Tools

In order to build a guitar you will need to have a small collection of tools. This page doesn't include a full description of all the tools you need to build a guitar however it does go into the tools that I have found helpful and gives you an idea of what tools you may want to invest in.

Bandsaw

Although not essential to the guitar building process, a bandsaw can be an incredibly useful tool and will come in handy for a large variety of projects - not just guitar building. For example, the bandsaw was used in speedily cutting out the rough profile of the neck.

Fortunately, my bandsaw was donated to me by my grandfather and so I didn't have to make vast expenditures however a small 8 inch bandsaw can be had for around £100/$169. If this seems too expensive for you then it is worth having a look at second-hand goods websites such as Gumtree or preloved.

My 14" bandsaw pictured here has a cutting depth of 14cm and so is more than capable of doing all the jobs that may be required from it for guitar making.







Drill Press 

Another extremely useful tool in the process is the drill press - even if its only used for drilling the machine head holes and making the jigs.

The reason that it is so invaluable is because of its ability to drill holes that are completely square. This is very necessary for applications such as the jig building because if the holes are not drilled straight the whole jig will be slightly twisted.

The drill press in the picture is very inexpensive and  perfectly functional costing me only £60/$101.23 on ebay brand new (just search Silveline drill press). If that still seems too expensive there are certain stands available that will hold a hand drill in a similar configuration.

Hand Planes
Hand planes are an essential tool for guitar construction unless you happen to have a thickness sander. They will allow you to shape braces and thickness the wood for the soundboard, back and sides.

Record no.4 smoother
Probably the plane I use the most. It has a slight curve ground into the iron and so it is best suited to
quick and rough removal of material. It is very useful in tasks such as thicknessing the soundboard.

Can be had for about £30/$50.7



Stanley no.2 smoother 
Another plane I use on a fairly regular basis. It is used for slightly more delicate and refined work than the no. 4 smoother due to a slightly thinner, shorter sole and lower weight. The one in the picture was given to me by my uncle and so I do not know how much they cost.

Record block plane
This is a very useful plane for guitar construction. Primarily, I used it to make the edges of the wood square on pieces such as the soundboard, back and end graft. When choosing a block plane make sure you find one with a reasonably heavy weight as this will make it much easier to use. The plane in the picture was given to me by my uncle and so I don't know how much they cost however they generally cost about £30/$50.7.

Miniature Block Plane
Not an essential tool for guitar building but they are certainly nice to have and will only cost you a few quid for a cheap one like mine. They are used primarily for shaping the braces however you could probably do the same thing with a chisel. I got mine on ebay for about £5/$8.43 however if you wish to get a really nice thumb plane you can purchase one for a luthier supplier such as Stewart Macdonald