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Fret Spacing - standard and not

Thought it would be nice to have this all in one place.

Most dulcimers include the following frets from the chromatic (all of 'em) fingerboard:

0 2 4 5 7 9 10 11 12 - octave 1

12, 14, 16, 17, 21, 22, 23, 24- octave 2

24, 26, 28, 29, 31, 33, 34, 35, 36 - octave 3

I also use a simplified one:

0 2 4 5 7 9 11 12, etc.

For both of those, you can capo up to the 2 fret and also play in minor.

And here is the blues-cimer. I just made two and the are lots of fun to play, you can easily use Shane's videos over in "how to play" to get lots of ideas for improvising.

0 3 5 7 10 12 (optional 6) (edited 1/26/10 to include 5!)

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by MichaelS Country Boy Guitars on March 13, 2010 at 5:14am

OK, this sounds interesting. Now just to ask the same thing again, if I have a guitar with burned in frets and I want to add frets to make it a dulci or blue-cimer I can use the guitar scale, but put the frets only on the numbers you listed? I think I get it just want to be sure the guitar scale is the same measurements. I like this idea, I need to read more. thanks Diane

Permalink Reply by Diane in Chicago on March 13, 2010 at 1:41pm

If the burned in frets are accurate for the scale lenght of your guitar, you should be able to put frets at the fret numbers indicated at the top of this discussion. Caveat: if you are playing slide now, you'll likely have to adjust your nut/bridge to get the action low enough to stay in tune. A too-high bridge makes the notes played nearest the nut go sharp.

MichaelS said:

OK, this sounds interesting. Now just to ask the same thing again, if I have a guitar with burned in frets and I want to add frets to make it a dulci or blue-cimer I can use the guitar scale, but put the frets only on the numbers you listed? I think I get it just want to be sure the guitar scale is the same measurements. I like this idea, I need to read more. thanks Diane

Permalink Reply by Jeff "Sweet T" Tinsley on March 14, 2010 at 7:49am

Two of my last 3 builds have been dulcimers. One standard and one blues-cimer. I threw together a lunchbox diddley bow in between. I can't decide if playing them or building them is more fun. I added an audio clip (Wayfaring Stomp) of the blues-cimer. It had only been playable for about 20 minutes, so forgive my inconsistencies.

..... I hope I didn't plagiarize that song title......

Permalink Reply by Wade on March 14, 2010 at 3:51pm

Just a quick comment- I had a cigar box guitar that I used as a dulcimer. I just made side markers where the dulcimer frets would be so I know where I can put my fingers!

Wade

Permalink Reply by Mike Willmouth on March 26, 2010 at 2:32am

Well, I'm about 99 percent done with my grandaugher's diatonic scale CBG. I strung it up to check it out and I noticed that there is a half note in there, so the Stewmac Calculator doesn't remove these. I'll be posting the pictures of this "pink" CBG in a couple of days.

Diane in Chicago said:

if you used the "dulcimer" setting on the stewmac calculator, you already have left out the frets. Standard chromatic fretting has 12 to the octave. Dulcimer has 8. Use what you have and you are good to go.

Mike Willmouth said:
OK, I'm lost. I'm building my grand daugther an 18" (46mm) diatonic scale CBG. I used the Stewart MacDonald on line fret calculator for a Dulcimer. I have 12 frets listed with measurements -- so is everyone here saying I should leave out some of the frets? If so, which ones? Which frets would be best to keep for a 6 yr old? My printout it shows fret 8 as an octave, so what should I do with it? Or should I just put all the frets on the fretboard and not worry about removing any of them?

Permalink Reply by Diane in Chicago on March 26, 2010 at 12:03pm

That half note might be the disputed, much maligned, extremely handy "6+" fret. If so, you'll be glad it is there as time goes by.

Mike Willmouth said:

Well, I'm about 99 percent done with my grandaugher's diatonic scale CBG. I strung it up to check it out and I noticed that there is a half note in there, so the Stewmac Calculator doesn't remove these. I'll be posting the pictures of this "pink" CBG in a couple of days.

Diane in Chicago said:
if you used the "dulcimer" setting on the stewmac calculator, you already have left out the frets. Standard chromatic fretting has 12 to the octave. Dulcimer has 8. Use what you have and you are good to go.

Mike Willmouth said:
OK, I'm lost. I'm building my grand daugther an 18" (46mm) diatonic scale CBG. I used the Stewart MacDonald on line fret calculator for a Dulcimer. I have 12 frets listed with measurements -- so is everyone here saying I should leave out some of the frets? If so, which ones? Which frets would be best to keep for a 6 yr old? My printout it shows fret 8 as an octave, so what should I do with it? Or should I just put all the frets on the fretboard and not worry about removing any of them?

Permalink Reply by Jonathan on March 30, 2010 at 1:14pm

if i wanted to continue this for a longer neck; would i start at 14?

like this 0 2 4 5 7 9 10 11 12 (then) 14 16 17 19 21 22 23 24
or am i off?

Diane in Chicago said:

That half note might be the disputed, much maligned, extremely handy "6+" fret. If so, you'll be glad it is there as time goes by.

Mike Willmouth said:
Well, I'm about 99 percent done with my grandaugher's diatonic scale CBG. I strung it up to check it out and I noticed that there is a half note in there, so the Stewmac Calculator doesn't remove these. I'll be posting the pictures of this "pink" CBG in a couple of days.

Diane in Chicago said:
if you used the "dulcimer" setting on the stewmac calculator, you already have left out the frets. Standard chromatic fretting has 12 to the octave. Dulcimer has 8. Use what you have and you are good to go.

Mike Willmouth said:
OK, I'm lost. I'm building my grand daugther an 18" (46mm) diatonic scale CBG. I used the Stewart MacDonald on line fret calculator for a Dulcimer. I have 12 frets listed with measurements -- so is everyone here saying I should leave out some of the frets? If so, which ones? Which frets would be best to keep for a 6 yr old? My printout it shows fret 8 as an octave, so what should I do with it? Or should I just put all the frets on the fretboard and not worry about removing any of them?

Permalink Reply by Diane in Chicago on March 30, 2010 at 1:32pm

seems right, yes.

Jonathan said:

if i wanted to continue this for a longer neck; would i start at 14?

like this 0 2 4 5 7 9 10 11 12 (then) 14 16 17 19 21 22 23 24
or am i off?

Diane in Chicago said:
That half note might be the disputed, much maligned, extremely handy "6+" fret. If so, you'll be glad it is there as time goes by.

Mike Willmouth said:
Well, I'm about 99 percent done with my grandaugher's diatonic scale CBG. I strung it up to check it out and I noticed that there is a half note in there, so the Stewmac Calculator doesn't remove these. I'll be posting the pictures of this "pink" CBG in a couple of days.

Diane in Chicago said:
if you used the "dulcimer" setting on the stewmac calculator, you already have left out the frets. Standard chromatic fretting has 12 to the octave. Dulcimer has 8. Use what you have and you are good to go.

Mike Willmouth said:
OK, I'm lost. I'm building my grand daugther an 18" (46mm) diatonic scale CBG. I used the Stewart MacDonald on line fret calculator for a Dulcimer. I have 12 frets listed with measurements -- so is everyone here saying I should leave out some of the frets? If so, which ones? Which frets would be best to keep for a 6 yr old? My printout it shows fret 8 as an octave, so what should I do with it? Or should I just put all the frets on the fretboard and not worry about removing any of them?

Permalink Reply by MichaelS Country Boy Guitars on May 7, 2010 at 3:23am

I like the blues-cimer fretting but what would it be if I added the 2 to it, so its 0 2 3 5 (6) 7 10 12 . I like to throw in the number 2 note like in knotlenny's 3 string 101 lesson. What do you think?

Permalink Reply by Diane in Chicago on May 7, 2010 at 7:49am

It's your instrument, I say put it in there.

Another option is to cut all the frets and just put in the ones you want, you can always add more later if you get tired of the blues thing and want more options.

MichaelS said:

I like the blues-cimer fretting but what would it be if I added the 2 to it, so its 0 2 3 5 (6) 7 10 12 . I like to throw in the number 2 note like in knotlenny's 3 string 101 lesson. What do you think?

Permalink Reply by Mr. Toad on July 29, 2010 at 4:09pm

Thank you Diane but does this mean that if I take a guitar fret board and omit fret 1, fret 3, fret 6 and fret 8 I will have a fret board for a dulcimer?

Permalink Reply by Mr. Toad on July 29, 2010 at 4:16pm

Never mind Diane. I should have read the rest of the comments. Then I wouldn't have asked a question that was already answered.