Welcome, I had a lot of fun learning about the dark art of tech'ing a guitar - the basics are straightforward, but understanding the finer points takes practice. I put together my own little toolkit - similar to this ludicrously overpriced fender one : http://www.takealot.com/fender-custom-shop-toolkit-electric-guitar/PLID42940749. Used a old pc toollkit for the case and basics and built up from there. In there I've got : Small shifting spanner Small screwdriver Multi purpose screwdriver + many bits Wiresnips Small pliers Craft blade Allen keys for trussrods & bridge saddles (that fit my guitars) Stringwinder a few miscellaneous bits - small pencil to mark things/graphite source for lubricating nuts, spare tuner battery, cable ties, earbuds, wire & solder. And a leatherman, mainly for the pliers and super sharp blades. Don't ask me what the drum key is doing in there...I guess you have to have something to throw at the drummer 8) This is what I'd take to a gig. Probably with a soldering iron and a can of contact cleaner...only because I won't need it if I take it along. This is a subset of what I've found useful when mucking about with guitars though...Also pictured is a drill w/string winder attachment my mate 3D printed - if you plan to work on guitars, something like this drill is a good idea - Imho, it's a must. Truss rods are usually Allen key based, so a set of those would suffice for setting relief - though I'd rather use something like this : https://www.amazon.com/Fender-T-Shaped-Truss-Rod-Tool/dp/B003AYP9B8. Less likely to scar the area around trussrod hole when you adjust. Sure a local hardware store will have something similar. Aaannndd...get a cheapie to practice on. A R500 Cort strat copy/SX/bullet strat, or whatever you find going. The ES137 is valuable enough to have a pro work it? Maybe ask them to give you a tutorial as part of the setup - that would be cool! Occasionally a fret may lift so it might not just be a truss adjustment. Though loosing it a 1/4 turn may help (or a little more, but less is more with truss adjustments). Happy teching!

Yup, your synopsis sounds spot on..

Like Meron, i also built up a kit..

I have

Allen keys, all the small sizes, i use them because of my ffloyded guitars, andd hipshot and schaller use different sizes
Fret files
Small flat and star screw drivers
Old makro card, ahem... for scraping frets, wedging under a floyd, checking action, uneven frets blah blah
Small ruler
Half a pencil, for nut height
Small file kit for the errant fret edges
Wire snips.

There are endless gizmos you can get, but for straight up action, allen keys and some screw drivers. Also, you may need to tweak your intonation a bit.

Check out dan erlewines guitaar repair book. best buy i eveer made

Goodluck

i, too, have a kit. in it i have:
- 1 (one) grant fouché

seems to be all i've needed so far ? not sure he's still doing that, might have to find me a new genius. i know mando silva (ex andy mcgibbon's, was at music connection randburg) and a few other guys are up to the task. see, i'm not reeeeeally a handy kinda guy, as it were...
dh|

domhatch wrote: i, too, have a kit. in it i have:
- 1 (one) grant fouché

seems to be all i've needed so far ? not sure he's still doing that, might have to find me a new genius. i know mando silva (ex andy mcgibbon's, was at music connection randburg) and a few other guys are up to the task. see, i'm not reeeeeally a handy kinda guy, as it were...
dh|

How much would Grant charge now days? He did a Tele for me a while ago....but like LONG ago.

TOMS didn't have a Gibson truss rod tool, they say I should try Marshall, or just bring the guitar to them.

One can never have too many tools!
Learning to level and crown frets is also great, its really basic when you start doing it.