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Every guitar owner should have a guitar tool kit at-the-ready. Guitars are delicate instruments with dozens of working parts that can easily be thrown out of wack by humid or dry weather as well as movement from home to the studio or venue.
Many guitar owners opt to hand their axe over to a tech when things aren’t working properly, but being able to maintain and repair your own guitar is the best way to ensure perfect sound at all times. And with one of the best guitar tool kits, being your own tech is less intimidating than you might expect. Plus, whether adjusting truss rods or replacing strings, proper tools will ensure a much less dangerous operation than trying to use what’s already in your garage.
To help you get set up with the best guitar tool kit possible, we’ve done some digging and found a few great options.
What to Know Before Buying a Guitar Tool Kit
Guitar tool kits vary quite a bit in terms of the included tools. Below are some of the most important tools as well as why you’ll need them.
Screwdrivers and Wrenches: Most screwdriver and wrench sets won’t work for the particular screws and bolts of a guitar. The best guitar kits come with a variety of small, precision screwdrivers, wrenches and Allen wrenches that are necessary for many jobs such as adjusting intonation and string action.
String Cutters: Being able to change your own guitar strings is a must. We suggest picking a guitar tool kit that includes some high-quality string cutters and ideally a pocket for replacement strings.
String Winder: Tuning and winding a new string is much easier with a dedicated string winder. These tools latch onto the tuning pegs and allow you to quickly wind the pegs.
String Action Gauge: When checking and adjusting string action, it’s very helpful to have a special string action gauge. These small rulers measure the small distance between the strings and fretboard.
Files: Some guitar tool kits include a file made for frets, and a few kits also have guards to protect the fretboard. These files are also helpful for changing nut slot depth.
