Official Luthiers Forum!

I'm currently working on a 5 string bass build. One of the tools I acquired in the process (out of necessity) was a slotting jig and template from LMI. The template I got with it was 34" & 30". After doing some figuring, I see that if I use the 5th fret as the nut, my scale would be something like 25.475 after slotting 22 fret positions.

My question is this - Does the typical Fender scale (we know as 25.5) measure out to EXACTLY 25.5 or is it 25.5-ish? The reason I ask is because I noticed that Gibson's scale has varied over the years through it's many changes in production, factories, et cetera. Using the same template yeilds a scale that is only off by 25 thousandths of an inch. Or something close to that.

I also ask because it would seem to make sense that if Fender had one of those freaky lookin' table saw slotting things with 22 blades on it specifically for slotting thier fretboards, it would make more sense to have 27 blades and start on the 1st one for bass and on the 5th one for guitars. Or for that matter, start on the 4th one for short scale guitars.

Am I losing it? Or am I onto something?

Thanks,
-Aaron

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"I'm not going to say that perfection has never been achieved. However, if it has, it probably went unnoticed due to it's lack of character."

That's what I'm saying. Have we ever measured a strat or a tele to see if it's truly 25.5"? Or if the basses are a true 34"? Seems like all of these scales are taken from the same chromatic temperament. Did he figure out that it worked for his designs or is it because all of his equipment was set up for it already?

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"I'm not going to say that perfection has never been achieved. However, if it has, it probably went unnoticed due to it's lack of character."

I've measured them, and unlike Gibsons, which are all over the place anywhere from 24.5 to almost 25, fenders are consistent, strats and teles are all 25.5 scale exactly as measured at twice the distance from the nut to the 12th fret, and the basses are all 34 inches same method.
I've never actually checked on the jaguars or jazzmasters.

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Old growth, shmold growth!

The real question for me would be how many fret positions are available on your 34" template? In other words, if you do start at the 5th fret, are there enough fret positions marked on the fret scale template to get to 22 frets? Do you have a 27 or greater fret position template? Many only go to 24.

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Mike

The only thing nescessary for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing.

It's the LMI template. They have something like 30+ fret positions. You could make a ton of different scales out of just one of the longer scale templates.

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"I'm not going to say that perfection has never been achieved. However, if it has, it probably went unnoticed due to it's lack of character."

Wow. A blast from the past.
Yeah, I went back and checked the LMI site and saw that. Did you ever have occasion to use your template for alternate scales?

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Mike

The only thing nescessary for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing.

Not yet. I have more ideas than time, it seems.

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"I'm not going to say that perfection has never been achieved. However, if it has, it probably went unnoticed due to it's lack of character."