Luthier Tools

[adam]

We ordered some sample basic Luthier Tools, from a Chinese supplier, and handed them out to some of our regulars, including DB.

The feedback was that these tools were very good value, so we ordered some and we have added them to the site.

I had a look at the prices from competitors and our prices are very attractive; but we can probably get them down even lower.

If the Forum likes the idea of some basic Luthier tools available on the site, then we can add some to our sea freight shipment and the prices will come down.

Tools are here (with Dingobass' Luthier products): https://www.pitbullguitars.com/sanding-shielding-luthier-kits/

Also, you can make up your own kit (and save 20%) here: https://www.pitbullguitars.com/shop/upgrades/pit-bull-guitars-make-your-own-luthier-tool-kit/

Let us know what you think.

[adam]

These are the Tools we have in stock
22312

[wazkelly]

Great ideas.

[Andy40]

Very very good idea

[Simon Barden]

Nice, but what about the low-price nut files you had talked about? They are probably the most important but expensive piece of equipment used in general guitar set-up, whereas a lot of the others can be found at reasonably low prices on eBay and the like. Are they available, or didn't you and DB think any samples you may have been sent were any good?

[wazkelly]

Hey Simon, all of these just placed on PBG store site are readily available on eBay. In fact I just purchased one of the fret crowning tools a few weeks ago along with some of those cheap nut files that cost about AUD $11.99 from memory. Haven't got around to using either of them yet but the nut files do look very, very flimsy.

Best part is for anyone just commencing kit building or onto 2nd or 3rd, or however many later builds, they can now buy these goodies and have them shipped with their new kit. Wish this was available 2 years ago when I first started out.

[adam]

Nice, but what about the low-price nut files you had talked about? They are probably the most important but expensive piece of equipment used in general guitar set-up, whereas a lot of the others can be found at reasonably low prices on eBay and the like. Are they available, or didn't you and DB think any samples you may have been sent were any good?

www.stewmac.com

[Simon Barden]

I'll take that as a resounding 'no'. :)

[chrissyinbkk]

Any good Simon... https://www.touchstonetonewoods.co.uk/products/tools/cutting-and-filing-tools/nut-saddle-files/top-nut-files-guitar-double-sided-set-of-3-99151425638491/

[billb]

Is the long edge of the fret rocker long enough to cover the lowest 3 frets of a normal scale bass neck?

[wokkaboy]

BillB if the fret rocker is the same size as the Stewmac one it will reach.
Good stuff Ads good range of tools. I'll check out the shop

[Fretworn]

When the money spigot is turned back to the one position (eg: when I am employed again) I will definitely be buying. Most of my guitars need their frets attended to.

[Dikkybee007]

As for the cheap nut files, I bought a set and found they were useless garbage, I then bought files that were roughly $20 each and they have done all 9 kit guitars and will probably be good enough to do the remaining 4 kits I want. Work it out at roughly $120 divided by 13 kits and it is not very expensive. As I have found over the years you can buy cheap but in the long run it doesn't work out cheap as you buy a lot of garbage before you finally buy good.

[Simon Barden]

Plus good nut files do a better job to start with.

[adam]

Nice, but what about the low-price nut files you had talked about? They are probably the most important but expensive piece of equipment used in general guitar set-up, whereas a lot of the others can be found at reasonably low prices on eBay and the like. Are they available, or didn't you and DB think any samples you may have been sent were any good?

Hey Simon, I'm sorry my friend, my initial response to this question may have been made whilst I was somewhat "tired and emotional" at the end of a very long day. We didn't actually get any nut files in as samples, but I agree this is something we will look at adding in the near future. To be honest, the ones available from this company looked a bit cheap and nasty... but that could just be their photography.

The tools are really taking off (I only added them the other night). We have a dozen order already, most for the kits; with a combo of tools.

Obviously this will be an expanding product range; although I do want to steer clear of high end, boutique Luthier Tools.

[Simon Barden]

Any good Simon... https://www.touchstonetonewoods.co.uk/products/tools/cutting-and-filing-tools/nut-saddle-files/top-nut-files-guitar-double-sided-set-of-3-99151425638491/

I forgot to reply to this.

Whilst not stated as such, I'm sure they are a Hosco nut file set, which means they are Japanese and therefore good quality. The downside is that they'll give you V shaped nut-slots, rather than straight slots, and as you can see, the smallest file size is 0.016", which means that the smallest file would have to be used for all three plain string slots if setting up for .009"s, and the top 2 strings for .010"s, whilst a .017" G string slot would have to be cut with the .026" file. Whilst I'm sure the V profile means that the string will still sit in the bottom of the slot without moving about, it does mean that if you change string gauge, the string will sit in the slot at a slightly different height, which may cause 1st fret buzzing if going down in gauge, or a need to re-cut the slots by a fraction to get the same 1st fret height if going up a gauge (which can then cause 1st fret buzzing if you then go back to the original gauge).

I did have a cheap set of this type of file and they did allow me to set up a few guitars, but I wasn't keen on the V notches they left and that's why I eventually splashed out on the set of 10 Hosco files. https://www.touchstonetonewoods.co.uk/products/tools/cutting-and-filing-tools/nut-saddle-files/top-nut-files-guitar-set-of-10-99161425638491/

What is worth looking at are the nut files Crimson Guitars make. https://crimsonguitars.com/store/nut-slotting-file-blades/
Whilst they don't do a .010" file, they do a wide range of other sizes, so you could make up a custom set just for your own string selections, or buy the whole set so you are equipped for anything for just a bit more than the TT 3 nut files set.

I've never used those Crimson files, so don't know how good they are, but I did buy a set of cheapish and very similar looking hand-made files from the US some time ago. They worked, but the files had varying degrees of sharpness, which meant some slots cut really quickly, whilst others you were sawing at for ages whilst making little progress. At least on the slow cutting files you had plenty of time to check the slot height, whilst on the faster cutting ones (especially if you had just been using a slow file), it was a bit too easy to overdo it! You may find something similar with the Crimson files.

The more guitars you work on, the bigger the benefit of getting a good set of nut files that stay sharp and cut in a similar manner.

[Simon Barden]

Adam, no problem at all, mate.

If their current offering does turn out to be rather crude, then it might be worth seeing if they can do better. It's not rocket science and I'm sure they could turn out a decent set of nut files for not too great a cost. It doesn't have to be a bargain basement price, just significantly cheaper than the current Japanese and US offerings.