Guitar Maintenance Tools - Where in the UK?

mpc

I am wanting to invest in some guitar maintenance tools for setting up my own guitars. I want a set of radius curves, under string curves, and a notched straight edge. When i look online it appears to be Amazon has them however i bought a set and they were terrible, not accurate and the straight edge didn't even have notches ti suit a strat or gibson style.
Where in the Uk is my best bet for obtaining these tools?

phil_b

crimson guitars is one option

PeteC

I’ve had good results for things like this from GluedtoMusic.    There are quite a few others like WD Music and Northwest Guitars. 

SteveRobinson

Guitars and Woods are in Portugal and have a wide selection of tools no import duty for a few months at least...

Jazzthat

It seems , there is lack of tools for luthiers ( and enthusiasts )  manufactured in UK . 
The reason for this , likely , is that the profit wouldn't be great , given approximately small circle of potential buyers .
I am in the process of designing a fret bender and I was initially thinking of making it available (still possible ) on bigger scale . 
Sadly though I have realised that , quality of materials , time to make parts and cost of tools would be a little crazy price wise on the finished one  ...

There are few quality tools available in UK ( but not many )  , like straight notched edge from Crimson guitars , but be prepared to pay for them .

Jazzthat

SteveRobinson said:

Guitars and Woods are in Portugal and have a wide selection of tools no import duty for a few months at least...

I have been put off by their customer service , and this for me will be the last place to purchase tools .
Got three face file for fret crowning from them and when it had arrived , one of the faces was literally linished flat making it unusable  ( it wouldn't cut s... ) .
Yet , they said it was perfectly fine and they are all like this . 
So for me they are a big NO .

Rabs

I have bought some stuff from Hellfire tools. The Sanding beam was quite nice
https://www.hellfiretools.com/shop
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sawfish-Luthier-Notched-Straight-Edge/dp/B0763V3H9P/ref=pd_sbs_267_1/259-5891025-0665455?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0763V3H9P&pd_rd_r=e93208be-e269-408f-a034-fbf29b06489b&pd_rd_w=1femE&pd_rd_wg=hObPy&pf_rd_p=b9bf232d-9a8a-4c7d-aa9d-641c0995d3a2&pf_rd_r=RJHFYHHRP2YBGFMERKJJ&psc=1&refRID=RJHFYHHRP2YBGFMERKJJ

Jazzthat

Rabs said:

I have bought some stuff from Hellfire tools. The Sanding beam was quite nice
https://www.hellfiretools.com/shop
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sawfish-Luthier-Notched-Straight-Edge/dp/B0763V3H9P/ref=pd_sbs_267_1/259-5891025-0665455?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0763V3H9P&pd_rd_r=e93208be-e269-408f-a034-fbf29b06489b&pd_rd_w=1femE&pd_rd_wg=hObPy&pf_rd_p=b9bf232d-9a8a-4c7d-aa9d-641c0995d3a2&pf_rd_r=RJHFYHHRP2YBGFMERKJJ&psc=1&refRID=RJHFYHHRP2YBGFMERKJJ

I did too   . I got radius set and it  seems ok .

SteveRobinson

Jazzthat said:

SteveRobinson said:

Guitars and Woods are in Portugal and have a wide selection of tools no import duty for a few months at least...

I have been put off by their customer service , and this for me will be the last place to purchase tools .
Got three face file for fret crowning from them and when it had arrived , one of the faces was literally linished flat making it unusable  ( it wouldn't cut s... ) .
Yet , they said it was perfectly fine and they are all like this . 
So for me they are a big NO .

I've had similar from StewMac who took some convincing that a cutter didn't have any sharp edges. 

I've had some lovely fretboards from G&W recently.

WezV

SteveRobinson said:

Jazzthat said:

SteveRobinson said:

Guitars and Woods are in Portugal and have a wide selection of tools no import duty for a few months at least...

I have been put off by their customer service , and this for me will be the last place to purchase tools .
Got three face file for fret crowning from them and when it had arrived , one of the faces was literally linished flat making it unusable  ( it wouldn't cut s... ) .
Yet , they said it was perfectly fine and they are all like this . 
So for me they are a big NO .

I've had similar from StewMac who took some convincing that a cutter didn't have any sharp edges. 

I've had some lovely fretboards from G&W recently.

I have had some pretty good wood from them too,

They did miss off a blank from my last order, but sent another without hassle straight away

Corvus

The best notched straight edges I found so far are G&W's machined one, and one I made out of an engineer's steel straight edge (not a ruler, a proper st.edge).
I thought laser cut things were accurate, but it isn't so at all. Have just binned two lasered notched rulers.

Not sure about radius gauges, I would make those if needed, but Chris Alsop has some good things - whether what you're after I don't know.

Jazzthat

SteveRobinson said:

Jazzthat said:

SteveRobinson said:

Guitars and Woods are in Portugal and have a wide selection of tools no import duty for a few months at least...

I have been put off by their customer service , and this for me will be the last place to purchase tools .
Got three face file for fret crowning from them and when it had arrived , one of the faces was literally linished flat making it unusable  ( it wouldn't cut s... ) .
Yet , they said it was perfectly fine and they are all like this . 
So for me they are a big NO .

I've had similar from StewMac who took some convincing that a cutter didn't have any sharp edges. 

I've had some lovely fretboards from G&W recently.

It might have been my bad luck with them . But trying to make an engineer to believe that the file is supposed to be blunt it wasn't the best solution I have expected from well known company . 

Jazzthat

Corvus said:

The best notched straight edges I found so far are G&W's machined one, and one I made out of an engineer's steel straight edge (not a ruler, a proper st.edge).
I thought laser cut things were accurate, but it isn't so at all. Have just binned two lasered notched rulers.

Not sure about radius gauges, I would make those if needed, but Chris Alsop has some good things - whether what you're after I don't know.

I do agree , that best results can be achieved with machined straight edge . 
I did my own from 5mm mild steel bar and plated it to prevent rust .
It is a pleasure to use it and it stays in place on a fretboard on its own .

rjb2679

Was in the local pawn shop the other day and noticed a ton of woodworking tools just squirrelled away in a corner, about 4 shelves worth, decent ones dirt cheap....might be worth having a look around such shops too?

Rabs

SteveRobinson said:

Jazzthat said:

SteveRobinson said:

Guitars and Woods are in Portugal and have a wide selection of tools no import duty for a few months at least...

I have been put off by their customer service , and this for me will be the last place to purchase tools .
Got three face file for fret crowning from them and when it had arrived , one of the faces was literally linished flat making it unusable  ( it wouldn't cut s... ) .
Yet , they said it was perfectly fine and they are all like this . 
So for me they are a big NO .

I've had similar from StewMac who took some convincing that a cutter didn't have any sharp edges. 

I've had some lovely fretboards from G&W recently.

I have been getting my fretboards from a UK seller for ages.. He has some lovely Ebony and Rosewood...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/m.html?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEFSXS%3AMESOI&_ssn=bassbar1&rt=nc

PeteC

+1 for Chris Alsop guitars.   Had some really nice tools from him - especially his fret files and cutters.   Great customer service too. 

Jazzthat

PeteC said:

+1 for Chris Alsop guitars.   Had some really nice tools from him - especially his fret files and cutters.   Great customer service too. 

I also bought from him some cutters and diamond files . I haven't tried them yet so can't comment , but packaging and overall visual quality looks good to me . 

mikem8634

@Jazzthat have you considered making those notched straight edges for sale? 

Jazzthat

mikem8634 said:

@Jazzthat have you considered making those notched straight edges for sale? 

I only work for someone , therefore unfortunately I am not in position to make any parts on larger scale . 
If I get a chance in future , I'll talk to owners to consider that . 
There are quite a few handy luthiers tools that could me made on CNC . It all depends if there would be a substantial market for them .
That is because , an hour in most engineering companies starts from £60 ish and large orders could bring this down to somewhat possible affordable price .

Watch this space , the world's best fret bender is in the works ! 

PeteC

In a similar vein, accurate notched steel fretting templates would be of interest to many I expect. 

crunchman

Crimson stuff is decent quality but not cheap.  They have had problems getting deliveries out in a timely manner in the past, but the last order I made from them I got within 3 days of placing the order.

I've had stuff from Chris Alsopp as well that has been good.