Requinto guitar fret calculator
The requinto is the small lead guitar of the Mexican trío romántico, tuned A D G C E A, a fourth above a classical guitar. Aquila's string chart gives it a 54 cm scale, and the instruments on the market have 19 frets. The calculator opens at 540 mm and 19 frets: the 1st fret sits 30.31 mm from the nut, the 5th 135.46 mm, the 12th 270.00 mm and the 19th 359.80 mm.
Requinto fret positions, 540 mm scale
Distance of each fret from the nut, from the previous fret and to the saddle on a 19-fret requinto.
| Fret | From nut (mm) | From previous (mm) | To saddle (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 30.31 | 30.31 | 509.69 |
| 2 | 58.91 | 28.61 | 481.09 |
| 3 | 85.92 | 27.00 | 454.08 |
| 4 | 111.40 | 25.49 | 428.60 |
| 5 | 135.46 | 24.06 | 404.54 |
| 6 | 158.16 | 22.71 | 381.84 |
| 7 | 179.59 | 21.43 | 360.41 |
| 8 | 199.82 | 20.23 | 340.18 |
| 9 | 218.91 | 19.09 | 321.09 |
| 10 | 236.94 | 18.02 | 303.06 |
| 11 | 253.94 | 17.01 | 286.06 |
| 12 | 270.00 | 16.06 | 270.00 |
| 13 | 285.15 | 15.15 | 254.85 |
| 14 | 299.46 | 14.30 | 240.54 |
| 15 | 312.96 | 13.50 | 227.04 |
| 16 | 325.70 | 12.74 | 214.30 |
| 17 | 337.73 | 12.03 | 202.27 |
| 18 | 349.08 | 11.35 | 190.92 |
| 19 | 359.80 | 10.72 | 180.20 |
Aquila Corde, South American instrument strings (requinto 54 cm, A2 D3 G3 C4 E4 A4)
How to use it
- Tap Requinto 540 mm or type your scale: double the distance from the nut to the 12th fret.
- Leave 19 frets unless yours has a different count.
- Keep the Nylon compensation: the requinto uses classical-type nylon strings.
- Print at 100%, measure the 100 mm bar and tape the sheets on the splice line.
Help and explanations
Type your own scale if your requinto differs, then print the template at full size on Letter or A4. Everything runs in your browser, free, with no sign-up.
Requinto scale lengths
Requintos range more than you might expect. The Ortega RQ39 measures 21.06″ (535 mm) and the RQ25 21.6″ (549 mm), both with 19 frets; the Córdoba Requinto uses 580 mm, also with 19 frets. Cumpiano's requinto plans in American Lutherie #87 put the scale between 21 5/8″ and 22 1/8″ (549 to 562 mm).
On a 580 mm Córdoba the 12th fret sits at 290.00 mm, 20 mm further than on a 540 mm requinto, so always measure the instrument before you trust a preset.
Compensation for nylon
Like a classical guitar, the requinto uses nylon trebles and wound basses, and the saddle sits a little behind the nominal scale. The calculator suggests 1.5 to 3 mm as a starting range, labeled as an estimate.
The final check is the octave at the 12th fret, which must be exactly half the scale: 270.00 mm on a 540 mm requinto. Test each string with the intonation checker once strung and settled.
Tips
- Mark every slot from the nut, never fret to fret, so small errors don't add up.
- Before you cut, check the 100 mm bar: a 2 % rescale moves the 19th fret by more than 7 mm.
- Tune A D G C E A with the requinto guitar tuner before you check intonation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the scale length of a requinto guitar?
Usually 535 to 580 mm. Aquila uses 54 cm, the Ortega RQ39 is 535 mm, the RQ25 549 mm and the Córdoba Requinto 580 mm. Measure yours from the nut to the 12th fret and double it.
How many frets does a requinto have?
The Ortega RQ39, Ortega RQ25 and Córdoba Requinto all have 19 frets.
Where is the 12th fret on a 540 mm requinto?
At 270.00 mm (10.630″) from the nut. The 1st fret is at 30.31 mm, the 5th at 135.46 mm, the 7th at 179.59 mm and the 19th at 359.80 mm.
How is a requinto tuned?
A D G C E A from the 6th string to the 1st (A2 110.00 Hz up to A4 440.00 Hz), a fourth above a standard classical guitar.