Ratings and reviews

Ive had some mixed results with CTS pots but not when I buy them from StewMac. Its obvious that they are tested because they are very consistent in performance. Buy them in bulk and save. Smooth to use and clean sound with no crackling.

I didn't want to buy this cause its a bit pricey for what you get but then I got one and realized its worth every penny. You'll use the strait edge and string height gauge/measuring tool every day. It is very basic and you'll need more tools later but this is where to start.

This is an often overlooked component when building, re-building or upgrading a guitar or bass. I use stereo jacks in everything I do and I dont do much work on stereo instruments. The extra spring contact point holds the jack tip tighter than a mono jack for a few cents more. Great contact without crackle or noise. Tough spring contact points won't bend out of shape over time. Great product.

If you're learning repair or an old pro, its good to have books like this to look through just to get your creative ideas going. For me its not so much that the book goes over the basics (and then some) of set up and some repair, but that it encourages each person to come up with methods and tricks to use themselves. How to make little tools and attachments for tools or make things from shop scraps that you'll end up using all the time. For these reasons books like this are a must-have.

If you want a lever switch then use a CRL. Thats it. Other brands will work but if you go with a CRL theyll last and last and last. The material is easy to solder to since its not covered in residue like most other switches are.

Its a pretty simple design thats made by lots of companies. This version works well. The foam is tough-thats my favorite feature. Ive dropped hot solder on it and other abuse and it seems to hold up nicely. The cradle will hold most 6 and 7 string guitar necks nicely. I do wish the foam pad was about 10" longer and that the bottom of the pad didn't slide so easily on smooth surfaces. But other than that its nice. Pretty much the first thing anyone should buy if you are going to do any set up, maintenance or cleaning of your own instruments. When mine wears out, ill order another from Stew Mac.

Im a big fan of vintage methods and materials when building or repairing. I used to use Vitamin Q Oil in paper but when Stew Mac started carrying these I had to try them. What can I say... I love them. They sound different than disc caps or foil. They seem to soften things a bit. If you want an edgy sound then probably go with a Orange drop but for warm smooth tone, even high gain on guitar, they are quite nice. I now recommend them to everyone.

Rebuilding a bass and adding a string-through body feature was fun but the added stability, adjustability, sustain and tone that this bridge added is not to be understated. Well worth the price. Very solidly built and a fine upgrade to an inexpensive stock bridge.

I got this 3 pole switch to add an LED on/off indicator to a wah pedal. It works well and is well made and sturdy. I did find it a bit stiff but it may be Im just used to the old one that has been worn in. All in all, pretty nice.

Good little file. Does its job well and protects the fretboard from damage.

I could not find something (like this) in Germany!

Excellent quality,it cuts well and easily.I've used it and I'm very pleased.The wooden handle is fantastic, good grip too.

This is a great tool for locating those high/low frets - very well made and easy to use. Just get it!

This gauge helped me keep track of my fret slot depth on a recent partial refret job. It beat using a rule or any other method I could have come up with.

These cutters were perfect for a recent refret job - very well made and easy to use.

I ended up using both of these tools on a recent refret job, and they were indispensable for getting the fret slots clean.

I used this hammer for a partial refret job I did recently, and it was the perfect tool for the job.

I used these pliers to radius some frets for a refret job I recently did on an Ovation, and they worked perfectly and were easy to use.

This fretwire matched up almost perfectly for a refret job I recently did on an Ovation. I did all the radiusing by hand, and the fretwire was easy to work with and produced great results.

Solid and nice colors

I bought this to replace a missing 5th string tuner on an Epiphone 5-string banjo. This unit is slightly oversize, so provided a good, snug fit. The tuner action is very smooth and positive. A great product!

This is my first inlay/routing work, and I am very pleased with the quality of this bit. I am using the 3/32" to rout a Gibson rosewood fretboard and while I have not attempted it yet, the practice runs I've been doing on wood are excellent. I was able to practically remove one layer at a time of finish!

If you make your own nuts, this is a wise investment. The right tool means less frustration and better results. Great value for the increased control over "budget" mini vises. I also use it to hold TOM bridges, pot prep, etc. Even my 13 yr old son is starting to practice nut making. You know a tool is good when it stays on your bench and not in your box.

The best companion to your lap steel may have. Product with excellent quality. Play Lap Steel has become much easier with SP2

The gauge works ok but there are some potential improvements that seem very obvious. 1) The gauge is marked up backwards. If the scale markings were oriented in the other direction you could simply read the dial. If you use the gauge as per instructions you have to do math in your head to arrive at the value you are measuring for. That seems silly. I have tried setting my dial to zero when the string is pressed down, which allows me to read the dial when I release the string and see the measurement value first hand. The problem with this is that it takes 3 hands to do this effectively. 2) The curvature on the bottom of the brass bass seems goofy. It makes the tool sit on most fret boards at an angle that makes it appear as if the brass block was machined incorrectly. The fact that you have to rotate the base for use on the outer or inner strings makes the angle on the foot seem like its either a bad fit or a really bad fit. A straight flat bottom seems like the best all around choice. I may machine my base to reflect this opinion. I am normally very pleased with Stew Mac tools but this particular tool seems to include unnecessary compromises that could be improved. Thanks.