Fretboard template generator
This app generates fretboard templates. You can specify the fretboard parameters and it will generate a PDF that you
can download and print out. The simplest
way to find out what the parameters do is to play around with them. In a modern desktop browser you should see the
resulting PDF next to the parameters.
Every change is applied immediately. Download the PDF using the "Download template" button or via the embedded viewer.
See below for a more detailed parameter description and some usage information.
Parameter description
All parameters are specified in millimeters! To convert an inch value to a millimeter value simply multiply it with
25.4.
- Scale length
- The scale length is used to calculate the distance between the frets. It's not the same as the length of the
fretboard! Some common scale lengths are:
- 24.75″ (628.65mm): Gibson, Epiphone
- 25″ (635mm): PRS
- 25.5″ (647.7mm): Fender, Ibanez, Jackson, Kramer, Schecter, ...
- Number of frets
- The number of frets to use.
- Add scale table to PDF
- Generates an additional page in the PDF that lists for each fret the distances to the nut and bridge as well as the distances between frets.
- Fretboard width at nut and 12th fret
- These two values determine the overall shape of the fretboard.
- Fretboard extension at nut
- Determines how far the fretboard extends starting from the end of the nut towards the headstock.
- Fretboard extension at last fret
- The additional length of the fretboard after the last fret.
- Nut width
- The width of the nut itself, i.e. the width of the cavity that has to be carved out to fit the nut into the
fretboard.
Please not that the nut is not centered along the 0th fret! Instead it extends from the 0th fret towards
the headstock. This might not match with certains nuts!
- String spacings at nut and bridge
- The spacing between the lowest and highest string at the nut and bridge. These value are determined by the
actual hardware that used for the nut
and bridge.
They only affect the layout of the inlays. If you don't know them you can estimate them by (temporarily)
activating the Draw strings option.
- Number of strings
- The number of strings that will be used. This value only affects the layout of the inlays.
- Draw strings
- Use this option to temporarily draw the strings that result from the selected string spacings at the nut and
bridge.
- Inlay layout
- A selection of available inlay layouts. You can also disable inlays altogether here if you don't want any.
- Inlay radius
- Radius of the inlays. Make sure to no mix it up with the diameter!
- Fret slot cutting depth
- The depth of the fret slots. This value is just used to print the measurement helper.
The overall fretboard length can be calculated as: "Fretboard length before nut" + "Nut width" + "Length between 0th
and last fret" + "Fretboard length after last fret".
Usage
- Adjust the fretboard parameters until you are happy.
- Download the resulting PDF. You can do so via the embedded preview window or using the download button.
- Print out the template. Make sure that the printer does not scale the contents!
- Measure one of the two lines that are shown on the printout. One can be used for metric units and the other for
imperial units. Each line should measure the length that's shown next to it.
If that's not the case then the printer has performed some scaling and the template can not be used!
- Cut out one of the templates.
- Glue the template to the piece of wood along the middle line.
- Now go to town by cutting the fret holes, forming the fretboard, etc.
This application was built with
Svelte.