What are the guitar fettling and modding essentials?

Rox

So I've sorted a little corner of my shed as a little guitar fettling / modding area.  I think "making" is beyond my reach for quite some time...

i've made a worktop at a good height for sitting with some decent lighting directly above.  There's also a proper workspace with a vice alongside.  This bit is almost like a workbench desk.

So I have the usual DIY tools knocking around, but wondering what tools and items are the essentials to have on hand?

sweepy

Fret levelling tools and nut files are your first port of call, these will get more use than anything else 

paulnb57

Ive liberated a few tools from the shed and dedicated them to the guitar building kit, over time I have through experience found ideal screwdrivers etc that fit well, a pair of needle nose pliers, good small side cutters, reasonably decent soldering iron, the thing I bought especially was a set of decent nut files and I'm glad I did. A couple of jewellers screwdrivers from a cheap set are good for tuner screws and pickup height adjuster screws, a set of feeler gauges for set ups. A few allen keys for truss rods and bridge saddles. A also bought a 1/4 driver screwdriver handle and 10,12 &13mm long reach sockets for tuner, jack and pot nuts, most stuff I already had....something else that is really useful is an Awl, you can prod through scratchplate holes tuners etc to make a mark to drill for securing screws....

Rabs

Not just for the levelling..  But first I think a notched straight edge is a good idea to make sure the neck is straight enough in the first place...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Notched-Guitar-Straight-24-75-25-50/dp/B00E3BJ8DW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1488409952&sr=8-2&keywords=fret+levelling+tools

Fret rocker is very useful but I guess you could use other stuff

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Guitar-Fret-Rocker-x/dp/B00E1CHEB6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1488410038&sr=8-1&keywords=fret+rocker

Also a file that does the side of the frets and the bevel on the edge

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Degree-Fret-Bevel-Tool-Guitar-x/dp/B00E21JFZO/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1488410082&sr=8-8&keywords=fret+file

And then you need a file for the crowning and the ends

I really like this Hiroshima file but cant find a uk seller at the moment

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hiroshima-Files-Uo-Chikyu-Fret-End-Dressing-File-/111913616422?hash=item1a0e924426:g:5boAAOSwRLZTzxk8

And for a crowning file..  what I did was take a standard triangular file and grind off the corner edges so they arnt sharp and it doesn't dig into the board while you are filing.. Has always worked for me 

Jalapeno

Checkout Crimson Guitars' Tools

Bridgehouse

Feeler gauge set. 

Masking Tape.

Metal rules. Lots of them and different sizes. 

Wire Strippers. Good quality - don't skimp.

Rox

I've got some needle files which should see me for now.  Not sure how brave I am for fretwork mind

oktorockto

Can anyone recommend a good supplier for fret files?