Sopranino scale compensation

orangeena

orangeena

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Hello.
I am making my first sopranino for a friends birthday and have got to the stage where I can't avoid making a decision on fret positions any longer.

The instrument will have a 25.5mm (10") scale length.

IMAG0886_zps4d634c1b.jpg


IMAG0887_zps83de7171.jpg


My question is about compensation of the bridge position. Stewmac's calculator seems to only add a tiny amount for the non-compensated bridge compared to a soprano. Less than a millimetre. What would you experts suggest as fret positions?

Thanks
Max
 
Hi Max, on my piccolos I use a scale length of 280 mm. That is the theoretical value, so the 12th fret is exactly at 140 mm. I place my bridge/saddle (it's a wooden one piece job) so the g, e and a-strings are about 282 mm long, and then the c-string is compensated with an extra 1.5 mm.

You can see some of it here:

http://www.argapa.blogspot.se/2013/09/making-piccolo-bridge.html

Sven
 
Sven,
Thanks, I will check you great site again (like I haven't spend enough hours there already!).
Max
 
I made a couple of 11 inch scale sopraninos last year. Action was 2.5 mm at the12th, and compensation was 3 mm. This is similar to Sven's numbers.

You look to have about 2mm of saddle there, so if you put the midpoint at scale plus 2.5-3mm you can fine tune within that range. I'd suggest 2.5mm if you plan fluorocarbon strings, 3mm if Aquila's.
 
Thanks Prof,
So just to clarify in case I got this round the wrong way, your 11 inch (280mm) scale length placed the 12th fret, not at the 140mm midpoint, but at 137mm. Or was it 143mm?
I thought I had it but now I am not so sure.
Max
 
I'll dare to answer that with a no - Chris definitely put the 12th at 140 mm and the saddle at 283. If you by a freak accident would have the nut and saddle already glued with a fixed distance there is a simple method of spacing the frets and achieving the correct amount of compensation. But we'll deal with that in the unlikely event.
 
That makes sense to me then. Phew. Thanks Sven and Prof
Now just for the record, how would you do the frets if, heaven forbid, you had already glued the bridge. ;-)
 
I would do one of two things; first I'd try to subtract 2 or 3 mm from the given available length (based on mine and Chris' experience) and put that value into the calculator on the Stewmac page.

But there is a funnier way... read this:
http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/showthread.php?45090-Fret-spacing-and-compensation

And do it like John did it.

By the way, the compensation amount I use for different sizes of ukes are pretty much the same. And that means I compensate more on the shorter scales if you compare it percentage-wise. The strings stretch more on those given the fact that the action is roughly the same on all.

Gööd luck mate / Sven
 
Wot Sven said.

If you've glued the bridge so the saddle is 255mm from the nut then subtract 3mm. You have a 252mm scale uke! Plug that value into a fret calculator and start sawing slots.
 
Thanks again chaps. I have been doing that with my sops for a while but was not sure it would extrapolate to the smaller scale length. Great advice
Max
 
Sven said:
Sorry Max for not stating the bleeding obvious already - that is a sweet looking wee uke!
Click to expand...
I agree. Thanks for sharing.
 
Thanks for the kind words. I'm a bit sad I have to give it away soon, but at least it is to another Uke nut!
 
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