Fretting over Fret placement - HELP Please...

[Craig McClure]

I'm making a fret board for my 1930's Aluminum Vega lap steel rescue. It came as a bare casting. It has a 25" scale, & originally had 23 frets. I have an 18 1/2" Ebony Blank cut & plan on inlaying 1/8th" wide Fret Markers - but have hit a snag. I printed out 2 different Tables of Fret placement measurement that differ enough to disqualify their info, They were both lists for Guitar frets - should I be looking for LAP STEEL FRET PLACEMENT ? ?

I also found these fret tables to be either METRIC or DECIMAL Inches. I doubt that I need to worry about Metrics, or 1 thousandths of an inch
decimals. I also don't have A ruler with anything smaller than 32nds of an inch.

Can anyone direct me to a Fret Placement table That will have Fret by Fret measurement from nut to first first fret, First to second, second to third,
Third to fourth & so-on until the 23rd fret is reached - using inches &fractions - such as 1 1/2, 1 3/8, etc.

Since L'm using 1/8" wide markers, I'll need to know if the marker should split the scribed measurement line - or go in front - or behind the line.

Until I'm more certain of what needs to be done - I'M STUCK. I sure would appreciate some enlightenment.Thanks in Advance, Craig

enlosed pix of my aluminum VEGA body, & an identical original survivor.

[David Venzke]

Stew-Mac's fret position calculator:

https://www.stewmac.com/fret-calculator/

Frets or markers are centered on the measurements.

EDIT: DO NOT measure fret to fret. You'll accumulate errors. Measure every fret position from the nut.

[Ian Worley]

There is another really good online fret calculator here: https://www.ekips.org/tools/guitar/fretfind2d/. It will generate a list of very precise dimensional info for each fret like the StewMac calculator, but can also generate an accurately scaled printable graphic of the entire fret board if you so choose

[Fred]

It's relatively easy to calculate yourself. The scale length divided by the twelfth root of 2 is the distance from the bridge to the first fret. That distance divided by the twelfth root of two is the distance to the second fret and so on. The twelfth root of 2 is 1.059.

Or use the StewMac calculator.

[George Piburn]

The Business side of the nut = 0

The center of the fret lines = chart below for 25 scale.

0
1 1.4031
2 2.7275
3 3.9776
4 5.1576
5 6.2712
6 7.3224
7 8.3146
8 9.2511
9 10.1351
10 10.9694
11 11.7569
12 12.5002
13 13.2018
14 13.8640
15 14.4891
16 15.0790
17 15.6359
18 16.1615
19 16.6576
20 17.1258
21 17.5678
22 17.9849
23 18.3787
24 18.7504

[Craig McClure]

Hate to sound dumb, guess I am mathematically challenged. ALL of the fret board measurements I've seen are in hundreds or thousandths of an inch. my 24" ruler is dived by 1/16th's of an inch. HOW DO I GO ABOUT TRANSLATING INTO A SCALE WITH ONLY 16th Increments ? I do have a calculator - & can round off hundredths or thousandths to the nearest fractional number - This be a chore, & is it accurate enough - IF I split the line with my 1/8th wide fret maker ??

Right now, I'm thinking I might be better off If I can find a 20" Metric Ruler, & convert inches to M M's - to make measuring simpler.
Yes I think I will & hope it helps me overcome my math short-comings. I found a nice metric ruler as well, & metric 25" scale data on line



Thanks for all your attention & time, I'll photograph & post the JOB when finished,

CRAIG in Jasper Georgia

[George Piburn]

Hello from GeorgeBoards™

My experience with Fretboards for Diy Projects is limited to a few thousand. That said, your eyedeer of using some sort of standard Ruler is completely "Pushing Mud Up Hill".
As well; using an 1/8 wide fretline can work but the final accuracy is going to be OK at best if your goal is to have a instrument that plays in tune. A 1/16 (.065) line thickness will make the players eye go to the good spot much more accurately.

Question: Are you planning to make an aftermarket fretboard for exacting Restoration?
If so you are going to need to go to a real experienced fretboard maker and get a custom made piece.

Do you simply want to make this antique "Live again and playable?
We can sell you a 25 scale Peel and Stick Vinyl fretboard that can serve as the actual fretboard, perhaps on some sort of substrate, Also it can serve as a guide - template so to speak to help you transfer the lines to whatever your final structure is. Those run 20 dollars includes shipping.

Glad to help you or answer any questions.

Mr.Boards

[Craig McClure]

Hi George, Many Thanks. I'm trying to reproduce an original 3/16th" thick board with a few custom touches I'd like, using an ebony board, some pearl & abalone inlays, bound with Wavy Ivoroid. it will screw down into 8 existing threaded holes - the original covered these screws with small pearl dots.. Working from the picture of Noah's original. I'm a seasoned woodworker, but financially challenged - so doing myself, & taking my time (I'm old & slow).

Best wishes, Craig in Jasper Georgia

[George Piburn]

Hello from George Boards

All of the little things you are considering, are the most expensive parts, pretty much all available from Stew-mac. That Ivorid edge banding is flammable and requires special shipping at extra cost for example.

They also sell table saw jigs with an alignment pin for setting the fret positions.
Well worth the cost if someone plans to make lots of fretboards, not so cost effective for just 1 piece.

They sell fretboard blank wood, and the sell a speciality precision ground table saw blade to make the shallow cuts for real fret-wire installation. If memory recalls that slot is .023

Then of course you will want to get the fret material and tang cutters - fret-files sets to trim and dress all of the frets, special drill bits for the pearl inlay dots,

Over all a lot of expense for "financially challenged" but on the bright side you will be set up to make really nice 25 scale fretboards for years and decades to come.

Hope this helps you.

[Chris Clem]

Might want to take a look at this.

Scroll down to optional Specs.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/142876840830

[Craig McClure]

Thank you for all the tips & leads. I came up with a 3/16th thin piece of ebony & cut the tapers myself, using a sled made from pine, screwing fret board to it using 2 small holes under where inlays go.It worked out nicely. The guy I got the ebony from included enough Wavy Ivoroid binding - for the job. Think I'm set - just need to find more time of my own to proceed. Life gets pretty complicated for seniors - where do I complain ?