Greek bouzouki fret calculator
The modern Greek bouzouki has a long neck with fixed, equal-tempered frets. This calculator starts on the tetrachordo (8 strings, C F A D) with a 670 mm scale and 27 frets, the figures in the Greek Ministry of Culture's intangible heritage dossier on the bouzouki. The older trichordo (6 strings, D A D) is given there as 680 mm.
Greek bouzouki fret positions, 670 mm scale
Eight-string tetrachordo, 27 frets, equal temperament, measured from the nut.
| Fret | From nut (mm) | From previous (mm) | To saddle (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 37.60 | 37.60 | 632.40 |
| 2 | 73.10 | 35.49 | 596.90 |
| 3 | 106.60 | 33.50 | 563.40 |
| 4 | 138.22 | 31.62 | 531.78 |
| 5 | 168.07 | 29.85 | 501.93 |
| 6 | 196.24 | 28.17 | 473.76 |
| 7 | 222.83 | 26.59 | 447.17 |
| 8 | 247.93 | 25.10 | 422.07 |
| 9 | 271.62 | 23.69 | 398.38 |
| 10 | 293.98 | 22.36 | 376.02 |
| 11 | 315.08 | 21.10 | 354.92 |
| 12 | 335.00 | 19.92 | 335.00 |
| 13 | 353.80 | 18.80 | 316.20 |
| 14 | 371.55 | 17.75 | 298.45 |
| 15 | 388.30 | 16.75 | 281.70 |
| 16 | 404.11 | 15.81 | 265.89 |
| 17 | 419.03 | 14.92 | 250.97 |
| 18 | 433.12 | 14.09 | 236.88 |
| 19 | 446.41 | 13.30 | 223.59 |
| 20 | 458.96 | 12.55 | 211.04 |
| 21 | 470.81 | 11.84 | 199.19 |
| 22 | 481.99 | 11.18 | 188.01 |
| 23 | 492.54 | 10.55 | 177.46 |
| 24 | 502.50 | 9.96 | 167.50 |
| 25 | 511.90 | 9.40 | 158.10 |
| 26 | 520.77 | 8.87 | 149.23 |
| 27 | 529.15 | 8.38 | 140.85 |
How to use it
- Keep the Bouzouki 670 mm preset, or type 680 mm for a trichordo or the measured scale of your instrument.
- Set the number of frets: 27 on most Greek bouzoukia, fewer on some older or student instruments.
- Pick Electric, wound string or plain string under saddle compensation to see the usual range past the nominal scale.
- Tap Print template, keep the scale at 100% and measure the 100 mm bar with a ruler.
Help and explanations
At 670 mm the 1st fret sits 37.60 mm (1.480″) from the nut, the 12th exactly halfway at 335.00 mm, and the 27th at 529.15 mm. Print the template at full size on A4 or Letter and check the 100 mm bar before you cut a slot.
Same formula, longer neck
Bouzouki frets follow equal temperament like a guitar's: the distance from the nut to fret n is d = L − L ÷ 2^(n/12). The numbers match R. M. Mottola's fret table and the StewMac calculator. What sets the bouzouki apart is length and reach: with 27 frets the last fret is more than two octaves up, and on a 670 mm scale the gap between the 26th and 27th frets is only 8.38 mm.
Those tight upper frets are where hand-marked layouts go wrong. Measure each one from the nut, never by adding up the gaps, and use a fret saw that cuts a slot no wider than the tang of your fret wire.
Tetrachordo, trichordo and baglamas
The dossier gives 67 cm for the eight-string tetrachordo and 68 cm for the six-string trichordo, so the trichordo's 12th fret moves out to 340.00 mm and its 27th to 537.05 mm. The tzouras is shorter, about 58 to 65 cm, and the baglamas shorter still: type the measured scale for those.
To measure an existing bouzouki, take the distance from the nut to the 12th fret and double it. The bridge is floating and compensated, so measuring to it gives a misleading number.
Tips
- Stringing it up afterwards? See the tension of the C F A D courses in the Greek bouzouki string tension calculator.
- The bridge floats on a bouzouki: set the octave at the 12th fret with the intonation checker before you mark its final position.
- To check the finished fretboard in fine detail, play each fret into the strobe tuner.
Frequently asked questions
What is the scale length of a Greek bouzouki?
About 670 mm (26.4″) on the eight-string tetrachordo and 680 mm (26.8″) on the six-string trichordo, according to the Greek Ministry of Culture's heritage dossier. Measure the nut to the 12th fret and double it to check yours.
How many frets does a bouzouki have?
A modern Greek bouzouki usually has 27 frets. On a 670 mm scale the 27th fret sits 529.15 mm from the nut, 140.85 mm before the bridge.
Where is the 12th fret on a bouzouki?
At half the scale: 335.00 mm (13.189″) from the nut on 670 mm and 340.00 mm on 680 mm.
What is the fret spacing on a bouzouki?
On 670 mm, from the nut: 1st fret 37.60 mm, 2nd 73.10 mm, 3rd 106.60 mm, 5th 168.07 mm, 7th 222.83 mm, 12th 335.00 mm and 24th 502.50 mm.
Is an Irish bouzouki the same scale?
No. The Irish bouzouki is a flat-backed instrument with its own scale, usually shorter and tuned GDAD, so type its measured scale here or use the regular fret calculator.