Baritone fretboard

Franklin D.

Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2021
Messages
11
Reaction score
0
I have just started a DIY baritone design of my own but I don’t want to make the fretboard myself. I’ve searched all the UK eBay sites but can’t find a baritone fretboard complete with frets. Where can I get one?
Franklin.
 
Last edited:
Never managed that myself for a baritone, good luck with the search, and build.

Used to buy pre slotted from lmi but eventually brought a template and make my own. You can get the fretwire from stumac.

Fretting is a skill worth learning, results are normally better than the eBay pre fretted fretboards even as a beginner.
 
Thanks for the replies. I don’t want to spend much on any component for this experimental first build as it may end up as firewood! However, if all else fails Brian’s solution may be the only one open to me.
 
Based on your original post I'm assuming UK based (I'm down on the south coast) - if you end up deciding to go down the DIY route (which I would encourage, you can do it with pretty inexpensive tools and the stewmac fret position calculator) then I can point you in the direction of UK suppliers for things like fretwire so you don't have to import.

I don't know of any UK/EU suppliers for pre-fretted baritone scale boards off the top of my head. Depending on your budget you might be able to pay someone to make you one if you really don't want to do it yourself.
 
Thanks for that helpful info. I’ve got one or two people in the uke world on my case and if nothing comes of them I’ll be back to talk to you again.
 
One possibility is to buy a pre-slotted guitar fretboard and cut it down.

You find a 12-fret spacing which is half the scale you desire - i.e. if you want a 19 inch scale baritone, you find the 13 frets on your guitar fretboard which most closely span 9.5 inches (mentally number them 0-12). This is probably frets 3-15, 4-16 or 15-17.

Your nut or zero fret is at your 0 fret, so cut the board off to accommodate that. It's probably too long at the other end as well, but save cutting that until you've built body and neck so you can decide what length over the body looks best.

Finally, mark its new width and plane the sides down to those lines. Voila! baritone fretboard.

This works because the ratio of each fret spacing to the next is constant. So whichever fret you cut at, the 12 frets following are half your new scale length.
 
Yes, I like that idea! I have got a local uke/guitar guru on the case as well and unless he can come up with anything easier which I doubt, I’ll take your advice. Thanks.
One possibility is to buy a pre-slotted guitar fretboard and cut it down.

You find a 12-fret spacing which is half the scale you desire - i.e. if you want a 19 inch scale baritone, you find the 13 frets on your guitar fretboard which most closely span 9.5 inches (mentally number them 0-12). This is probably frets 3-15, 4-16 or 15-17.

Your nut or zero fret is at your 0 fret, so cut the board off to accommodate that. It's probably too long at the other end as well, but save cutting that until you've built body and neck so you can decide what length over the body looks best.

Finally, mark its new width and plane the sides down to those lines. Voila! baritone fretboard.

This works because the ratio of each fret spacing to the next is constant. So whichever fret you cut at, the 12 frets following are half your new scale length.
 
Yes, I like that idea! I have got a local uke/guitar guru on the case as well and unless he can come up with anything easier which I doubt, I’ll take your advice. Thanks.
Of course, you are still effectively ending up with a fretboard that is unfretted. In which case just buy a barritone fretboard. If you can't find one of those then the guitar option works or just pay someone to make you one. Are you wanting a flat board or one with a radius? What wood you wanting?
 
Of course, you are still effectively ending up with a fretboard that is unfretted. In which case just buy a barritone fretboard. If you can't find one of those then the guitar option works or just pay someone to make you one. Are you wanting a flat board or one with a radius? What wood you wanting?
To find a finished baritone fretboard is the Holy Grail. At this stage I’m not too fussy about type of wood.
 
Also be mindful that there is no international agreed scale definition of 'barritone ukulele'. I have seen scales from 19" all the way through to 24" (although most are under 21.5"). If you are designing your own you need to know what scale length you want or don't want. I think my plans are for a 20 1/8" scale baritone. Otherwise your proportions may look a bit funny at the very least.
 
Also be mindful that there is no international agreed scale definition of 'barritone ukulele'. I have seen scales from 19" all the way through to 24" (although most are under 21.5"). If you are designing your own you need to know what scale length you want or don't want. I think my plans are for a 20 1/8" scale baritone. Otherwise your proportions may look a bit funny at the very least.
Yes, I took my 19” scale from a friends factory made job but nothing is definite at this stage, I’ll see what turns up.
 
wouldn't a guitar fretboard be wide? and possibly radiused?
mgb has a baritone kit, but it looks like the fretboard is already glued to a neck

stewmac has a baritone kit, but you gotta get the entire kit
 
I used one of those MGB baritone uke kits for a large cigar box uke. It's not a bad price for what you get, but the heel is rather short. I'm also wondering how much shipping from Florida to the UK would hurt.
 
late reply...just saw a fretboard, neck, tuner combo (all unglued, uninstalled- other than the 20 frets and markers) at mainland for $46.
 
I don't understand this attitude of "I want to build a ukulele " then start looking for parts ready made ? if you want to make a ukulele, then start off with some wood and make the parts yourself "all of them" .... I'll let you off with the machine heads and strings and fret wire , but the rest should be done by you...including the finish. *Edit * I've been on the Shiraz again but you know what I mean 😋
 
I don't understand this attitude of "I want to build a ukulele " then start looking for parts ready made ? if you want to make a ukulele, then start off with some wood and make the parts yourself "all of them" .... I'll let you off with the machine heads and strings and fret wire , but the rest should be done by you...including the finish. *Edit * I've been on the Shiraz again but you know what I mean 😋
I think I agree with you. But kits do seem to be a really popular way of people getting into building.

The sceptic in me says that it allows people to say 'I built this' to their friends and family, when what they did is more akin to assembling flat-packed furniture. But it does seem to get people started. Maybe it depends on your level of skill and knowledge before starting?

But it does remind me of a pub in the Yorkshire Dales - the Queen's Arms in Litton Dale. Lovely pub, lovely walking country. As it gets towards tea time and you are walking down the ridge back towards the pub you often see people arriving in expensive cars into the car park about 1/2 a mile from the pub. They get out, put on the most expensive outdoor gear imaginable, jump up and down in a few puddles and then walk into the pub exclaiming what a long and tiring walk they have had...
 
Ken, I'm pretty much in your camp as far as people making their own parts, but a kit can really jumpstart things before you have the tools and knowledge. It gives you a general feel for building. 51 years ago I was hitchhiking home from University,and I got dropped off in front of a folk music store. I went inside, and ended up buying a plywood dulcimer kit from them. I built that kit, a friend asked to buy it, and I've never looked back. I think without that accidental encounter with that kit, I would have never become a builder. I have never needed a kit since, but I do recommnd them to people who are unsure if they can build an instrument. Now CNC's and lasers, that's another story. I can't determine how they fit into my traditional approach to building! -Bob
 
Last edited:
Top Bottom