What are the minimum viable tools required to build a bass?

[ZachM]

Apologies if this comes across as being a redundant question... I've read through all the FAQ threads and there's a lot of scattered replies, some super old (12+ years) stuff, and I kinda wanted a fresh take on this from some of the super experienced guys like Bruce and Scoops that maybe weren't around this space back in the day. So onward!

I am a longtime bassist looking to get into building my own bass. Firstly, because it seems like a fun & satisfying hobby, and secondly, because there are a few things I've always wanted which nobody seems to offer.

The basses I'm really looking to build would be:

• A P-bass with sliding pickup ala the Gibson Grabber. Possibly also able to exchange pickups via a plate system, so you could drop in a Chi-Sonic or Thunderbird Pickup without extra routing.
• A T-40 Bodied bass, with a 36.25"-34" fanned fret neck and the t-40 style electronics, with the added ability to coil-tap the pickups without rolling the tone knob down.

So basically, that's what I'm after. The FF build is a significantly more complicated endeavour, so I would do something simpler for a first build.

My question: What are the minimum viable tools needed to start building? And perhaps more importantly, what are the most important basics in a shop? I have more time than money at this point. I can spring for a few power tools - a good router and a 14" bandsaw spring to mind - but mostly I'd like to use hand tools, for money and experience-building reasons.

Any help offered is much appreciated. Thank you!

 

[Gilmourisgod]

You'll get a huge range of contradictory or complimentary answers on this one. A complete list of tools depends hugely on how you work. I never developed some of the classic hand-tool skills, particularly with planes, but this is what I find essential for a full bass build, not in order of importance:

Electric Tools
1. Router - used for just about every step. You can probably get away with a colt router, but I like working from a router table instead of freehand, so I'd say at least 1-1/2 HP, plunge optional. Can be used as a thickness planer or a jointer with the right jigs. Get an offset lexan base if it doesn't come with one, maybe an edge-guide, and buy or build a router table.
2. Dremel - covers a lot of the same territory as a router, but better for fine work like inlays.
3. Tablesaw - I use mine for a lot of the rough work, you could get around this with a circular saw and guide rail. I find jigsaws pretty much useless for anything but thin material, they wander in the cut too much for square edges.
4. Jointer - can be replaced by a router jig, but nice to have a stationary one. Hand plane jointer will do nearly as good a job if you have the skills. I have a Jet 6" jointer.
5. Bandsaw - Again, using a jigsaw to cut 1-1/2" thick hardwood sucks, I'd call it nearly essential for bass building, the deepest throat you can afford. I have a Sears 12" that's barely adequate. Good for curved cuts re-sawing, straight rips with the right fence, etc.
6. Thickness Planer - also replaceable with a router jig, I have a Delta 12-1/2" planer, works great on plain sawn wood, not so much on highly figured wood, lot's o' tearout unless the blades are brand new.
7. REALLY good straightedge. Don't skimp on this, Stemac, Starret, or equal high quality, at least 24". I have a 36" one I use constantly. I also have a good 12" and 6" ruler, combination square, a couple of the Incra rules, etc. A good straightedge can be used to check other tools too, some amazingly straight hardware store stuff, but you won't know what is good without a straightedge.
8. Drillpress - I'd say essential. You can get one of the hand-drill jigs that replace the chuck with a guided base, I did that for a while, and it works, but drillpresses can be had pretty cheap these days. Even a small benchtop model is better than the jig type.
9. Ocscillating spindle-sander - great for making templates and sanding radius curves. I use a Robosander, which is just a drum sanding cylinder with a template bearing instead, chucked into a drillpress. It works well, but very slow, and since it doesn't move up and down, clogs the sandpaper quickly.
10. Thickness panel sander - in my dreams, but that would replace a thickness planer and eliminate the possibility of tearout almost entirely.
11. Crosscut compound miter saw - duplicates some tablesaw functions, but nice to keep a good crosscut blade in it and use a tablesaw just for rips.
12. Cordless drill and bits, bradpoint best for wood, also a set of forstner bits is good. Don't buy crappy drillbits, waste of time and money.

I'll dive back in on handtools in a separate post, I'm sure you'll get an earful on hand vs. power tools. I have huge admiration for people with handtool skills, I made the choice to lean on machines as timesavers, but it can get stupid expensive, and the results are only marginally more accurate than a really good craftsperson can produce.

 

[I-Am-The-Slime]

A rusty old spoon'll do ya, given enough time and patience

I personally am a big fan of hand tools, learn by doing! Once you get a power tool, you (or at least me) are less likely to ever take the time to try the hand tool. Working by hand is very satisfying (to me). And, once this country turns into a third-world hell hole, you'll have marketable skills

 

[T_Bone_TL]

Depending what you anticipate doing with the bandsaw, a frame saw and a turning saw might do all you need (along wiht a marking guage and some backsaws which are helpful to keep the frame saw on track when resawing with it.) Cost less and take up less shop space, too, but as with all of these things, the choice is yours.

While I don't consider it "essential" (I'm perfectly capable of pulling for the "only tool with a cord in the shop is the stereo" if you want to go there) I'll posit the good quality electric router as being probably the most versatile if you want a second corded tool. Having had the horror of two abysmal electric routers when I was a youth, I do stress good quality, as a smooth secure tool that works is far different from a vibrating, self-adjusting "tool" that scares the crap out of you and ruins more work than not. With a variety of jigs you can make a router do many tasks that you may think you need some other power tool to do, and often at a scale that power tools you can remotely hope to afford or fit in your house can't do, such as planing a fully glued up body blank. But you can also do that with a plane and tunes on.

I'm an oddball. I grew up when "pushing sticks through machines" wooddorking was still taught in high school, and hand tools were denigrated or at least not taught. We were conditioned to want a big shop with big power tools, because that's what they taught us. I went "early dorky CNC router" and "hand tool" at about the same time, for the same reason - both are generally safer for my fingers, though the hand tools are definitely better for listening to the stereo, and at least two of them do require as much finger-respect as any power tool I've ever used (miter choppers.) You don't need those for guitar work, as far as I know. An assortment of planes and saws, winding sticks, marking gauge, spokeshaves, files and rasps, sharpening gear of some sort. Clamps - more clamps than that; no, even more clamps than THAT.

The fundamental hand tool "tricks" are that sharpening REALLY matters, and that "practice makes perfect" is real, not merely an irrelevant saying. On the plus side, your shop can be much smaller and your tools are easier to transport when needed - as well as the "listen to the stereo while working" thing. Often not the best choice if you are looking for factory production scale operations, but many of us are not.

 

[bluesfordan]

jack hammer
phased plasma rifle in the 40 watt range
d9 cat
and of course, the rusty spoon and a diaper pin

 

[ZachM]

@Gilmourisgod thanks for the extensive post, I'll definitely have some more questions for you when I get out of work and can delve in a bit more.

Depending what you anticipate doing with the bandsaw, a frame saw and a turning saw might do all you need (along wiht a marking guage and some backsaws which are helpful to keep the frame saw on track when resawing with it.) Cost less and take up less shop space, too, but as with all of these things, the choice is yours.

While I don't consider it "essential" (I'm perfectly capable of pulling for the "only tool with a cord in the shop is the stereo" if you want to go there) I'll posit the good quality electric router as being probably the most versatile if you want a second corded tool. Having had the horror of two abysmal electric routers when I was a youth, I do stress good quality, as a smooth secure tool that works is far different from a vibrating, self-adjusting "tool" that scares the crap out of you and ruins more work than not. With a variety of jigs you can make a router do many tasks that you may think you need some other power tool to do, and often at a scale that power tools you can remotely hope to afford or fit in your house can't do, such as planing a fully glued up body blank. But you can also do that with a plane and tunes on.

You don't need those for guitar work, as far as I know. An assortment of planes and saws, winding sticks, marking gauge, spokeshaves, files and rasps, sharpening gear of some sort. Clamps - more clamps than that; no, even more clamps than THAT.

The fundamental hand tool "tricks" are that sharpening REALLY matters, and that "practice makes perfect" is real, not merely an irrelevant saying. On the plus side, your shop can be much smaller and your tools are easier to transport when needed - as well as the "listen to the stereo while working" thing. Often not the best choice if you are looking for factory production scale operations, but many of us are not.

Thanks very much for replying. As far as power tools I intend to purchase a 14" bandsaw, and a good quality plunge router of at least 1.5hp at a minimum. I figure the bandsaw can get quite a bit of doubling usage out of it, be used to cut out body blanks and other parts - and with a fence, can take the place of a tablesaw for longer straight cuts, scarf joints for headstocks, etc. As far as a router, It seems there are so many uses for it that it'd be silly not to get a really nice one. I will likely purchase a benchtop drill press shortly after getting these two tools.

The part I bolded in your reply is maybe the most pertinent part of what I'm looking for - what hand tools do I really need for getting started in bass building? I am rather unfamiliar with hand tools in general, and am not sure what to prioritize here. What sizes do I really need, what grit of rasps & spokeshaves, etc?

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Heh, +1 on clamps! That’s one one thing Harbor Freight has plenty of, decent quality, and cheap. Look at any of the builds on TB, you’ll see a forest of clamps. As far as hand tools. I’ve tended to accumulate random hand me downs and castoffs fir general stuff, but these are the Luthier Specific tools I’ve bought or used on my first real build:

Wood 10” radius block for fingerboard radius

Precision ground Aluminum tube fret leveling beam, 24”

Fret saw
Fret nippers
“Safed” fretcrowning file and end file

Nut files
Fret shields
6” fine cut file
Coarse and find rasp set, various shapes

Diamond sharpening stones
Scraper
Sanding blocks
Fret shields
Magnifier goggles with led lights
Soldering iron
Solder sucker
Digital caliper

That’s just a start, you can find used tools cheap at a flea market or yard sale. I’ve tried cheaping out on fretwork tools, bad idea. Most of the cheap stuff is crap, but I’ve found a few deals. Stewmac has everything, and very high quality, if you can stomach the blatant price padding via exorbitant “shipping and handling” charges. Anything that says “Luthier” in front of it will be expensive, I try to re-purpose common tools where I can.

 

[mapleglo]

I figure the bandsaw can get quite a bit of doubling usage out of it, be used to cut out body blanks and other parts - and with a fence, can take the place of a tablesaw for longer straight cuts, scarf joints for headstocks, etc.

There may be people with more developed skills than me who can use a bandsaw in place of a table saw. For me, at the very least, I'd have to clean up any long cut done with a band saw with the router.

That said, on to the minimum viable tools required for a build.

I built my first couple of basses with a jig saw, router, hand drill, and drill press, I had a few clamps, sandpaper, and made a sanding drum that I put into the drill press as a drum sander. I had a few drill bits and router bits.

Electronic tools included a soldering iron, a few pairs of pliers of differing types, and a bunch of screwdrivers.

I had no painting equipment. Spray cans or tung oil, and lots of patience.

If you're building a fretted neck, you'll need some additional specific tools - radius block, fretting saw of some type, fret hammer, and a few different files for working the frets. Oh, and something to cut the fret wire with. A long straight edge for leveling is pretty much essential. I have one with a 1/2" side that I stick on sandpaper to level my boards and frets. I got it for like $30 at Rockler.

That's the minimum, though I'm sure I left a few things out.

 

[HaMMerHeD]

It can be done with a router, a hand drill, a rasp, and a jigsaw.

And of course, lots of clamps and sandpaper.

If you use EMG active pickups, you dont need to solder.

 

[T_Bone_TL]

@Gilmourisgod thanks for the extensive post, I'll definitely have some more questions for you when I get out of work and can delve in a bit more.



Thanks very much for replying. As far as power tools I intend to purchase a 14" bandsaw, and a good quality plunge router of at least 1.5hp at a minimum. I figure the bandsaw can get quite a bit of doubling usage out of it, be used to cut out body blanks and other parts - and with a fence, can take the place of a tablesaw for longer straight cuts, scarf joints for headstocks, etc. As far as a router, It seems there are so many uses for it that it'd be silly not to get a really nice one. I will likely purchase a benchtop drill press shortly after getting these two tools.

The part I bolded in your reply is maybe the most pertinent part of what I'm looking for - what hand tools do I really need for getting started in bass building? I am rather unfamiliar with hand tools in general, and am not sure what to prioritize here. What sizes do I really need, what grit of rasps & spokeshaves, etc?

Hmm, I forgot my stock disclaimer that I'm more of a wooddorker than a luthier (and what looks like a misspelling there is intentional )

Well, if you are going to buy a decent router and a bandsaw, you may not need any planes at all (the router, properly jigged, can do all your planing tasks) and your need for saws also shrinks, perhaps to vanishing if looking at "essential" with a bandsaw in house, unless, as others have said, you'll be cutting fret slots yourself rather than buying a pre-slotted, or pre-slotted and radiused fretboard, or building fretless. I'd spend the $3 (flea market/goodwill) to $9 (hardware store) on a coping saw and some blades anyway, as they are handy for tight curves and things that need a blade poked through to saw. But it might not be essential. A basic pullsaw (whihc need not be the most expensive thing you can find form Japan - your hardware store probably has a few inexpensive ones that are fine) will be handy when needing to make crosscuts on thengs that have more than 14 inches on both sides of the cut (you can crosscut short ends on the bandsaw, cutting a long board in half to make two short boards is between difficult and impossible.)

Right, fair warning on the router - the router is the least expensive part of routing. Router bits, which individually do generally cost less, will soon eclipse the cost of the router itself in your routing adventures. This came up in some thread earlier this year with examples. But you won't need a huge number to start with.

Bandsaw blades are much less of a relative expense unless you have a poor learning curve on "not breaking them." I'll also warn you from personal experience that the "apparently non-threatening" nature of the bandsaw (as opposed to a tablesaw or router, say) is misleading - they can and will bite you (or as I try to remind myself every time I start, anything that cuts wood, cuts flesh.)

People use a variety of tools to shape necks, (and other parts, but mostly necks is where the heavy sculpting gets done, though some bodies are sculpted as well, a lot are not.) You could mark facets and bandsaw those, then head for really coarse sandpaper, or use a rasp ("shinto" rasp which is a bunch of sawblades riveted together is popular here) and abrasives and never pick up a spokeshave at all - or you could work extensively with spokeshaves (which are a bladed tool of the plane family, not a thing with grit) and scrapers - it's a personal process choice.

Winding sticks are easily made yourself, they are just a pair of straight sticks, usually with the outer top ends colored for better contrast, which you sit on the ends of a board to check for twist (so you can correct it through planing.) Envision a slightly twisted 3 to 4 inch wide neck blank - it's much easier to see the twist if it's "amplified" by being extended out to 12 or 18 inches by the sticks, and you sight from the top of one to the top of the other.

A marking gauge is a simple and also can be made yourself (then, many things can, but soon your hobby is "tool-making" rather than "bass making" though a lot a "bass making" seems to be "jig-making" which is a sub-class of "tool-making...") but is more essential when hand planing (so you can mark a consistent thickness to plane the second face to after planing the first face) than when using power tool methods where that sort of thing is built into the fixtures.

Aside from folks who have already chimed in here, @SamanthaCay has a number of build threads working with pretty minimal tools, which would be worth reviewing (some are several years back and I haven't seen a recent one) to see how she does it and with which tools. The tuners with actual keys for the tuner keys are an epic example of her style. I think @alder has a more current thread with a deliberate focus of using minimal tools ( You Can Build It )

 

[mark5009]

Hmmm. As you do more you'll find tools will help and "minimum" can sometimes be a real pain (I'm thinking fretting here). I spend a lot of time at my standing drill (you need lots of accurate holes), the router table (so a router with a good selection of straight and trim bits), plus quite a few hand tools (scrapers, chisels, and so on). You might also find a spindle sander a good investment (it's been an eye-opener for me).

More importantly you need, IMO, (1) some digital callipers, (2) sharp pencils, (3) a scribe/scratch-all/awl, (4) an accurate stainless meter/yard rule, (5) a square, (6) a French curve (or equivalent), and (7) perhaps optionally, some nice dividers. Unless you can mark, you aren't going to be happy with your final product, particularly when you're talking to sub-degree, sub-millimetre accuracy.

Plus, if you're starting on this fun, a copy of Martin Koch's "Building Electric Guitars." It takes you through the steps, with examples, and comments of tools you need, and ones that are nice to have.

Good luck!

 

[arctur]

+1 on Martin Koch's book.

People with way more experience than me have already chimed in and I don't disagree with them but I would like to make 2 points.
The first is not really new but something you absolutely have to keep in mind when deciding on the nature of your tool set: hand tools are not cheaper than power tools or even stationary power tools. They are not. I repeat: they are not. The thing with them is... you don't need a plane, you need probably at least three. Working with figured wood means you have to have quality planes with quality blades and probably also low-angle versions which you cannot snatch up used like you could with a Stanley #4. It only goes on from there. This is not to say that you shouldn't use hand tools - my own tool kit consists mostly of those - but only that trying to save cost that way is a non-starter.
Secondly, you have mentioned that you have more time than money. I think the real question that impacts which tools you are gonna have is how much space you have and how much noise you can make. I, for example, work on my kitchen table in the apartment. I told my wife that one could use the table on a jointer as a little shelf and put flowers on it when not in use but somehow she disagreed... If I had the space, I would definitely go out and buy a couple stationary tools, preferably used. I think you will find that most tool sets people use and have are heavily influenced by what they can store where they work. Without knowing what your situation is it is difficult to really give you any advice, I think.

Cheers and good look with your adventure!

 

[mark5009]

Thanks very much for replying. As far as power tools I intend to purchase a 14" bandsaw, and a good quality plunge router of at least 1.5hp at a minimum. I figure the bandsaw can get quite a bit of doubling usage out of it, be used to cut out body blanks and other parts - and with a fence, can take the place of a tablesaw for longer straight cuts, scarf joints for headstocks, etc. As far as a router, It seems there are so many uses for it that it'd be silly not to get a really nice one. I will likely purchase a benchtop drill press shortly after getting these two tools.

I've been thinking more about this having been down in the "shop" working with a whole bunch of tools not mentioned (trim router, pin vice, auger bits, rotary tool, soldering iron, etc.). Basically, there is no minimum: there are just jobs and tools. Some tools make some jobs easier, some harder. Like the headstock scarf joint. Like you stated, I started with a 14" bandsaw and thought it could do lots of stuff (it can! and I can commend the Laguna 14/12 as an excellent saw) however, some things are just easier on a table saw (like cutting a scarf joint). In fact I found it was easier to cut a 13deg scarf with a sharp handsaw (Japanese saws, another "must have") than setting up the bandsaw to do it. Your mileage may vary.

A couple of other thoughts. I use 3 routers: a bench mounted, a hand plunge, and a trim. The bench and the trim get the most use but it is a pain to take the router from out under the table. And this is a trade-off your going to face all the time. You can multi-purpose tools, like a plunge router, or you can have a few for specific tasks. One is not better than the other, just a choice of setup time versus convenience. And, if you have a choice, a standing drill is a better option than a bench top one, mainly due to throat clearance.

Oh! And a workbench. A good workbench. You are going to need a place to work, and to clamp, and to glue, and to assemble. Sometimes a few of these at once. Which also means light... And, depending on the space, dust control. And I am personally a big fan of compressed air, if only to get the dust out of your work.

All IMO Lots of folk over many years have made excellent instruments without much more than a selection of handsaws, fretsaws, a hand brace, planes, chisels and gouges, scrapers, assorted hammers, and so on. These were the traditional lutherie tools. All power tools to is replace what these puppies have been doing. So having a good understanding of hand tools and their use will help you make the right sort of choices for you and what you think is appropriate.

Enough blather

 

[Scoops]

Apologies if this comes across as being a redundant question... I've read through all the FAQ threads and there's a lot of scattered replies, some super old (12+ years) stuff, and I kinda wanted a fresh take on this from some of the super experienced guys like Bruce and Scoops that maybe weren't around this space back in the day. So onward!

First, I wouldn't call myself super experienced, rather...super enthusiastic weekend warrior! But Thanks!

I started with a router, a powered hand drill, a palm sander, and some misc hand tools.
I now have a drill press, jointer, planer, band saw, table saw, routing table, routers, random orbital sander, spindal sander, an assortment of hand planes, dust collection system, clamps and many other hand tools (files, rasps,chisels, ect) gathered along the way.

Tools help with accuracy and quantity. I went from 80 hours for a complete build to about 30 to 40.

Look at what @b3e does with hand tools, no power tools
Winter Build Off 2018 - WalnutKarma Bass

There are others like @Bruce Johnson that have full blow workshop/manufacturing capabilities

There's a whole world of stuff in between

As other have indicated, you need to figure out your path, and what works well for you.

Figure out your goal and adjust accordingly.

 

[SamanthaCay]

Aside from folks who have already chimed in here, @SamanthaCay has a number of build threads working with pretty minimal tools, which would be worth reviewing (some are several years back and I haven't seen a recent one) to see how she does it and with which tools. The tuners with actual keys for the tuner keys are an epic example of her style. I think @alder has a more current thread with a deliberate focus of using minimal tools ( You Can Build It )

You're gonna need a variac, couple good multimeters, something to measure the current draw on an outlet, a signal gen and scope, also a damn good iron.

Wait you said basses. idk probably the most important tool is patience. You will no matter what end up forgetting things, either a process in the build or a tool ya need and patience is the best friend that will guild you through the tough spots no matter what you're making. That and talkbass, talkbass helps a lot too

 

[TundraMan]

The barest essential tool one needs is their brain.

With enough thought, creativity and sweat, one can figure out how to make an instrument using about anything as a tool. From there, adding additional specific tools just increases the ease, accuracy and speed at which one can make an instrument.

On a more practical note, if I were only able to choose one power tool to assist me in building a bass I would probably pick a router.

 

[Spidey2112]

A rusty old spoon'll do ya, given enough time and patience

 

[Spidey2112]

The barest essential tool one needs is their brain.

Bingo!

 

[TinyE]

i have built 2 basses using a jig saw, some glue and some clamps, a small router, a drill, palm sander, and lots of sandpaper. I stained one, and bought a cheap paint gun for the other. it doesn't take much, just think it out, go slow, and you can do whatever you want. you don't need a bunch of fancy tools, just time!

edit - and a soldering iron. that's the list!

 

[darkestsun]

You'll get a huge range of contradictory or complimentary answers on this one. A complete list of tools depends hugely on how you work. I never developed some of the classic hand-tool skills, particularly with planes, but this is what I find essential for a full bass build, not in order of importance:

Electric Tools
1. Router - used for just about every step. You can probably get away with a colt router, but I like working from a router table instead of freehand, so I'd say at least 1-1/2 HP, plunge optional. Can be used as a thickness planer or a jointer with the right jigs. Get an offset lexan base if it doesn't come with one, maybe an edge-guide, and buy or build a router table.
2. Dremel - covers a lot of the same territory as a router, but better for fine work like inlays.
3. Tablesaw - I use mine for a lot of the rough work, you could get around this with a circular saw and guide rail. I find jigsaws pretty much useless for anything but thin material, they wander in the cut too much for square edges.
4. Jointer - can be replaced by a router jig, but nice to have a stationary one. Hand plane jointer will do nearly as good a job if you have the skills. I have a Jet 6" jointer.
5. Bandsaw - Again, using a jigsaw to cut 1-1/2" thick hardwood sucks, I'd call it nearly essential for bass building, the deepest throat you can afford. I have a Sears 12" that's barely adequate. Good for curved cuts re-sawing, straight rips with the right fence, etc.
6. Thickness Planer - also replaceable with a router jig, I have a Delta 12-1/2" planer, works great on plain sawn wood, not so much on highly figured wood, lot's o' tearout unless the blades are brand new.
7. REALLY good straightedge. Don't skimp on this, Stemac, Starret, or equal high quality, at least 24". I have a 36" one I use constantly. I also have a good 12" and 6" ruler, combination square, a couple of the Incra rules, etc. A good straightedge can be used to check other tools too, some amazingly straight hardware store stuff, but you won't know what is good without a straightedge.
8. Drillpress - I'd say essential. You can get one of the hand-drill jigs that replace the chuck with a guided base, I did that for a while, and it works, but drillpresses can be had pretty cheap these days. Even a small benchtop model is better than the jig type.
9. Ocscillating spindle-sander - great for making templates and sanding radius curves. I use a Robosander, which is just a drum sanding cylinder with a template bearing instead, chucked into a drillpress. It works well, but very slow, and since it doesn't move up and down, clogs the sandpaper quickly.
10. Thickness panel sander - in my dreams, but that would replace a thickness planer and eliminate the possibility of tearout almost entirely.
11. Crosscut compound miter saw - duplicates some tablesaw functions, but nice to keep a good crosscut blade in it and use a tablesaw just for rips.
12. Cordless drill and bits, bradpoint best for wood, also a set of forstner bits is good. Don't buy crappy drillbits, waste of time and money.

I'll dive back in on handtools in a separate post, I'm sure you'll get an earful on hand vs. power tools. I have huge admiration for people with handtool skills, I made the choice to lean on machines as timesavers, but it can get stupid expensive, and the results are only marginally more accurate than a really good craftsperson can produce.

He is right, i recently started to do builds. BTW, the grabber sliding pickup requiters very careful work to get the routing right where the slider sits.You will also need Photoshop to start creating templates, there are many videos on YT that show ho to do it. The most important thing to have is time and patience, i started a Gibson G3 build like three months ago and i barely have the body done right.