So you want to build a guitar

Hosco makes the nut files used in professional repair shops, and this electric set covers all six string gauges for standard tuning. Diamond-coated cutting edges, clearly labeled widths. The one set that'll handle every nut slot job you'll do across your first few builds.

If you want to skip plastic and slot-filing on your first build, Graph Tech's TUSQ XL pre-slotted nut is nearly drop-in on most Strat-style kits. TUSQ transmits vibration better than plastic, and the pre-cut slots are already close to spec — you'll do minor height adjustment, not full slot work from scratch.

After you level frets — or if your kit has one fret noticeably high — you need to restore the round crown on each fret top. This diamond-coated file cuts fast and leaves a consistent radius. It's a second-build tool, but once you've used one on a buzzy fret you'll understand why professionals don't use triangles.

Tru-Oil is the beginner's cheat code for guitar finishing. Wipe it on with a cloth, let it dry for an hour, sand lightly with 0000 steel wool, repeat. After 5–8 coats you have a hard, hand-rubbed finish that looks intentional and holds up to years of playing. No spray equipment, no expensive setup — just cloths and patience.

If you want to add a stain or burst color before finishing, Minwax conditioner prevents blotchy stain absorption on basswood — the default kit body wood. Pair it with any wipe-on poly for a hard, even clear coat. Not as traditional as lacquer, but completely beginner-safe and available at any hardware store.

Deft is the most accessible nitrocellulose-style lacquer you can find at a hardware store. It lays flat, sands between coats easily, and builds up to a proper glossy finish in 6–8 sessions. You'll need a respirator and good ventilation — but if you want a classic guitar look, this is how you get it without a spray booth.

D'Addario's guitar accessory kit packs the everyday essentials for a first build in one box: a multi-tool with built-in string winder, bridge pin puller, and three hex wrenches, plus a cleaning cloth. It covers the repetitive tooling you'll reach for constantly — not a dedicated setup-measurement kit, but an indispensable everyday bundle that costs less than buying each piece separately.

Truss rod nuts come in different sizes and most kit builders don't know which one they have until the neck is in hand. MusicNomad's set covers all common sizes — 4mm, 5mm, hex, T-bar — with a padded fret protector built into the handle so you can't accidentally ding your headstock while adjusting.

This dual-scale notched straight edge covers both Gibson (24.75") and Fender (25.5") scale lengths — one tool for any kit you build. Sits on the frets and shows you neck relief under string tension in a way feeler gauges alone can't replicate. The professional standard for neck diagnosis in any serious shop.

The most commonly recommended first strings: medium gauge is forgiving of slightly-off nut slots, nickel winding sounds balanced across all pickups, and D'Addario's consistency means every pack plays like the last. Buy a 3-pack — your first kit will burn through a few sets while you dial in the setup.

Locking tuners are the single highest-impact hardware upgrade for a kit guitar. Instead of wrapping strings three times around the post, you lock each string with a thumbscrew. Tuning stability improves dramatically, string changes drop from 15 minutes to under 3. The included tuners on most kits are functional but imprecise.

Graph Tech's TUSQ XL nut is impregnated with PTFE so strings move through the slots without binding during bends or tremolo use — the main cause of tuning instability on Strat-style kits. A bone nut sounds great; a TUSQ XL sounds great and stays in tune when you use the vibrato arm. Fits most Saga ST-10 builds.