Most Useful Stewmac Products

thegummy

Ordering more nut files from Stewmac soon and since the delivery, customs and post office fees are pretty hefty, looking at some other smallish useful things to get at the same time.

Any tips?

Not a professional by any means at all, purely hobbyist.

WezV

The small screwdriver set

http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/StewMac_Tool_Sets/Guitar_Tech_Screwdriver_Set.html

Sporky

The precision router base.

Nomad

I made my own version of their nut & saddle vice and find it very handy for holding all sorts of small things...

http://thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/96347/home-brew-tools-nut-vice

http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Types_of_Tools/Vises/Nut_and_Saddle_Vise.html

It wasn't worth me ordering on its own, but might be if you're already getting other things and don't fancy taking the DIY approach. I usually put it in a big vice, or sometimes clamp it to a board.

thermionic

Radius gauges are useful.

normula1

Sporky said:

The precision router base.

I was looking at this and their plunging version this morning.

PhilKing

The ESP multi spanner is great for pots and other flush nuts that you need to tighten or loosen:

http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Tools_by_Job/Tools_for_Electronics_and_Pickups/ESP_Multi_Spanner.html

If you do anything with semi-acoustics, this is great for holding the jack when you tighten it:

http://http//www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Tools_by_Job/Tools_for_Electronics_and_Pickups/Jack_The_Gripper.html

If you don't have a set, these are great:

http://http//www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Tools_by_Job/Tools_for_Electronics_and_Pickups/Guitar_Nutdrivers.html

This is a little expensive but makes slotting nuts really easy:

http://http//www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Our_Newest_Tools/StewMac_Safe_Slot_Nut_Guard.html

For a lot less, this is also great for marking the spacing on a nut:

http://http//www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Tools_by_Job/Tools_for_Nuts_and_Saddles/String_Spacing_Rule.html

Living in the States, I have a ton of their tools.

vasselmeyer

A toggle switch wrench. Stops you scratching teh top of your guitar when you have to tighten up the ring holding your toggle switch to the body:

http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Types_of_Tools/Wrenches/Adjustable_Toggle_Switch_Wrench.html

FelineGuitars

The fret rocker
fretwork book
notched straight edge

SteveRobinson

The least useful I ever bought was a tremolo spring installer. Not the one they sell now but one with a yellow plastic handle and a kind of crochet hook. It is worse than useless.

I agree with all the above. What I use most is probably their gauged nut files, levelling beam and diamond fret levellers.

I buy most tools these days from Tonetech in Stockport as they are only 15 minutes away from me, I just get the more esoteric stuff from Stewmac.

axisus

Sporky said:

The precision router base.

The one for a dremel?

Personally I think they are very overrated. The design is poor, I'm sure I could design something better. Still, they do have their uses, just very clunky to alter.

Corvus

That trussrod gripper, the tapered allen key jobs - at least I hope they're good, got one or two on the way to deal with a pesky Strat.

SteveRobinson

axisus said:

Sporky said:

The precision router base.

The one for a dremel?

Personally I think they are very overrated. The design is poor, I'm sure I could design something better. Still, they do have their uses, just very clunky to alter.

Yes tricky to alter both sides evenly. I see they do a plunge version now though.

thegummy

Thanks for all the suggestions.

There's a lot of things they do that looks useful but seems to be far overpriced unfortunately.

Will hopefully order a couple of extras though.