Uncle Dan’s Favorite New Vise

by Dan Erlewine

Originally published in American Lutherie #142, 2021



Howdy, GAL. I miss you all! Some of you may already know about what I am showing here, but I’d be surprised if many did, as it’s so new on the market. It’s the greatest new tool in my shop, and in the shops of several professional luthier pals of mine: The Total Vise, a sturdy pedestal-stand and neck-holding vise that makes so many guitar repair, building, wiring, and setup jobs better, safer, and easier — especially for someone who doesn’t have a good-sized shop, benches, and permanent fixtures.

Originally designed as a gun- and bow-making vise, the Total Vise’s maker, Jeff Howard, was surprised and pleased to find that a few luthiers stumbled upon his setup and liked it. Right away, Jeff asked us to help him design a version of it for guitar work, and we all chipped in over the last half year. Finally it’s ready for any professional, part-time, or novice luthier that wants the best setup for holding a guitar for serious business. The Total Vise has been a game-changer for us and we just want to tell the world about it. So here we’ll visit a few shops from around the country and see how the Total Vise is put to use.