where to get scale printouts of fret placements

read the FAQ

 

It's better to measure and place them directly than use a chart.
It's very easy to calculate and there are programs that will do it for you.
http://buildyourguitar.com/resources/fretcalc/jscrptclc.htm

 

I had a look at the FAQ like Wilser mentioned to the OP. Although there is a mention of WFret, I can't find the link in the FAQ.

WFret will print out a sheet from your printer with scale line printout. You just need to cut out the three or four different columns and tape them together in lenght to get the full 24 fret lifesize placements. Glue that on your fretboard and start cutting.

 

I'm still waiting for the iron on patch.

I think WFret is the way to go so far. Of course I'm still working on my first build and haven't had to worry about it yet.

 

a digital caliper will do that, well...so will a dial caliper, but digi is easier to read.

 

A regular one will do it aswell, but it's a pain in the ass to read it...

 

That's why there is a metric system. 4,08 cm can be found easily.

 

Why would you want to waste time calculating the whole fretboard with calipers if you can get a printout that will do it for you from a free program

 

I certainly wouldn't, but he asked what could measure 1.605".

Personally, I use a notched scale.

 

iirc, there's a scale generator at

www.stewmac.com

 

well if you're gonna get that silly about measuring, have you made sure that the room you're doing the job in is at a stable temperature and is basically the same temperature that the bass is going to be played at?

don't sweat it...just do a mark at 1.60 and a mark at 1.61 and what you want is basically in between them...

you're gonna muss it up when you actually cut the channels for the frets anyway as it's basically impossible to cut every groove exactly on each mark unless you've got seriously accurate computer controlled cutting machines anyway...

Also, how accurately can you fret a string... most frets have got round profiles and where the string actually contacts the fret depends on a lot of variables, how high the fret is from the fingerboard, how hard does the bassist press down, where does he press his fingers... how fat/hard whatever are the strings...

as I said, don't sweat it...just get a good steel ruler with hundredths of an inch on and go as best you can... always measure twice before you cut... making sure each fret is at right angles across the fingerboard (unless you're doing something really fancy like a fanned fret...) is more important than sweating it over a couple of thou...

 

Also unless this program comes with a printer calibration routine, while it will most likely be acurate within itself you will probably find that you end up overall with a different scale length (by up to 1/4 inch) over what you intended. Even the high-end PostScript proofer we use at my work is out by 1mm or so over an A3 (297mm x 420mm) sheet so what hope has the average home inkjet got?

 

Are you trying to use it on a Mac? As far as I know, it's a Windows-only program.

You could try http://www.fretfind.ekips.org/index.php

 

Sorry about that: best of luck to you!