Balalaika fret calculator
The balalaika prima, the familiar triangular three-string balalaika, has chromatic frets like a guitar. The calculator opens on a 439 mm scale with 24 frets: 439 mm is the prima length standardized by Vasily Andreyev's orchestra in 1916, as reported by D. L. Babichenko of GMstrings, and the official range today is 435 to 450 mm. On it, the 1st fret sits 24.64 mm (0.970″) from the nut and the 12th lands at 219.50 mm (8.642″).
Balalaika prima fret positions, 439 mm scale
Equal temperament, 24 frets, distances measured from the nut.
| Fret | From nut (mm) | From previous (mm) | To saddle (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 24.64 | 24.64 | 414.36 |
| 2 | 47.90 | 23.26 | 391.10 |
| 3 | 69.85 | 21.95 | 369.15 |
| 4 | 90.57 | 20.72 | 348.43 |
| 5 | 110.12 | 19.56 | 328.88 |
| 6 | 128.58 | 18.46 | 310.42 |
| 7 | 146.00 | 17.42 | 293.00 |
| 8 | 162.45 | 16.44 | 276.55 |
| 9 | 177.97 | 15.52 | 261.03 |
| 10 | 192.62 | 14.65 | 246.38 |
| 11 | 206.45 | 13.83 | 232.55 |
| 12 | 219.50 | 13.05 | 219.50 |
| 13 | 231.82 | 12.32 | 207.18 |
| 14 | 243.45 | 11.63 | 195.55 |
| 15 | 254.42 | 10.98 | 184.58 |
| 16 | 264.78 | 10.36 | 174.22 |
| 17 | 274.56 | 9.78 | 164.44 |
| 18 | 283.79 | 9.23 | 155.21 |
| 19 | 292.50 | 8.71 | 146.50 |
| 20 | 300.72 | 8.22 | 138.28 |
| 21 | 308.48 | 7.76 | 130.52 |
| 22 | 315.81 | 7.33 | 123.19 |
| 23 | 322.72 | 6.91 | 116.28 |
| 24 | 329.25 | 6.53 | 109.75 |
How to use it
- The Balalaika prima 439 mm preset is loaded. For another size, type its scale: Babichenko gives about 472 mm for the secunda, 500 mm for the alto and 767 mm for the bass.
- Set the number of frets: 24 on a professional prima, 16 on a student or folk model.
- Leave Saddle compensation on short scale, steel: the prima is a short instrument with light strings.
- Choose Letter or A4 and tap Print template, keeping the scale at 100%. Measure the 100 mm bar before you cut.
Help and explanations
Change the scale for a secunda, alto or bass balalaika, set your fret count and print the template at 100% to mark the slots.
Balalaika sizes and scale lengths
The balalaika orchestra family grew out of Andreyev's work at the turn of the 20th century, and Babichenko's article on scale standardization lists the lengths of that 1916 standard: prima 439 mm, secunda 472 mm, alto 500 mm, bass 767 mm and contrabass 1195 mm. Measured instruments vary more, 428 to 460 mm for the prima. If you are copying an existing balalaika, measure from the nut to the 12th fret and double it.
The professional prima carries 24 frets, two full octaves; on 439 mm the 24th fret falls 329.25 mm (12.963″) from the nut. Student and folk primas usually stop at 16, with the 16th at 264.78 mm.
The math and the saddle
Frets follow the equal-temperament formula d = L − L ÷ 2^(n/12), the one in R. M. Mottola's fret table and the StewMac calculator: 5th fret at 110.12 mm, 7th at 146.00 mm on a 439 mm prima. The prima's two E strings are usually nylon or carbon and the A is steel, so they don't intonate alike. The calculator shows a short-scale range of 0.5 to 1.5 mm past the scale as a starting estimate; the bridge sits loose on the top, so you fine-tune it by sliding it until the 12th fret checks out on the intonation checker.
Tips
- Mark all the frets from the nut, not by adding spacings: at 24 frets the small errors add up.
- The top frets on a 24-fret prima are about 6.5 mm apart: use a fine fret saw and a slot gauge.
- Tune E E A with the balalaika tuner before you check intonation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the scale length of a balalaika?
The prima is 439 mm by Andreyev's 1916 standard, with an official range of 435 to 450 mm. Secunda about 472 mm, alto 500 mm, bass 767 mm, contrabass 1195 mm.
How many frets does a balalaika have?
A professional prima has 24 chromatic frets and a student or folk prima 16. On 439 mm the 16th fret sits 264.78 mm from the nut and the 24th 329.25 mm.
Where is the 12th fret on a balalaika prima?
At half the scale: 219.50 mm (8.642″) from the nut on a 439 mm prima.
What are the balalaika sizes?
Piccolo, prima, secunda, alto, bass and contrabass. The prima is the solo instrument; the bass and contrabass are much bigger, with scales of about 767 and 1195 mm.
Is the balalaika fretted like a guitar?
Yes, with fixed chromatic frets since Andreyev's time, so the guitar fret formula applies. Older folk balalaikas often had tied frets.