Tech: Mandola fret distances

Subject: Tech: Mandola fret distances
From: Fifer
Date: 06 Dec 02 - 02:11 PM

Can anyone point me in the direction of finding a chart with the required fret positions (measurements from nut to fret, and to bridge) for Tenor Mandola, Octave Mandolin, and mandolin? I am sure it's out there somewhere but I just can't find it.

Subject: RE: Tech: Mandola fret distances
From: open mike
Date: 06 Dec 02 - 04:47 PM

i can't help you there, but i have a related question:
can anyone explain the difference between a mandola,
an octave mandolin and a bouzouki? thanks!!

Subject: RE: Tech: Mandola fret distances
From: Wesley S
Date: 06 Dec 02 - 04:51 PM

Hans Speeks website has some good info on these questions. I'll try to do the blue clicky thing but someone else will most likely beat me to it.

Subject: RE: Tech: Mandola fret distances
From: Cluin
Date: 06 Dec 02 - 05:17 PM

Fret positions always depend on the scale length which can vary from instrument to instrument.

Subject: RE: Tech: Mandola fret distances
From: open mike
Date: 06 Dec 02 - 05:24 PM

here's the blickie--

Subject: RE: Tech: Mandola fret distances
From: open mike
Date: 06 Dec 02 - 05:24 PM

no wait i mean it is here

http://home.hccnet.nl/h.speek/bouzouki/index.html

bouzoukis, citterns, and all the family ....

Subject: RE: Tech: Mandola fret distances
From: open mike
Date: 06 Dec 02 - 05:50 PM

here is the musical instrument maker's forum--
likely fret distances would be found here..
http://www.mimf.com/
hope this blickie works--
some of the ones i tried earlier did not...

Subject: RE: Tech: Mandola fret distances
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 06 Dec 02 - 06:05 PM

I don't see a direct line to the information requested, although the link above will possibly get you there.

The basic fret positions are fairly simple to calculate, expecially if you have a decent spreadsheet to do the numbers. The key that you need is Beethoven's "twelfth root of two." For an equi-tempered chromatic scale, each fret is the "twelfth root of two" times as far from the bridge as the next higher fret.

The "magic number" is 1.059463094 to fair accuracy. In Excel, for example, you would enter "=2^(1/12)" without the quotes.

It is probably easier to work from the nut down, so use the reciprocal (1/1.059463094 = 0.943874313.

The string length, from bridge to nut, multiplied by 0.943874313 gives the distance of the first fret from the bridge.

The distance of the first fret from the bridge, multiplied by 0.943874313, gives the distance of the second fret from the bridge.

The distance of the second fret ... etc.

Once you've listed all the fret distances from the bridge, it's probably easiest to work from the nut end, so take the string length and subtract each number from it to get the distance from the nut for each fret.

The calculated fret locations are typically used, but the extra amount by which you have to stretch the string for "high frets" will require adjustment of the final bridge location to get best intonation. On a mando, with its short strings, the bridge must be "compensated" so that each string course has a slightly different length. I presume that similar compensation is used on the other instruments you're interested in, but I don't have one to look at.

I've measured mandos with string lengths from about 13-1/8 to 13-3/4 inches, but I think something around 13-5/8 inch is pretty standard (at least for A style). If you're building your own, you have the option of using just about any length you want, but copying a "known good" design is obviously an advantage.

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Mandola fret distances
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Dec 02 - 06:07 PM

Quite astonnised how you've managed to find such obvious information difficult to find?

Did you even try to find out for yourself?

Subject: RE: Tech: Mandola fret distances
From: catspaw49
Date: 06 Dec 02 - 06:22 PM

There are any number of good books and software programs to do the calculations. John did a fine job explaining the idea....It's simply a ratio based on scale length and figured using basic wave theory. Try the one I have listed below and you'll do a fine job......if you mark them right, cut them correctly and remember the importance of good adjustment and bridge compensation! (:<))

FRET CALCULATOR

Spaw