StewMac Fret Scale Templates
Accurate fret slots without guesswork. Designed for use with our Fret Slotting Miter Box, or your shop table saw.
Each template is made of durable stainless steel and has notches for two different fret scales. Includes an indexing pin and instructions.
These templates provide accurate fret positioning for guitar, bass, banjo, mandolin, or ukulele.
#4914 - #4919 guitar and bass templates allow for 24 fret slots.
#4911 baritone and #4912 bass templates provide 22 fret slots.
#4920 banjo / mandolin template will locate 22 frets for banjo and 29 for mandolin.
#4909 ukulele template will provide locations for 18 frets and the #4910 ukulele template will locate 20 fret slots.
"I asked StewMac to develop ukulele fret scale templates because I'm so impressed with their templates for fretting guitars. Based on my experience in industrial product design, I believe StewMac's steel templates are more accurate and robust than acrylic templates, which break easily and become less accurate with use. And each template has two scale lengths for one price, so they're the best value available."
—Mark Roberts, master luthier
Templates are 2-31/32" (75.5mm) wide and 5/64" (2.05mm) thick, 14 gauge stainless steel
Special notes:
#4915 Martin Dreadnought scale is commonly referred to as 25.4" but is actually 25.34".
#4916 For Fender 25.5" includes fretboard cut-off and nut positions. Also for 25" scales like Paul Reed Smith®, Dobro®, Danelectro®, and Benedetto.
#4914 and #4917 We offer templates for Gibson's 25.3" long scale, plus three shorter Gibson scales. Over the years, Gibson has referred to each of the shorter scales as 24-3/4".
Read more about scale length
For use with a table saw: Install the supplied index pin in the fence of your table saw. Attach a template to the back of the fingerboard. On your table saw, align the blade perpendicular to the fingerboard, and saw the slots with the template side up. We recommend a Fret Slotting Table Saw Blade.
For use with a luthier's miter box: Simply attach a template to the back of the fingerboard, and saw each fret slot after locating the index pin (preinstalled in our miter box) in the corresponding template notch. We recommend our Fret Slotting Miter Box.