There are luthier's tools, and then there are tools that can be used for lutherie. I always try to use or adapt common tools for my purposes, but there are some dedicated lutherie tools that are either irreplaceable or make the job so much quicker and easier that they might as well be. If you're new to the craft, as most of my readers are, I suspect, then high volume and time management are not a big concern. That "perfect tool for the job" in the catalog might well be perfect if you're cranking out a dozen guitars a month, or have a big order to fill very quickly, but its expense can hardly be justified for the new luthier or hobbyist.
In my opinion (and you know what those are like) learning to build an instrument the old-school way, with as much hand work as possible is the best way to learn lutherie. Remember, instruments were built entirely with hand tools for centuries and those folks did some pretty nice work!
I had an advantage over some beginners in that I had a pretty good collection of tools before I started building instruments. I have tried to state in my descriptions when another, simpler, tool could be used for a given task.
OK, here's a list of the tools that I've used to this point.
Craftsman 10" Table Saw
Ryobi 9" Band Saw (A "Sabersaw" hand-held power jigsaw, or even a coping saw will work.for most operations)
Ryobi Bench Model Drill Press (w/ Wagner Safe-T-Planer attachment for thinning wood stock and a "Robo-Sander" sanding drum)
Ryobi 4x36 Belt Sander
Thor 3x16 Belt Sander (I used this, clamped in a vise, as a stationary belt sander - I've since replaced it with the Ryobi 4x36 bench model ......A sanding block, rasps and files would work just as well, albeit much slower)
Ryobi 14.4 Volt Drill/Screwdriver
Dremel MotoTool w/ Stewart-MacDonald "Precision Router Base" and "Adjustable Binding Router Guide" (Binding ledges can be cut with a marking gauge and a chisel)
Black & Decker Adjustable-Speed Power Drill (driving a 10" flannel buffing wheel)
Stewart-MacDonald Flush-Cutting End Nippers
Luthier's Mercantile Three-Cornered Fret File
Stewart-MacDonald .024-kerf Fret Saw
Stanley 5" Block Plane
Generic 2" Palm Plane
Maples Chisel Set
Exacto saw
Various Files - Mill Bastard & Round
Course/Fine Wood Rasp
8-ounce Plastic Dead-Blow Hammer
Cabinet Scraper
"Spool" Clamps for Joining Top and Back Plates
"Easy Bend" Side Bending Machine
Scarf-Joint Jig for Cutting Neck/Peghead Joint on Table Saw
Fingerboard Taper-Cutting Jig for Table saw
Adjustable "Workmold" Body Assembly Jig
"Spool" Clamps for Attaching Top and Back to body.
