Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Thomas "Duck" Petry on November 30, 2016 at 1:44pm

You can use this chart.   http://durexindustries.com/upload/Fraction_Conversion_Chart.pdf

You'll probably find that you aren't going to be able to cut fret slots to the 1/1,000 of an inch anyway unless you are using a computer controlled saw.  My theory is if I really wanted frets I would buy a pre-cut neck.  Prefer slide anyway so I don't fret my builds.

Permalink Reply by Jim Morris on November 30, 2016 at 3:38pm

This is the reason I switched to metric for fret measuring. The StewMac fret calculator allows for millimeters and they are way easier to measure with a metric yardstick than trying to convert fractions to 1/1000 of an inch. Measuring to 1/1000 of an inch is unrealistic anyway and with mm I usually round up or down to the nearest half mm and it works pretty well. The other shortcut I've used is to purchase some pre slotted fret boards in the scale I want and use them to mark the slots. That's way easier than measuring.

Permalink Reply by Jim Dickison on December 1, 2016 at 7:59am

Multiply the portion to the right of the decimal by 32. You probably can't resolve finer than 1/32 of an inch.

For example: .431 X 32 = 13.792. Round to nearest whole number, which gives you 14.

14/32 = 7/16

Or use metric.

Either way, make all measurements from the nut to avoid compounding errors...

Permalink Reply by PattJ on December 1, 2016 at 10:39am

Thank you Jim for your help.  Where at the nut do you take the measurement?  Do you install

the nut and then measure from the middle of it or the top (at headstock) or bottom of

the nut.   Regards.

Pat

Permalink Reply by Jim Morris on December 1, 2016 at 12:05pm

You need to measure from what you're calling the bottom of the nut. That's the edge on the fret board side. Ideally the nut should have a downward slant in the direction of the head so the strings only contact that edge that you measure from. I almost always use a zero fret nowadays but zero frets are a whole 'nuther discussion. Good luck with it all! I'm thinking about doing a short tutorial on this soon since I've seen some questions about it.

Permalink Reply by Jim Dickison on December 1, 2016 at 1:04pm

What he said!

Permalink Reply by Jim Morris on December 1, 2016 at 3:10pm

Yup Wayfinder, plus I can think of at least three more reasons to love zero frets. 1. The string height is automatically set by how tall your zero fret is. 2. you don't have to cut slots in the nut. 3. the sound is balanced between open strings and fretted ones. 4. you sound like you know what your doing when you say "zero fret"

OK #4 is just for fun

I still use traditional nuts when I'm doing fretless instruments or historic reproductions but it always seems tedious now since I'm spoiled by the easier way.