" scale length
Distance indicated is from the fingerboard face of the nut, to center of rear-most row of mounting screws.
Fender® style bass bridges
23.676" (± 0.030")
Here it is in mm (I find this easier than inches, fractions, etc.)
Fret position calculator
Number of frets
Scale length
(No fractions)
Inches
Millimeters
Bass
Reset
584.000mm fret scale
fret from nut fret to fret
1 32.777mm 32.777mm (nut-1)
2 63.715mm 30.938mm (1-2)
3 92.916mm 29.201mm (2-3)
4 120.479mm 27.562mm (3-4)
5 146.494mm 26.015mm (4-5)
6 171.050mm 24.555mm (5-6)
7 194.227mm 23.177mm (6-7)
8 216.103mm 21.876mm (7-8)
9 236.752mm 20.648mm (8-9)
10 256.241mm 19.490mm (9-10)
11 274.637mm 18.396mm (10-11)
12* 292.000mm 17.363mm (11-12)
13 308.389mm 16.389mm (12-13)
14 323.858mm 15.469mm (13-14)
15 338.458mm 14.601mm (14-15)
16 352.239mm 13.781mm (15-16)
17 365.247mm 13.008mm (16-17)
18 377.525mm 12.278mm (17-18)
19 389.113mm 11.589mm (18-19)
* Frets that are red are "octaves".
Typically 19, 21, 22, or 24
What is scale length?
Select based on if you entered a scale length of inches or millimeters. Please note, the fret calculator will not convert scale lengths, you can use our measurement converter to convert your scale length.
Selecting your instrument also calculates the bridge position for proper intonation.
Notes on fret layout
The most accurate way to lay out your scale is making all measurements from the nut (using the "fret to fret" distance only to confirm your layout). Laying out frets only by measuring fret to fret will compound error. For example, if you're laying out frets by marking with a scribe and your accuracy is ± (plus or minus) 0.5 millimeters, you could be off by as much as 6 millimeters at the 12th fret.
Measurements are given from the end of the fingerboard (face of the nut) to the center of a fret slot.
Bridge placement for 584.000mm scale length
Distance indicated is from the fingerboard face of the nut, to center of rear-most row of mounting screws.
Fender® style bass bridges
601.176mm (± 0.5mm)
do you have a pattern for the fretting to share? Love the look.