Tools needed to do guitar setups

[warpedsoul]

Hello all. I'm wanting to start doing my own guitar setups. I swap guitars so much that I would save a lot of money and time if I buy the tools and learn to do it myself. Plus, I know some techs out there aren't worth the money they charge.

So to get started, what tools do I need?

I know that I need truss rod tools.

Straight Edge - I've heard I need notched or some say just use a normal ruler. Would notched be worth it?

String Action Gauge ruler - No brainer I think

Feeler gauges - I guess helps in multiple ways, but I will best use them when filing nut for bigger gauges

Nut Files - Pretty obvious

Understring radius gauges

Am I missing anything?

 

[Nlelith]

If you think you'll also need what listed below, I would recommend buying Cruztools GTR-1 tools set. It has handy tools and will save you some cash, since buying all it includes separately would cost more. It includes:
-Eleven colour-coded hex keys (gold for metric and black for imperial, all truss rod sizes are ball end)
-Thickness gauge and ruler
-Capo
-String cutters
-String winder
-6-in-1 screwdriver

 

[sunken0887]

also some type of 10mm rachet(size may vary depending on the guitar) for tightening the machine heads, this is very important

a tuner as well in order to check intonation

lemon oil for fretboards and something to polish the frets themselves, this is very important especially lemon oil on rosewood boards which in the future will dry out and crack if you never use lemon oil on them

also be cautious with using rulers, i know there are a lot of textbook rules about how far away or close strings should be to the fretboard and this and that, but in reality you want to get the strings as close to the fretboard as possible without having any dead notes or frets, and if you hear a little buzz don't get to crazy about it, the rule is if you cannot hear it thru the amp, then its fine, never judge string "buzzing" acoustically on an electric guitar, always judge it when its plugged in

 

[warpedsoul]

If you think you'll also need what listed below, I would recommend buying Cruztools GTR-1 tools set. It has handy tools and will save you some cash, since buying all it includes separately would cost more. It includes:
-Eleven colour-coded hex keys (gold for metric and black for imperial, all truss rod sizes are ball end)
-Thickness gauge and ruler
-Capo
-String cutters
-String winder
-6-in-1 screwdriver

Actually I have the cutters, string winder, screw drivers, and capo. The only thing I need from that is the gauge, and I already bought the ruler. And from the parts I found, it will cost around the same, and according to some you get better quality if you order separately.

also some type of 10mm rachet(size may vary depending on the guitar) for tightening the machine heads, this is very important

a tuner as well in order to check intonation

lemon oil for fretboards and something to polish the frets themselves, this is very important especially lemon oil on rosewood boards which in the future will dry out and crack if you never use lemon oil on them

also be cautious with using rulers, i know there are a lot of textbook rules about how far away or close strings should be to the fretboard and this and that, but in reality you want to get the strings as close to the fretboard as possible without having any dead notes or frets, and if you hear a little buzz don't get to crazy about it, the rule is if you cannot hear it thru the amp, then its fine, never judge string "buzzing" acoustically on an electric guitar, always judge it when its plugged in

I have a socket set, tuner, and lemon oil already, but will need to get something to polish frets. I've always been very cautions to keep a check on fretboards, and always put lemon oil on when I get a guitar. The thing I'm worried about the most is overdoing it . And thanks for the tip on the buzz though. I'm the type of OCD person that would go crazy if I heard any buzz while doing a setup, even if it wasn't ocming through the amp. I probably would keep trying to fix something til I ruined it. So its nice to have to have someone to say it isn't a big deal.

Thanks everyone for the tips. Keep em coming if there are more.

 

[xzyryabx]

If you're just doing a setup, all you need is:
a tool to adjust your trussrod
a tool to raise/lower your bridge
a tool to adjust your intonation
feeler gauges (optional)
THAT'S IT!!

If you want to work on your frets as well you need:
Leveling beam straight or radiused (w/ various grades of sandpaper)
fret file
fret rocker
straight edge
micro-mesh and steel wool to polish up your frets

to condition your fretboard:
lemon oil + board cleaner (most everything other than maple)
naptha (maple)
toothbrush

If you want to also work on electronics:
solder iron (+ solder of course)
compressed air
ohm meter (optional)

no need to over complicate things, just narrow down what you need to do then scour he net for vids/tutorials on how to do exactly that. of course, you can use a ton more tools, but with the above a competent person can get it all done.

 

[warpedsoul]

If you're just doing a setup, all you need is:
a tool to adjust your trussrod
a tool to raise/lower your bridge
a tool to adjust your intonation
feeler gauges (optional)
THAT'S IT!!

If you want to work on your frets as well you need:
Leveling beam straight or radiused (w/ various grades of sandpaper)
fret file
fret rocker
straight edge
micro-mesh and steel wool to polish up your frets

to condition your fretboard:
lemon oil + board cleaner (most everything other than maple)
naptha (maple)
toothbrush

If you want to also work on electronics:
solder iron (+ solder of course)
compressed air
ohm meter (optional)

no need to over complicate things, just narrow down what you need to do then scour he net for vids/tutorials on how to do exactly that. of course, you can use a ton more tools, but with the above a competent person can get it all done.

Wouldn't a straightedge also be needed for a setup? I mean some may not need one, but couldn't I use it to check neck relief? I would much rather trust a tool than my naked eye. I know some don't need that though.

but thanks for the info. And thanks for reminding me to get a better soldering iron.

 

[Mik3D23]

Wouldn't a straightedge also be needed for a setup? I mean some may not need one, but couldn't I use it to check neck relief? I would much rather trust a tool than my naked eye. I know some don't need that though.

but thanks for the info. And thanks for reminding me to get a better soldering iron.

You can just use a string at tension as an estimate for it, but that's assuming that your frets are relatively level. Also, its not too hard to make your own notched straightedge. Stewmac.com is crazy if they think I'm gonna pay $80 for a piece of steel with cutouts in it.

Also as far as "your board will dry out and crack if they never get oiled" goes, that's a myth, and I've never seen anyone back up that claim. How many 40-50 year old Gibsons and Fenders are there that never got oiled but the fretboards are fine? From what I understand lemon oil does more to clean and make the rosewood look pretty than it does to "moisturize" it so to speak.

 

[warpedsoul]

You can just use a string at tension as an estimate for it, but that's assuming that your frets are relatively level. Also, its not too hard to make your own notched straightedge. Stewmac.com is crazy if they think I'm gonna pay $80 for a piece of steel with cutouts in it.

Also as far as "your board will dry out and crack if they never get oiled" goes, that's a myth, and I've never seen anyone back up that claim. How many 40-50 year old Gibsons and Fenders are there that never got oiled but the fretboards are fine? From what I understand lemon oil does more to clean and make the rosewood look pretty than it does to "moisturize" it so to speak.

Yeah I found a notched ruler on ebay for $12 lol. I had my previous luthier check all the stuff I was looking at and he approved. I just wanna make sure I'm prepared when I start.

My biggest worry right now is nut filing for proper string gauge.

 

[Mik3D23]

Yeah I found a notched ruler on ebay for $12 lol. I had my previous luthier check all the stuff I was looking at and he approved. I just wanna make sure I'm prepared when I start.

My biggest worry right now is nut filing for proper string gauge.

Make sure you double check that ruler against a known flat surface when you get it as well.

Are you planning on making nuts from scratch? Or just widening the slot for a thicker string? I've heard that a welding tip cleaner can be used to a point for that. I just picked up a set at Home Depot like night, but I haven't gotten to try it yet. If it works, then that saved me tons of money on nut files. If not, it was like 4 dollars anyway, so no big deal.

 

[warpedsoul]

Make sure you double check that ruler against a known flat surface when you get it as well.

Are you planning on making nuts from scratch? Or just widening the slot for a thicker string? I've heard that a welding tip cleaner can be used to a point for that. I just picked up a set at Home Depot like night, but I haven't gotten to try it yet. If it works, then that saved me tons of money on nut files. If not, it was like 4 dollars anyway, so no big deal.

No I won't be making from scratch, just widening slots. Let me know how that welding tip cleaner works. I've been looking at these: New Guitar Nut File Set 12 Files Triangle Round Flat | eBay

 

[Mordacain]

All you *really* need to do basic setups are the various hex wrenches and screwdrivers needed for adjustments to truss rods, bridge components.

I did my own setups for years without radius gauges or even a straight edge.

That being said, you can of course do a more precise setup with those tools.

I've got a cheap setup of over string radius gauges I picked up off ebay that kinda suck, so I'd recommend the metal understring gauges you already referenced.

Instead of a ruler for action height, you might want to look into this gadget:

Fretguru 8 in 1 String Action Gauge Guitar Setup Evaluation Fret Rocker Luthier | eBay

Fretguru Gauge. It combines a lot of different tools into one. I like it for it's simplicity but it also takes up less space. That one is on my list of things to add to my meager collection.

A straight edge is a must for getting a proper handle for truss rod adjustments. You can pick up a basic straight edge from Home Depot or Lowes for about $5 and then just notch it yourself using a file or Dremel. Basically, you are just making slots for the frets to slip into without touch the ruler so you can rest the straight edge directly against the fretboard.

Otherwise, grab a notched edge off ebay.

I'm just about to get into my own fretwork (well, more seriously anyway). I've used a basic jeweler's set of files to dress worn frets but I finally broke down and bought a leveling beam and crowning file. I also used the jeweler's files for making adjustments to nut slots. You will probably want a set specifically tailored for nut work to cut a new a nut from scratch.

I've gotten lots of ideas for fretwork from some of the DIY builds on this forum where people have generously donated their knowledge and experience so giving a read through on some of those could prove helpful.

Good luck!

 

[Mik3D23]

No I won't be making from scratch, just widening slots. Let me know how that welding tip cleaner works. I've been looking at these: New Guitar Nut File Set 12 Files Triangle Round Flat | eBay

Will do.

That's a rediculous price if those actually are an okay set. But it says they're not gauged? I'm not sure how well those would work for the smaller unwound strings

 

[Mik3D23]

You can pick up a basic straight edge from Home Depot or Lowes for about $5 and then just notch it yourself using a file or Dremel. Basically, you are just making slots for the frets to slip into without touch the ruler so you can rest the straight edge directly against the fretboard.

That's exactly what I'm doing. I'm making a couple different scale length ones. I also just took the plunge and bought the stewmac fret kit, and came with a pretty decent book on fretwork for free.

 

[warpedsoul]

All you *really* need to do basic setups are the various hex wrenches and screwdrivers needed for adjustments to truss rods, bridge components.

I did my own setups for years without radius gauges or even a straight edge.

That being said, you can of course do a more precise setup with those tools.

I've got a cheap setup of over string radius gauges I picked up off ebay that kinda suck, so I'd recommend the metal understring gauges you already referenced.

Instead of a ruler for action height, you might want to look into this gadget:

Fretguru 8 in 1 String Action Gauge Guitar Setup Evaluation Fret Rocker Luthier | eBay

Fretguru Gauge. It combines a lot of different tools into one. I like it for it's simplicity but it also takes up less space. That one is on my list of things to add to my meager collection.

A straight edge is a must for getting a proper handle for truss rod adjustments. You can pick up a basic straight edge from Home Depot or Lowes for about $5 and then just notch it yourself using a file or Dremel. Basically, you are just making slots for the frets to slip into without touch the ruler so you can rest the straight edge directly against the fretboard.

Otherwise, grab a notched edge off ebay.

I'm just about to get into my own fretwork (well, more seriously anyway). I've used a basic jeweler's set of files to dress worn frets but I finally broke down and bought a leveling beam and crowning file. I also used the jeweler's files for making adjustments to nut slots. You will probably want a set specifically tailored for nut work to cut a new a nut from scratch.

I've gotten lots of ideas for fretwork from some of the DIY builds on this forum where people have generously donated their knowledge and experience so giving a read through on some of those could prove helpful.

Good luck!

I bought this ruler off of ebay: Acoustic Electric Guitar Bass String Action Ruler Gauge GC 01 Replacement Part | eBay

As far as the straight edge, I'll look at Lowes today, but I don't have the tools needed to make the notches myself. May save me a lot of time and hassle just to buy one.

Will do.

That's a rediculous price if those actually are an okay set. But it says they're not gauged? I'm not sure how well those would work for the smaller unwound strings

Thanks for noticing that. I didn't see that. He mentioned on that page the Nicholson Needle Files. I may check those out.

EDIT: I found these. Would they work well? http://www.ebay.com/itm/Guitar-Tools-Nut-Files-Teaching-DVD-for-setting-up-and-adjusting-your-guitar-/161202218728?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item258866a6e8

 

[Mik3D23]

EDIT: I found these. Would they work well? http://www.ebay.com/itm/Guitar-Tools-Nut-Files-Teaching-DVD-for-setting-up-and-adjusting-your-guitar-/161202218728?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item258866a6e8

They look like they might be close to what you'd want. I don't know how well a gauged saw would work for trying to widen a slot, I think usually they'd be used for roughing in the slot. I'm not an expert on slotting though so I could be wrong. It also doesn't a .009/.010/similar which you might not need but also worth nothing.

Personally, on the wound strings at least, I just use an older string to carefully widen the slot. I haven't really had to widen any of the unwound string slots yet though.. but I think this welding tip cleaner might be perfect for that task. I'll see if I can find one of my blank nuts I have at home tonight and see how well the tip cleaner cuts away at it.

 

[SpaceDock]

The most important tool for a great setup......patience.

 

[Mordacain]

They look like they might be close to what you'd want. I don't know how well a gauged saw would work for trying to widen a slot, I think usually they'd be used for roughing in the slot. I'm not an expert on slotting though so I could be wrong. It also doesn't a .009/.010/similar which you might not need but also worth nothing.

Personally, on the wound strings at least, I just use an older string to carefully widen the slot. I haven't really had to widen any of the unwound string slots yet though.. but I think this welding tip cleaner might be perfect for that task. I'll see if I can find one of my blank nuts I have at home tonight and see how well the tip cleaner cuts away at it.

That's what I do as well. Actually, I just use a bit of string near the top that will be cut off once I've wound the string. I might do a little pre-scoring with the jeweler's files if it's a Graphtech slotted nut and then do the final spec with the string.

 

[warpedsoul]

They look like they might be close to what you'd want. I don't know how well a gauged saw would work for trying to widen a slot, I think usually they'd be used for roughing in the slot. I'm not an expert on slotting though so I could be wrong. It also doesn't a .009/.010/similar which you might not need but also worth nothing.

Personally, on the wound strings at least, I just use an older string to carefully widen the slot. I haven't really had to widen any of the unwound string slots yet though.. but I think this welding tip cleaner might be perfect for that task. I'll see if I can find one of my blank nuts I have at home tonight and see how well the tip cleaner cuts away at it.

I think the biggest fear I have with the nut is cutting too deep. I will just have to take my time with that. What are some good tips about that?

I did see another luthier do as you said and use an old string to widen the slot.

 

[Mordacain]

I think the biggest fear I have with the nut is cutting too deep. I will just have to take my time with that. What are some good tips about that?

I did see another luthier do as you said and use an old string to widen the slot.

That's actually one of the things I like about that Fretguru gauge is it has a nut slot depth gauge as part of it that takes the guesswork out.

However, what I've done when replacing a nut is basically shape the replacement nut to match the old nut.

I did make the bass side too low on one Graphtech nut and wound up shimming it with a bit of aluminum which worked out pretty well for salvaging my work.

 

[Mik3D23]

I think the biggest fear I have with the nut is cutting too deep. I will just have to take my time with that. What are some good tips about that?

I did see another luthier do as you said and use an old string to widen the slot.

If you know the height you want, and you're buying them anyway, stack some feeler gauges up next to the nut.

Stewmac has lots of good information.
STEWMAC.COM : Nut Making and Setup Free information
STEWMAC.COM : Using Feeler Gauges to Control Nut Slot Depth Free information