Set of 4 Double-edge Nut Files ($25 each) - I bought my set from Heinl, they are cheaper than stewmac in the end and very high quality files. Trace the arch of the fingerboard onto the tongue depressor, voila, there's your radius gauge. Set of 9 Understring Radius Gauges - Utterly Useless. String Action Gauge ($18) - Again, just another straight edge, your 6" machinist rule will work fine.ġ8" Precision Straightedge ($51) - Starting to see the redundancy? Do what I did, buy a 36" T-square, and remove the "T", then you'll have 2 straight edges for $15.
#Stew mac best fretboard cleaner free#
Then buff with XXXX steel wool.įret Rocker ($25) - again, redundant, your 6 inch machinist rule will work fine.įret Work Step-By-Step Book (included FREE) - Free is free. Simply wrap some felt around a wood block, and wrap sandpaper around the block, and buff the frets by hand using graduating grits of sandpaper. No need for this tool to even exist.ĭressing Stick ($11)- Waste of money. įret End Dressing File ($13) - Again, the fret leveler file on the wooden block will do this job better. $7 - $10Ħ" Fret Leveler ($35) - Seriously, buy a straight edge bastard file for $10 and glue it to a wooden block yourself for free.ĭouble-edge Fret File ($40) - No. The prices i am quoting are from KW Surplus, a hardware supply store in Stratford Ontario.įret Cutter ($28 from stewmac) - Any end nippers will do, $7 - $10ĭeadblow Fretting Hammer ($24) - Any precision hammer will do. Stew mac has this annoying habit of calling everything they possibly can, a "guitar tool", and affixing an insane price tag on an otherwise generic tool.įrom Stew mac's site, this is all you get in the kit for $500 : (the prices listed beside the items are stewmac's prices. I'm not a business, just had too many of my own guitars to take to someone else so I invested in the tools to do things right and it kinda blossomed. You don't really need the nut saws and shaping files that they sell, but then again I have a bench mounted belt sander for this. Then you're gonna need their nut ruler (it'll pay for itself the first time you cut a nut), nut files (same). Oh yeah, don't forget to buy lots of nut and saddle blanks of all shapes and sizes. However, I would strongly suggest you buy their "Essential Fretting Kit" as it will contain most of what you'll need to get started. In conclusion, I wouldn't buy the entire kit out of the gate simply because there are too many tools in it that you can find locally. There's likely more that I'll think of later but this'll get you started. These are mostly the tools I would recommend from SM related to fret work.įor general set-ups and maintenance I would recommend: string action gauge, dial relief gauge (not necessary but I do set-ups for customers and this is fast and accurate for repeat-ability), fretboard radius gauge set (the under string type), a string winder thingy that fits in your electric screwdriver (invaluable for a few bucks), bridge pin puller for acoustics (same). For me, this list includes: fret roller (cause I do more than a couple of fret jobs a year), fret pliers, fret tang nibbler (for bound fret boards), double edge fret crowning file (for rouging in), offset diamond fret file as mentioned above for 2nd stage finishing, end fret finishing file, fret dressing sticks (at least a couple) with plenty of 400g and 600g bands, 8" sanding blocks for 7 1/4", 9 1/2", 12" and 20" R to cover most electrics and acoustics, 0.020" fret slotting saw. Get the idea?Ĭonversely, there are some tools that SM sell that are invaluable. Included in this list are things like standard files, small vice, pliers, screwdrivers, cutters, straight edges etc. Any of the standard tools that can be purchased from a major box store or hardware store in your local vicinity are going to be cheaper (especially if you consider shipping costs, exchange etc) and do the same thing as those that Stew Mac sell. Most of this has already been said, but here's my experience.
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