Riaan
I've recently received StewMac's catalogue, and that's just about the worst thing that could happen to a gadget freak who happens to be in the process of setting up his workshop which amongst other things has a corner dedicated for guitar maintenance work! All those tools and stuff...
Is it worhtwhile having a neck relief gauge such as the one Stewmac has, or is it sufficient to eyeball the gap or use a feeler gauge for neck relief measurement?
What other luthier tools can you guys recommend as worthwhile to have for the non-luthier amateur enthusiast?
AlanRatcliffe
Lord, I know that one ;D . Luthiers' Mercantile (www.lmii.com) is just as bad, only with added woods for the wood fetishists amongst us.
What tools you get really depends on what jobs you are going to be doing. Stewmac will sell you a tool or gadget for every job, but many aren't necessary at all - like the relief gauge (I just eyeball it). Most files and saws are either available, or you can modify regular ones to do the job).
Probably the most useful tools I ever invested in were a Dremel (I'm on my 4th), a drill press and a set of nut files. Radiused sanding blocks are right up there too (which can double as clamping cauls and triple as fretting cauls).
Otherwise, just get stuff as you need it.
Riaan
Thanks Alan, for that! I did not know what a Dremel was, did a search and now there's another tool that I realise no workshop can be without! ;D
AlanRatcliffe
;D Glad to be of service!
Great tools for small routing jobs. A big router is still much better for pickup cavities and trem cavities, etc., but the Dremel is perfect for everything else like cleaning up cavities, widening acoustic saddle slots, polishing frets, routing binding channels, cleaning out excess paint buildup and for inlay work.
