Gear Impressions and Luthier Spotlight With Jake Wolf: Cruz Tools GrooveTech™ Bass Tech Kit

Review by Jake Wolf
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Cruz Tools is now offering a small but comprehensive tool kit designed specifically for bass players, in a nice little carrying case that fits in your gig bag.  I’ve been carting around tools for years in my gig bag; half the time I can’t find what I’m looking for, the other half the time I kick myself upon remembering that the allen wrench I need is sitting on my desk at home.   Needless to say I was very happy when I put my hands on the GrooveTech™ kit.  Besides being a tool fanatic, I always appreciate anything that helps keep me organized. Having the tools I need on a gig at my fingertips is such a lifesaver.

Underneath the clear plastic cover of the GrooveTech™ kit, you will find most of the basic tools you need to keep your gear properly adjusted.  The kit is outfitted with a 4 way screwdriver, a nice bright LED flashlight, a luthier’s ruler, a set of feeler gauges; a small set of allen wrenches, a capo, and a wire cutter (dig the cushy molded handle). 

All the tools seem to be of high quality, as does the soft pouch itself.   There is a slot for an extra pack of strings and a small clear pocket for keeping your favorite picks handy.

I’ve brought the kit to every gig I’ve had since it arrived, and I have to say, it has made my life a lot easier.  If I have to find something to critique, I wish the wire cutters were combination cutters; ones that have flat plier-type tangs as well as wire cutters, kind of like how my leatherman is.  That way when changing strings, one can bend them at a 90° angle and then cut them with the same tool.  I realize not everyone changes strings the same way I do, so I suppose this falls under personal preference, although it’s nice for any of us to have that option.   Groove tools did a great job including the most common type of allen wrench sizes found on basses, but there were a couple of times with various instruments when I did not have the correct size.  Be sure to check out what sizes you need and outfit your kit accordingly, so you don’t get stuck on the gig without that one quirky truss rod size allen wrench.

I’m a fan of the GrooveTech™ kit for bassists.   If you find yourself frequently digging for tools, or holding a lighter up to the back of your amp to ensure proper connections, or trying to measure your neck relief with stacks of business cards, I boldly suggest that the Cruz Tools kit may be for you.  Go ahead, spend the $59. if nothing else, your girlfriend and band mates (who have been waiting patiently to go to dinner after soundcheck while you incessantly rifle through your gig bag for that 5mm allen wrench while swearing profusely) will thank you for it.

More info can be found at:  cruztools.com

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