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warmoth stratocaster replacement neck flat vs. tiltback, single radius vs. compound radius

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also, i'm going to buy some basic guitar setup tools. looking at the stewmac basic kit....


#1 is it worth the $$$
#2 what do most people use for guitar tools? Metric or Imperial?? or a combination of both? which would be best for this particular set?
 
Myself, I keep a mini tool kit in my music room. Non instrument specific: screw drivers, hex keys, sockets, wrenches. Imperial and metric. Then I get instrument specific items: fret rocker, long handled truss rod wrenches, I built my own bushing pulling tool. Things that fall in other groupings: spark plug feeler gauge, micrometer.

Things I have that really are not used. Nut height gauge from Stewmac. Slotted fretboard level, neck radius gauges
 
TBurst Std said:
John, think back on our conversation last night. Just get staggered tuners and a well cut nut.
Click to expand...
lol, i am thinking about to our conversation. it was a very very long (great) conversation. but i'm still an "over-thinker"

i was just verifying some things regarding my old setup with string trees and regular tuners..........specifically, what kind of break-angle is on string EBGD. i have 2 different sized string trees. don't know the sizes (didn't feel like taking them off the neck last night) so the break angle from the nut to the EB is the sharpest, then less steep on G&B.......and the AE's don't have trees but have but still have their own break-angle from the nut.

i read that you don't need much of a break angle........3 -4 degrees, but if you don't have enough you can get "string-buzz" i with i had a protractor. i guess i could just use A^2 x B^2 = C^2 fill in the length from the tuning hole to the nut and the peg height and then use trig to find the angle (Theta) and that would give me the break angle.
 
stratamania said:
Read the post again, and the quote that it references young Padawan...

View attachment 63497

Imperial tools are needed for imperial parts and metric tools for metric parts.
Click to expand...
yes, @stratamania
i know enough to use metric for metric and standard/imperial for standard/inches.

but the answer to the question still hasn't been given. it's an easy question. but nobody just answers it. they makes a sarcastic comment and then move on.

Here is the question.........again. you can take it hypothetically if you want....
If you were going to buy the Stewmac string action gauge, would you buy it in metric or standard/imperial?

i do like the under-the-strings radius tools that is imperial (i always thought that this was refereed to as "standard"...where did this "imperial" designation come from..............well "imperial" as in English Kings and Monarch's rules/laws/etc ) as a former auto-mechanic and auto-body man we just called things "standard" or "metric"

and the other part of the question? are some or all of stewmac's tool line "over-rated" or over-priced?
i'm thinking that Stewmac is probably similar to Snap-on tools........top dog. worth every penny if you are using them to make a living. if not, then craftsman will get the job done, but the snap-ons still feel soooo much better in your hands!

so if stewmac = snap-on,
does music-nomad = craftsman? or is there a 3rd company for good guitar tools? i've only come across stewmac and music-nomad so far.

part of my metric/standard questions run more in depth than just doing basic tune ups. i'm going to be purchasing tools to do complete fret-jobs. i imagine that stewmac's fret job tools are probably the best way to go as far a quality is concerned, so are measurements for a fret-job going to be more standard or more metric? or a combination of both, in which i'd have to buy each tool separately if that tool comes in either/or.
 
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TBurst Std said:
Myself, I keep a mini tool kit in my music room. Non instrument specific: screw drivers, hex keys, sockets, wrenches. Imperial and metric. Then I get instrument specific items: fret rocker, long handled truss rod wrenches, I built my own bushing pulling tool. Things that fall in other groupings: spark plug feeler gauge, micrometer.

Things I have that really are not used. Nut height gauge from Stewmac. Slotted fretboard level, neck radius gauges
Click to expand...
for the truss-rod wrenches, which i'm assuming are the wrenches in this stewmac kit............can you just use regular craftsman wrenches or are they angled a particular way specifically for truss-rods.....or are they much thinner for a reason?
i've got plenty of wrenches...........i just am wondering if these are more truss-rod specific wrenches and i should get them. (?)
 

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They are thinner 6 points for acorn style rods. Specialty tool is best as the access is close and std tools could end up scratching your headstock or not fit at all.

For screwheads and Allen heads, normal tools work fine.
 
Imperial or Metric, only you can make the call for you. If most of what you work on is metric, then choose that, or if imperial, choose that one for the set-up kit.

Basic Setup Kit - StewMac

Now in metric, too! Our most popular setup tools in one money saving set.
www.stewmac.com www.stewmac.com

The set-up kit I have is the imperial one. Though I could just as easily use the metric version. I have tools in metric and imperial. I could set up a guitar without a set-up kit and for many years did just that.

Truss rod wrenches are not part of the basic set up kit.

I have a lot of Stewmac tools as they are specialised for the jobs I have them for, so I think they are worth it. But it really depends on how often you are going to use a particular tool whether they will be worth it to you.

I cannot tell you how they compare to various American brands of tools as a quality comparison, as I am not from the USA.

Your questions are being answered. But decisions of this versus that are for you to decide.
 
stratamania said:
Imperial or Metric, only you can make the call for you. If most of what you work on is metric, then choose that, or if imperial, choose that one for the set-up kit.

Basic Setup Kit - StewMac

Now in metric, too! Our most popular setup tools in one money saving set.
www.stewmac.com www.stewmac.com
Click to expand...
ok, that is a good place for me to start. so +2 on imperial for that setup kit........or at least the string action guage.
stratamania said:
The set-up kit I have is the imperial one. Though I could just as easily use the metric version. I have tools in metric and imperial. I could set up a guitar without a set-up kit and for many years did just that.

Truss rod wrenches are not part of the basic set up kit.
Click to expand...
yes, i figured that, but you can buy that guitar guitar tool set w/ screwdrivers, hex drivers, all the different attachements.... but you can get the kit, minus the hex wrenches or get them with and save a little on the backend since it is bundled with set.

stratamania said:
I have a lot of Stewmac tools as they are specialised for the jobs I have them for, so I think they are worth it. But it really depends on how often you are going to use a particular tool whether they will be worth it to you.

I cannot tell you how they compare to various American brands of tools as a quality comparison, as I am not from the USA.

Your questions are being answered. But decisions of this versus that are for you to decide.
Click to expand...

i know it is "my decision" but i like to know what everyone else is doing. if the majority of people use inches for setting string actions then when i am reading a setup book, or watching a youtube video, it is just easier to have the same "system of measurement" then having to go back and forth from metric to standard. i'm not saying that i'm not able...........i am more than capable........my hightest level of math was calculus 3, so i'm not helpless. it just makes it easier if if i'm speaking the same language for each task as the rest of the group.
i'm sure there will be other tools that i will buy in metric, but for this first set it seems that most people are using standard (i hate the term imperial.....don't know why people are using it......my own personal issue......lol )

so i'll get the basic sets while they are on sale and go for the others another time.
 
TBurst Std said:
They are thinner 6 points for acorn style rods. Specialty tool is best as the access is close and std tools could end up scratching your headstock or not fit at all.

For screwheads and Allen heads, normal tools work fine.
Click to expand...
can you tell me what the difference is for these and if i need to have both? or one/the other?

and

and i'm i going to need a luthier's rulled square?

StewMac Luthier's Square - StewMac

Lay out string spreads, square up parts, or quickly set up tools in your shop with this precision steel square for instrument work.
www.stewmac.com www.stewmac.com

i'll get as many things as i'm going to need for the near future........and i'll be happy to get it all at 50% off right now!
 
FluorideInMyWater said:
can you tell me what the difference is for these and if i need to have both? or one/the other?

and

and i'm i going to need a luthier's rulled square?

StewMac Luthier's Square - StewMac

Lay out string spreads, square up parts, or quickly set up tools in your shop with this precision steel square for instrument work.
www.stewmac.com www.stewmac.com

i'll get as many things as i'm going to need for the near future........and i'll be happy to get it all at 50% off right now!
Click to expand...
and if i was going to get a z-file set

[MOD EDIT]
 
Last edited by a moderator:
To answer your earlier remark. Get the Guitar Tech Screwdriver kit, especially useful.

Guitar Tech Screwdriver Set - StewMac

36-piece compact tool kit just for fretted instruments. A StewMac exclusive.
www.stewmac.com www.stewmac.com

However, the spanners (wrenches) unless you know you have a use for them, I would not bother. StewMac also sell various other truss rod spanners, have a look at their site. But most Fender based necks use allen keys, or in the case of vintage a screw driver type adjustment. The spanners are only needed for certain tilt back style necks such as Gibsons.
 
MOD EDIT

People's patience seems to be wearing thin, so I'm locking this thread to prevent more frustration.
 
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