Those Stewmac Toolkits

[Logical Frank]

There's two specifically that I'm considering adding to my arsenal of random tools and doodads.

Nutmaking Tool Kit: http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Special_...g_Tool_Kit.html

Fretting Tool Kit:

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Fretting_suppl...g_Tool_Kit.html

Together, these cost just about as much as the bass I just bought. Are they gonna save me enough trouble to be worth it or should I just figure out some other way to do it more cheaply? I figure I will probably get the fretting one first because I have three guitars that I'd like to crown and level the frets on and only one that I'd like to modify the nut.

[Prostheta]

They're great for the "out of the box" experience of being to do a job quickly and easily, but experienced people will be able to do the same job as well and probably better using simpler and cheaper tools. I love the Stewmac tools like the tang nippers etc. purely because I don't have that experience and I'm not patient enough to gain it! My good friend (and local folk blues hero) Karl Svarc does all his setups and general work using traditional simple tools and a LOT of patience. Despite Karl's modesty, he can set up and dress "manageable" instruments and make them play as though they are much more "upscale in worth". Despite being more than capable of doing it myself, I would rather Karl set up and dress my builds (and teach me as well!) than me doing a halfway decent job and learning moderately little.

I'd say buy them if you can afford them. You get quick and predictable results, but it's worth learning, understanding and trying your hand at using traditional techniques. As with anything, you develop your own style of working that way :-)

Oh yes, I have to point out that the majority of Stewmac's tools aren't actually custom from the ground up, a lot of them are simple and easily available tools (if you know where to look) which have been modified to suit a specific purpose. The tang nippers are available elsewhere for much less, but just need a groove milled into the seat. The fretwire nippers which cut flush to the board can be made using some end cutters with the top face of the cutters milled flat instead of bevelled. Two minutes on the spindle sander grinding them sorted them out!

Edited September 20, 2006 by Prostheta

[Logical Frank]

If I were to be modifying my own tools, I would need to buy yet more tools to do that so I think I might be stuck w/ the pre-made stuff if I am to be buying tools specific to luthiery. The cost to me is not that big of an issue if I'm getting my money's worth which is kinda sounding like its a pretty good bet since it would probably cost me at least forty or fifty bucks just to have my frets crowned and leveled once at a repair shop.

[Prostheta]

As I said - go for it! The money is great for the immediate convenience of it just as you said :-) I happened to have the right tools to modify common stuff.

[unclej]

frank..if i might make a suggestion or two. the nut making kit looks fine but you don't need everything in the fretting kit. you can buy the "fret cutter" in your local hardware store for much less. just look in the hand tool section.

look into radiusing blocks for leveling your frets instead of the files. they're about half the price and used with some 400 to 600 grit sandpaper do a great job.

the double edge fret file is a must..i use the small/ medium size. it works fine on jumbo frets but the one they list won't work too well on the smaller fret wire.

i bought a fret dressing stick five years ago when i first got into repairs and have never used it. up to you though.

and lastly the fret rocker is an expense that you don't need. find a couple of lengths of aluminum. one should cover three frets on the headstock end of the neck and one shorter for the other end. put a piece of sandpaper on a flat surface and sand an edge flat on each of the two pieces of aluminum and instant fret rocker.

good luck..fret work is a bit tedious but to me very enjoyable and nothing makes your axe play better than level, crowned and polished frets...well, other than more skill than i personally have.

[postal]

Everything from stu is ridiculously overpriced. Granted they do usually have good stuff, and good service, but when you can buy most anything they sell for 1/2 the price at other places.... well... let's just say that I will not order anything from them that I can get somewhere else....

Most of their toolkits are *too* complete... they include a lot of things you dont need. Getting just what you need somewhere else, will save a ton of money. Off the top of my head.... Warmoth, allparts, grizzly, LMI, guitarfetish, luthier supply... You should be able to find what you need.

[Prostheta]

I agree Postal - some things are unique and worth the convenience/expense but the kits are too padded with stuff, ie. high margin items. Some tools do the job so well, they're worth the extra expense but as anything goes, you're mileage may vary. I just bought the fret slotting mitre box and a couple of scale rules. If they save me one or two f'ed up boards from silly mistakes, then I'm more than happy with the expense.

I think it comes down to balancing "investment" vs. "expense" in real brass tack terms.

[Logical Frank]

I agree Postal - some things are unique and worth the convenience/expense but the kits are too padded with stuff, ie. high margin items.

Seriously.. I'm actually kinda ticked they include that "Fret Rocker" or whatever in there (for twenty bucks!). It's just a fancy straight edge.

[Prostheta]

Yeah - that thing is just RIDICULOUS. That and the fret bender as well. I mean, a piece of solid material, two bearings and a crank!! Stupid stupid stupid. I bet you that Dan Erlewine doesn't actually use half the tools Stewmac make him out to use as well.

[Logical Frank]

It still seems like kind of a good deal (vs. buying the stuff seperate). Are the Erlewine books any good? I think that would be a deciding factor for me. I've got the Hiscock book on the way and I've had Erlewine's "Guitar Player Repair Guide" for years. Would the fret fork book be useful?

[Prostheta]

I have the "make your guitar play great" and it's worth it for reference on the things you know, and there's always plenty of info which gives you ideas for yourself also. I presume the fretwork book is equally as useful.

I'd say go for it.

[ihocky2]

It's not actually what the tools the include in the kits are, but what they charge for them. You can by a pair of end nippers and grind the face flush for a lot less then Stew Mac sells them for. Same goes for most of the other tools. You can build fret leveling files for a fraction of the cost that they sells for. Go to home depot, buy a 10" mill file, using a dremel with a cutoff wheel, cut it into a 6" and a 3" section. Then glue to a piece of wood for a handle. About 15 minutes worth of work and about $10 worth of material for BOTH sizes. The fret bender they sell for $80 you can make for about $15. Buy yourself one precision straight edge (which can also be bought at wood craft for less money). Then buy hardware store ones and just check them against the precision one. I almost never use the precision one on building. It would rather mess up an edge on a $8 Lowes straight edge. I just check the straightness before every build. Certain items stewmac is reasonable on like their fret slotting saws, others they rob you on. They make it sound like you need all of these fancy tools that you can get no where else when either you don't need them or you can get them somewhere else cheaper.

[ryanb]

Of course there are less expensive ways to acquire/build tools for guitar making. You can make a guitar with very limited tools if necessary. That doesn't mean one always should do so. Stew-mac isn't about the cheapest answer, but about service and convenience ... which you will find much more reasonably priced the more you use it.

For example, why would you buy a hundred dollar diamond fret crowning file when you can get a several dollar triangular file from the local hardware and polish the edges? Because the diamond crowning file does the job a LOT faster and easier. If you have unlimited time, have no budget, or only plan to work on one or two guitars, you should go the inexpensive route with common tools. But don't discount the value of your time. A lot of those tools are worth every penny, and would cost just as much to build if you place any value on the time involved. (Yes there are some plain-out rip-offs too.)

You'd be hard pressed to find someone who doesn't think his diamond crowning file is worth every penny, and would set it aside to use a triangle file.

As for the kits, I do agree that the kit contents aren't always the best choices. I'd say pick the special tools you really need -- or give you particular value -- and keep the rest fairly simple. You will learn what other tools you need/want as you go.