CruzTOOLS GrooveTech Guitar Tech Kit review

  • £39.99
By Dave Burrluck
( Guitarist )
published
All the essentials in one place

MusicRadar Verdict

A near-perfect solution for all of your guitar tech needs.

Pros

  • +

    Quality tools, all in one place. Set-up guide.

Cons

  • -

    Easy to lose clear plastic string winder.

MusicRadar's got your back Our team of expert musicians and producers spends hours testing products to help you choose the best music-making gear for you. Find out more about how we test.

For many players the closest we get to a 'tool kit' is one of those Swiss Army knife-like multi-tools. Well, USA tool company CruzTOOLS has one of those - the excellent GrooveTech Guitar/Bass Multi-Tool (£12.99) - but it also offers something a little more extensive with its Guitar Tech Kit.

It includes a well-written 'Easy Setup Guide' and we get a six-in-one screwdriver with two sizes of cross- and flathead tips plus two hex sockets, a bright three-LED flashlight, 11 metric (gold) and imperial (black) Allen keys (those for truss rods have ball-ends), string cutters, thickness gauge, a capo (ideal for measuring neck relief) and a string winder.

All seem very pro-quality (they carry a lifetime guarantee) and come in a clear-fronted zip-up pouch that'd easily fit in a gigbag pocket...

In use

While the GrooveTech Guitar/Bass Multi-Tool is one of the best we've encountered, the full Tech Kit is near perfect for all the basic DIY adjustments from string changing to truss rod/relief adjustments, pickup height and intonation. It's all in one place too!

That flashlight is essential for backstage environments and only the clear plastic string winder lets the kit down - it should be a gaudy bright colour.

High quality tools don't come cheap but for an all-in-one solution for your own guitar tech needs we'd strongly recommend either the GrooveTech Guitar/Bass Multi-Tool or the more expansive Guitar Tech Kit. Is it too early to ask your spouse for a Christmas present?

Dave Burrluck
Dave Burrluck

Dave Burrluck is one of the world’s most experienced guitar journalists, who started writing back in the '80s for International Musician and Recording World, co-founded The Guitar Magazine and has been the Gear Reviews Editor of Guitarist magazine for the past two decades. Along the way, Dave has been the sole author of The PRS Guitar Book and The Player's Guide to Guitar Maintenance as well as contributing to numerous other books on the electric guitar. Dave is an active gigging and recording musician and still finds time to make, repair and mod guitars, not least for Guitarist’s The Mod Squad.