- Router - You don't even want to try building a guitar without a router. I use a Dewalt DWP611 router. These run about $150 on Amazon but there are other much less expensive routers available (just check the user ratings). Obviously, you'll need some router bits to go along with it. The most important being a set of top bearing, flush trim, 1/2" bits. These come in sets of 4 with different lengths (Amazon). You'll also need a 3/8" bottom bearing, flush trim router bit (also Amazon).
- Drill and/or drill press - I've got a Wen 12" benchtop drill press and I love it but you can get by with a drill (which you need anyway) and a portable drill guide. Also, Vevor makes a highly rated 10" benchtop drill press for just over $130 (I suspect they're made in the same factory as the Wen drill presses). When I first started making guitars I used the absolute cheapest drill guide ever. Unfortunately, a drill guide won't allow you to use the StewMac Safe-T-Planer which is a tool that can save you a lot of work.
- Jig saw or band saw - I've got a Wen benchtop band saw but you can get by with a jig saw
- Random orbit sander - These are very inexpensive and most people already have one in their shop.
- Clamps - clamps, clamps, clamps and more clamps. I like the Jorgensen E-Z Hold clamps but you also need a couple of deep throat C clamps.
- Oscillating drum sander - This can save you a ton of time. I've got the Wen 6510T and it works great. When it dies though I will be getting the Wen 6524 oscillating belt and spindle sander. Two birds with one, slightly more expensive, stone.
- StewMac Safe-T-Planer - If you don't have a 13" or wider thickness planer then the Safe-T-Planer from StewMac is the next best thing. I used one of these for years. Even if you have a thickness planer you'll still want, and use, one of these.
- Robo-sander - These are really handy. These are just drum sanding drill bits with a guide bearing (you can get by with just the 2"x2" ). Of course, these aren't absolutely necessary either but the can cut down on tear-out problems.
- Scroll saw - This is very handy for cutting out MDF templates and some small pieces (although a jig saw and sandpaper will work just as well).
- Laser engraver/cutter - These are super useful but definitely a luxury. I've got a Sculpfun S10 laser with a blower and a Y-axis extension. The price on the S10 laser has dropped like crazy lately. At this time it's on sale for $269 (with the blower). I spent quite a bit more for mine. One thing to keep in mind is that a diode laser like the S10 will not cut through anything reflective and it's fairly weak so forget about trying to cut pearl or abalone with one of these. However, you can make some amazing wood marquetry inlays with it and, if you have the Y extension and the air assist blower, you can use it to half cut through MDF for templates (cut half way through, use a jig saw to cut out the edges near the line, pop off the remaining MDF with a small chisel where it was cut through with the laser, then flip it over and use a 3/8" bottom bearing flush trim router bit to clean up the edges). One of the biggest problems I faced with the S10 was what settings to use for each type and thickness of wood. To that end, I started keeping a file with a list of what LightBurn settings worked best for me. Of course, every piece of wood is different so these are just starting guidelines. Test on a scrap piece before you start burning. In addition to cutting marquetry inlays, recessing for said inlays, cutting templates, and drawing templates for pickguards, I also use the S10 to make wood pickup mounting rings and knobs. I'll describe that at some point in the future.
- Thickness planer - I got by without one of these for years but then I finally bit the bullet and bought a Wen PL1337, 13", two-speed, spiral blade, thickness planer. Is it absolutely necessary? No, but, holy cow, the amount of work it saves you is amazing. It planes so smoothly that you almost don't need to sand. I only use it on slow speed and set the cuts at about 1/64". This makes it much less likely to have tear-out issues (but not impossible).
- Diagonal cutters - For cutting fret ends.
- Triangular file with smooth corners - I use a StewMac medium but check out LAMSAM on Amazon.
- Radius sanding block - You need one or more of these. They're not expensive and you can find some nice wood, steel, or aluminum ones on Amazon.
- Fret leveling bar - Check Amazon for these. They're not expensive. I have seen a couple of people on YouTube using levels for their leveling bar but not all levels are perfectly flat. I made that mistake once with a Stanley level.
- Fret beveling file - Straight and angled, TAOZUA makes my favorite so far (another insane Amazon company name).
- Fret slotting saw - .023 kerf from StewMac (crazy expensive) or Edgetool on Amazon.
- Dead blow hammer - I bought a nifty little tool kit on Amazon that had the hammer and a fret rocker (forget about the included crowning file)
- Nut slotting files - You can slot the nut with a piece of the correct gauge string wrapped in sandpaper but you probably don't want to. There are also some little round nut slotting files that come with some of the cheap luthier tool kits on Amazon but I've never tried them. I've been using a set of Nomad nut files (for 10s) and they work fine for 9s. You can rock them to get larger slots. Yeah, they're pricey but they work really well and are easy to use.
- Fret slotting jig - I like Solo’s (StewMac's is twice the price) , you also need one or more templates to go with it. You can make your own fret slotting jig from plywood and it works just as well, it just takes longer. I did my first six guitars that way.
- Japanese fret slotting saw - I bought mine on Amazon but it's a StewMac product. I now just start the frets with the normal fret saw and the fret slotting jig but I use this for all other fret slotting (e.g. after radiusing, after finishing).
- Dremel tool and Dremel router base - If you plan on doing any fine work, like inlays, you'll need a Dremel tool with a Dremel router base (the one from StewMac is excellent but it looks like China has caught up, you can get the Jiayouy Precision Rotary Tool Plunge Router Attachment on Amazon for less than half the price). The plastic Dremel router base from Dremel is pretty useless. You'll also need Dremel down-cut spiral bits (I use 1/8” and 1/32” from StewMac but look around because those are expensive).
- Fret press clamp - Don't buy from StewMac. Again, very expensive. I got mine from Guitar Builder Online. They're a bit less expensive and they're actually better than the StewMac version.
- Fret end dressing file - There are plenty of these on Amazon. They're basically a rectangular file with two smooth surfaces and two cutting surfaces.