I definitely think this video is a great idea.. yes, PLEASE definitely do more stuff like this. It's informative & I mean info that newbies need to know. It'll help people from making some mega mistakes (like scratching up a guitar.. or God forbid, scratching up someone else's guitar). Tanx heaps Phil. You're a legend 🤘🏽
Stew Mac is expensive but their Fret End Dressing File is a real winner. Your Sharper My Axe video with Melissa was a WINNER - gave me confidence to work on my own guitar. Kudos to Melissa!
I still use that copper sponge cleaner. A lot of times I forget to put solder on the tip when I turn the iron off and it oxidizes. That thing is totally worth $6.99.
thanks to the assholes who voted for Biden that fret end dressing file has nearly double in price since this was filmed four years ago, one day Liberals will wake up and realize Trump wasn't lying about Fake News but they still lie about him daily
I think a series like this would be very helpful to those just learning to adjust, maintain, or repair their guitar. Definitely would have watched when I built my first Tele last year. Great vid Phil.
I have that same soldering iron and I've been using it for over a year without a problem. Also, if you haven't done a video on proper soldering technique already that would be enormously useful for a lot of us. Great video Phil, you have been so helpful for so many people.
You rock man! Was literally on amazon looking at tools when this video’s notification popped up! Lol please do more of these. Maybe put together a “best budget tool set” for us home diy-ers. Thanks Phil
Phil: gives real reviews even though he can get commissioned off our purchases because of this video. What a man and thank you for the vid because it also works as a review of every tool you may need for guitar maintenance! Best wishes from Afghanistan, army strong
The screwdriver in the Amazon kit has the phillips at the other end. Just push in the ring by the handle and you can withdraw the entire driver. The notches in the shaft enable you to lengthen or shorten the tool. Great video! 👍👍👍 Thanks for sharing this with everyone.
I’m on a really tight budget d/t being disabled and on disability. I have to do most all of my own guitar repairs, I don’t have much choice. I watch you do what I need to if I don’t already know how then I do it. I like the idea of a complete tool kit, I have tools already that you showed in this video. Last Christmas was a guitar kinda Christmas lol
I have been soldering for nearly half a century and have ALWAYS simply used a damp sponge to clean my pencil tip. That bunch of copper is a FANTASTIC idea! 🤗 My mother had something like that at her kitchen sink for scouring burnt on food from her cookware!
Absolutely fantastic video today Phillip. I actually use a Ernie Ball tool kit and the rest are StuMac. I really like the soldier kit. I marked it on Amazon and the micro mesh. You didn't show a neck gauge but it was such a good topic today. Thank you
@@risksrewardsrelics51 Well, pretty much any work mat you get would just be a version of a glorified yoga mat. It's a mat. It's only purpose is to serve as a soft place to lay your guitar while working on it.
I'm thinking of doing my own work on my instruments , and this video definitely helped a lot ! Your reviews on these products were on point ! Thank you for this video !
Thank you, Phillip - always informative and considered. Couple of things. First, Stewmac is very high-priced if you live outside the US because of their postal charges, but if you want the specialist stuff, there is, in my opinion, no alternative. For example, their nut slot files will last a very long time, if treated with respect. The Amazon alternatives are poor and the alternative approach of using welding tip cleaners (sold on Amazon and ebay as nut slot files) is a joke. There are ways you can save money thru Amazon and ebay, though. For example I would never pay for a fret end dress file or similar from Stewmac because a top quality 3 corner file comes in much cheaper and you just make a safe edge on it and you're done. Plenty of other generic tools sold by SM as specialist come in the same category. Similarly, I would never use fret protectors - you get just as good results with masking tape and care, and there are loads of tools you can make yourself if you have the ability to make a guitar (e.g. fretwire benders, spool clamps, bridge clamps (including that cute one the fits thru the bridge pin holes) radius sanding blocks, etc). Finally, I've used micromesh for years, and it is unbeatable but users should be aware that in the lower grits (e.g.1500) the grit is not equivalent to abrasive paper US or UK standards. There's a comparison chart at www.sisweb.com/micromesh/conversion.htm. - 1500 comes in at about 400 US standard. The real secret with micromesh is that the abrasive action is cutting rather than rubbing, so you get a much finer, more consistent scratch pattern, and this holds true even in the lower grits, so even though 1500 mm has the same grit count as 400 US there is no comparison between the quality of the results.
For someone on a low budget, such as myself, I've found that the four-sided nail polishing foam block you can get at the supermarket or pharmacy is a cheap alternative to a Micro Mesh set. It does a decent job of getting scratches out of frets and won't harm the fretboard, and doubles as a string riser if you need to spot level a single fret. They run less than two bucks apiece. I save my Stew Mac polishing set for the finishing touch.
Couldn't find that great deal on Micromesh papers, was $73 for that same introductory kit when I checked, so the deal you got was gone. Decided to look at the long term and go for the Quality of a $53 Stewmac Fret Polish kit after hearing your concerns about the rusty, flimsy and sharp pieces you found in the cheap kits. Very helpful Vid!
All of the things you talked about are why I haven't been able to pull the trigger on on the Amazon files and such. As always, helpful information, even if I'm coming at this a year late. Thanks, Phillip!
different purposes though.. for the regular user the 'brass wire sponge' is great.. one can even throw in a small amount of flux in the center and stick the tip in there when you want a nice tinning. BUT depending on what you're working on, the 'metal sponge' doesn't decontaminate a tip as the moist sponge does, especially fine soldering tips... i also read in the comments that the sponge is bad for the heating element. that is an incorrect assumption. the soldering tips are protected by a fine layer of a stronger than copper metal. when the tip is cooled in a fast manner by touching a wet sponge, it contracts and over time fractures develop... in the long run the hardened coating will come off and the tip will wear out quite fast after that. a good practice is to have the sponge moist but not soaking wet. stay safe everyone, have fun when possible
get the files with the green handles, they are diamond coated, 4 different grits and very useful for cleanout at the nut to neck/fingerboard. also there is a soldering station for 54 bucks with adjustable heat (250-850 deg F) on amazon, i have been using both for a year now and no problems,
I actually bought one of those solder kits because I was having trouble finding a decent 60 watt soldering iron at the hardware stores. I've been quite impressed.
Same. Mine came in a box with other related accessories and I have done everything from amp repairs to soldering pickup covers on with mine and it does fine. Used it for prolonged amounts of time also and never had any problems. Having a digital one is nice if you do it as a job but for DIY repair this one is fine.
Quality tools, whether it be Stew Mac or any other, are always a better deal in the long run. "You get what you pay for" truly applies to tools of any kind. That being said, Stew Macs shipping charges are absolutely criminal.
I use my soldering iron and solder sucker every day, i built a princeton reverb clone, over the weekend, it sounds amazing, i did afew changes to the circuit and added a easy bias, i love building tube amp circuits, its adddicting to find my own tone.
Thanks Phil, Another "A" video - A for Awesome. I'd like to see more alternative tools to Stu Mac or Crimson Guitar, ect. Not because I don;t like their gear (I do), it's just because the budget is a greater important to a hobby Luther - I won't make back the dollars spent on top quality tools. In all honesty I wish Stu Mac and others would produce a budget line.
I'm shocked you didn't acquire any of the cheep fret rockers or those cheep orange handle fret crowning files. Not something to be used frequently or in a professional atmosphere, but for the occasional DIY fret level and crown, I found them to be sufficient. Of course followed by a proper fret finishing process. Micro Mesh abrasive pads, once you try these once on frets, you'll never go back to anything else unless you can't find them! Although, a Dremel/rotary tool with a polish wheel with some compound (while messy) can go a long way too. For inexpensive files, I bought the Husky brand (Home Depot) 7 piece precision needle file set. It comes with two flat bar files, one of which I sand and polish both narrow edges smooth with a slight round taper and I use these as fret end files (out of box the edges are abrasive file edges). The included 3 edge triangle files, these I use to establish the first groove lines when cutting a bone nut from a raw blank. Then, I buy those cheap thickness gauges you mentioned at the auto store. I then take the ones out for my string gauges and with a Dremel, cut small teeth and use these as bone nut string slot file/saws.
Those fret files are GREAT. They did exactly what I wanted them to do. They didn't rip the garbage bag ONCE! Nothing leaks out of the garbage because they came in a pouch, which protected not only the garbage bag but also the can itself. What more can you ask for?
Phil, love your videos! Sooo much info and helpful tips. Great idea for a video and would love to see more of it. I’m quite mechanical, so I’m well aware of quality tools and how they work and feel but I’m not a luthier and would rarely use most of the specialized tools needed so I’d love to hear all of your luthier hacks for gear and techniques. Thanks man!
I bought a different soldering kit with the exact same soldering iron, and the iron itself sucks. I used it for about a week...it wouldn't heat up at low temperature settings, and then rapidly heated at the higher, then you had to turn it down or burn the tip! Not recommended!!! But all of the other accessories were probably worth it for me, as it came with a bunch of dentist picks, a nice tube of OK solder, that i can reuse the tube when I used up the solder in it. In addition to it, I picked up a flux pen, which makes life so much easier for doing soldering, just rub the pen on the part you want to solder, tin them, and away you go! I also recommend the "copper brillo" pad style solder tip cleaner. Much better than the wet sponge ones of the days of yore.
I watched your "Ultimate Restring Toolbox " video, I purchased my tools according to you recommendations. Most of which I bought from ebay or Stew-Mac. I like this video of yours. I have been contemplating putting together my own "on the go" tool kit. I have a soldering iron very similar to the one in that kit. If people are on a budget, they can piece together a toolkit.
I would love to show tools that I have bought on Amazon, that work. I do not usually buy them in kits, with the exception of a soldering iron kit, (without multimeter), and a double set of under string gauges. I have some pliers that are as much as $26.00, (optional), used to remove screws that the slots are ruined, and some cutters that are inexpensive that I wouldn't do without. Notched straight edges that are thick and nice to use. There are tools from Stew Mac that just can't be duplicated. If you want professional results, you need professional tools.
Great vid! I would like to see how you use the Micro Mesh for polishing frets. I use the StewMac Micro sheets along with StrewMac Fretguards on my Bass's and Guitar's. Not sure how you hold the mesh when polishing but what I've been doing is cutting 2" square pieces of each grit and folding them down so they are small enough to cover the fret and not big enough to go past the fretgaurd (don't like taping but defiantly don't want to scratch the fretboards). Then just un-fold/re-fold them after a few frets as the grit wears down. Good results, but the problem is that I'm using the tips of my fingers to hold down the micro mesh. After a few pass's of 4 or 5 different grits over 24 frets my fingers and hand are trashed (I'm not a young guy, been playing over 35 years and have some arthritis). So I end up having an instrument with nice polished frets but can't play it because my hand is sore. I'm sure there is a better way to do this, so I'm interested in your process. Thanks for all the great vids you post, really find them enjoyable and appreciate how transparent you are when doing reviews and Q&A's.
Use a crowning file as a "sanding block" for the mesh, rather than just your fingers, that should do the trick. Wrap the mesh over the file, and away she goes. Hope this helps, I have some age-related issues, too. As you'd do with a handsaw, relax & just let the abrasive do the work, and take your time & rest as often as needed. I see people moving the sandpapers lengthwise up & down the neck, but I have reservations about doing it that way. Any fine scratches remaining will tend to snag on the strings when doing bending or vibrato, so I instead go across each fret, back & forth from the treble side to the bass side & back. Using a crown file as a block for the paper or mesh makes this "sideways method" seem like second nature.
Phil, I got a set of those "diamond" files in a toolkit, I agree with you, I did not use them on the frets, I bought the StewMac fret file and it works great. Got this kit from China via E-bay, it has the metal action gauge and I added the Fritz Rule. It had a sanding sponge, I did not use that either. I did buy and I do like the aluminum rectangle bar with different grit sandpaper on each side. It did a nice job fret leveling a new kit neck. Also, I liked the metal ruler to check for neck bow. StewMac has one that is very nice and expensive. But since I am not a professional, the $18.00 one from E-bay works for me. You are right to watch the edges of the metal it can cut paper. Hint: you can get a dish scrubber, stainless or copper at the food store or even a dollar store to clean your solder tip. I have a professional solder station with temperature control, that is a great feature on the pencil iron, I cringe when I see someone using a 200 watt solder gun on sensitive electronics, too much heat can "kill" the parts. 60 watts is fine for guitar work. The wet sponge also cleans the tip. Use electronics solder flux and keep your tip tinned, they last longer that way. Like your channel!
That Stew Mac fret end dressing file is one of my favorite tools ever. I have yet to find a better file for that purpose. Watch out for the inexpensive under string radius gauges on Amazon. The ones I bought were stamped, not cut out, not at all accurate...basically junk. They were are also too tall to easily fit under the strings. Stew Mac’s are much better. Keep in mind also, lots of people rip off Stew Mac designs and make them over seas.
Great video. I just subscribed. Thank you for your videos. I'm in the process of upgrading all of the parts on my LTD MH 400nt. I never knew how to set up a guitar before. But this time around i want to learn how to do it myself. You are helping me a lot with getting back into playing guitar.
The baroque fret file (featured a few times on Dan’s GunsandGuitars channel) is pretty decent. I got the v3 and use it any time I’ve got fretwork to do.
With respect, I worked at an electrical/electronics shop some years back and they used Radio Shack soldering irons and de-soldering tools - i.e. the 'solder suckers' as you call them and we never had any issues with them even though they weren't the best our shop could afford. Some things one does not need to go all out on when it comes to tools likea simple screwdriver, especially when one is a hobbyist in this field. I have invested in Fret Guru tools and bought a Skyscraper fret leveler yet I agree with you on the cheaply made tools with burrs on them.
A baby food jar armored with 1/16 inch self-adhesive craft foam with a copper pot scrubber stuffed in it is what I've been using for a soldering iron tip cleaner for years. It works well fine, but I doubt it would survive a drop to a concrete floor as well as that one would.
I looked on Amazon for a fret end dressing file. Decided to try one from Uo-Chikyu, from Guitar Tools International. They say it is Japanese steel. It appears to have the same shape as the Stew Mac, and was $14.99, free shipping, vs Stew Mac's $18.25+ shipping. Used it on two guitars. Works great.
Hey Phil, great video. I have purchased some of the tools you reviewed last year. Your spot on. I have also purchased numerous tools from Stew Mac and like them a lot. But I too am not sorry about saving several dollars on some tools. Super video, thank you.
I'm going to re-fret one of my guitars and was looking at that fret bending tool on Amazon the other day. You can get them even cheaper. Considering it's such a simple job, with very little stress on the tool, I don't see the point of buying the expensive ones. I agree with your opinion on all the other stuff, especially the fret dressing file(s). I watched a very experienced and highly thought of luthier doing a re-fret on TH-cam recently, and he did the whole fret crowning and dressing etc with just one good quality triangular file, which was amazing to watch. I will definitely spend the money on a good one.
Nowadays, I only work on my own homegrown guitars anymore, and there is NOTHING that boxes and boodles of fancy-pants tools can do that wet/dry abrasive papers can't do just as well - just SLOWER. If you can think of, visualize, and carefully observe-as-you-go what material you want removed, and why, and how, you can obtain perfect results purdy durn cheep - for us old farts MAGNIFICATION is the most important tool. And if you CAN'T think of, visualize, and carefully observe-as-you-go what material you want removed, and why, and how, heaven hep-us-all (or at least, heaven-hep your about-to-be-murdered git). The precursor to hideous disaster usually has to do with plugging in and arming a bunch of hideously over-powered power tools. SLOW DOOOWWWN, Tiger.
@@dogfacedboy6947 I agree. And yea. I bought one of those engineer magnifiers to make sure my tired old eyes can see what they are doing. I have a lot of engineering experience and already have done a lot of work on my guitars. I have built two guitars from parts too. The guitar I'm going to refret is my old MIM strat. I will take my time and do it slowly and carefully. I doubt I will botch it, but if I do I can always get a good luthier to rescue it, or just buy a new neck. I doubt it will come to that though. Cheers.
Been wanting to get into working on my own guitars. Didn’t really know where to start on my search for inexpensive tools, and your video helps immensely. Thank you Philip!
I have a set of files that I got at Lowe’s for 22 dollars with big files, a rasp, little files, and about 15 needle files. 4 of the needle files have a safe edge that I use for fret ends
Showing basic to middle of the road tools is a great ideal especially for the beginning Luther or just the guitarist who needs to make repairs on the godo more of these
My in-laws got me a kit for Christmas. It was kind of a combo of the feeler gauge, under-string radius gauges, and the kit you show here in the pouch. Most of it is pretty good, but those same nasty files came with it. I don't know much, but I knew to toss those as soon as I saw them. :) Great info, Phil.
I just ordered that basic tool kit before I came across this video. I read the reviews first and seemed to be about what you said, a decent place to start. I also bought a guitar neck notched straight edge as well. Held off on buying the soldering iron though but I do need one so I think I will pick up the one you showed next. Not only to do setups but I also want to replace pickups and pots as well on my Epiphone SG 400. So a useful video, you should do more like this showing tools, and possible uses.
I bought that soldering kit about a year ago, I've used it to completely rewire several guitars. Obviously it isn't the highest quality but it worked just fine.
Hi Phillip I purchased a Bigsby B7 kit to put on my Gibson Les Paul. I understand that there can be tuning issues with it. I have not installed it yet. Before I install it can you give me some help which is the best way is there something that I can do to prevent the tuning issues. Thanks 🎸🎸
I’ve been an aircraft tech at a major airline for 35 years. We use micro mesh kits to polish very fine scratches out of aircraft windows. That stuff works great. Never thought to use it on frets. Thanks for the tip.
Great video with real thoughts on the products. This will likely save me quite a bit in the long run of just not buying garbage. I have been working on guitars for a long time, and mostly using more inexpensive products. Some of these I have looked at, and now know which ones to consider, and which ones to just ignore (for the ones I haven't already tried).
Philip, Where can I purchase a High Quality - Medium fret guard. I have the Music Nomad frine-kit, (whichI love) - but I'd like to get another Medium one - as thats the Only One I use on my Suhr & Taylor.
I've got the solder tip cleaner - great little thing to have, comes in handy every time I do some soldering. I've also used the leveling blocks from Amazon (4-sided/multi-grit on an aluminum carrier). They work great, single or maybe 2- use items, but cheap and reliable.
Good job, Phil! A series of videos offering a practical perspective about tools and other gear that are inexpensive and readily available would be a great resource. I like that you included reasons both pro and con for buying something that seems like a good deal online.
A $10 needle file set from home depot / husky / etc is probably halfway between those and stewmac ones. A thing of bamboo skewers are great for cleaning, and need to be part of everyone's kit. Description Melamine sponges aka magic erasers are indespensable. Think of them as the step after micro mesh.
I got a really fine every board for nails my wife picked up the the beauty supply store that I us on things like the sharp tools you don't like to polish things that I don't want to over do- such as willing the edges of the tools you mentioned so they are safe to use and not scratch the guitars. Go to a supply store and look for a padded every board. Mine is about 2 inches wide and woros wet or dry and is a lifesaver that costs about a buck. They are invaluable and keeping around the shop it is a great tool that beats anything I found for jewelry or otherwise.
Thanks, Phil. Another incredibly useful video for those of us who like to work on our own gear. I've gotten a lot of use out of several cheap needle file sets from Amazon, both conventional toothed steel files and the diamond grit ones. I'm sure the quality can vary quite a bit, so maybe I've just gotten lucky. I find them great for nut work and fret ends, with the finer diamond grit files being the most useful for guitar work.
Very old Vid, but I have to comment from England, GB. It is I wanted a fret end dressing file , just to sort out the odd frets that were sprouting, I didn't want to spend, £'s they wanted, for a dedicated one. So I had an idea. I bought a set of 10, cheap needle files off UK Amazon for £3.50.($4.4) They claimed to be diamond coated files. They certainly did have a very rough surface to them. It was the rectangular one, I wanted. (8" long. Blade, L4".x H 0.21" x W 0.003". ) Using my multitool, with the small sander attachment, and wet and dry metal sandpaper, I first sanded all the roughness off, on both sides of the file. Then sanded one edge smooth to a polish finish. Took me 10mins. Now I have one perfect Fret end file, and 9 very useful needle files. All for £3.50 😊
Its funny to come across this video. A week ago my fiancée bought me several of these tools because she remembered me talking about having to work on my fretboard on my guitar. Its an old cheap guitar so I don’t mind learning on it. Thanks for the review. I do usually buy tools from stew mac.
I got a very similar tool kit to the one you showed (the 20+ pieces one). Your screwdriver looks like mine. Try pushing down that grey ring at the top of the handle, see if you can adjust the length... and take it out and discover a flat head end!
The better version of a lot of these are on ebay and for a little cheaper. The honer fret end file (Japanese made) was 12 bucks free ship. Basically same quality as stewmac, but 4 bucks cheaper and free ship whereas SM charges $10 for just about any shipping under $50.purchaes. Phil, wouldn't be a bad idea to test nut files from other manufacturers. The stew Mac ones are outrageously priced and a lot of people would love to see alternatives
I'm with you Phil - I switched over to the Micro Mesh for all neck work (and yes, I also go all the way up to 12K grit for those who don't think it exists) , though I agree with your complaints on how long they last! I stopped using a full sized foam block - I cut it in half before I wrap the micro mesh pad around it - I find it contours better into the gaps between frets, and I get to use more of the mesh pad as a result.
Good information. I've purchased cheap stuff and did not like the quality. Stewmac items are over priced. I've found comparable quality like files from Hosa for less. Post more of these for us DYI guys. I do all my own work from complete pickguard re wire to frett level and dressing as well as full set ups. Good tools are a must, but dont over pay.
Nice one Phil, ordered the 15 piece Luthier kit in the UK as have most other tools and defo getting the micro mesh for fret polishing. Still too scared/inexperienced to replace frets myself (have a pro do that for me) and it's a hobby not a job for me as an old git so don't need the best Stewmac gear just the decent stuff. Main thing I have to deal with is fret sprout on mine and friends guitars and the file I've got with a variety of papers for finishing seems to do the job nicely. Anyway - great video as always.
Great video Phil. I've been looking at some of these tools as of late. Trying set up my own personal work bench. Thanks for the video. A video on setting up a home work bench and what tools would be great. I also loved your string change tool box (tackle box) video. I actually have one of those in the works as well but most of those tools are ending up on the bench. Thanks for all your great videos.
I'm by no means rich and I know not everyone has the money to buy good quality tools, equipment and such. I just feel when it comes to anything guitar related I'm not taking any unnecessary shortcuts. It's worth saving up and getting something well made for longevity. I'm no professional luthier. Just my thoughts.
Neck Check notched guitar straight edge. Made in USA. Bought 5 of them in various sizes from Amazon. Shipped in cardboard mailing tubes to protect from damage, and for storing. Very well made, great price compared to SMac.
Such a great video. Much needed not for the bashing but for the good stuff. Even the 50/50 stuff can be salvaged with a little to extreme amount of love/hate but that's the point. It's the stuff that no amount of Shineola could help that we need to know about. You've given us a perspective that we don't have as techs to ourselves, Lol. Esp. the UL label, something I'm not 100% positive I'd remember to look for so thanks. Look at you, saving lives! Plus you put the right kind of pressure on both ends of the market, nicely done. This really was a great video, Lol.
Love your channel... could you please do a setups toolbox for guitars? What essential tools to buy and which brands per tool? Learned so much from your videos thank you!
The fret wire bender for 1/3 the price of StewMac is a great find. As I'm sure you know, if your'e just doing a few frets or one guitar you can buy pre-arched fret wire for very little more than straight wire. I have some guitars with variable radius necks and if I ever have to refret one the bender is practically a necessity.
StewMac tools good but just to much money, their shipping cost makes everything just to much. I will buy that fret radius bender for sure. Check out some of Crimson Guitars tools. Like their fret rubber set. I do believe the whole set is cheaper then StewMacs even with shipping from the other side of the pond. Thanks Phil for all you do and your camera lighting is Fantastic! Or maybe its a new camera.
I definitely think this video is a great idea.. yes, PLEASE definitely do more stuff like this. It's informative & I mean info that newbies need to know. It'll help people from making some mega mistakes (like scratching up a guitar.. or God forbid, scratching up someone else's guitar). Tanx heaps Phil. You're a legend 🤘🏽
Stew Mac is expensive but their Fret End Dressing File is a real winner. Your Sharper My Axe video with Melissa was a WINNER - gave me confidence to work on my own guitar. Kudos to Melissa!
I still use that copper sponge cleaner. A lot of times I forget to put solder on the tip when I turn the iron off and it oxidizes. That thing is totally worth $6.99.
Their fret crowning Z-file is the BOMB! $100 and worth every penny.
thanks to the assholes who voted for Biden that fret end dressing file has nearly double in price since this was filmed four years ago, one day Liberals will wake up and realize Trump wasn't lying about Fake News but they still lie about him daily
I think a series like this would be very helpful to those just learning to adjust, maintain, or repair their guitar. Definitely would have watched when I built my first Tele last year. Great vid Phil.
I want tons of these videos! I'm just barely starting to work on our guitars, so getting reviews on tools is extremely helpful. I love your honesty.
I have that same soldering iron and I've been using it for over a year without a problem. Also, if you haven't done a video on proper soldering technique already that would be enormously useful for a lot of us. Great video Phil, you have been so helpful for so many people.
You rock man! Was literally on amazon looking at tools when this video’s notification popped up! Lol please do more of these. Maybe put together a “best budget tool set” for us home diy-ers. Thanks Phil
Yep Phil.
What DP says.
I 4th. that!!!!
Music nomad
Phil: gives real reviews even though he can get commissioned off our purchases because of this video. What a man and thank you for the vid because it also works as a review of every tool you may need for guitar maintenance! Best wishes from Afghanistan, army strong
Thank You for your service Brother, AATW. As always be safe, if you can't be safe be deadly and dangerous. I served 27yrs in the Army myself.
The screwdriver in the Amazon kit has the phillips at the other end. Just push in the ring by the handle and you can withdraw the entire driver. The notches in the shaft enable you to lengthen or shorten the tool.
Great video! 👍👍👍
Thanks for sharing this with everyone.
Yep!
Phil, thanks for all you do!!
I’m on a really tight budget d/t being disabled and on disability. I have to do most all of my own guitar repairs, I don’t have much choice. I watch you do what I need to if I don’t already know how then I do it.
I like the idea of a complete tool kit, I have tools already that you showed in this video. Last Christmas was a guitar kinda Christmas lol
I am in the same boat.
I have been soldering for nearly half a century and have ALWAYS simply used a damp sponge to clean my pencil tip. That bunch of copper is a FANTASTIC idea! 🤗
My mother had something like that at her kitchen sink for scouring burnt on food from her cookware!
Absolutely fantastic video today Phillip. I actually use a Ernie Ball tool kit and the rest are StuMac. I really like the soldier kit. I marked it on Amazon and the micro mesh. You didn't show a neck gauge but it was such a good topic today. Thank you
I got a solder iron tool from Home Depot with a fancy light embedded in it for $20 - pretty awesome to brighten up the task at hand. Nice video. 👍🏽
Great video, really helpful! I've been looking online for luthier tools and I really appreciate you taking the time to make this review - A+😊
Can you compare the Music Nomad tool kit to the Stew Mac tool kit?
Yes, I'd love to see that. I was searching for that exact-comparison on The Gear Page - today !!!
I have the Music Nomad Cradle Cube/Work Mat combo.
The work mat is just a glorified yoga mat, but the cradle cube is awesome.
@@risksrewardsrelics51 Well, pretty much any work mat you get would just be a version of a glorified yoga mat. It's a mat. It's only purpose is to serve as a soft place to lay your guitar while working on it.
I'm thinking of doing my own work on my instruments , and this video definitely helped a lot ! Your reviews on these products were on point ! Thank you for this video !
Thank you, Phillip - always informative and considered. Couple of things. First, Stewmac is very high-priced if you live outside the US because of their postal charges, but if you want the specialist stuff, there is, in my opinion, no alternative. For example, their nut slot files will last a very long time, if treated with respect. The Amazon alternatives are poor and the alternative approach of using welding tip cleaners (sold on Amazon and ebay as nut slot files) is a joke. There are ways you can save money thru Amazon and ebay, though. For example I would never pay for a fret end dress file or similar from Stewmac because a top quality 3 corner file comes in much cheaper and you just make a safe edge on it and you're done. Plenty of other generic tools sold by SM as specialist come in the same category. Similarly, I would never use fret protectors - you get just as good results with masking tape and care, and there are loads of tools you can make yourself if you have the ability to make a guitar (e.g. fretwire benders, spool clamps, bridge clamps (including that cute one the fits thru the bridge pin holes) radius sanding blocks, etc). Finally, I've used micromesh for years, and it is unbeatable but users should be aware that in the lower grits (e.g.1500) the grit is not equivalent to abrasive paper US or UK standards. There's a comparison chart at www.sisweb.com/micromesh/conversion.htm. - 1500 comes in at about 400 US standard. The real secret with micromesh is that the abrasive action is cutting rather than rubbing, so you get a much finer, more consistent scratch pattern, and this holds true even in the lower grits, so even though 1500 mm has the same grit count as 400 US there is no comparison between the quality of the results.
For someone on a low budget, such as myself, I've found that the four-sided nail polishing foam block you can get at the supermarket or pharmacy is a cheap alternative to a Micro Mesh set. It does a decent job of getting scratches out of frets and won't harm the fretboard, and doubles as a string riser if you need to spot level a single fret. They run less than two bucks apiece. I save my Stew Mac polishing set for the finishing touch.
Yeah, we get it!! You love everything StewMac.
Couldn't find that great deal on Micromesh papers, was $73 for that same introductory kit when I checked, so the deal you got was gone. Decided to look at the long term and go for the Quality of a $53 Stewmac Fret Polish kit after hearing your concerns about the rusty, flimsy and sharp pieces you found in the cheap kits. Very helpful Vid!
Oh yes mate ! Do some more of these vids please. Fantastic !
All of the things you talked about are why I haven't been able to pull the trigger on on the Amazon files and such. As always, helpful information, even if I'm coming at this a year late. Thanks, Phillip!
I prefer the copper tip cleaner to a sponge.
I work in the electronic manufacturing sector. We use the brass brillo all the time.
I agree. Took a long time for me to even think to get one and once I did, the sponge was never seen again.
I too prefer the copper. As a hack I'll use a wetted and folded paper towel when I don't have the copper or sponge.
The sponge is bad for the heating element. Yes, it was used for years, but the copper or brass pads are superior and last forever
different purposes though..
for the regular user the 'brass wire sponge' is great.. one can even throw in a small amount of flux in the center and stick the tip in there when you want a nice tinning.
BUT depending on what you're working on, the 'metal sponge' doesn't decontaminate a tip as the moist sponge does, especially fine soldering tips...
i also read in the comments that the sponge is bad for the heating element. that is an incorrect assumption.
the soldering tips are protected by a fine layer of a stronger than copper metal. when the tip is cooled in a fast manner by touching a wet sponge, it contracts and over time fractures develop... in the long run the hardened coating will come off and the tip will wear out quite fast after that. a good practice is to have the sponge moist but not soaking wet.
stay safe everyone, have fun when possible
Great video! Yes, more videos for a non-luthier, but not afraid to tackle anything type guy.
Great video as always Phil, thank you. I think you are 100% right about buying quality tools.
get the files with the green handles, they are diamond coated, 4 different grits and very useful for cleanout at the nut to neck/fingerboard.
also there is a soldering station for 54 bucks with adjustable heat (250-850 deg F) on amazon, i have been using both for a year now and no problems,
Use those files on the metal radius and string gauge, problem solved, LOL. Great job Phil, I've learned so much from you, thank you!
I actually bought one of those solder kits because I was having trouble finding a decent 60 watt soldering iron at the hardware stores. I've been quite impressed.
Same. Mine came in a box with other related accessories and I have done everything from amp repairs to soldering pickup covers on with mine and it does fine. Used it for prolonged amounts of time also and never had any problems. Having a digital one is nice if you do it as a job but for DIY repair this one is fine.
Quality tools, whether it be Stew Mac or any other, are always a better deal in the long run. "You get what you pay for" truly applies to tools of any kind.
That being said, Stew Macs shipping charges are absolutely criminal.
I use my soldering iron and solder sucker every day, i built a princeton reverb clone, over the weekend, it sounds amazing, i did afew changes to the circuit and added a easy bias, i love building tube amp circuits, its adddicting to find my own tone.
Thanks Phil, Another "A" video - A for Awesome. I'd like to see more alternative tools to Stu Mac or Crimson Guitar, ect. Not because I don;t like their gear (I do), it's just because the budget is a greater important to a hobby Luther - I won't make back the dollars spent on top quality tools. In all honesty I wish Stu Mac and others would produce a budget line.
I'm shocked you didn't acquire any of the cheep fret rockers or those cheep orange handle fret crowning files. Not something to be used frequently or in a professional atmosphere, but for the occasional DIY fret level and crown, I found them to be sufficient. Of course followed by a proper fret finishing process.
Micro Mesh abrasive pads, once you try these once on frets, you'll never go back to anything else unless you can't find them! Although, a Dremel/rotary tool with a polish wheel with some compound (while messy) can go a long way too.
For inexpensive files, I bought the Husky brand (Home Depot) 7 piece precision needle file set. It comes with two flat bar files, one of which I sand and polish both narrow edges smooth with a slight round taper and I use these as fret end files (out of box the edges are abrasive file edges).
The included 3 edge triangle files, these I use to establish the first groove lines when cutting a bone nut from a raw blank. Then, I buy those cheap thickness gauges you mentioned at the auto store. I then take the ones out for my string gauges and with a Dremel, cut small teeth and use these as bone nut string slot file/saws.
Those fret files are GREAT. They did exactly what I wanted them to do. They didn't rip the garbage bag ONCE! Nothing leaks out of the garbage because they came in a pouch, which protected not only the garbage bag but also the can itself. What more can you ask for?
Finally- a thorough video about guitar tools. Awesome! Great video! Thanks dude for the review- this helps big time. Rock on!
Phil, love your videos! Sooo much info and helpful tips. Great idea for a video and would love to see more of it. I’m quite mechanical, so I’m well aware of quality tools and how they work and feel but I’m not a luthier and would rarely use most of the specialized tools needed so I’d love to hear all of your luthier hacks for gear and techniques.
Thanks man!
I made my own solder iron cleaner from a salmon tin and regular silver brillo pad. I use a combination of the brillo pad cleaner and a wet sponge.
I bought a different soldering kit with the exact same soldering iron, and the iron itself sucks. I used it for about a week...it wouldn't heat up at low temperature settings, and then rapidly heated at the higher, then you had to turn it down or burn the tip! Not recommended!!! But all of the other accessories were probably worth it for me, as it came with a bunch of dentist picks, a nice tube of OK solder, that i can reuse the tube when I used up the solder in it. In addition to it, I picked up a flux pen, which makes life so much easier for doing soldering, just rub the pen on the part you want to solder, tin them, and away you go!
I also recommend the "copper brillo" pad style solder tip cleaner. Much better than the wet sponge ones of the days of yore.
When I bought the kit I cooked the tip on the first time I used it. Giant swiss cheese hole. Garbage.
You are correct. No one ever complains about top shelve.
I watched your "Ultimate Restring Toolbox " video, I purchased my tools according to you recommendations. Most of which I bought from ebay or Stew-Mac. I like this video of yours. I have been contemplating putting together my own "on the go" tool kit. I have a soldering iron very similar to the one in that kit. If people are on a budget, they can piece together a toolkit.
I would love to show tools that I have bought on Amazon, that work. I do not usually buy them in kits, with the exception of a soldering iron kit, (without multimeter), and a double set of under string gauges. I have some pliers that are as much as $26.00, (optional), used to remove screws that the slots are ruined, and some cutters that are inexpensive that I wouldn't do without. Notched straight edges that are thick and nice to use. There are tools from Stew Mac that just can't be duplicated. If you want professional results, you need professional tools.
Great vid! I would like to see how you use the Micro Mesh for polishing frets. I use the StewMac Micro sheets along with StrewMac Fretguards on my Bass's and Guitar's. Not sure how you hold the mesh when polishing but what I've been doing is cutting 2" square pieces of each grit and folding them down so they are small enough to cover the fret and not big enough to go past the fretgaurd (don't like taping but defiantly don't want to scratch the fretboards). Then just un-fold/re-fold them after a few frets as the grit wears down. Good results, but the problem is that I'm using the tips of my fingers to hold down the micro mesh. After a few pass's of 4 or 5 different grits over 24 frets my fingers and hand are trashed (I'm not a young guy, been playing over 35 years and have some arthritis). So I end up having an instrument with nice polished frets but can't play it because my hand is sore. I'm sure there is a better way to do this, so I'm interested in your process. Thanks for all the great vids you post, really find them enjoyable and appreciate how transparent you are when doing reviews and Q&A's.
Use a crowning file as a "sanding block" for the mesh, rather than just your fingers, that should do the trick. Wrap the mesh over the file, and away she goes. Hope this helps, I have some age-related issues, too. As you'd do with a handsaw, relax & just let the abrasive do the work, and take your time & rest as often as needed. I see people moving the sandpapers lengthwise up & down the neck, but I have reservations about doing it that way. Any fine scratches remaining will tend to snag on the strings when doing bending or vibrato, so I instead go across each fret, back & forth from the treble side to the bass side & back. Using a crown file as a block for the paper or mesh makes this "sideways method" seem like second nature.
Phil, I got a set of those "diamond" files in a toolkit, I agree with you, I did not use them on the frets, I bought the StewMac fret file and it works great. Got this kit from China via E-bay, it has the metal action gauge and I added the Fritz Rule. It had a sanding sponge, I did not use that either. I did buy and I do like the aluminum rectangle bar with different grit sandpaper on each side. It did a nice job fret leveling a new kit neck.
Also, I liked the metal ruler to check for neck bow. StewMac has one that is very nice and expensive. But since I am not a professional, the $18.00 one from E-bay works for me. You are right to watch the edges of the metal it can cut paper. Hint: you can get a dish scrubber, stainless or copper at the food store or even a dollar store to clean your solder tip. I have a professional solder station with temperature control, that is a great feature on the pencil iron, I cringe when I see someone using a 200 watt solder gun on sensitive electronics, too much heat can "kill" the parts. 60 watts is fine for guitar work. The wet sponge also cleans the tip. Use electronics solder flux and keep your tip tinned, they last longer that way. Like your channel!
That Stew Mac fret end dressing file is one of my favorite tools ever. I have yet to find a better file for that purpose. Watch out for the inexpensive under string radius gauges on Amazon. The ones I bought were stamped, not cut out, not at all accurate...basically junk. They were are also too tall to easily fit under the strings. Stew Mac’s are much better. Keep in mind also, lots of people rip off Stew Mac designs and make them over seas.
The cheap string action gauges on Amazon are junk. Not accurate at all.
Great video. I just subscribed. Thank you for your videos. I'm in the process of upgrading all of the parts on my LTD MH 400nt. I never knew how to set up a guitar before. But this time around i want to learn how to do it myself. You are helping me a lot with getting back into playing guitar.
The baroque fret file (featured a few times on Dan’s GunsandGuitars channel) is pretty decent. I got the v3 and use it any time I’ve got fretwork to do.
micro mesh is fantastic, we used it to polish the canopies on harrier jump-jets
With respect, I worked at an electrical/electronics shop some years back and they used Radio Shack soldering irons and de-soldering tools - i.e. the 'solder suckers' as you call them and we never had any issues with them even though they weren't the best our shop could afford. Some things one does not need to go all out on when it comes to tools likea simple screwdriver, especially when one is a hobbyist in this field. I have invested in Fret Guru tools and bought a Skyscraper fret leveler yet I agree with you on the cheaply made tools with burrs on them.
A baby food jar armored with 1/16 inch self-adhesive craft foam with a copper pot scrubber stuffed in it is what I've been using for a soldering iron tip cleaner for years. It works well fine, but I doubt it would survive a drop to a concrete floor as well as that one would.
I looked on Amazon for a fret end dressing file. Decided to try one from Uo-Chikyu, from Guitar Tools International. They say it is Japanese steel. It appears to have the same shape as the Stew Mac, and was $14.99, free shipping, vs Stew Mac's $18.25+ shipping. Used it on two guitars. Works great.
Really liked this one, glad you enjoyed it and I hope to see more like it.
Hey Phil, great video. I have purchased some of the tools you reviewed last year. Your spot on. I have also purchased numerous tools from Stew Mac and like them a lot. But I too am not sorry about saving several dollars on some tools. Super video, thank you.
Love the technical stuff. Mount to the thing, clamp to the thing. You are so real, love your channel. :-)
As a someone who's looking to get into guitar repairing/customizing as a hobby I found this video really useful :)
I'm going to re-fret one of my guitars and was looking at that fret bending tool on Amazon the other day. You can get them even cheaper. Considering it's such a simple job, with very little stress on the tool, I don't see the point of buying the expensive ones. I agree with your opinion on all the other stuff, especially the fret dressing file(s). I watched a very experienced and highly thought of luthier doing a re-fret on TH-cam recently, and he did the whole fret crowning and dressing etc with just one good quality triangular file, which was amazing to watch. I will definitely spend the money on a good one.
Nowadays, I only work on my own homegrown guitars anymore, and there is NOTHING that boxes and boodles of fancy-pants tools can do that wet/dry abrasive papers can't do just as well - just SLOWER. If you can think of, visualize, and carefully observe-as-you-go what material you want removed, and why, and how, you can obtain perfect results purdy durn cheep - for us old farts MAGNIFICATION is the most important tool. And if you CAN'T think of, visualize, and carefully observe-as-you-go what material you want removed, and why, and how, heaven hep-us-all (or at least, heaven-hep your about-to-be-murdered git). The precursor to hideous disaster usually has to do with plugging in and arming a bunch of hideously over-powered power tools. SLOW DOOOWWWN, Tiger.
@@dogfacedboy6947 I agree. And yea. I bought one of those engineer magnifiers to make sure my tired old eyes can see what they are doing. I have a lot of engineering experience and already have done a lot of work on my guitars. I have built two guitars from parts too. The guitar I'm going to refret is my old MIM strat. I will take my time and do it slowly and carefully. I doubt I will botch it, but if I do I can always get a good luthier to rescue it, or just buy a new neck. I doubt it will come to that though. Cheers.
GREAT video! Please keep doing videos like this Phil! Love it
What brilliantly infectious enthusiasm!
Been wanting to get into working on my own guitars. Didn’t really know where to start on my search for inexpensive tools, and your video helps immensely. Thank you Philip!
I have a set of files that I got at Lowe’s for 22 dollars with big files, a rasp, little files, and about 15 needle files. 4 of the needle files have a safe edge that I use for fret ends
Showing basic to middle of the road tools is a great ideal especially for the beginning Luther or just the guitarist who needs to make repairs on the godo more of these
My in-laws got me a kit for Christmas. It was kind of a combo of the feeler gauge, under-string radius gauges, and the kit you show here in the pouch. Most of it is pretty good, but those same nasty files came with it. I don't know much, but I knew to toss those as soon as I saw them. :) Great info, Phil.
I just ordered that basic tool kit before I came across this video. I read the reviews first and seemed to be about what you said, a decent place to start. I also bought a guitar neck notched straight edge as well. Held off on buying the soldering iron though but I do need one so I think I will pick up the one you showed next. Not only to do setups but I also want to replace pickups and pots as well on my Epiphone SG 400. So a useful video, you should do more like this showing tools, and possible uses.
I bought that soldering kit about a year ago, I've used it to completely rewire several guitars. Obviously it isn't the highest quality but it worked just fine.
Hi Phillip I purchased a Bigsby B7 kit to put on my Gibson Les Paul. I understand that there can be tuning issues with it. I have not installed it yet. Before I install it can you give me some help which is the best way is there something that I can do to prevent the tuning issues. Thanks 🎸🎸
Hey Phillip ! For Polishing Fret I Use Stew Mac Fret Eraser !
I Got a Blue 400 Grit , Green & Yellow 4000 and 8000 Girt
Thank You
Thanks Phil! Very cool. You mentioned you like tackle boxes for tools - please share the models you like for portability and larger.
I’ve been an aircraft tech at a major airline for 35 years. We use micro mesh kits to polish very fine scratches out of aircraft windows. That stuff works great. Never thought to use it on frets. Thanks for the tip.
Great video with real thoughts on the products. This will likely save me quite a bit in the long run of just not buying garbage. I have been working on guitars for a long time, and mostly using more inexpensive products. Some of these I have looked at, and now know which ones to consider, and which ones to just ignore (for the ones I haven't already tried).
Philip, Where can I purchase a High Quality - Medium fret guard. I have the Music Nomad frine-kit, (whichI love) - but I'd like to get another Medium one - as thats the Only One I use on my Suhr & Taylor.
I've got the solder tip cleaner - great little thing to have, comes in handy every time I do some soldering. I've also used the leveling blocks from Amazon (4-sided/multi-grit on an aluminum carrier). They work great, single or maybe 2- use items, but cheap and reliable.
Please do more tool reviews like this . Very informative !
Good job, Phil! A series of videos offering a practical perspective about tools and other gear that are inexpensive and readily available would be a great resource. I like that you included reasons both pro and con for buying something that seems like a good deal online.
A $10 needle file set from home depot / husky / etc is probably halfway between those and stewmac ones.
A thing of bamboo skewers are great for cleaning, and need to be part of everyone's kit.
Description
Melamine sponges aka magic erasers are indespensable. Think of them as the step after micro mesh.
I got a really fine every board for nails my wife picked up the the beauty supply store that I us on things like the sharp tools you don't like to polish things that I don't want to over do- such as willing the edges of the tools you mentioned so they are safe to use and not scratch the guitars. Go to a supply store and look for a padded every board. Mine is about 2 inches wide and woros wet or dry and is a lifesaver that costs about a buck. They are invaluable and keeping around the shop it is a great tool that beats anything I found for jewelry or otherwise.
Thanks, Phil. Another incredibly useful video for those of us who like to work on our own gear. I've gotten a lot of use out of several cheap needle file sets from Amazon, both conventional toothed steel files and the diamond grit ones. I'm sure the quality can vary quite a bit, so maybe I've just gotten lucky. I find them great for nut work and fret ends, with the finer diamond grit files being the most useful for guitar work.
Awsome video!!! Let's do this again for sure. Thanks for everything you do.😁
Very old Vid, but I have to comment from England, GB. It is I wanted a fret end dressing file , just to sort out the odd frets that were sprouting, I didn't want to spend, £'s they wanted, for a dedicated one. So I had an idea. I bought a set of 10, cheap needle files off UK Amazon for £3.50.($4.4) They claimed to be diamond coated files. They certainly did have a very rough surface to them. It was the rectangular one, I wanted. (8" long. Blade, L4".x H 0.21" x W 0.003". ) Using my multitool, with the small sander attachment, and wet and dry metal sandpaper, I first sanded all the roughness off, on both sides of the file. Then sanded one edge smooth to a polish finish. Took me 10mins.
Now I have one perfect Fret end file, and 9 very useful needle files. All for £3.50 😊
I love this kind of thing Phil! please keep reviewing tools and how to use them.....
So I have a grey colored set of those same files from Harbor Freight. I filed a Black Tusq nut for my acoustic and it's not pretty but it plays!
Its funny to come across this video. A week ago my fiancée bought me several of these tools because she remembered me talking about having to work on my fretboard on my guitar. Its an old cheap guitar so I don’t mind learning on it. Thanks for the review. I do usually buy tools from stew mac.
I got a very similar tool kit to the one you showed (the 20+ pieces one). Your screwdriver looks like mine. Try pushing down that grey ring at the top of the handle, see if you can adjust the length... and take it out and discover a flat head end!
I really enjoyed this video. I am beginning to work on guitars and found this information very helpful. Keep up the good work.
The better version of a lot of these are on ebay and for a little cheaper. The honer fret end file (Japanese made) was 12 bucks free ship. Basically same quality as stewmac, but 4 bucks cheaper and free ship whereas SM charges $10 for just about any shipping under $50.purchaes.
Phil, wouldn't be a bad idea to test nut files from other manufacturers. The stew Mac ones are outrageously priced and a lot of people would love to see alternatives
I'm with you Phil - I switched over to the Micro Mesh for all neck work (and yes, I also go all the way up to 12K grit for those who don't think it exists) , though I agree with your complaints on how long they last! I stopped using a full sized foam block - I cut it in half before I wrap the micro mesh pad around it - I find it contours better into the gaps between frets, and I get to use more of the mesh pad as a result.
The lighting looks great, Phil
Good information. I've purchased cheap stuff and did not like the quality. Stewmac items are over priced. I've found comparable quality like files from Hosa for less. Post more of these for us DYI guys. I do all my own work from complete pickguard re wire to frett level and dressing as well as full set ups. Good tools are a must, but dont over pay.
The kit with the plastic fritz ruler, I wanted to comment on the Philips screw driver, you can pull it out and on the other end is a flat head.
Nice one Phil, ordered the 15 piece Luthier kit in the UK as have most other tools and defo getting the micro mesh for fret polishing. Still too scared/inexperienced to replace frets myself (have a pro do that for me) and it's a hobby not a job for me as an old git so don't need the best Stewmac gear just the decent stuff. Main thing I have to deal with is fret sprout on mine and friends guitars and the file I've got with a variety of papers for finishing seems to do the job nicely. Anyway - great video as always.
Great video Phil. I've been looking at some of these tools as of late. Trying set up my own personal work bench. Thanks for the video. A video on setting up a home work bench and what tools would be great. I also loved your string change tool box (tackle box) video. I actually have one of those in the works as well but most of those tools are ending up on the bench. Thanks for all your great videos.
I'm by no means rich and I know not everyone has the money to buy good quality tools, equipment and such. I just feel when it comes to anything guitar related I'm not taking any unnecessary shortcuts. It's worth saving up and getting something well made for longevity. I'm no professional luthier. Just my thoughts.
Great video! Some of the Stew Mac stuff is definitely worth the price, their string action card/ruler is 100% worth the money over alternatives.
I got a Action Gauge from Amazon for a decent price, and its a thick piece of metal
has both MM and INCHES, down too 64ths, and its been smoothed
Neck Check notched guitar straight edge. Made in USA. Bought 5 of them in various sizes from Amazon. Shipped in cardboard mailing tubes to protect from damage, and for storing. Very well made, great price compared to SMac.
I use the same D'addario kit. Was a sweet Xmas gift.
Thanks for this video Phil. Ive been buying one or two stewmac tools a year, but it's nice to know about alternatives
Such a great video. Much needed not for the bashing but for the good stuff. Even the 50/50 stuff can be salvaged with a little to extreme amount of love/hate but that's the point. It's the stuff that no amount of Shineola could help that we need to know about. You've given us a perspective that we don't have as techs to ourselves, Lol. Esp. the UL label, something I'm not 100% positive I'd remember to look for so thanks. Look at you, saving lives! Plus you put the right kind of pressure on both ends of the market, nicely done. This really was a great video, Lol.
Love your channel... could you please do a setups toolbox for guitars? What essential tools to buy and which brands per tool? Learned so much from your videos thank you!
The fret wire bender for 1/3 the price of StewMac is a great find. As I'm sure you know, if your'e just doing a few frets or one guitar you can buy pre-arched fret wire for very little more than straight wire. I have some guitars with variable radius necks and if I ever have to refret one the bender is practically a necessity.
Had some of these things bookmarded, happy I saw this. I will spend the money and get the StewMac tools. I have a Weller digital soldering station.
for files, i use an inexpensive set of Needle files by Boxer tools, to be honest they are holding up nicely
Just bought the soldering iron cleaner. What a great idea.
StewMac tools good but just to much money, their shipping cost makes everything just to much. I will buy that fret radius bender for sure. Check out some of Crimson Guitars tools. Like their fret rubber set. I do believe the whole set is cheaper then StewMacs even with shipping from the other side of the pond.
Thanks Phil for all you do and your camera lighting is Fantastic! Or maybe its a new camera.