Bass set-up tools

[dmccombe7]

Is there anywhere i can purchase decent quality tools for doing basic set ups.

I was thinking of nut and fret files and fret levelling tool if there is such a thing.

Amazon has some but the feedback is very varied on them unless you spend a fortune on a file.

Any advice appreciated.

Dave

[Dad3353]

1 hour ago, dmccombe7 said:

Is there anywhere i can purchase decent quality tools for doing basic set ups.

I was thinking of nut and fret files and fret levelling tool if there is such a thing.

Amazon has some but the feedback is very varied on them unless you spend a fortune on a file.

Any advice appreciated.

Dave

 

The reference is probably StewMac, USA. They are certainly not the cheapest, but their gear is decent stuff, not Chinese whatever. We found, for a couple of luthier projects, that it was well worth joining the StewMax 'club' thing, to get free shipping. The cost of the yearly sub was quickly saved, as shipping tools is expensive. We've looked at, and tested, quite a few cheaper options, but none have been worthwhile (well, not quite; we did get a few decent tools from a Spanish supplier...). I don't rate Amazon at all for this category (although I use 'em a lot for many other things...). Hope this helps.
Douglas

[SamIAm]

2 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

Is there anywhere i can purchase decent quality tools for doing basic set ups.

I was thinking of nut and fret files and fret levelling tool if there is such a thing.

Amazon has some but the feedback is very varied on them unless you spend a fortune on a file.

Any advice appreciated.

Dave

 

Crimson sell a kit for about £125 (I cannot speak to its quality) for leveling/dressing https://www.crimsonguitars.com/collections/fretting/products/essential-fret-levelling-and-dressing-toolkit but it does not include nut files.

 

S'manth x

 

[dmccombe7]

46 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

 

The reference is probably StewMac, USA. They are certainly not the cheapest, but their gear is decent stuff, not Chinese whatever. We found, for a couple of luthier projects, that it was well worth joining the StewMax 'club' thing, to get free shipping. The cost of the yearly sub was quickly saved, as shipping tools is expensive. We've looked at, and tested, quite a few cheaper options, but none have been worthwhile (well, not quite; we did get a few decent tools from a Spanish supplier...). I don't rate Amazon at all for this category (although I use 'em a lot for many other things...). Hope this helps.
Douglas

Yes definitely a help Douglas. That was my worry about buying from Amazon too. You never really know what quality you'll get till it arrives.

I'll have a look at the StewMac site.

I've only really got 2 basses that need any work with just the P bass needing the nut done so its a bit of a maybe based on cost of tools and shipping V getting it done by a known decent luthier.

Dave

[yorks5stringer]

Pretty sure Crimson will have a YT video about their kit and great quality made in UK  too

[Aidan63]

NorthWest guitars sell Hosco files, but they aren't cheap, but they are good, like everything though about 20-30% more expensive now than a couple of years ago; they do sell on amazon and ebay too but often the stuff you want is only on their website and they don't price match themselves on other platforms; prebrexit the Spanish and Portuguese sites were a useful alternative to StewMac too

There are several independent luthiers tool suppliers who used to trade on Ebay and on their own sites, I bought some stuff from ChrisAlsop, nice files and the like

[paul_5]

As an ex-engineer, when you're buying tools  'Buy cheap, buy twice'. Even if you only use them once for one bass, then they'll hold their value and you'll be able to recoup some of the cost. Cheap tools just don't last.

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

If you have a bass with Fender 60s style truss rod nut access—ie a nut with a cross-shaped slot at the neck heel, eg a JMJ Mustang, the absolute best truss rod tool is this StewMac one: https://www.stewmac.com/luthier-tools-and-supplies/tools-by-job/tools-for-truss-rods/truss-rod-crank-for-tele I bought a second one from a UK seller on ebay recently to keep safe in case I lose my first one.

 

[dmccombe7]

17 minutes ago, Aidan63 said:

NorthWest guitars sell Hosco files, but they aren't cheap, but they are good, like everything though about 20-30% more expensive now than a couple of years ago; they do sell on amazon and ebay too but often the stuff you want is only on their website and they don't price match themselves on other platforms; prebrexit the Spanish and Portuguese sites were a useful alternative to StewMac too

There are several independent luthiers tool suppliers who used to trade on Ebay and on their own sites, I bought some stuff from ChrisAlsop, nice files and the like

Northwest came up on my google search and had a look at what they have. Looks ok to me and based in UK too.

Dave

[paul_5]

1 minute ago, dmccombe7 said:

Northwest came up on my google search and had a look at what they have. Looks ok to me and based in UK too.

Dave

If it's any help I've had some great stuff from NW guitars over the years.

[dmccombe7]

6 minutes ago, paul_5 said:

As an ex-engineer, when you're buying tools  'Buy cheap, buy twice'. Even if you only use them once for one bass, then they'll hold their value and you'll be able to recoup some of the cost. Cheap tools just don't last.

100% agree. Being a retired engineer myself i've always preferred to buy good quality tools altho i dont buy the Rolls Royce of tools but would go for the upper end of the market.

Problem is i have no knowledge of luthier tools and what is a good make or not. 

Dave

[3below]

I have bought Chris Alsop fret crowning files and a diamond levelling file.  With some other home made tools I have found them really good for builds,  refrets and setups. Paid for themselves many times over. Nut files are another issue altogether.  I would like a set of Hosco files but the cost is ££ for the amount I would use them.  Any of my builds now use copy adjustable nuts which makes setup much easier.  Sadly that does not help with a P bass nut, my 'bodge' diy method for a nut that is already slotted is folded wet & dry,  or wet & dry rolled round a smaller wire or scraped out with a Stanley knife blade.  Disclaimer, all my own basses... YMMV

[dmccombe7]

1 minute ago, paul_5 said:

If it's any help I've had some great stuff from NW guitars over the years.

Yes that's a huge help Paul as i have looked at their site and they do have some good kit which i'm assuming is decent quality.

The fact you've bought from them and are happy with them makes a big difference.

Cheers for that

Dave

[dmccombe7]

2 minutes ago, 3below said:

I have bought Chris Alsop fret crowning files and a diamond levelling file.  With some other home made tools I have found them really good for builds,  refrets and setups. Paid for themselves many times over. Nut files are another issue altogether.  I would like a set of Hosco files but the cost is ££ for the amount I would use them.  Any of my builds now use copy adjustable nuts which makes setup much easier.  Sadly that does not help with a P bass nut, my 'bodge' diy method for a nut that is already slotted is folded wet & dry,  or wet & dry rolled round a smaller wire or scraped out with a Stanley knife blade.  Disclaimer, all my own basses... YMMV

I'll have a look at Chris Alsop site too.

I do have small needle files that i had for my job as an Instrument Engineer many many years ago. Hardly used to be honest. I now use them on plastic on a model railway.

Dave

[3below]

The other useful bits of kit I have bought myself are some long sections of box section aluminium. You could pay serious money for 'true/levelled' beams or if you have access to some plate glass (or an engineering surface - cast iron planer bed,  table saw bed) you can diy level the box section to your own taste.  The same applies to a fingerboard levelling edge, 20 x 3mm /5mm aluminium, level it and file your own slots out, spend the savings on some fun

[dmccombe7]

4 minutes ago, 3below said:

The other useful bits of kit I have bought myself are some long sections of box section aluminium. You could pay serious money for 'true/levelled' beams or if you have access to some plate glass (or an engineering surface - cast iron planer bed,  table saw bed) you can diy level the box section to your own taste.  The same applies to a fingerboard levelling edge, 20 x 3mm /5mm aluminium, level it and file your own slots out, spend the savings on some fun

My limit is doing a bit of light fret levelling and dressing and i'd like to reduce the nut heights on my P bass. All my other basses are fine altho i think my MarloweDK has 2 very slightly high frets on the A string but not noticeable on the other 3 strings.

I'm not looking to replace frets or build my own basses kind of thing. 

Basically a step up from doing a basic set up but its whether or not its worth the cost for the sake of 1 bass, perhaps a bit of work on a 2nd bass.

I do have a couple of steel engineering rulers with perfectly straight edges.

Dave

Edited January 4, 2023 by dmccombe7

[Islander]

Crimson.

 

https://www.crimsonguitars.com/collections/guitar-maintenance-tools?page=1

 

https://www.crimsonguitars.com/collections/fretting

 

Very high quality and UK manufactured.  Not the cheapest but buy cheap, buy twice. 

 

[3below]

I got into this from necessity, luthiers were non existent in the 1970s rural Herefordshire boonies - so as a 14 year old I had to sort my own basses out beyond basic (later I was a Physicist/Engineer and have the do stuff myself mindset).  These days I use a straight edge to get the neck flat before doing anything (an aluminium bar that I flatted true).  After that a Chris Alsop diamond file (glued my own handle on) and follow the sharpie pen and flatten advice on many youtube videos.  My early crowning tool was made by putting wet & dry on top of a good fret, sanding a groove into some beech - et voila a crowning tool.  It worked as well (more youtube magic), these days I use the Alsop tool.  Those steps plus polishing have sorted out all but one of my (many) basses.  For the more difficult bass (slight neck twist?) I made a flat notched bar section (get the neck straight before fret levelling) and a flat long box section (for fret levelling).  Total cost £15? plus some time.   I can't sort everything out myself, on the two really high value guitars I have owned  and could not get right, I  resorted to proper luthier setups resulting in proper results.  

[kodiakblair]

There's some pretty nice stuff available but 99% of it is just for convenience, folk have been building guitars long before Stewmac 🙂

 

Hosco Groobar nut gauge, right handy at £25. £4 set of feeler gauges does the same thing 😁

 

90/35 fret end beveling file, £20 . You can knock one up from a bit 3x2 and a flat file ; 2 or 3 passes through the table saw.

 

DIY leveling beam is well documented.

 

Diamond needle files take care of dressing fret ends, they can also do the nut slots.

 

Many jeweller's tools can be safely used, added bonus no mention of guitar or luthier so priced affordable 😉

 

https://www.eternaltools.com/jewellery-tools?page=1

[Waddo Soqable]

I found a set of oxy acetylene welding "nozzle / tip cleaning files" very handy to cut or fiddle with nut slots, the set is in a little metal case and they're a range of sizes in the kit. They're quite delicate but they're only 2 or 3 quid a set.

I recently did a guitar nut from scratch with these and was agreeably surprised how well it came out bearing in mind my sossidge fingers and general thuggish approach... 

[tauzero]

3 hours ago, Jean-Luc Pickguard said:

If you have a bass with Fender 60s style truss rod nut access—ie a nut with a cross-shaped slot at the neck heel, eg a JMJ Mustang, the absolute best truss rod tool is this StewMac one: https://www.stewmac.com/luthier-tools-and-supplies/tools-by-job/tools-for-truss-rods/truss-rod-crank-for-tele I bought a second one from a UK seller on ebay recently to keep safe in case I lose my first one.

 

 

IIRC, you can't get at vintage P bass truss rod adjusters without taking the neck off, no matter what tool you have.

[yorks5stringer]

3 minutes ago, tauzero said:

 

IIRC, you can't get at vintage P bass truss rod adjusters without taking the neck off, no matter what tool you have.

It is possible to loosen the screws and tilt the neck without totally removing it however.

[tauzero]

4 minutes ago, yorks5stringer said:

It is possible to loosen the screws and tilt the neck without totally removing it however.

 

You could always use one of these then (maybe):

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Triumph-T100-T120-Primary-Chain-Adjuster-Tool-/391466811760

 

[dmccombe7]

My power screwdriver came with very short screwdriver bits that would probably fit in the slot quite easily and they have a hex end.

Dave

[Stub Mandrel]

10 hours ago, Jean-Luc Pickguard said:

If you have a bass with Fender 60s style truss rod nut access—ie a nut with a cross-shaped slot at the neck heel, eg a JMJ Mustang, the absolute best truss rod tool is this StewMac one: https://www.stewmac.com/luthier-tools-and-supplies/tools-by-job/tools-for-truss-rods/truss-rod-crank-for-tele I bought a second one from a UK seller on ebay recently to keep safe in case I lose my first one.

 

 

Do you have a link to the uk seller?

 

(It's nearly £30 with shipping!)

Edited January 5, 2023 by Stub Mandrel