Bass setup tools & guages

[Matthew Frazer]

I'm a long time drummer whose been talking bass lessons for about a year. Super handy with tools.

Does some company make a kit of tools and gauges that can be used to set up my bass guitar? I have a ton of metric and English allen wrenches, a set of (English) calipers, feeler gauges, a carpenters square (what I've used to check my neck with).

I'm just looking for a whole kit I could buy to make things easy for me to do good, accurate work. What do I need?

Thanks for any help!

 

[Beej]

I guess I'd include calipers, gauges, fret rocker, straight edge, fret hammer, needle files and tools for polishing frets. I occasionally break into fretting tools during a setup, so I would not rule having those out.

There are quite a few threads on using tools, and I don't mean to be like "do a search" but if you do search for 'tools' in the luthier's corner and check off 'search titles only', 'search this forum only' and also 'display results as threads', you'll get a string of really informative threads that will cover all of the various tools used in lutherie and get a good sense of how they all overlap. If you've got tool skills, you'll be able to do anything needed to build or work on a bass. It's definitely not rocket surgery.

 

[Beej]

Also, I missed the main question! I'm not sure if there is a set up 'kit' that would be better than just getting the individual tools needed, but I'd recommend checking out Stewmac and also Philadelphia Luthier Supply for a look at selections of tools available for different jobs. Many of us search for the off brand versions or things that are labeled differently, like a $60 set of nut files that were sold for $15 elsewhere online as hook sharpening stones for fishing. (That's just an example that used to be out there, I don't think the same deal is still around)

 

[Bruce Johnson]

In addition to what Beej said, it really depends on how deep you intend to get into the work. Basic setup is Allen wrenches and screwdrivers, and maybe a set of feeler gauges. For correcting the adjustment of necks and finding problems, add a straightedge and a fret rocker and a small fine file. For leveling frets, a flat stone, a crowning file, and some polishing wheels and a Dremel. Replacing frets is a much larger kit of tools. How far do you need to go? What's your definition of Accurate Setup?

 

[Turnaround]

In addition to what Beej said, it really depends on how deep you intend to get into the work. Basic setup is Allen wrenches and screwdrivers, and maybe a set of feeler gauges. For correcting the adjustment of necks and finding problems, add a straightedge and a fret rocker and a small fine file. For leveling frets, a flat stone, a crowning file, and some polishing wheels and a Dremel. Replacing frets is a much larger kit of tools. How far do you need to go? What's your definition of Accurate Setup?

And nut files. See here for my basic setup kit...

Setup Tools

 

[Matthew Frazer]

Also, I missed the main question! I'm not sure if there is a set up 'kit' that would be better than just getting the individual tools needed, but I'd recommend checking out Stewmac and also Philadelphia Luthier Supply for a look at selections of tools available for different jobs. Many of us search for the off brand versions or things that are labeled differently, like a $60 set of nut files that were sold for $15 elsewhere online as hook sharpening stones for fishing. (That's just an example that used to be out there, I don't think the same deal is still around)

Oh, Stewmac! They have all the tools I would need and even a basic tool kit. This is exactly what I was looking for. (Thanks so much! I know all the drum supply places but none of the bass

 

[Matthew Frazer]

In addition to what Beej said, it really depends on how deep you intend to get into the work. Basic setup is Allen wrenches and screwdrivers, and maybe a set of feeler gauges. For correcting the adjustment of necks and finding problems, add a straightedge and a fret rocker and a small fine file. For leveling frets, a flat stone, a crowning file, and some polishing wheels and a Dremel. Replacing frets is a much larger kit of tools. How far do you need to go? What's your definition of Accurate Setup?

For now, I just want to be able to do a basic, accurate set up. I'm not about to file or stone anything - I'll let a pro handle big issues. But it's a new bass and plays great, so there are no big issues.

 

[kgbeast]

Kits usually have not needed tools. You are better off just buy what you need. In time you accumulate the tools you actually use. Some tools in kits suck.

 

[edot3021]

Music Nomad has a few kits and YouTube videos.

 

[Zooberwerx]

Kits usually have not needed tools. You are better off just buy what you need. In time you accumulate the tools you actually use. Some tools in kits suck.

Agree wholeheartedly. I jokingly post my kit (below) but it embraces the content you've described. The only name-brand tools are the StewMac nut files. The balance is sourced via E-bay, Lowes, Amazon, Chinese restaraunts (hardwood chopsticks), Hobby Lobby, Pep Boys and, on occasion, materials from Mrs. Zooberwerx's art studio.

Tip: to keep track of the more heavily utilized hex keys, slide a piece of colored shrink wrap over the long arm.

Riis

 

[lethargytartare]

Watch many videos, note the tools the presenters use, then when you look at bundles you'll notice stuff you may not need, and stuff that every guy uses.

I, personally like StewMac's action gauge, but I don't use enough of its "features" to be happy with what I spent on it. I bought a few cheap internet knockoffs for a fraction of the cost, and they've served me just as well. However, I've also bought no-name nut files and fret crowning files on ebay, and they were all garbage compared to the ones from StewMac and LMI. Feeler gauges are easy to buy in nice sets that have lots of uses. I don't use them for relief anymore (I just eyeball it now), but they come in handy for so many things (filing nut slots, scraping, shimming, etc.)

Also suggest a nice neck support -- there are a lot of clever and cheap ones, but a nice solid one can be a huge help!

Oh, and get yourself a a pack of 0000 Liberon steel wool. Another thing that is immensely valuable in caring for your bass (fretboard and frets), and a pack will last you a long time.

Good luck!!

 

[BassinCT]

I’m in agreement with the above regarding assembling your own tool kit, rather than buying one. I built my neck cradle and bass-butt holder with scrap wood, spare fasteners and cork/neoprene sheet for compressible, non-slip surfaces. My allen keys are organized by the instrument- but I like the idea for applying heat-shrink tubing for easy identification.

 

[kgbeast]

I bought few things from AliExpress.
Files suck based on two I have tried. One of them is knife looking crowning file with diamond coating. It is king of ok, but overall, I think it is too crude.
I much prefer aluminum hex rod with strips if sandpaper on repositionable spray adhesive. Using that with fret protectors works great and I can have 3 different grades if sandpaper so after crowning, it is also pretty much polished. Of course take longer to do a job and requires more skill with the "file", but result is better (IMO).
Fret protectors from Ali are about a dollar for a set ant are ok.
Neck supports are ok, radiused wooden blocks are ok I think, fret setting tools are good, rockers and gauges (action or radius) are also usable.
Harbor Freight has nice set of diamond needle files which is better than I expected. Small spaner set is great (the set includes metric and sae). Also they have very good small size deep sockets and ratchets. Also masking tape is fine for this and cheaper than HD. I also like their blue kit of screwdriver bits, bug you need to get the handle somewhere else.

Talking about cheap tools, I want to point out that in normal trades, you want a high quality hard tools that will last a lifetime, because in normal trades, it is cheaper to replace a stripped fastener that end up with stripped tool... In guitars however, fasteners are often time hard to replace and a crapier softer screwdrivers is actually safer.
Only thing that you need to have nice and hard is the diagonal cutters and any king of pliers. So get that from a brand with good ratings. Something like Klein or similar. Also get a good quality set of digital calipers, soldering station with variable temperature, and an ok multimeter (not the free one from Harbor Freight).