Luthiery is the art of making and repairing stringed instruments such as lutes, guitars, and violins. A luthier is someone who performs such tasks, and he or she is usually trained to perform complex tasks related to the building or repair of musical instruments. In order to do so, the luthier will typically employ tools that are either specific to the craft or are not. Some tools, like chisels, can be used for a wide range of woodworking projects, while others, like fret files, are designed specifically for luthiery processes.
Because wood is the primary material used in luthiery, many of the luthier tools are similar to those used in other woodworking projects. For example, chisels are used to remove material from a wooden blank in order to shape it. Chisels of various sizes and shapes are used in luthiery, as well as other woodworking projects. Some chisels, on the other hand, are made specifically for luthiery projects. A purfling groove maker, for example, is a tool for shaping guitar edges or creating purflings on violins or guitars. Purfling is a binding that wraps around the edges of the instrument’s body to protect it from cracking and chipping.
Hand planes and a variety of guitar-specific jigs are among the other luthier’s tools. Hand planes used as luthier tools are similar to larger hand planes used in other woodworking projects, but they are smaller and easier to manipulate with the palm of the hand. The plane’s cutting blade is also likely to be curved rather than straight in order for the luthier to dig channels or cavities into the instrument’s body. Jigs are essentially supports that hold materials in place while they are being cut or drilled. A headstock jig, for example, will hold a piece of wood in place while drilling the holes for tuning machines.
Other tools for manipulating wood include rasps, saws, shavers, and draw shaves; however, because instruments are likely to contain materials other than wood, luthier tools have been developed to accommodate such processes. Guitar frets, for example, are made of metal that must be snipped, ground, and shaped before being used. This cutting is done with fret snips, and the frets are shaped with files. A pull saw is usually used to cut slots in the guitar’s neck before these frets can be installed, and a rubber mallet is used to position them.