Guitar Building Tools and Skills
What guitar building tools and skills do I need to build a guitar? Needs for both tools and skills can vary a bit from person to person depending on experience, budget and intent. Tools and equipment you can buy. Skills you have to develop. It takes practice.
Equipment and power tools are great time savers in getting some of the labor intensive work done such as milling. Machines are very useful and have their rightful place in guitar building. But in the end you will need to finish the job with some hand tools. I am a staunch proponent for the use of hand tools. If you can learn to use hand tools properly you can work just as efficiently as you can with machines. But you must know what you are doing and how to do it. If you can use hand tools your environment is less dusty and much more quiet. Its another thing to think about.
Only need a few pieces of woodworking equipment are essential for building guitars unless you build they for a living. But you will need a pretty good assortment of hand tools for sure. There are also some specialized guitar building tools that are made just for building guitars. And there are a number of tools and gadgets you can build yourself to help you in the shop. In this section you can get information on all these things.
In this Section
Equipment – You can make a guitar using only hand tools but at some point you may wish you had some equipment. Only a couple of basic pieces of woodworking equipment are really necessary. Learn what you really need and find out what your options are …
Power Tools – Even if you intend to make your guitar without equipment using only hand tools do your self a favor and get a few power tools. You can’t go wrong with a cordless power drill and at least one router. Find out what types of power tools you’ll need and how to use them properly…
Hand Tools – I have always been a strong voice for using hand tools. Even with a fully equipped shop I find that with many things I can do them faster and get better results with hand tools. It is possible if you know what you are doing. Learn about hand tools and how to use them …
Planes and Scrapers – planes and scrapers are so essential to guitar building that they have their own page. Using these tools properly will improve the quality of your work as well as the enjoyment you will get from doing the work. Read more…
Sharpening – Learn how to sharpen your tools and exactly what you’ll need to do the job. Contrary to popular opinion expensive diamond stones and jigs are unnecessary wen sharpening your tools if you know what you are doing. Learn what you’ll need and how to sharpen properly ….
Luthier Tools – There are only a few tools that you will need that are considered specialty lutherie tools. Luthier supply companies have catalogs full of fancy gadgets and tools that you really don’t need. I have very few, the rest I made myself. What is the minimum amount of lutherie tools you will need? Find out what luthier tools are absolultey necessary to make your guitar…
