PB-30R DIY Electric Bass Guitar Kit 30: Bridge Position

[fender3x]

FWIW, it's good to check the length to the 12th fret. It should be 15 inches on a "perfect" 30 inch scale bass neck... My old short scale bass was actually 30.5 inches, and I think that at least some short scale Fenders were also a little longer than 30 inch scale. So the safest way to check the scale length is to measure from where the string leaves the nut to the middle of the 12th fret and then double that. That will give you the most accurate scale length. Don't worry if it's off by a mm or two. You should be able to compensate for that by adjusting the saddles on the bridge.

[Tino]

Hello:
I have a question: to see the distance from the nut, where on the 12th fret is it measured, at the top, in the middle, or at the end of the fret?

[fender3x]

Hello:
I have a question: to see the distance from the nut, where on the 12th fret is it measured, at the top, in the middle, or at the end of the fret?

Just to be clear, the "fret" is the metal bar. So on a right-handed bass, your white arrow is pointed at the 11th fret. You don't measure from any of the dots you have added.

You measure from where the string comes off the nut...



...to the middle of the 12th fret.



I measure along the course of the G string, which would be where I put the orange arrow.

Doubling that measure will give you the exact scale length. I measure the along the G string because it's the one that will be 30 inches on a 30 inch scale. All the other strings will be a little longer which you compensate for by adjusting the bridge saddles.

Nuts and saddles get measured where the string comes off. The fret gets measured in the middle of the metal bar.

You do the measurement from the nut to the 12th fret to test how long the scale length is. For example, if it is exactly 15 inches you have a 30 inch scale. If it is exactly 15.25 inches, then you have a 30.5 inch scale*. You can then measure (a) from the nut to the saddle, or (b) from the 12th fret to the saddle, whichever is easiest. I usually measure from the nut because I find it easier to rest my straight edge against the nut to do the measurement, but either way works.



*this is common on Gibson short scale basses.