Fretfind2d

To the best of my knowledge, the frets are placed the same for steel or nylon strings however steel strings need more saddle and nut compensation than nylon strings due to the stiffness of steel strings.

The stiffer the string, the more compensation you need. If a theoretically perfect string was possible, then no compensation at the saddle or nut would be needed.
 
Has anyone used this? I was wondering about the difference between steel strings and nylon on intonation.

http://www.ekips.org/tools/guitar/fretfind2d/

This is really a good question... Technically it shouldn't make a difference because the mathematical model is strictly scale length and doesn't take into account compensation. That has to be added later depending on string thickness. These are the uncompensated distances in a perfectly mathematical world. The real world, as we all know, isn't always perfect and mathematical. Although it should be. Ha ha ha! Maybe somebody that really knows will chime in...
 
In addition to the replies above, I can say I have used Fretfind2d on several instruments to make templates for various scales for banjo, ukes, dulcitars and guitar. I've added compensation accordingly,adjusted by bridge placement and saddle shaping.
Care must be taken when printing, if you have an a4 printer, to print perfectly to scale and join 2 sheets of A4 together.
 
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I thought the fret spacing should be the same but was not 100% sure. What would appropriate compensation for uke strings if I might ask?
 
My tip is more to do with PDF rather than fret2find. Acrobat reader would default to print at fit to page rather than 100% resulting in slightly shrunk scales.Cross check by measuring to the 12th fret before you start cutting. If that distance is not half the scale length then either your printing settings are wrong or your printer is the problem.
 
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My tip is more to do with PDF rather than fret2find. Acrobat reader would default to print at fit to page rather than 100% resulting in slightly shrunk scales.Cross check by measuring to the 12th fret before you start cutting. If that distance is not half the scale length then either your printing settings are wrong or your printer is the problem.

Quite. I had to experiment with my printer settings and found I had to set it to 100.1 % to give the truest measurement, doing as you said by checking to the 12th fret etc.
 
Printers are typically not accurate in the paper feed direction. The paper feed relies on a (stepper)motor to drive the paper at the correct speed, or correct advance per step.

However, the cross-direction is typically calibrated to an encoder strip or by laser. So, you will likely get the best accuracy measurements perpendicular to the feed direction. Even if you have to tape more pieces together to get the full scale length. Print a perfect square and measure to see if your printer is more accurate in one direction vs. the other.
 
What would appropriate compensation for uke strings if I might ask?

Steward McDonalds fret calculator say's approx. 2mm although it varies from string to string with the thinner, more flexible strings needing less compensation.
Not enough compensation then the intonation is sharp. Too much compensation and the intonation will be flat. Your chasing a fine line that's different from string to string.

Also how much saddle compensation you need depends on how much nut compensation you have accidentally or deliberately used. Any saddle compensation figure you will read will depend on placing the nut absolutely spot on with ZERO error.

At the nut end you you place the contact point closer to the 12th fret to flatten the intonation and further away from the 12th fret to sharpen the intonation. Changes at the nut effect mostly the open string intonation however.

My recommendations. There is no circumstance where you need negative saddle compensation so never place the leading face of the saddle shorter than the nominal scale length and I've seen this done. If using a 1/8" saddle (3.175mm) then a 1/16" gap (1.5mm approx.) is plenty and preferably place the saddle a fraction closer to the 12th fret than theory to control intonation in the open position.

If you don't control the nut position accurately then intonation could be all over the place. String height is a factor also. If you have too much nut compensation and the intonation is going flat in the open position then file the nut contact point away from the 12th fret to sharpen the intonation.

Its a balancing act.
 
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