Can someone tell me what the difference is between these scales? As far as fret placement? I have never seen a "bass" fret scale calculater, so I can only assume they are the same. I plan on trying a bass cbg soon. I am also interested in upright cbg ideas also. wray

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if use the stew mac fret calc it has setting for bass
Bass scales are usually between 30" and 34". If you put a length like that into a normal guitar fret calc (like this one for example: http://www.manchesterguitartech.co.uk/fret_calculator.php), everything will be groovy..... I made a long scale (34" scale) bass, but I cheated and bought a neck for it. You should join the cigar box bass group, if you make one, we'd all love to see a picture there!
I did a 30" fretless bass that I was happy with. I kept it to the shorter scale to keep the string tension down. Worked (I gave it as a gift) wonderfully.
the only difference (typically) is length... the rules governing spaciing is the same. the stewMac fret calculator...
http://www.stewmac.com/FretCalculator will produce the same fretpattern whether you calculate for an electric guitar or a bass. Bass guitar scale lengths can be influenced by using alternative string material. a year ago I produced several ultra short scale basses (as short as 17') that were low "E" capable using polyurethane cord.

Wichita Sam said:
the only difference (typically) is length... the rules governing spaciing is the same. the stewMac fret calculator... http://www.stewmac.com/FretCalculator will produce the same fretpattern whether you calculate for an electric guitar or a bass.
Bass guitar scale lengths can be influenced by using alternative string material. a year ago I produced several ultra short scale basses (as short as 17') that were low "E" capable using polyurethane cord.

Beautiful work there, Sam!

How well do those wooden tuners work for the two in the middle?? Any special hardware required to make them maintain proper tension?
Those are used Cello pegs... The only thing needed is a properly sized reamer to set the bevel of the peg hole. Beyond that simple friction fitting works, once you get used to it....

marcianx said:
Wichita Sam said:
the only difference (typically) is length... the rules governing spaciing is the same. the stewMac fret calculator... http://www.stewmac.com/FretCalculator will produce the same fretpattern whether you calculate for an electric guitar or a bass.
Bass guitar scale lengths can be influenced by using alternative string material. a year ago I produced several ultra short scale basses (as short as 17') that were low "E" capable using polyurethane cord.

Beautiful work there, Sam!

How well do those wooden tuners work for the two in the middle?? Any special hardware required to make them maintain proper tension?
Here's an Excel fret calculator you can keep on your computer. Just enter the scale length you want, and it will give you the fret spacing. The "from nut" column is in decimals of an inch. I added an "inches" and "sixteenths" column too, in case that's easier.

How accurate does one have to be in all this?

Thanks. This is my virgin post on this amazing site. Looking forward to delaying many important projects to spend time here.

Eli
Attachments:
I work with the stewmac fret calculator and work in mm's (millimeters). Although it gives measures in 1000ths of mm's, I only try to measure 1/2 millimeters. Even that takes a fine pencil and a steady hand. And, it produces perfectly acceptable intonation on the fretboard.

With one mm = 0.04 inches, if you must work in inches, then nearest 1/64th inch would do nicely...

good luck, let us know how we can help,
the best,

Wichita Sam

Eli Spiegelman said:
Here's an Excel fret calculator you can keep on your computer. Just enter the scale length you want, and it will give you the fret spacing. The "from nut" column is in decimals of an inch. I added an "inches" and "sixteenths" column too, in case that's easier.

How accurate does one have to be in all this?

Thanks. This is my virgin post on this amazing site. Looking forward to delaying many important projects to spend time here.

Eli
Thanks, Wichita, for the note on accuracy and intonation. If I sort of guestimate the tenths of a sixteenth, maybe that that'll do? With some good luck?

On the other hand, the Excel thing just works with the 17.817 ratio, so if you put "650" (for instance) into the scale length, it spits out the number of millimeters for a scale length of that size in the "from nut" column. Of course, the "inches" column doesn't work out that way. Unless you want a scale length of 650 inches. And some bridge-cable strings....

But I'll check out stewmac. I imagine it's pretty similar?

Thanks again,

Eli
yea, no problem either way... the thing about mm's is that you can get a yardstick that has sae on one side and mm's on the other... but usually the smallest increment on the sae scale on a yardstick is 1/8's or 1/16's, not fine enough for laying out fretboards....

Eli Spiegelman said:
Thanks, Wichita, for the note on accuracy and intonation. If I sort of guestimate the tenths of a sixteenth, maybe that that'll do? With some good luck?

On the other hand, the Excel thing just works with the 17.817 ratio, so if you put "650" (for instance) into the scale length, it spits out the number of millimeters for a scale length of that size in the "from nut" column. Of course, the "inches" column doesn't work out that way. Unless you want a scale length of 650 inches. And some bridge-cable strings....

But I'll check out stewmac. I imagine it's pretty similar?

Thanks again,

Eli
Stewmac is good! So is your point about the yardsticks.

On fret wire: Is it true that the high point of the fret -- where the string will start to vibrate -- is just above the saw-line, or do you have to compensate for anything when cutting the slots? (Does that make sense?)

Eli
just make your cuts as perpemdicular to the fretboard as you can and everything will be OK

Eli Spiegelman said:
Stewmac is good! So is your point about the yardsticks.

On fret wire: Is it true that the high point of the fret -- where the string will start to vibrate -- is just above the saw-line, or do you have to compensate for anything when cutting the slots? (Does that make sense?)

Eli

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