Cuban tres fret calculator
The Cuban tres has three courses of doubled steel strings, tuned G C E or A D F♯, on a neck that varies a lot from maker to maker. The calculator opens on 544 mm (21.42″), the scale of Thomann's Tres Cubano Standard, with 18 frets as a starting value, since no source gives the fret count. On that scale the 1st fret sits 30.53 mm (1.202″) from the nut and the 12th at 272.00 mm (10.709″).
Cuban tres fret positions, 544 mm scale
Equal temperament, distances measured from the nut.
| Fret | From nut (mm) | From previous (mm) | To saddle (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 30.53 | 30.53 | 513.47 |
| 2 | 59.35 | 28.82 | 484.65 |
| 3 | 86.55 | 27.20 | 457.45 |
| 4 | 112.23 | 25.67 | 431.77 |
| 5 | 136.46 | 24.23 | 407.54 |
| 6 | 159.33 | 22.87 | 384.67 |
| 7 | 180.92 | 21.59 | 363.08 |
| 8 | 201.30 | 20.38 | 342.70 |
| 9 | 220.54 | 19.23 | 323.46 |
| 10 | 238.69 | 18.15 | 305.31 |
| 11 | 255.83 | 17.14 | 288.17 |
| 12 | 272.00 | 16.17 | 272.00 |
| 13 | 287.27 | 15.27 | 256.73 |
| 14 | 301.68 | 14.41 | 242.32 |
| 15 | 315.28 | 13.60 | 228.72 |
| 16 | 328.11 | 12.84 | 215.89 |
| 17 | 340.23 | 12.12 | 203.77 |
| 18 | 351.67 | 11.44 | 192.33 |
How to use it
- The Tres cubano 544 mm preset is loaded. Type your own scale if it differs, switching between mm and inches next to the field.
- The number of frets starts at 18: change it to the count on the instrument you are copying, since makers don't agree on it.
- Leave Saddle compensation on electric, wound string: the tres uses steel strings, some of them wound.
- Choose Letter or A4, tap Print template and measure the 100 mm bar before you mark anything.
Help and explanations
If your tres is different, measure from the nut to the 12th fret, double it and type the result. Then print the template at 100% to mark the slots.
How long is a tres scale?
Tres scales run from about 480 mm on small instruments to 650 mm on those built on a classical guitar body, according to the instrument's Wikipedia article; 544 mm is a common middle value and the one Thomann lists. A short scale makes fast guajeo figures easier and the steel strings softer; a long one gives more volume and tension. Some tres are built from a guitar, so check before copying: a classical guitar neck keeps its 650 mm frets.
Frets follow the same equal-temperament formula as any guitar, d = L − L ÷ 2^(n/12), as in R. M. Mottola's fret table: on 544 mm the 5th fret is at 136.46 mm and the 7th at 180.92 mm.
Saddle compensation on a tres
The outer courses of a tres usually pair two strings an octave apart, a thin plain string with a heavier one, while the middle course is a unison. They don't intonate alike, so a straight saddle is always a compromise. The calculator shows 2.5 to 4 mm past the scale as a starting estimate for wound steel strings; set the final position by the octave at the 12th fret with the intonation checker, favouring the string you hear most.
Tips
- Mark all the frets from the nut, never by adding up spacings.
- Check the printed 100 mm bar: a 2% scaling error moves the 12th fret by more than 5 mm on a tres.
- Tune G C E or A D F♯ with the Cuban tres tuner once it is strung.
Frequently asked questions
What is the scale length of a Cuban tres?
It varies from about 480 to 650 mm. Thomann's Tres Cubano Standard is 544 mm (21.42″), and tres built on a guitar body can reach the classical 650 mm.
Where is the 12th fret on a 544 mm tres?
At 272.00 mm (10.709″) from the nut, half the scale. The 1st fret is at 30.53 mm and the 5th at 136.46 mm.
How many frets does a Cuban tres have?
It depends on the maker, so count yours; the calculator starts at 18. If you stop at the 17th on a 544 mm scale, the 17th sits 340.23 mm (13.395″) from the nut.
How is the Cuban tres tuned?
In C, G C E (196, 261.63 and 329.63 Hz at A 440), or a whole step higher in D, A D F♯. The G and E courses are usually octave pairs.
How much saddle compensation does a tres need?
Start with 2.5 to 4 mm past the scale for wound steel strings. It's an estimate: finish by checking the octave at the 12th fret.