Tools and equipment
I'm often asked what tools and equipment I use, but the list below should not be taken as a directive. There aren't any rules about this stuff - someone will always tell you that tool X is the best, or that you should never use tool Y, but (within reason) if it works for you then you shouldn't worry too much. Most of my equipment is inexpensive stuff from Amazon, and I've included links where relevant - these will open in a new tab.
The items in orange are what I consider essential if you want to do regular repair work on audio equipment. The other items are less important and could be acquired as and when they're needed to spread the cost (which definitely mounts up).
Soldering iron - I use a Yihua 926 LEDiii. It's very basic, but has a built-in holder and temperature control as well as replaceable tips. More expensive irons have temperature presets, but honestly if it gets hot and melts solder, it's probably fine. I keep mine set at 355 degrees celsius - I've never felt the need to adjust it. I also have an iFixIt Portable FixHub. I wouldn't have purchased it for myself, but iFixIt were kind enough to send me one free of charge with no strings attached. If you need to solder something away from a power outlet, it's a great option and heats up very quickly. But if you're always at your desk, it's just not necessary.
Solder - for safety you should really use unleaded solder, but the truth is that it's not as good as the 60/40 tin and lead stuff - at least in my opinion. The latter has a lower melting point and is easier to use, but make sure you have good ventilation and preferably a fume extractor (as mentioned later in this list).
Flux - most solder has flux built into its core, but often that's not enough. I use this liquid flux in a syringe. I didn't think it would last long but I've had it for over a year and there's still lots left. You don't need much, but it makes a huge difference for effective soldering.
Desoldering gun - not essential if you're starting out, but I recently bought a Hakko FR-301 and it's made a huge difference to me. If you're frequently replacing capacitors or other through-hole components, it very quickly becomes indispensable. There are much cheaper guns on the market but this was one tool where I thought paying extra would be worthwhile and I haven't regretted it. The Hakko is very easy to clean, which I believe is a problem for certain cheaper brands. I got mine from Amazon in the US because it was much cheaper, but beware because they sell the 100V Japanese model; this means that at 120V the motor runs faster than intended, which can cause problems in the long run. To get over this you can replace one of the internal resistors to make it work normally in the US, which is what I did. There are plenty of YouTube videos showing how to do this.
Desoldering braid - essential if you don't have a desoldering gun, but important even if you do have one. I've tried a few different brands but recently I've had good success with this one. Just make sure you use plenty of flux with it.
Silicone work mat - it may not seem strictly essential, but I wouldn't like to be without mine. Just having somewhere to put screws where they won't roll away, and also an anti-static and heat proof layer, is very important. My wife bought me mine so I'm not sure exactly where it came from, but the blue ones are easy on the eyes.
Multimeter - you won't get far without one. I use a vintage Fluke 87 that I repaired in one of my early videos, but you definitely don't need anything expensive. Pretty much any digital multimeter is going to be just fine, although a fast auto-ranging one will save time.
Multimeter leads for different applications - your multimeter comes with standard probes, but sometimes you need something more specific. I often use these leads with test hook clips if I need to grip something while keeping my hands free. I was also recently gifted a set of needle tips for my Fluke probes and they're very handy for probing very small components or getting into tight spaces.
Bench power supply - not absolutely essential if you're starting out, but very useful and you can get them very cheaply. I use a Jesverty SPS-3010 which delivers up to 30V DC. If I had my time again I'd probably spend a bit more because this model is a bit finicky to adjust, but it's good enough that I'm okay to keep using it.
ESR meter - I use a Peak Electronics ESR70. I've had it for years, and the model I've linked to is the updated version of mine. It's pretty expensive for what it is, but I use it all the time. An ESR meter is essential for checking the condition of electrolytic capacitors, which are a frequent failure point in vintage audio equipment. This little meter will quickly tell you whether a capacitor is good or bad with its simple display and sounds. The downside it that it won't measure very small values (less than 0.5uF) - but since I use it for electrolytic capacitors, that's not usually a problem.
LCR tweezers - several people recommended I get one of these, and I chose the Fnirsi LCR ST1. Similar to the ESR meter, they can check capacitor health but also automatically recognise other components like resistors and diodes. The benefit is that you can take measurements with one hand and also access components that are hard to reach with larger probes. I don't love my Fnirsi model - I'm left-handed and the display is upside down when I use them in my dominant hand. Other brands have a display that can be flipped for left-handed use. I also find that the Fnirsi ones aren't very accurate at reading capacitance but they do measure small values, which the Peak ESR meter above doesn't.
Thermal camera - I got the TOPDON TC004 to help me find shorted components on PCBs, but to be honest I haven't used it very much. This is definitely more of a luxury than an essential piece of equipment.
T7 multi-tester - you can find these under various names and form factors, but they're all essentially the same thing. Very useful for testing various components, especially transistors, which is what I use it for most of the time. Given how inexpensive they are, I'd say this is an essential purchase.
Oscilloscope - for CD players, it's often useful to check the RF eye pattern. The only way to do this easily is with an analogue oscilloscope. I'm currently using a Tektronix 2213 from the early '80s but pretty much anything will do. Sadly they're large and cumbersome and you can only get them second-hand now. I also have a cheap Hanmatek DS1104 digital oscilloscope but very rarely use it.
Fume extractor - if you're doing a lot of soldering, you should protect your lungs by getting one of these - especially if you're using leaded solder. I got this KOTTO model but they're all basically the same.
Hot air rework station - I only got one of these very recently, so I don't consider it important for vintage audio gear, but if you do need to remove a surface mounted IC (or any other surface mount components), it's very hard to do it without a hot air station. I don't plan to use mine very often so I got this reasonably inexpensive Yihua 959D model. It has temperature presets, so you can set it for heat shrink tubing which is handy.
Heat shrink tubing - neater than using electrical tape, and it won't turn to gloop like the tape does after a while. I got this kit but I'm sure anything would be fine.
Lighter/heat gun - if you're using heat shrink tubing, you're gonna need some heat. Until recently I just used lighters, but they leave carbon deposits which can be messy. I then bought this cheap heat gun which does the job quickly without the mess.
Glue gun - sometimes, you need to stick something quickly. I don't use mine too often, but I'd still consider it an important piece of equipment to own. Mine is a mini model and cost less than $3 but there's no link because you can get them almost anywhere.
Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) - indispensable for electronics work. 99% purity is preferable for cleaning PCBs after soldering, but 91% (more commonly available in the US) will do at a pinch. Can also be used for cleaning CD player lenses and tape heads.
Contact cleaner - most people swear by DeOxit, but I've never used that brand. I get by with this stuff from WD-40 (just don't use regular WD-40). It's basically isopropyl alcohol with some petroleum-based additives, but the fact that it comes in a spray can means that you can get it in otherwise hard-to-reach areas.
Cotton swabs/Q Tips - I get through dozens of these every week - use them for cleaning lenses, applying grease and cleaning small areas. Cheap and essential. Any brand is fine.
Toothpicks - again, these are cheap and really useful for cleaning small crevices or applying glue to delicate areas.
Synthetic grease - if you only get one type of grease, this is probably the most versatile. I use SuperLube. Safe to use on plastic or metal.
White lithium grease - this is a lighter than the synthetic grease, but potentially not safe for use on plastics. I use it for greasing CD player sled rails, as long as all the contact areas are metal. Any brand should be fine, but I use this.
Light oil - useful for oiling motors. For a long time I used standard 3-in-One oil, but sewing machine oil or clipper oil will do the job fine. 3-in-One also do a version specifically for electric motors, but I've never personally used it. I recently got some Horace Whitlock's synthetic clock oil following a viewer recommendation, and it's great because it comes with a long, thin needle applicator. It's expensive but will probably last me for life. Note: avoid using WD-40 for lubricating motors or anything else in audio equipment - it dries out too quickly and will cause more problems than it solves in the long run.
Ink-filling syringe - if you don't want to get the Horace Whitlock's oil mentioned above, you'll need something with a fine point to dispense your oil. The last thing you want is to drip a load of it all over your CD player's transport. I like to use a blunt syringe like these. They give you fine control if you're careful, but watch for air bubbles!
Residue remover - I love this stuff. Goo Gone (US) or Sticky Stuff Remover (UK) is great for getting rid of sticky residue, and comes in handy all the time.
Belt kits - one of the most common repairs for CD players is changing the tray loading belt, so it's important to have a pack of various sized belts on hand. I got these ones almost a year ago and still have loads left. The only problem is that the multi-packs belts tend to be quite thin, and sometimes you need a thicker belt. I was recently directed to these 2mm belts, but there aren't as many in a pack and the size variety isn't great. For cassette decks, you're more likely to need flat belts - I got these, which aren't amazing quality but will get the job done.
CA glue (Superglue) - you probably have this already, but a decent CA glue can be very handy. Sprinkle it with baking soda and it will harden almost instantly for repairing plastic parts that have snapped off. I also sometimes use this accelerator spray if I need it to dry quickly. Note - be very careful using the accelerator spray on styrene-based plastics as it will melt them!
Plastic cement - another great option for ABS plastic (styrene-based) is this Tamiya modeling cement. It 'melts' the plastic to form a very strong weld, but takes a couple of minutes to dry.
E6000 glue - this is handy for re-sticking acrylic panels where a degree of flexibility is required. It's not the easiest to apply, but is a much better option than CA glue for that kind of thing as it's strong but removable.
Markers - if you need to adjust potentiometers, it's important to mark them first in case you have to put it back to its original position. I like these Sharpie Ultra Fine Point markers for that. But what if you need to mark something that's black in colour already? I use gold or silver markers for that, which are also useful for touching up manufacturer's badges if they're faded or scuffed.
Spudgers and prying tools - essential for probing and levering off connectors. I have so many of these that I can't link to them all, but you can find them easily.
Magnetic pick-up tool - great for retrieving screws or other metal items that have fallen into otherwise inaccessible places. I can't remember where I got mine, but it looks like this one.
Mirrors - a small dental mirror is very handy for checking joints on the underside of a PCB without having to remove it. I also have a larger handheld mirror for the same purpose.
Screwdrivers - I'm assuming you've already got these, and the more the better. A good kit with changeable bits is handy - I have this iFixIt kit that has got me out of a few sticky situations. The majority of audio equipment is manufactured in Japan and uses JIS screws, which are slightly different to normal Philips screws, so you might find a JIS screwdriver set useful - but you can get by without one.
Tweezers - I must have a dozen pairs of tweezers and can't remember where they all came from, but they're definitely useful for fishing out small screws or hairs from where they shouldn't be. Most electronics tweezers will have a needle point and some degree of insulation on the handle.
Magnifying loupe - I use this all the time for inspecting solder joints and CD player lenses (only when the power is off!). This one has two levels of magnification and a light to aid inspection.
Fibreglass pencil - good for exposing PCB contacts or removing contamination from connector pins. I got these ones which seem fine, but there are probably more effective ones out there.
Blades - obviously a good utility knife is always useful, but I use a narrow flat scraper blade a lot too. It's good for removing residue or scraping back contacts.
Parts kits - you don't want to order parts separately for every project, so having kits saves a lot of time. The one I use most is my electrolytic capacitor kit, but I got this assorted component kit when I first arrived in the US and I'm still using it.
Black acrylic paint - most audio equipment is black, and this stuff is great for touching up small areas. It dries really quickly and has great coverage.
I'm sure there's stuff I've forgotten, but that covers most of it. If you have recommendations for items I haven't mentioned, feel free to let me know via the Contact page!