Thank you so much for this information. It has always been my dream to build my own bass with hand tools. I was putting it off because I have limited space and limited tools. This clip has inspired me to just go do it, take my time on it and have fun. No matter the outcome. Again thanks a bunch!
I got the bug to start building guitars a year ago. I’ve been buying used tools here and there. I’ve also been renovating my house to get ready to sell. 8 months till I retire. I want to have all the basics. I’m a tool addict. After I bought my first plane. It was a no4 Stanley handyman. I restored it and it works beautifully. Now I own two no3 Bailey no3 type 18 planes a no4 Bailey type 18 and a no 6 Bailey type 15. And a few others that aren’t to popular. Your tools in the background is what got me started!! I blame you lol. Thank you for teaching an old dog new tricks 👍🏻👍🏻
I live in a condo, but I'm also autistic and sensitive to noise. I find hand tools gives me control over that noise (VS power tools) so I'm in the process of setting up a hand tool only shop in my spare room. Thanks for your insight, this will be helpful!
After 26 years of playing (& countless pounds on repairs/setups), I'm finally starting to work with my own guitars. Slowly filling my 1 bed - flat with the "necessary" tools. Thanks for your great tuition & tools, BC 👍
I watched my dad play guitar 😊repair my acoustic neck when I slipped and broke it making a new head from scratch and grafting in on then repairing a violin or two and all done with the minimum of tools but the one thing I remember is he would always sharpen up any tools before he used them and just like you he'd say that a cutting tool is only as good as its edge
I just recently got interested in guitar building (I actually only started playing about 11 months ago), and your channel is already one of my new favorites after just discovering it yesterday. This video in particular has inspired me to try it out for myself because you've shown that it doesn't have to be complicated. Thank you so much - keep up the excellent work!
Thank you @doughboy you will have an incredible journey, this is such a cool hobby in many ways and I am glad I get to help people get into it. Thanks for watching. B
Easily the most helpful channel I've found. I've been wanting to get into woodworking for some time now. With the main focus being to build guitars. I cleaned out the garage and finally decided to invest in some quality tools. Which was pretty intimidating, because I had no idea exactly what I would need. Ben, you cover it all. Thank you!
I think quite highly of this. A very useful breakdown of "must" and "really should" haves! Other useful considerations : -A Stable, TALL Worksurface -Portable Worklight -Rags (cut from old clothing) -Razor or Craft Knife -Sanding Sponges -Magnetic Parts Dish -Freezer Bags (parts together and protected) -Steel Scrapers -Clamps (PPE _was_ mentioned but these are great bits of cheap safety equipment): -Workgloves (tight fit) -Goggles (safety/magnifying) -Dustmask
@@CrimsonCustomGuitars I shall indeed, but in the meantime you may enjoy these. ibb.co/tmms1sK ibb.co/LzVLfqJ ibb.co/kgsXLjX ibb.co/ygghSN5 ibb.co/MnqR4FZ This was a cheap £70 kit that i bought and put together with the parts it came with at the start. I've since completely stripped it back and redone it with your purple and black wood stains. Tried to do a black to purple burst, but didn't turn out how i wanted. Replaced all the electronics and hardware. I used pickups from a company called Iron Gear, based in England. £60 for 2 Humbucker and excellent quality. Soldering is a bit of a mess since i bought a soldering iron with too big a tip. I've also refretted the neck with XJ frets, smug mode was activated when i done this. I'm happy with this for a first go with a kit, but still plenty of room to improve
For some more expensive and maybe unnecessary tools that will make the job way easier and faster I'd add a bench vice, drill press, angle grinder, Finger sander, spindle sander, thickness sander, belt / disk sander, Dremel /rotary tool, band saw/ jigsaw, a ton of various sized wood clamps, some mdf or Plexi glass for doing templates, extra wood or aluminum for building jigs, and good set of forstner bits. The Your list is pretty spot on for essential stuff those other things just make it a lot easier
Being the owner of an extremely small low budget workshop I would say that my list of essential tools would be: - some kind of plain - a router - a 1m ruler - a square - maybe a 5h pencil - a cheap band saw (Amazon has some decent options) - a caliper - tons of sandpaper of all grits - a 3/4 chisel - a soldering iron - extremely fine sandpaper or a sharpening stone - some kind of painting tool - a round and a plain file - a scraper The end :u
As a cabinet maker and furniture maker I really appreciate this video... your very correct on the tools! As a guitar player in taking the plunge and going to give making a bass for my father a go.....
I totally agree, apart from 2 Budget ideas, which really work: Modified feeler gauges for nut slotting (including a handle, sort of a tool with interchangeble blades) Extruded aluminium as levelling beams, After you have them planed wirh sandpaper on floating glass or tiles. If youre on a Budget, these things will do the Job as good and as convenient, but the require you to bring some time. And as you said, in the end, its time you can save by buying better/preciser/more conevenient Tools.
I built my own guitar. By far the most important tool I used was a router. It cut my guitar body to size using a template I made... using a router. Next was a drill. I cut out the cavities I first pre drilled holes then routered them to shape. Next was a shinto file I used for all shaping and comfort cuts. I used 2 files for finer shaping, 1 half round, 1 flat. After that was a rotating disc sander. I used it to shape edges and smooth the body. Finally, cabinet scrapers to get a smooth finish, combined with various grades of sandpaper attached to a spirit level to make sure everything was flat and true. I should add, I made my own router sledge to get the wood for the body smooth , flat to thickness and true to level.
I agree with all of these. I have a lot more lol but these are mandatory. Something else Ill add, most specifically for those of us with arthritic hands? Get the Saddle/nut sanding jig. I will never work on an acoustic guitar without it again.
I couldn't agree more with your choices Ben..but if I may add one of top tools I feel are essential you left out..scrapers..a cabinet card style an if your good with tin snips cut your own kidney shaped or custom contour to your liking...there is no replacing it in my arsenal...an I do it all by hand except for the few power tools you shown ...an I use them on necks an body shaping an for cleaning up surfaces I use sand paper( I hate sandind!) but not as much as scraper!
I have started building guitars this year, I love using hand tools, many of which have been scrounged, disability sure restricts spending power. I built my first cigar box guitar with one of those four files in one, a claw hammer, and a tenon saw my wife had. Somebody gave me some chisels, and gradually built my kit. Now, a Shinto rasp, two cabinet scrapers, and a decent saw are my most used tools. One day, I will buy lots of lovely stuff, for now, I just enjoy the process of slowly building a guitar.
"Specialist tools" is a fancy way of saying "the right tools to do the job." I need to order the fretting tools before I dive into my first guitar build. Have everything else. And clamps. Norm Abrams said you can never have enough clamps. He was soooooo right.
I'm glad you mentioned scraping as appose to sanding, because I've always wondered, if you can get a clean cut finish with pretty shavings to scoop up into the bin and less dust to inhale, destroy your lungs and sweep/vacuum up, why does everyone sand? It's like shaving hairs off skin or clipping nails as appose to picking or filing them as far as I'm concerned, especially when you have figured wood.
I would like to appreciate you at this point. I can honestly say that you are the second nicest person to watch on the internet right after Michael Stevens.
Hi Ben, a bit late to the party watching this video, but wanted to say that you are absolutely correct about the Shinto Saw Rasp. It’s probably the tool I use the most and carve all my necks with it and have pretty much given up on using spoke shaves etc to do the job. Iwasaki files are also brilliant. Always buy one great tool rather than a dozen so so ones.
I would like to suggest a video series of budget builds where the budget is for the tools to be used. Ben then builds the guitar from scratch using only those tools within a given budget. Each budget would use different tools and so require different techniques for Ben to discuss. Do a few videos at different price points. Once you have the guitars, do a blind test with a few players to see which guitar was the most preferred. Discuss the effect of the tools on the player preferences. Just a thought...
Here in the States it's relatively cheap to buy power tools. If you're on a tight budget you can always buy electric power tools they don't need to be battery operated to work. That's just like routers they're very expensive brand new but if you go to a site like craigslist you can pick up brand new routers for a quarter of what the people originally paid for them. Guys go out and buy these tools and never ever use them and when they start downsizing they put their tools up for sale. I've been watching you for a while and I enjoy your videos.
Nice List. I've recently sold my house and moved into an apartment. Your list is nice. As someone who is gone through this challenge, here's my list: 1/4", 3/4". 1" nicely sharpened chisels. Smoothing plane, orbital sander, drill, drummer plus the circle cutter tool (I build hollow bodies) sanding paper of all kinds, types, (Adhesive backed), 3m structural tape, a couple of rat tail rasps and a couple (Curve on one side / flat on the other). A screw driver, fret saw, a couple of Japanese saws, jig saw, superglue, titebond glue, sanding blocks of various shapes and sizes. wedges made out of scraps, lots of clamps, (1 nail + popsicle stick per build), cabinet scrapers (a thick and a thin one nicely burled). Rulers, squares, spline curve, template, mould. That is the list of stuff on my Dining table that is covered with 3'4" plywood (4 x 2 feet and under it I have a 3 x 5' 1/2" particle board . Finally a universal Leevalley Vise. Most of my tools are from #leeValley
As I discovered early on (I've only really taken a few really cheap guitars and upgraded pickups, neck, fret dressing etc) but the first thing I realised I really had to have was a Vice followed closely by clamps!!
Still so many more tools needed. How are you going to thickness the wood? You need wood glue & lots of clamps. How do you cut the body out and then sand to the final shape? Hard with that hand sander. You'll need a square, even if just to use the plane. You'll need something to radius and cut the fret wire, something to radius the fretboard. You'll need a spanner to fit hardware (although your nan might have one the right size). And a soldering iron for the electronics.
I’m basically building fretted erhu’s by wire-wrapping a fingerboard and attaching it to the neck with adjustable screws. The strings are about the most accurate “straight edge” I can imagine, so I correct any bowing of the fingerboard once the instrument is already strung and tuned up. Works great!
Aspireing Luthier here! I've been able to get by without a router, instead i use a Dremel with its tip running through a flat scrap piece of wood! They make router tips for them and they are far quieter then an actual router 👍
@@CrimsonCustomGuitars it works pretty well to be honest, not as fast as a router for sure, but it takes up far less space and to adjust the depth you just get thicker pieces of scrap wood 👍
I have just taken delivery today for my tool order from Crimson, Thanks Ben!! I am getting excited to open it like a kid at Christmas. Happened to be watching this before it arrived. :D The only thing I couldn't get from you was a Notched straight edge for Bass, any ideas when these will be available again?
I remember going into tool shops with my Dad as a small child & the feeling of wonderment at all the different items & curiosity as to their use. Now when i go in a tool shop, I can’t get past the ‘oooh that’s a nice..... HOW MUCH..!!!!’ Confucius say ‘He who dies with the most tools wins...’ you are so far in front of us mere mortals Ben, we may as well give up now.
I've been shaping my first ever guitar lately and I've been using the Japanese saw rasp for quite a lot of it. It's fun to work with and I can think of all sorts of other projects it could come in handy for. I think another UA-camr recommended having one. Thanks for the video. Very good information to have.
I have managed to acquire a lot of these tools over the past year, and have begun work on my first guitar out of some american ash that a neighbor cut down (a small, 18.9" scale length guitar for my 5 year old, since he won't mind the mistakes too much.) I would say the Japanese Saw Rasp (should have watched to the end of the video before mentioning that lol) would make for an excellent tool to add to that list. Using that and you're video on how to make the bass guitar, I've just about completed the guitar neck. It's not perfect mind you, and I definitely need more practice, but man, that tool and the technique were extremely helpful! A band saw is also helpful, or a jig saw. And the jewelers saw and notched thingy to cut out inlays. Thank you so much for these videos and the encouragement you give.
I had a good leveling beam, but wanted a longer one. I bought one two feet long that was a generic piece of extruded aluminum. It was pretty straight, but not good enough. I had also bought a piece of float glass two feet by one foot and a half inch thick. I buy rolls of sticky back sand paper and usually keep a strip of 150 or 220 and a strip of 400 on the glass. I used the float glass and sandpaper to make sure the leveling beam was up to snuff. I use the glass and sandpaper or leveling beam a lot to make sure wood is flat. I also have a high quality straight edge for reference. I can't afford the planes I want yet, so I use the leveling beam with sandpaper a lot. I also know a guy with a drum sander, but with quality 150 grit, I can remove quite a bit of material pretty quickly.
Hi Ben. This is a very useful video. I have a challenge ( if you get interested) : Build a guitar with a multilaminate body that is however kind of thin (something along the lines of a parker fly in terms of proportions). I have really been thinking how that would turn out and you are the right person for the job. Four laminates for the body (back, middle 1, middle 2, top). Thanks for all the great content lately.
I couldn't imagine building a guitar without my 14” bandsaw. As far as limited room I picked up a roller base for my big band saw and bench top tools for the rest of my power tools. Keeps a compact size in 1/4 of my 2 car garage. Helps keep the missus from complaining too much.
I really want a 14" band saw and almost bought one recently, but got a screamin' deal on a new pair of skis. I've been spending around a hundred bucks or so a week on specialty tools, but I really need to hang back and get some big stuff. I need a bigger drill press, too.
I've been doing the same with the specialty tools. A few here and there. My bench top drill press is plenty for now. I'm trying to save for a CNC machine now.
I've got a few tools over the years from Ben and Crimson. All good. I'm not a luthier. The Shinto saw rasp is a tool you may not even know about. They are so useful - and are not just for wood. Crimson sells them. (I have no connection to Ben or any of his businesses! I am the guy who phoned up recently, Ben - you listening?? - to suggest you consider mandolin and ukulele kits - especially the neck with a truss rod!)
Hey man.. that message did get to me and we are looking into the kits.. new laser cutter that is coming soon could make it possible! And the saw rasp rules! B
I highly recommend getting a set of drill bits going up by 0.1mm increments. My days of screwing the heads off the screws for machine heads are (hopefully) over thanks to those, although I could do with a decent set of screwdrivers. I'd like to see a video on different types of chisels / gouges for carving, since that's something I want to try out next year.
@@thejamjar8761 I just bought a cheap set from Amazon, there are several that go from 1 to 6mm (including a couple of more expensive sets). They aren't the best bits around (so I can't specifically recommend them) but none of them have broken yet. I also bought a set from 6 to 10mm which are occasionally useful, but the 1 to 6 set is very useful, especially for smaller screws.
I joined a maker space to get access to all the tools I couldn't afford. Like a router table, table saw or jointer/planer. For a small monthly fee I have use of the tools and a place to work.
So nice to see someone who's not trying to lie about tools. I have always told my customers "give me a saw a hammer and a screwdriver and ill build you a house"
I still love having, and selling, loads of tools and admit there are huge time and ease savings with specialist tools of all sorts.. but if you are on a budget that doesn't mean you should be excluded from this club, not by a long shot.. when I started out I could hardly afford to eat let alone buy anywhere near the tools I have now.. hell.. more than once I sold my tools in order to buy food! B
I would add a dremel tool to the mix and a jigsaw. I have been working on guitars since 1983 and have segued into carpentry (cabinets and shaker doors) and if you want to go to another level I would add power tools such as a table saw (with a collection of wooden jigs you can make yourself), a router table, a band saw, a chop saw and a lot of clamps.
Totally agree with the saw rasp... They're fantastic. I got one a few months back and it's so versatile - it can hog off material so quickly, and then be incredibly delicate.
I prefer a flap disc on an angle grinder, because I already had them. Neck carving and making belly cuts is a joy with that setup. Those rasps look decent though. I use an old 20" bastard file, found in my dad's old tools, to finish off.
I payed out for a big name battery drill this year after using cheap ones since my teens. It was on of those tools where I regret not doing it sooner. The difference was just amazing, so yes it’s expensive but certainly worth it in the end. I also have been using cheap drill bits for years and again spent on a few “okay” ones and was amazed how much difference they made. As I need them I will be starting to grab high end stuff for fine work from here on.
Follow up: those saw rasps are awesome and cost buttons. I got one in Axminster back in the pre dairy days. Still haven’t built a guitar with it (life etc etc) but it’s been used a few times and my gosh it shreds through material.
Yes I agree but fret files ? On my Leatherman their is a diamond file perfect for putting a ball end radius on a fret better than the Gibson Custom shop or Fender etc without leaving the customary Gibson Custom marks on the fretboard . It also has a groove for sharpening fish hooks but will sharpen anything tiny for inlays . Needless to say my Leatherman goes everywhere I go as 5he screw driver bits fit US guitars . Japanese saw rasp nice but a good long and short rasp definitely , if not an old draw knife like the bowyers used and a spokesman ( a fiver for both well spent) . The only thing Japanese I have is my sushi knife . With a 4" angle grinder you can now get attachments that with do everything from shaping to polishing and also make short work of cutting brass or aluminium flat shaping and polishing if you make your own nuts , bridges etc . With mine I have grooved a smooth shaft rotary switch to take a 6mm splined pot . Apart from using your granny to hold everything while you hack away , some sort of work bench , vice thingy . You saw fancy long drills in use . You can buy " aircraft length" drills from drill shops and they are not that expensive but for wood you can make whatever length drill you need from a length or plain steel rod say 4mm diameter , heat the end , flatten it and use your angle grinder to make a brad point flat drill the size you want with a little careful grinding on your angle grinder , that will whizz through any wood and also soft grades of aluminium . The first one I ever made was for a full length cleaning rod in a very long gunstock and it drilled a very long hole and came out exactly where it should have done and the 5/16" cleaning rod slid in with enough tension to keep it in place while shooting this reproduction piece . The tool not mentioned and is absolutely essential without anything else is YOU ( and maybe a bit of ' Tool ' blasting in your headphones!). Practice with the tools you have got on scrap until you can use them as you would a pencil or knife and fork, then move on to the next level . Then use granny's sewing machine to wind pickups !
How could you forget the Shinto rasp! Almost all the GGBO builders used one. It was almost a game to see when the Shinto would come out. I'm building up a collection of Triton power tools but was disappointed recently, when I needed to replace my drill, to find that they currently only do a little 12V model. Hopefully they will reintroduce the 18 and 20V drills before I need another replacement.
Ace advice as always. 😊 Fact is, you ask 10 woodworkers for their 10 essential tools and you’ll get 10 different answers, but I guarantee all of those lists will include a saw of some sort and a set of chisels. Probably a plane too. You might want to make an exact replica of a ‘59 Les Paul, but you won’t do that straight away. Start small and start easy: make a little box. Even just a simple box/finger joint with two bits of wood. Build your tool collection gradually as and when you can. Upgrade tools as you go. Build your skill and experience with patience. You’ll get there. Everyone has to start somewhere.
I did a great-guitar-build-along with y'all and made my first ever scratch-built guitar last month. You covered most of the tools I found essential in my garage workshop, but what I really need to build before my next guitar is a good workbench with better work-holding options. The top of my tool chest is a good surface, but there's no way to hold anything on it. Also, I can always use more clamps. :D
wen i decided to make my stratocaster body i ran into a problem..i had no tools! i ended up using a saw from the 1920s a hand powered drill and bits a pocket knife chisels small hand plane a rasp and a few other files and sandpaper tung oil and nitro lacquer...i did a mahogany back 50-50 maple top,that way the comfort curves could be delt with rather than bending and gluing a thin top. it turned out fantastic! i reclaimed the wood from antique furniture witch was the key to a successful outcome i think. all i know is that fender has never made one like this one. i asked them and they told me that they could but it would cost way more than if i did it myself.
For shaping / hogging wood from a neck blank I use a Farrier's rasp. (the ones they file horse hooves with) I get mine for free.When the farrier finds them too dull for hoof work they're still plenty sharp for use on wood! And, Free is for ME! LOL!
Once upon a time I was a snow ski tech. Now days ski's are largely tuned by machines, but back when it involved a lot of work with files, scrapers, and various hand tools. One thing I learned the value of was annoyingly bright lights over your bench. It's easy to overlook, but you just can't do really good work when you can't see what you are doing.
I agree.. but also a variety of different colours of light really really helps.. yellow, blue, daylight etc.. really highlights things you may otherwise have missed. B
I suppose if you're using nothing but hand tools, dust collection and PPE may not be such a big deal, but I think as soon as you start using power tools like sanders, routers, etc., you need dust collection and breathing protection, as well as hearing protection (as you point out in the video).
The thing about specialist guitar tools: they're like mice. Start with a couple and before you know it, they've proliferated in your cabinet to consume all the space. Good choices, though the situation changes somewhat when one moves into the acoustic guitar world. This requires some means of bending the sides. But, if one has a butane powered torch and a thick metal pipe . . . Then, there are the molds. . . The Saw-Rasp made my neck-carving SO much faster and easier.
The eleventeen essential tools and sixty two tangents... OH! And a Japanese saw rasp! Thanks again for these glimpses inside your head Ben, the decor is hypnotically chaotic but the passion for and. love of the process is what really stands out. I for one would love to see what you can create from a clean sheet, three mugs of coffee and the tools on the bench :D
Hey Crimson Guitars ... thanks at last for this ... its the little details that really help saving money when buying your first specialized tools and powertools ... its also nice knowing details eg what grit of sandpaper for specific jobs eg acoustic saddle lowering or fret levelling ... saves a lot of guess work and unneccessary financial wastage for newbies ! Much appreciated this video
One thing I would add, is a coping saw specifically, for cutting out a body or neck. They can be found at any hardware store, they are super affordable, as are the blades. It isn't the best or the quickest saw out there, but it's great for that first build!
What a solid video man , congrats. Groovy attitude, and diction, nice edit, and groovy music at the end . i had heard of Crimson guitars before, actually.. It was nice bumping into this video, and find out what you/they are all about. thanks for the video (i’ve been trying to figure out the best way to start modding guitars myself) This was really good. cheers from Portugal ;)
Another awesome video. Japanese saw rasp and spoke shave were first two woodworking tools when making a cgb guitar... thanks to Ben. And my simple plans to just replace the electronics on an old epiphone S style have notes become a total teardown and refinish... thanks to Ben and his videos. Can't wait to try his stains and oils.
Get a moto or dremel tool and I gurantee you will use it not only on guitars but around your house. I use one to cut the stainless steel frets with the thin cutoff wheels that will keep the fret from overheating. The advice on accumulating tools is one I give when tool shopping for car. Buy the tools progressively. Don't buy a tool thinking you might some day use it. Buy it when you need it. Also, try to consolidate as many job task into a single tool as possible otherwise you end up with too many tools. For refrets, all you need is a triangular file for the fret crowning and a fret rocker. Hammer in the frets and then use the fret rocker to spot check the frets that are high. File down the tops of the frets and then check again with fret rocker. When you go thru all the frets only then do you crown the fret tops. Using a level beam speeds the process. Also, get a digital caliper that has millimeters, inches and fractions on it. You'll use it to size the old frets and figuring out thickness of the fret tang for the existing fret slot and trying to get a new fret with the same dimensions. I got a husky brand from Home depot for like twenty bucks.
I love how busy you've been bringing us lots of interesting content over the short while Ben 😁 I'll need to take a page from your book and start posting again after my GGBO2020 diaster 😅
Hi Ben Only built 2 guitars (a cbg and a little travel one from a John Blakey design) and I too kneel before the saw rasp. Gets used in pretty much every woodworking project I do (building a caravan at the moment and then a canoe to do). Thanks for the videos as I wouldn't have my guitar without them. Still can't play it for toffee though.
I prefer using forsener bits than a router, just due to the loudness of routers and that using a drill is less powerful so you can see it go wrong quicker and it won't be as severe
Regarding the crowning files, starting with a triangular file for a beginner, e.g. myself, will take a few meters of fretwire and time. It's great for understanding what I'm actually trying to do and stuff, but honestly, I would spend 30$-50$ on a purpose tool(same price as a proper triangular). Currently rocking the Hosco, the ones without a handle, and Baroque's latest iteration - either one does it without costing a kidney; the latter also works nicely on worn frets. Importantly, saves the time and money to progress the job and frustrate over wood-related matters. That being said, a proper triangular file must be a must to have and learn anyway. Also teaches you to be less of an "appliance tool" for tools and more of understanding what, why, and how. Sooo, 80-90 usds for both is a bargain and good. Oh, almost forgot. There's that single-use thingy for the goddamn fret tang. Pay the money. Better sooner, than later.
A true flat surface, glass or someting like that. You can tune up your planes, sharpen planes and chssels, etc... I made my own leveling beam makeing it true flat there...
I would also say if you're going to radius your own fretboard a set of gauges to check on that radius would be quite useful. Also I'm naughty and use my fret crowning file to round the ends as well ;)
Forgot clamps? :) I think the buy the best you can thing is certainly true but it applies more so to some things than others especially when starting out with a one off guitar. I've found cheap ail express router bits, silverline planes, forstner bits, pillar drills, hand drills, routers, oil stones, rulers, clamps, angle grinders, sanders, hand saws, wood files all to be perfectly usable at the budget end of the market. Sure More expensive stuff can be better and last longer, but the cheap stuff is perfectly usable especially if you buy branded stuff like Bahco or magnussen or bosch. Where I really feel it really matters is any power tool you want to use a fence on and get a true 90 degree cut like table/band saws, Gouges used in hand carving hard woods, and Luther specific tools like fret cutters and nut files. These are the areas where I've found buying cheap is throwing money away.
Brilliant list. Fortunately I was able to invest in Crimson Tools for almost the whole list. However, sanding is fairly therapeutic for me, so I just hand sand.
How about doing a building project where you only use a chisel and a mallet (+a few essential tools for more specific jobs like a hand drill or a screwdriver)? I've had very limited arsenal of tools when I started with woodworking and found that if you're patient enough you really can build anything with just a chisel (provided you have the means and know-how to sharpen it). No router, no sandpaper, no plain - a chisel can do all those jobs. I think you'd make a cracking guitar with only a chisel, Ben!
Ben, what about clamps? When I'm stumped about to do something without the latest and greatest power tool, I remind myself that guitars were built long before convenient power tools were available!
"If you lose your center line, life gets squiffy, quickly"
Words to live by.... 🙂
That quote needs to be on a t-shirt.
this is like a metaphor for life !
That's why pencils are for!
Thank you so much for this information. It has always been my dream to build my own bass with hand tools. I was putting it off because I have limited space and limited tools. This clip has inspired me to just go do it, take my time on it and have fun. No matter the outcome. Again thanks a bunch!
Thank you, very glad to have inspired you to make a start.
I got the bug to start building guitars a year ago. I’ve been buying used tools here and there. I’ve also been renovating my house to get ready to sell. 8 months till I retire. I want to have all the basics. I’m a tool addict. After I bought my first plane. It was a no4 Stanley handyman. I restored it and it works beautifully. Now I own two no3 Bailey no3 type 18 planes a no4 Bailey type 18 and a no 6 Bailey type 15. And a few others that aren’t to popular. Your tools in the background is what got me started!!
I blame you lol.
Thank you for teaching an old dog new tricks 👍🏻👍🏻
I live in a condo, but I'm also autistic and sensitive to noise. I find hand tools gives me control over that noise (VS power tools) so I'm in the process of setting up a hand tool only shop in my spare room.
Thanks for your insight, this will be helpful!
Do ear defenders help?
I made my first guitar during lock down with some traditional tools from my Dad and my wife's grandfather. Was great fun and very rewarding.
Definitely do an "Only The Essentials" build 💪
Flex? Will do. B
There is a series of videos Ben building a guitar using limited tools on Triton channel. You might want to check it out.
I got my first Shinto rasp a few months back and it's now my favorite tool. I can't remember life without it.
After 26 years of playing (& countless pounds on repairs/setups), I'm finally starting to work with my own guitars. Slowly filling my 1 bed - flat with the "necessary" tools. Thanks for your great tuition & tools, BC 👍
“You don’t need to surround yourself with all these tools.” What kind of role model are you?
I get the joke but I do appreciate a master builder who doesn't use a $900 Woodpeckers speed square to make a straight line
@@adamrowedotcom Totally!
Yeah, Ben lost me there.
He likes tools is that a bad thing? Some persons buy cars. Peace....
I watched my dad play guitar 😊repair my acoustic neck when I slipped and broke it making a new head from scratch and grafting in on then repairing a violin or two and all done with the minimum of tools but the one thing I remember is he would always sharpen up any tools before he used them and just like you he'd say that a cutting tool is only as good as its edge
I just recently got interested in guitar building (I actually only started playing about 11 months ago), and your channel is already one of my new favorites after just discovering it yesterday. This video in particular has inspired me to try it out for myself because you've shown that it doesn't have to be complicated. Thank you so much - keep up the excellent work!
Thank you @doughboy you will have an incredible journey, this is such a cool hobby in many ways and I am glad I get to help people get into it. Thanks for watching. B
Yo man it's been 2 years,how was the built?
Easily the most helpful channel I've found.
I've been wanting to get into woodworking for some time now. With the main focus being to build guitars. I cleaned out the garage and finally decided to invest in some quality tools. Which was pretty intimidating, because I had no idea exactly what I would need.
Ben, you cover it all. Thank you!
My pleasure Jules, I am.really glad to help. The more people building guitars the better imo.
I think quite highly of this. A very useful breakdown of "must" and "really should" haves!
Other useful considerations :
-A Stable, TALL Worksurface
-Portable Worklight
-Rags (cut from old clothing)
-Razor or Craft Knife
-Sanding Sponges
-Magnetic Parts Dish
-Freezer Bags (parts together and protected)
-Steel Scrapers
-Clamps
(PPE _was_ mentioned but these are great bits of cheap safety equipment):
-Workgloves (tight fit)
-Goggles (safety/magnifying)
-Dustmask
17:05 min in... i absolutely LOVE! that headstock Exoskeleton!!!
I've slowly been acquiring all this for a year and a half. The first from scratch build is near!!
I would love to see it.. send pics when you are done? B
@@CrimsonCustomGuitars I shall indeed, but in the meantime you may enjoy these.
ibb.co/tmms1sK
ibb.co/LzVLfqJ
ibb.co/kgsXLjX
ibb.co/ygghSN5
ibb.co/MnqR4FZ
This was a cheap £70 kit that i bought and put together with the parts it came with at the start. I've since completely stripped it back and redone it with your purple and black wood stains. Tried to do a black to purple burst, but didn't turn out how i wanted.
Replaced all the electronics and hardware. I used pickups from a company called Iron Gear, based in England. £60 for 2 Humbucker and excellent quality. Soldering is a bit of a mess since i bought a soldering iron with too big a tip.
I've also refretted the neck with XJ frets, smug mode was activated when i done this.
I'm happy with this for a first go with a kit, but still plenty of room to improve
For some more expensive and maybe unnecessary tools that will make the job way easier and faster I'd add a bench vice, drill press, angle grinder, Finger sander, spindle sander, thickness sander, belt / disk sander, Dremel /rotary tool, band saw/ jigsaw, a ton of various sized wood clamps, some mdf or Plexi glass for doing templates, extra wood or aluminum for building jigs, and good set of forstner bits. The Your list is pretty spot on for essential stuff those other things just make it a lot easier
Being the owner of an extremely small low budget workshop I would say that my list of essential tools would be:
- some kind of plain
- a router
- a 1m ruler
- a square
- maybe a 5h pencil
- a cheap band saw (Amazon has some decent options)
- a caliper
- tons of sandpaper of all grits
- a 3/4 chisel
- a soldering iron
- extremely fine sandpaper or a sharpening stone
- some kind of painting tool
- a round and a plain file
- a scraper
The end :u
A very good starting place for sure.
You forgot the need for a bazillion clamps.
And eye protection to go with the ear protection.
Yeah, I have like 75 clamps and don't use probably 20 of them, but want 10 more.
As a cabinet maker and furniture maker I really appreciate this video... your very correct on the tools! As a guitar player in taking the plunge and going to give making a bass for my father a go.....
no.4 hand plane, 2-3 chisels, India stone, dozuki saw, copying saw, shinto rasp, files, cabinet scraper, drill, combination square, vernier, thickness caliper, straight edge, clamps, masking tape, wax paper, titebond glue, superglue
Thanks, Ben!
I totally agree, apart from 2 Budget ideas, which really work:
Modified feeler gauges for nut slotting (including a handle, sort of a tool with interchangeble blades)
Extruded aluminium as levelling beams, After you have them planed wirh sandpaper on floating glass or tiles.
If youre on a Budget, these things will do the Job as good and as convenient, but the require you to bring some time. And as you said, in the end, its time you can save by buying better/preciser/more conevenient Tools.
I built my own guitar. By far the most important tool I used was a router. It cut my guitar body to size using a template I made... using a router.
Next was a drill. I cut out the cavities I first pre drilled holes then routered them to shape.
Next was a shinto file I used for all shaping and comfort cuts. I used 2 files for finer shaping, 1 half round, 1 flat.
After that was a rotating disc sander. I used it to shape edges and smooth the body.
Finally, cabinet scrapers to get a smooth finish, combined with various grades of sandpaper attached to a spirit level to make sure everything was flat and true.
I should add, I made my own router sledge to get the wood for the body smooth , flat to thickness and true to level.
Nice one! B
I agree with all of these. I have a lot more lol but these are mandatory.
Something else Ill add, most specifically for those of us with arthritic hands? Get the Saddle/nut sanding jig. I will never work on an acoustic guitar without it again.
I couldn't agree more with your choices Ben..but if I may add one of top tools I feel are essential you left out..scrapers..a cabinet card style an if your good with tin snips cut your own kidney shaped or custom contour to your liking...there is no replacing it in my arsenal...an I do it all by hand except for the few power tools you shown ...an I use them on necks an body shaping an for cleaning up surfaces I use sand paper( I hate sandind!) but not as much as scraper!
I have started building guitars this year, I love using hand tools, many of which have been scrounged, disability sure restricts spending power. I built my first cigar box guitar with one of those four files in one, a claw hammer, and a tenon saw my wife had. Somebody gave me some chisels, and gradually built my kit. Now, a Shinto rasp, two cabinet scrapers, and a decent saw are my most used tools. One day, I will buy lots of lovely stuff, for now, I just enjoy the process of slowly building a guitar.
"Specialist tools" is a fancy way of saying "the right tools to do the job."
I need to order the fretting tools before I dive into my first guitar build. Have everything else.
And clamps. Norm Abrams said you can never have enough clamps. He was soooooo right.
I'm glad you mentioned scraping as appose to sanding, because I've always wondered, if you can get a clean cut finish with pretty shavings to scoop up into the bin and less dust to inhale, destroy your lungs and sweep/vacuum up, why does everyone sand? It's like shaving hairs off skin or clipping nails as appose to picking or filing them as far as I'm concerned, especially when you have figured wood.
I would like to appreciate you at this point. I can honestly say that you are the second nicest person to watch on the internet right after Michael Stevens.
I don’t play neither build guitar, but love building stuff with wood and find your videos very inspiring. Keep up with this awesome work!
Hi Ben, a bit late to the party watching this video, but wanted to say that you are absolutely correct about the Shinto Saw Rasp. It’s probably the tool I use the most and carve all my necks with it and have pretty much given up on using spoke shaves etc to do the job. Iwasaki files are also brilliant. Always buy one great tool rather than a dozen so so ones.
the shinto rasp is one of those tools, the day you first used one should be forever etched into your mind :)
I would like to suggest a video series of budget builds where the budget is for the tools to be used. Ben then builds the guitar from scratch using only those tools within a given budget. Each budget would use different tools and so require different techniques for Ben to discuss. Do a few videos at different price points. Once you have the guitars, do a blind test with a few players to see which guitar was the most preferred. Discuss the effect of the tools on the player preferences. Just a thought...
12:22 you can take that piece of any hard metal and take it to a guy that has that car head resurfacing cnc and mill it almost perfectly flat
Let's make "squiffy" a thing for 2021.
Who's with me?
Wasn’t this year squiffy enough?
If 2021 needs anything, it's a goddamn centreline.
Here in the States it's relatively cheap to buy power tools. If you're on a tight budget you can always buy electric power tools they don't need to be battery operated to work. That's just like routers they're very expensive brand new but if you go to a site like craigslist you can pick up brand new routers for a quarter of what the people originally paid for them. Guys go out and buy these tools and never ever use them and when they start downsizing they put their tools up for sale.
I've been watching you for a while and I enjoy your videos.
Nice List. I've recently sold my house and moved into an apartment. Your list is nice. As someone who is gone through this challenge, here's my list: 1/4", 3/4". 1" nicely sharpened chisels. Smoothing plane, orbital sander, drill, drummer plus the circle cutter tool (I build hollow bodies) sanding paper of all kinds, types, (Adhesive backed), 3m structural tape, a couple of rat tail rasps and a couple (Curve on one side / flat on the other). A screw driver, fret saw, a couple of Japanese saws, jig saw, superglue, titebond glue, sanding blocks of various shapes and sizes. wedges made out of scraps, lots of clamps, (1 nail + popsicle stick per build), cabinet scrapers (a thick and a thin one nicely burled). Rulers, squares, spline curve, template, mould. That is the list of stuff on my Dining table that is covered with 3'4" plywood (4 x 2 feet and under it I have a 3 x 5' 1/2" particle board . Finally a universal Leevalley Vise. Most of my tools are from #leeValley
As a former auto tech, the statement of you get what you pay for on tools is spot on! I would love to see a minimal tool build.
As I discovered early on (I've only really taken a few really cheap guitars and upgraded pickups, neck, fret dressing etc) but the first thing I realised I really had to have was a Vice followed closely by clamps!!
Still so many more tools needed. How are you going to thickness the wood? You need wood glue & lots of clamps. How do you cut the body out and then sand to the final shape? Hard with that hand sander. You'll need a square, even if just to use the plane. You'll need something to radius and cut the fret wire, something to radius the fretboard. You'll need a spanner to fit hardware (although your nan might have one the right size). And a soldering iron for the electronics.
I’m basically building fretted erhu’s by wire-wrapping a fingerboard and attaching it to the neck with adjustable screws. The strings are about the most accurate “straight edge” I can imagine, so I correct any bowing of the fingerboard once the instrument is already strung and tuned up. Works great!
Aspireing Luthier here! I've been able to get by without a router, instead i use a Dremel with its tip running through a flat scrap piece of wood! They make router tips for them and they are far quieter then an actual router 👍
Thanks for sharing!
@@CrimsonCustomGuitars it works pretty well to be honest, not as fast as a router for sure, but it takes up far less space and to adjust the depth you just get thicker pieces of scrap wood 👍
I have just taken delivery today for my tool order from Crimson, Thanks Ben!! I am getting excited to open it like a kid at Christmas. Happened to be watching this before it arrived. :D The only thing I couldn't get from you was a Notched straight edge for Bass, any ideas when these will be available again?
That shinto rasp got me through the comfort carves in my first build and it's very satisfying to work with.
Isn't it just. Can bite a bit when your upper hand slips but that is an occasional sacrifice worth paying imo. B
@@CrimsonCustomGuitars definitely took some getting used to and having to learn the delicate touch. Finesse> power.
I remember going into tool shops with my Dad as a small child & the feeling of wonderment at all the different items & curiosity as to their use. Now when i go in a tool shop, I can’t get past the ‘oooh that’s a nice..... HOW MUCH..!!!!’
Confucius say ‘He who dies with the most tools wins...’ you are so far in front of us mere mortals Ben, we may as well give up now.
I've been shaping my first ever guitar lately and I've been using the Japanese saw rasp for quite a lot of it. It's fun to work with and I can think of all sorts of other projects it could come in handy for. I think another UA-camr recommended having one.
Thanks for the video. Very good information to have.
I've been using them for years, my first one was given to me by a friend and I can't imagine my life without them
I have managed to acquire a lot of these tools over the past year, and have begun work on my first guitar out of some american ash that a neighbor cut down (a small, 18.9" scale length guitar for my 5 year old, since he won't mind the mistakes too much.) I would say the Japanese Saw Rasp (should have watched to the end of the video before mentioning that lol) would make for an excellent tool to add to that list. Using that and you're video on how to make the bass guitar, I've just about completed the guitar neck. It's not perfect mind you, and I definitely need more practice, but man, that tool and the technique were extremely helpful! A band saw is also helpful, or a jig saw. And the jewelers saw and notched thingy to cut out inlays. Thank you so much for these videos and the encouragement you give.
I had a good leveling beam, but wanted a longer one. I bought one two feet long that was a generic piece of extruded aluminum. It was pretty straight, but not good enough. I had also bought a piece of float glass two feet by one foot and a half inch thick. I buy rolls of sticky back sand paper and usually keep a strip of 150 or 220 and a strip of 400 on the glass. I used the float glass and sandpaper to make sure the leveling beam was up to snuff. I use the glass and sandpaper or leveling beam a lot to make sure wood is flat. I also have a high quality straight edge for reference. I can't afford the planes I want yet, so I use the leveling beam with sandpaper a lot. I also know a guy with a drum sander, but with quality 150 grit, I can remove quite a bit of material pretty quickly.
Hi Ben. This is a very useful video. I have a challenge ( if you get interested) : Build a guitar with a multilaminate body that is however kind of thin (something along the lines of a parker fly in terms of proportions). I have really been thinking how that would turn out and you are the right person for the job. Four laminates for the body (back, middle 1, middle 2, top). Thanks for all the great content lately.
I couldn't imagine building a guitar without my 14” bandsaw. As far as limited room I picked up a roller base for my big band saw and bench top tools for the rest of my power tools. Keeps a compact size in 1/4 of my 2 car garage. Helps keep the missus from complaining too much.
I really want a 14" band saw and almost bought one recently, but got a screamin' deal on a new pair of skis. I've been spending around a hundred bucks or so a week on specialty tools, but I really need to hang back and get some big stuff. I need a bigger drill press, too.
I've been doing the same with the specialty tools. A few here and there. My bench top drill press is plenty for now. I'm trying to save for a CNC machine now.
I've got a few tools over the years from Ben and Crimson. All good. I'm not a luthier.
The Shinto saw rasp is a tool you may not even know about. They are so useful - and are not just for wood.
Crimson sells them. (I have no connection to Ben or any of his businesses! I am the guy who phoned up recently, Ben - you listening?? - to suggest you consider mandolin and ukulele kits - especially the neck with a truss rod!)
Hey man.. that message did get to me and we are looking into the kits.. new laser cutter that is coming soon could make it possible! And the saw rasp rules! B
@@CrimsonCustomGuitars Cool beans, Mr. C. Fingers crossed it's winning idea. Al the best to you and yours!
I highly recommend getting a set of drill bits going up by 0.1mm increments. My days of screwing the heads off the screws for machine heads are (hopefully) over thanks to those, although I could do with a decent set of screwdrivers. I'd like to see a video on different types of chisels / gouges for carving, since that's something I want to try out next year.
I've been looking for a set just like this, would you recommend anything??
@@thejamjar8761 I just bought a cheap set from Amazon, there are several that go from 1 to 6mm (including a couple of more expensive sets). They aren't the best bits around (so I can't specifically recommend them) but none of them have broken yet. I also bought a set from 6 to 10mm which are occasionally useful, but the 1 to 6 set is very useful, especially for smaller screws.
Search for "drill bit set 0.1 increments" and you will find lots of them - several appear to be the same set as I have under different names.
I joined a maker space to get access to all the tools I couldn't afford. Like a router table, table saw or jointer/planer. For a small monthly fee I have use of the tools and a place to work.
So nice to see someone who's not trying to lie about tools. I have always told my customers "give me a saw a hammer and a screwdriver and ill build you a house"
I still love having, and selling, loads of tools and admit there are huge time and ease savings with specialist tools of all sorts.. but if you are on a budget that doesn't mean you should be excluded from this club, not by a long shot.. when I started out I could hardly afford to eat let alone buy anywhere near the tools I have now.. hell.. more than once I sold my tools in order to buy food! B
I would add a dremel tool to the mix and a jigsaw. I have been working on guitars since 1983 and have segued into carpentry (cabinets and shaker doors) and if you want to go to another level I would add power tools such as a table saw (with a collection of wooden jigs you can make yourself), a router table, a band saw, a chop saw and a lot of clamps.
This is the next stage after you have what is in this video.. with what you describe you could build almost anything imaginable. B
Totally agree with the saw rasp... They're fantastic. I got one a few months back and it's so versatile - it can hog off material so quickly, and then be incredibly delicate.
I prefer a flap disc on an angle grinder, because I already had them. Neck carving and making belly cuts is a joy with that setup. Those rasps look decent though. I use an old 20" bastard file, found in my dad's old tools, to finish off.
Good call on hearing protection. I'm sure its already mentioned below but safety glasses/goggles and dust masks as well.
I payed out for a big name battery drill this year after using cheap ones since my teens. It was on of those tools where I regret not doing it sooner. The difference was just amazing, so yes it’s expensive but certainly worth it in the end. I also have been using cheap drill bits for years and again spent on a few “okay” ones and was amazed how much difference they made. As I need them I will be starting to grab high end stuff for fine work from here on.
Follow up: those saw rasps are awesome and cost buttons. I got one in Axminster back in the pre dairy days. Still haven’t built a guitar with it (life etc etc) but it’s been used a few times and my gosh it shreds through material.
I would love to see a hand-tools-only build.
The only power tools I have are a drill, a dremel style rotary tool, and a vacuum for dust control.
Yes I agree but fret files ? On my Leatherman their is a diamond file perfect for putting a ball end radius on a fret better than the Gibson Custom shop or Fender etc without leaving the customary Gibson Custom marks on the fretboard . It also has a groove for sharpening fish hooks but will sharpen anything tiny for inlays . Needless to say my Leatherman goes everywhere I go as 5he screw driver bits fit US guitars . Japanese saw rasp nice but a good long and short rasp definitely , if not an old draw knife like the bowyers used and a spokesman ( a fiver for both well spent) . The only thing Japanese I have is my sushi knife . With a 4" angle grinder you can now get attachments that with do everything from shaping to polishing and also make short work of cutting brass or aluminium flat shaping and polishing if you make your own nuts , bridges etc . With mine I have grooved a smooth shaft rotary switch to take a 6mm splined pot . Apart from using your granny to hold everything while you hack away , some sort of work bench , vice thingy . You saw fancy long drills in use . You can buy " aircraft length" drills from drill shops and they are not that expensive but for wood you can make whatever length drill you need from a length or plain steel rod say 4mm diameter , heat the end , flatten it and use your angle grinder to make a brad point flat drill the size you want with a little careful grinding on your angle grinder , that will whizz through any wood and also soft grades of aluminium . The first one I ever made was for a full length cleaning rod in a very long gunstock and it drilled a very long hole and came out exactly where it should have done and the 5/16" cleaning rod slid in with enough tension to keep it in place while shooting this reproduction piece .
The tool not mentioned and is absolutely essential without anything else is YOU ( and maybe a bit of ' Tool ' blasting in your headphones!). Practice with the tools you have got on scrap until you can use them as you would a pencil or knife and fork, then move on to the next level .
Then use granny's sewing machine to wind pickups !
I'm not shure but did you mention a vice and the work bench itself. You have the best channel by far for someone interested in building guitars.
I don't think I did, and I really should have, both vice & bench are tools and very very important!
How could you forget the Shinto rasp! Almost all the GGBO builders used one. It was almost a game to see when the Shinto would come out.
I'm building up a collection of Triton power tools but was disappointed recently, when I needed to replace my drill, to find that they currently only do a little 12V model. Hopefully they will reintroduce the 18 and 20V drills before I need another replacement.
Ace advice as always. 😊 Fact is, you ask 10 woodworkers for their 10 essential tools and you’ll get 10 different answers, but I guarantee all of those lists will include a saw of some sort and a set of chisels. Probably a plane too. You might want to make an exact replica of a ‘59 Les Paul, but you won’t do that straight away. Start small and start easy: make a little box. Even just a simple box/finger joint with two bits of wood. Build your tool collection gradually as and when you can. Upgrade tools as you go. Build your skill and experience with patience. You’ll get there. Everyone has to start somewhere.
I did a great-guitar-build-along with y'all and made my first ever scratch-built guitar last month. You covered most of the tools I found essential in my garage workshop, but what I really need to build before my next guitar is a good workbench with better work-holding options. The top of my tool chest is a good surface, but there's no way to hold anything on it. Also, I can always use more clamps. :D
Build a bench that hinges about waist high from a garage wall and legs that fold in. Set a lock to the legs when using.
Tunes.
wen i decided to make my stratocaster body i ran into a problem..i had no tools! i ended up using a saw from the 1920s a hand powered drill and bits a pocket knife chisels small hand plane a rasp and a few other files and sandpaper tung oil and nitro lacquer...i did a mahogany back 50-50 maple top,that way the comfort curves could be delt with rather than bending and gluing a thin top. it turned out fantastic! i reclaimed the wood from antique furniture witch was the key to a successful outcome i think. all i know is that fender has never made one like this one. i asked them and they told me that they could but it would cost way more than if i did it myself.
For shaping / hogging wood from a neck blank I use a Farrier's rasp. (the ones they file horse hooves with)
I get mine for free.When the farrier finds them too dull for hoof work they're still plenty sharp for use on wood!
And, Free is for ME! LOL!
Once upon a time I was a snow ski tech. Now days ski's are largely tuned by machines, but back when it involved a lot of work with files, scrapers, and various hand tools. One thing I learned the value of was annoyingly bright lights over your bench. It's easy to overlook, but you just can't do really good work when you can't see what you are doing.
I agree.. but also a variety of different colours of light really really helps.. yellow, blue, daylight etc.. really highlights things you may otherwise have missed. B
I just ordered the luthier kit, fret spacing rulers and radius gauges, can't wait to get started using them on my projects, thanks Ben :)
My pleasure, and thank you for your support! B
I suppose if you're using nothing but hand tools, dust collection and PPE may not be such a big deal, but I think as soon as you start using power tools like sanders, routers, etc., you need dust collection and breathing protection, as well as hearing protection (as you point out in the video).
having a 3/4 inch and 1/4 inch chisel is the best combo i think, a 1/2 inch gouge saves the day very often, too.
Good call.. 1/2 #6 sweep gouge was my first gouge and so damn useful! B
The thing about specialist guitar tools: they're like mice. Start with a couple and before you know it, they've proliferated in your cabinet to consume all the space.
Good choices, though the situation changes somewhat when one moves into the acoustic guitar world. This requires some means of bending the sides. But, if one has a butane powered torch and a thick metal pipe . . . Then, there are the molds. . .
The Saw-Rasp made my neck-carving SO much faster and easier.
I'm glad I watched too the end. I was about to call you out for not mentioning the shinto rasp!!
I use a microplane for my necks using the same method you use the shinto rasp for and the results are fantastic
I've got my "guitar" planned for next year's build off.
So this tool video will help a lot. Going to try my best to hand make and cut all parts.
The eleventeen essential tools and sixty two tangents... OH! And a Japanese saw rasp!
Thanks again for these glimpses inside your head Ben, the decor is hypnotically chaotic but the passion for and. love of the process is what really stands out.
I for one would love to see what you can create from a clean sheet, three mugs of coffee and the tools on the bench :D
Hey Crimson Guitars ... thanks at last for this ... its the little details that really help saving money when buying your first specialized tools and powertools ... its also nice knowing details eg what grit of sandpaper for specific jobs eg acoustic saddle lowering or fret levelling ... saves a lot of guess work and unneccessary financial wastage for newbies ! Much appreciated this video
One thing I would add, is a coping saw specifically, for cutting out a body or neck. They can be found at any hardware store, they are super affordable, as are the blades. It isn't the best or the quickest saw out there, but it's great for that first build!
What a solid video man , congrats. Groovy attitude, and diction, nice edit, and groovy music at the end .
i had heard of Crimson guitars before, actually.. It was nice bumping into this video, and find out what you/they are all about.
thanks for the video (i’ve been trying to figure out the best way to start modding guitars myself) This was really good.
cheers from Portugal ;)
Damn, Ben! I was meaning to ask you about your 'top three tools you wouldn't want to live without', and now you bring us this. Amazing.
Another awesome video. Japanese saw rasp and spoke shave were first two woodworking tools when making a cgb guitar... thanks to Ben. And my simple plans to just replace the electronics on an old epiphone S style have notes become a total teardown and refinish... thanks to Ben and his videos. Can't wait to try his stains and oils.
Get a moto or dremel tool and I gurantee you will use it not only on guitars but around your house. I use one to cut the stainless steel frets with the thin cutoff wheels that will keep the fret from overheating. The advice on accumulating tools is one I give when tool shopping for car. Buy the tools progressively. Don't buy a tool thinking you might some day use it. Buy it when you need it. Also, try to consolidate as many job task into a single tool as possible otherwise you end up with too many tools. For refrets, all you need is a triangular file for the fret crowning and a fret rocker. Hammer in the frets and then use the fret rocker to spot check the frets that are high. File down the tops of the frets and then check again with fret rocker. When you go thru all the frets only then do you crown the fret tops. Using a level beam speeds the process. Also, get a digital caliper that has millimeters, inches and fractions on it. You'll use it to size the old frets and figuring out thickness of the fret tang for the existing fret slot and trying to get a new fret with the same dimensions. I got a husky brand from Home depot for like twenty bucks.
I love how busy you've been bringing us lots of interesting content over the short while Ben 😁 I'll need to take a page from your book and start posting again after my GGBO2020 diaster 😅
Hang in there :D
Oh yes. I remember! Your video 'washing your hands' of the build was great. You really should carry on! B
Your mini bass was awesome dude. B
Keep making videos
Will do 😁 have an LED and Resin build coming up that you will love, Ben. Just need someone to bank roll it and I'll get started 😅😅
You are the only tattooed guy whom i'll take advise from on how to get the job done...
Confidence is what i got.
Hi Ben
Only built 2 guitars (a cbg and a little travel one from a John Blakey design) and I too kneel before the saw rasp. Gets used in pretty much every woodworking project I do (building a caravan at the moment and then a canoe to do). Thanks for the videos as I wouldn't have my guitar without them. Still can't play it for toffee though.
I love how much of this is "you can do it without, but it's not as fun"
I prefer using forsener bits than a router, just due to the loudness of routers and that using a drill is less powerful so you can see it go wrong quicker and it won't be as severe
thank you for your encouragement
My pleasure.. literally anyone who wants to should be able to build a guitar imo. B
I hope when COVID is over that you and James Wright from Wood By Wright could collab on an all vintage hand tool guitar build.
I would enjoy working with him one day, could be awesome 👌 B
Regarding the crowning files, starting with a triangular file for a beginner, e.g. myself, will take a few meters of fretwire and time. It's great for understanding what I'm actually trying to do and stuff, but honestly, I would spend 30$-50$ on a purpose tool(same price as a proper triangular). Currently rocking the Hosco, the ones without a handle, and Baroque's latest iteration - either one does it without costing a kidney; the latter also works nicely on worn frets. Importantly, saves the time and money to progress the job and frustrate over wood-related matters. That being said, a proper triangular file must be a must to have and learn anyway. Also teaches you to be less of an "appliance tool" for tools and more of understanding what, why, and how.
Sooo, 80-90 usds for both is a bargain and good. Oh, almost forgot.
There's that single-use thingy for the goddamn fret tang. Pay the money. Better sooner, than later.
A true flat surface, glass or someting like that. You can tune up your planes, sharpen planes and chssels, etc... I made my own leveling beam makeing it true flat there...
Don't forget the Autosol....Life changer for fret polishing.
I just started wanting to build guitars myself for me and my kids. your videos are amazing
A lovely video considering you sell all sorts of tools, very inspiring and honest 👍❤️
I would also say if you're going to radius your own fretboard a set of gauges to check on that radius would be quite useful.
Also I'm naughty and use my fret crowning file to round the ends as well ;)
Forgot clamps? :)
I think the buy the best you can thing is certainly true but it applies more so to some things than others especially when starting out with a one off guitar. I've found cheap ail express router bits, silverline planes, forstner bits, pillar drills, hand drills, routers, oil stones, rulers, clamps, angle grinders, sanders, hand saws, wood files all to be perfectly usable at the budget end of the market. Sure More expensive stuff can be better and last longer, but the cheap stuff is perfectly usable especially if you buy branded stuff like Bahco or magnussen or bosch.
Where I really feel it really matters is any power tool you want to use a fence on and get a true 90 degree cut like table/band saws, Gouges used in hand carving hard woods, and Luther specific tools like fret cutters and nut files. These are the areas where I've found buying cheap is throwing money away.
Brilliant list. Fortunately I was able to invest in Crimson Tools for almost the whole list. However, sanding is fairly therapeutic for me, so I just hand sand.
Thank you. I'm just getting started with guitar tech and construction. This is very concise and informative to my ears. Cheers.
My grandmother left me her plek machine, its made life allot easier.
your grandmother was cool yo! B
How about doing a building project where you only use a chisel and a mallet (+a few essential tools for more specific jobs like a hand drill or a screwdriver)? I've had very limited arsenal of tools when I started with woodworking and found that if you're patient enough you really can build anything with just a chisel (provided you have the means and know-how to sharpen it). No router, no sandpaper, no plain - a chisel can do all those jobs. I think you'd make a cracking guitar with only a chisel, Ben!
Band saw. I know its not necessarily essential but they are great.
Starrett combination square - and weird as it might sound the two foot (600mm) square blade is worthwhile - though hard to find.
Ben, what about clamps? When I'm stumped about to do something without the latest and greatest power tool, I remind myself that guitars were built long before convenient power tools were available!