toneslinger

Great topic. What about what bare minimum tools to carry in your gig bag for your guitar? Top 10 Things Every Guitar Player Needs In Their Gigbag

Ihave several ways that I work on my guitars. Sometimes I do it on the workbench in the garage. Sometimes I work on a guitar on my desk. Other times, I put up a portable sawhorse and put a matt with a neck cradle on it. Then, in a pinch, i'll even just hold it in my lap and work on it. I teach guitar lessons in my small studio and part of my method is teaching my students how to work on guitars, changing strings, setup, intonation, truss rod adjustment, etc. With me, the student, and a sawhorse in my small studio, it can get pretty crowded. I began searching for a solution to my problem and came up a very portable, very sturdy, low cost solution that I was able to put together for less than $25. I call it the Guitar Jack and I had the following criteria when I set out to build one. Portable - I have to be able to move it out into my garage and out of the way when not in use. Lightweight - It cant take two hands and a back brace to move it. I dont wanna sweat setting it up here in the Arizona summer. Adjustable - It has to accomodate all kinds of heights so I can work on it standing or sitting, with kids and adults both. Manuverable - I want it to be able to spin around so I can get to all areas of the guitar. Sturdy - I want it to lock the guitar in place and also be sturdy enough that it doesn't tip over. Low Cost - I want to pay the least amount of money I can for it. With those criteria, I looked at several different options. Stewmac has a model built for luthiers. However, its very expensive and very heavy. I then looked at the parrot vise that is sold by Grizzly Tools. Great vise and perfect for luthiers, but not super portable and its also heavy. For a portable workstation, it would be too top heavy. I finally settled on the following solution and I will walk you through the assembly process. The stand, vise, cork, and screws are all readily available at your local hardware store and you can get all your supplies and materials for less than $25. I purchased the roller stand and the vise from Harbor Freight. We have a outlet store here where I live but you can purchase all their stuff online at www.harborfreight.com You can see detailed pictures and a video overview at my website www.toneslinger.com

Yup. those are my vids. The one in the video series is "VERY" reliced. I was trying to demo almost all techniques so it came out pretty beat to snot. Relicing a guitar is like getting a haircut. You can take a little off, then a little more... but you can never go back. LESS IS MORE! The more subtle the better.

you actually can use the etchant solution on chrome. you have to distress and scuff the hardware with steel wool first though. As far as other methods, there are several ways, using muratic acid, vinegar, salt and others. Also, i've had very good luck with a rock tumbler and sand. If you are having trouble finding pcb etchant solution, you can order it from www.circuitspecialists.com They can only be shipped via ground and the best product they have are crystals that dissolve in water. not as messy. Let me know if you need anymore details or if you need help. Be glad to walk you through the steps and process that I use. take care, ToneSlinger Are You A ToneSlinger? www.toneslinger.com