Shinto rasp

If I had to recommend just one tool for shaping wood as a beginner, it would be the Shinto rasp. It’s an essential tool when working with a guitar body or neck, because it makes removing material and shaping curves so much easier.

What makes it special is its construction: it’s made from multiple saw blades, arranged and riveted together to form a flat rasp with two sides — a coarse side for fast wood removal, and a finer side for smoother shaping. This design makes it much more efficient than a standard rasp or file, and it doesn’t clog up with sawdust as quickly.

For me, the Shinto rasp quickly became the tool I reached for the most whenever I needed to refine the guitar’s shape. It feels almost like a mix between a file and a plane — aggressive when you want it to be, but still precise enough to control the curves of the neck or body.