Crimson Guitars tools

[nexion218]

Have any of you used them? What's your verdict?

I'm eyeing a good good fretwork starter kit as I have yet to obtain a set of proper tools for the job: thus far I went with makeshift or poor quality tools, like the steel card I use as fret rocker:not all sides are straight and I learned that the hard way.... StewMac's kit sounds like it is horribly overpriced, has tools that I do not need (frethammer and fretcutter - complete refret is not in my near future plans), kit contents are not customizable/optional, though the included book is enticing. I know that most everything is avaible on the internet, but a book just rubs my old school soul the right way.

So I started looking for alternatives and found Crimson Guitars. Their set does not contain a book (oh well..), but it is customizable, WAY cheaper (around half the price if I go with the basic set which would sound perfectly enough for me),
My problem is that I do not know anything about the quality of their products. I know that SM is fairly reputable but generally overpriced, but since I'm not a professional, I know next to nothing about other suppliers, so any input would be welcome.

Heres what I'm talking about:

https://www.crimsonguitars.com/store/essential-fret-leveling-dressing-toolkit/

[orpheo]

Re: Crimson Guitars tools

I had that kit and I use Stewmac's now. The difference in price is unfortunate but the difference in quality suddenly makes the price jump sensible. Stewmac's is just better.

- You need to grind the edges of Crimson's fretrocker perfectly flat, because they're not flat. Not really. Stewmac's is flat.
- Crimson's leveling beam is fairly lightweight and not flat. Stewmac's IS flat and heavy, so very little flexing or rocking over the fretboard.
- Crimson's fret rubbers are absolutely, ridiculously useless. Ditch them and get proper 3M, Colad or Bosch sandpaper. Stewmac's rubbers are a little less useless but still not nearly as good as sandpaper.
- Stewmac's files are good. Crimson's files are good too. .
- Crimson's notched straight edge is mediocre at best. The ends of the nibs are still a bit sharp and need to be leveled, beveled and sanded smooth. Stewmac's is just great from the start.

For a first set, Crimson is OK. But as soon as you need to use it on a daily basis the flaws become apparent.

[nexion218]

Re: Crimson Guitars tools

I had that kit and I use Stewmac's now. The difference in price is unfortunate but the difference in quality suddenly makes the price jump sensible. Stewmac's is just better.

- You need to grind the edges of Crimson's fretrocker perfectly flat, because they're not flat. Not really. Stewmac's is flat.
- Crimson's leveling beam is fairly lightweight and not flat. Stewmac's IS flat and heavy, so very little flexing or rocking over the fretboard.
- Crimson's fret rubbers are absolutely, ridiculously useless. Ditch them and get proper 3M, Colad or Bosch sandpaper. Stewmac's rubbers are a little less useless but still not nearly as good as sandpaper.
- Stewmac's files are good. Crimson's files are good too. .
- Crimson's notched straight edge is mediocre at best. The ends of the nibs are still a bit sharp and need to be leveled, beveled and sanded smooth. Stewmac's is just great from the start.

For a first set, Crimson is OK. But as soon as you need to use it on a daily basis the flaws become apparent.

Fast and reliable, google needs to retire! Thanks for the info man! If I end up making the long term investment in SM, do you know any other resellers in Europe aside from madinter.com? Nothing against them, I'd just like to discover my options and I had a hard time finding this Spanish/Portuguese site too.

[orpheo]

Re: Crimson Guitars tools

No one has the parts as good as Stewmac, of the list I mentioned Other than Madinter, I get my gear/parts/tools from:

axesrus.co.uk
guitarsupplies.nl

https://shop.gitabou.de/

https://shop.rall-online.net/en_GB

https://www.forestguitarsupplies.com

https://guitarsandwoods.com/

I also get stuff directly from Goeldo but you need to be in the trade (with a VAT number, etc) to order there. Rockinger.de also has parts, every now and then, that are hard to come by.

Hope that helps

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Crimson Guitars tools

I had that kit and I use Stewmac's now. The difference in price is unfortunate but the difference in quality suddenly makes the price jump sensible. Stewmac's is just better.

- You need to grind the edges of Crimson's fretrocker perfectly flat, because they're not flat. Not really. Stewmac's is flat.
- Crimson's leveling beam is fairly lightweight and not flat. Stewmac's IS flat and heavy, so very little flexing or rocking over the fretboard.
- Crimson's fret rubbers are absolutely, ridiculously useless. Ditch them and get proper 3M, Colad or Bosch sandpaper. Stewmac's rubbers are a little less useless but still not nearly as good as sandpaper.
- Stewmac's files are good. Crimson's files are good too. .
- Crimson's notched straight edge is mediocre at best. The ends of the nibs are still a bit sharp and need to be leveled, beveled and sanded smooth. Stewmac's is just great from the start.

For a first set, Crimson is OK. But as soon as you need to use it on a daily basis the flaws become apparent.

Pretty much spot on.

The only thing I would add/disagree with is that if you want to do a fret finishing on even ONE of your guitars, you want it done right...as perfectly as possible. Why do it in the first place if you can't end up better than you started? You don't have to use them on a "daily basis" to want good quality tools

Good quality tools do the job right, make your work easier and quicker, you end up with less goofs and redos, and, most importantly, will be more economical in the long run.

If you spend 1/2 the money on cheap tools then turn around and buy good quality tools later, you've wasted the money you spent on the cheap tools and ended up essentially paying 50% MORE for the good quality (more expensive) tools.

I think my experience has been just like Orpheo's...I bought cheaper tools to begin with trying to save a couple bucks, but ended up buying quality/more expensive tools which would do the job better.

So I'd say, "for a first set" either buy the absolute cheapest tools you can find (mainly just to find out if this is something you want to do more of) then buy quality tools later. OR, buy the best quality tools you can find (not necessarily the most expensive) from the get go and save money in the long run. I think there is really no middle ground. DON'T get "middle-of-the-road/fair quality tools to begin with.

[orpheo]

Re: Crimson Guitars tools

I want to agree with you, guitarDoc and I frankly do, but I can imagine that it's a hard pill to swallow if you want to dabble in the field of luthiery and have to dish out twice as much for which you have double the doubt. Crimsons tools are OK for the first guitar or first guitars but I noticed the difference when I got the better tools later on. I guess you have to do the hard work before you can start to appreciate the higher end stuff. you need the sour to appreciate the sweet?

[nexion218]

Re: Crimson Guitars tools

Thanks Guys for your time and exhaustive answers!

These are the kind of answers my wallet was afraid of... And all that has been said is generally true for any field I believe, I was hoping for that exception, that is just as good as the other, just not as expensive due to inferior PR or whatever. StewMac it is then! I hope that everything will go well with the Sapniards, I really don't want to pay postage and import taxes from overseas...

Btw, this journey will probably be a lifelong dabbling, just like music. I am too lazy and comfortable to turn my life upside down and start from scratch, at least for the forseeable future. But I need these kinda things, because I realized that being a molecular biologist sounds cool and fun, but I am not dedicated to enough to do research and working in the industry with it leaves empty AF. There is absolutely nothing that I am creating with my daily job and plalying guitar or learning how to do stuff on the bench fills up that empty hole perfectly. If I could start over, I'd either learn music or luthierie at the unniversity instead of biology. Maybe next time!

[Aceman]

Re: Crimson Guitars tools

Knowledge be here. Those Crimson guitars look sweet though!