Members flori Posted February 9, 2010 Members Share Posted February 9, 2010 Even though I am only a modest tinkerer and setter-upper....I find I have accumulated dozens of little tools and gizmos...all scattered around the house and never there when you need them! So today I invested a whole pound into a natty tackle-cum-tool box and spent a happy hour sorting out all the things I use (and a few I MIGHT one day use!) But then..... ....I'm easily pleased! I won't bore you with the contents but some of them turned out to be quite surprising even to me (obstetric forceps any-body?) I'd be interested to know your short-list of maintainence essentials and things you keep handy? (This will probably be one of my 'Buzz Killington' threads of excitement but anyway.........................) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chairborne Posted February 9, 2010 Members Share Posted February 9, 2010 A multi-tool goes to the gigs. I don't have "guitar specific" tools other than a string winder. Guitar tools: Pliers, needle-nose, razor blades, soldering iron, crescent wrench, screwdrivers and the occasional allen wrench. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Guitar Heel Posted February 9, 2010 Members Share Posted February 9, 2010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Guitar Heel Posted February 9, 2010 Members Share Posted February 9, 2010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Guitar Heel Posted February 9, 2010 Members Share Posted February 9, 2010 Basically, I have all my tools in the top, and it's kind of a free-for all just below that. Pots, wires, putty, polish, picks. The first drawer is the pickup drawer, followed by metal parts, plastic parts, and bridges/tuning pegs. Every time I start to mod or repair, I always bring out a few screwdrivers, wire cutters, a pocketknife, soldering gun (not pictured), needlenose pliers, hemostats, and a string winder. I can tackle most jobs with those items. The Guitar toolbox was a present from my wife (though, admittedly, I sent her the link to the one I wanted). My stuff was everywhere, and I kept having to raid my main toolbox for my guitar stuff. I tinker with at least one guitar every week, so it's nice to have it all together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bro Blue Posted February 9, 2010 Members Share Posted February 9, 2010 Jewelers screwdrivers, different size screw bits, small needle-nose pliers, wire cutter, nut lube, diamond sharpening stone for knives (works great for smooting up a rough fret), fret polishing cloths, torch tip cleaner, string winder, a set of small files. It all fits into one small box that goes everywhere I play, but stays in the vehicle unless I need it. I also keep a spare set of tubes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members flori Posted February 9, 2010 Author Members Share Posted February 9, 2010 Your basic maintenance looks to be a bit more ambitious than mine, Guitar Heel.I can't do clever things with wires........yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Carbohydrates Posted February 9, 2010 Members Share Posted February 9, 2010 I have a lot of stuff for working on guitars at my house, but here's the kit I take to shows: - Multi-tool (with needlenose, wire cutter/stripper, knife, etc)- Screwdrivers (3 sizes each of allen and flathead)- Ratchet set, US and metric- Allen key set, US and metric- Tape: Scotch, electrical, plumber's, masking, and gorilla tape- 3 sets of strings- Mechanical pencil (handy source of graphite)- Probably some other stuff, I'm not at home right now so I can't check Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Guitar Heel Posted February 9, 2010 Members Share Posted February 9, 2010 Your basic maintenance looks to be a bit more ambitious than mine, Guitar Heel. I can't do clever things with wires........yet. I'm far from an engineer, I'm just really fickle and got sick of paying hundreds of dollars in shop fees! So, I just started teaching myself how to do this stuff. When I go back and look at my solder joints from a few years back, it ain't pretty! But, I've gotten a little better. Plus, I've been tearing my guitars down and putting them back together for at least a decade now, so I've just accumulated way too much crap. And then there's the projects that never got done, etc. Though, this is my 5th day snowed in so far, so I've gotten lots of things done of late. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members normh Posted February 9, 2010 Members Share Posted February 9, 2010 Wont bore you with picture, instead:nut files, torch cleaning tool, various torsion rod adjusters, needle nose pliers, regular pliers, stainless fret masker, modified triangle file (corners smoothed), radius blocks, 18 inch fret leveling beam, multimeter, assorted screwdrivers, soldering and desoldering irons, hone blocks from a piston hone, flat files (single and double mill cut), diamond and steel needle files, couple of tubes of CA, assorted screws, extra nut blanks, air brush, crown files, small dremel tool w/ carbide and ceramic bits and polishing wheels, sharp wood chisels, some single edged razor blades, assorted saddles, and a several bars of rouge (abrasive) for the dremel. Oh, forgot the pigments for fillers. Then I get to my tool chest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MiBisabuela Posted February 10, 2010 Members Share Posted February 10, 2010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members poolshark Posted February 10, 2010 Members Share Posted February 10, 2010 Wont bore you with picture, instead:nut files, torch cleaning tool, various torsion rod adjusters, needle nose pliers, regular pliers, stainless fret masker, modified triangle file (corners smoothed), radius blocks, 18 inch fret leveling beam, multimeter, assorted screwdrivers, soldering and desoldering irons, hone blocks from a piston hone, flat files (single and double mill cut), diamond and steel needle files, couple of tubes of CA, assorted screws, extra nut blanks, air brush, crown files, small dremel tool w/ carbide and ceramic bits and polishing wheels, sharp wood chisels, some single edged razor blades, assorted saddles, and a several bars of rouge (abrasive) for the dremel. Oh, forgot the pigments for fillers.Then I get to my tool chest. It's like I'm looking into a mirror. Don't think I have an airbrush, but I do stock feeler gauges, a digital calipers and one or two custom tools as well. And then there's the non-guitar specific tools. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members normh Posted February 10, 2010 Members Share Posted February 10, 2010 It's like I'm looking into a mirror. Don't think I have an airbrush, but I do stock feeler gauges, a digital calipers and one or two custom tools as well. And then there's the non-guitar specific tools. Those are in there as well, just forgot them. Also have spray guns and air compressors, and those custom tools that you make as one off. They just don't fit into the toolbox. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Citizen Cain Posted February 10, 2010 Members Share Posted February 10, 2010 Hey, I thought I was the only who used nail files as guitar tools Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elias Graves Posted February 10, 2010 Members Share Posted February 10, 2010 Jeebus, GH, I wanna come play at your house.EG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Alex_SF Posted February 10, 2010 Members Share Posted February 10, 2010 Home guitar & amp maintenance toolbox: string winder, wire clippers, multimeter, screwdrivers, needle-nose pliers, mini-crescent wrench, dial caliper, welding tip cleaner kit (for nut slots), thread locker, tuning fork (mainly for testing pickups), dentist's mirror, wire brush, allen-key set, long 9-11 mm sockets, precision metal ruler, & various small spare parts. There's also an "electronics toolbox" with soldering stuff, wire stripper, connectors, heat-shrink tubing, etc. Toolbag for practice & gigs: spare capos/slides/picks, string winder, extra strings, multi-plier tool, flashlight, gold paint marker, pen/pencil, sharpie, notepad, Blitz string-care cloth, hand towel, Band-Aids, earplugs, lip balm, hand sanitizer, alcohol wipes, Ricola throat drops, earbuds for in-ear monitors, AA & 9V batteries, cable ties, Skin-Shield, Gorilla tape, gaffer tape, extension cord, 3 -> 1 power outlet adapter, outlet polarity/ground tester, band business cards, Balance bars, and spare tubes. Fuses are in a mini-Ziploc bag stapled inside the back of my amp cabinet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members PanaDP Posted February 10, 2010 Members Share Posted February 10, 2010 I don't have guitar specific tools, I do have a lot of camera specific tools, though (.3mm allen key, anyone?) I have about everything I need except for nut files. I haven't wanted to pony up the money for a set yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Steadfastly Posted February 10, 2010 Members Share Posted February 10, 2010 A humidifying tool...........that's very important on those hot summer days or nights when a little throat humidification is required in order to keep the fingers working. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members PanaDP Posted February 10, 2010 Members Share Posted February 10, 2010 A humidifying tool...........that's very important on those hot summer days or nights when a little throat humidification is required in order to keep the fingers working.Mine looks different: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Guitar Heel Posted February 10, 2010 Members Share Posted February 10, 2010 Jeebus, GH, I wanna come play at your house. EG You and I should be neighbors... I have the gizmos, and you have a dedicated work area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elias Graves Posted February 10, 2010 Members Share Posted February 10, 2010 The missus makes me keep all the gizmos in the cabinet.Unfortunately, my workspace is 500 miles away right now. I miss my basement mancave.EG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stevieb Posted February 10, 2010 Members Share Posted February 10, 2010 I dunno know what's wrong with me. I work on guitars and amps in my music room, but I keep all my tools in my big auto-tech type toolbox, in the garage. So, I am always running back and forth retrieving tools, and/or running forth and back when I need the tools I left in the music room. Time for me to follow your lead. Thanks lots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jelloman Posted February 10, 2010 Members Share Posted February 10, 2010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hshaitan Posted February 10, 2010 Members Share Posted February 10, 2010 I don't have much in mine. Just a guitar-based multi-tool with allen wrenches and screw drivers and {censored} and then I've got some wire cutters, a string winder and the truss rod wrench that came with my Gibson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bzja Posted February 10, 2010 Members Share Posted February 10, 2010 And I thought I was the only one. Happy to know that I am not alone. I have it all in a large Plano fishing tackle box. AND I have nail emery boards as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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