Oil/Wax for fretboards

[Annoying Twit]

I've got guitars that I've had for years. (Some of that tie in the cupboard). The last time I was using them, and now, I have been treating the fretboards with olive oil. I now read online that I shouldn't do this as the oil can turn rancid. But, I've never noted any such problem in any of my fretboards. Is this a serious risk? I've just sniffed a number of fretboards and none of them smell bad at all.

 

Also, could I make the fretbards more shiny/slippery by using some sort of wax on them?  I prefer a shiny/slippery board. The two best feeling ncks I've ever played were a glossy maple neck on  USA straat, and an ebony board on a new MIJ ESP LP copy. If I could wax the rosewood boards to get closer to that feel, that would be good.

 

Not worth a separate thread, but I've been looking into strings, and Fender 3250R have made a bg difference to my Pacifica. They put less tension on the neck than that I ad before, meaning that the action has lowered, and is now quite low. (Not super-shredding low), and they feel to me very nice. I tink I may ave found 'my strings'.

[DeepEnd]

I don't know about making the fingerboard slipperyer (is that a word?) but over in Acoustic Guitars the usual recommendation is light mineral oil, specifically because it doesn't turn rancid, applied sparingly and rarely. Either that or nothing except wipe down the fingerboard occasionally with a clean dry cloth. If it's really dirty 0000 steel wool but the dust could mess with pickups if you're not careful.

[Annoying Twit]

 

I much prefer the feel of an oiled fretboard. How often I oil is driven by when the fretboard starts feeling "dry" to me. I've spent some more time sniffing fretboards, and none of mine smell bad. Maybe there's a very slight smell at the limits of detectability in some of them. I've read that some people use vegetable or mineral oils to which they've added some essential oil for the smell.

 

Googling around, it seems that wax is a bad idea for non-finished fingerboards such as Rosewood.

[jedisb]

You could do what Neal Schon does and use salami:

http://www.guitarplayer.com/article/phoenix-rising-neal-schon-reinvents-journeyagain/7450

What do you like in a Les Paul neck? Wes Montgomery used to say in interviews that he liked playing after eating a salami sandwich, because the grease acted like Finger-Ease, and that that was one way he got such a smooth sound with his thumb and fretting fingers. I swear to god, every time I get a new guitar now, I take the strings off, get some sliced salami, and rub it up and down the fretboard, and let the grease soak in. Then I wipe off the neck and string it up. With new wood, it works really well. You

[McCain]

Jojoba oil would probably be good.. I use hemp oil. FastFret will make it super slippery.

[jpnyc]

On my guitars ebony stays a lot slicker than rosewood. With rosewood if there

[stormin1155]

I've used high quality furnature paste wax on a couple of my boards, and so far, so good.  I do a lot of work with exotic woods (music boxes, jewelery boxes, pens, clocks, etc.), and have always used nothing other than wax.  Why wouldn't it work on guitar finger boards?  Now, the gooey stuff you buy in the grocery store, like Pledge, I'd avoid.

I also used olive oil for years with no problems.  Don't use it any more... lemon oil sometimes.  One thing I don't like about any kind of oil is it turns the wood dark over time.  Sometimes that's a good thing, sometimes not.

[Annoying Twit]

I prefer the darker fretboard look.

[DaveAronow]

Yes, but as you are very well aware, sometimes it is just fun to be an as*shole

[Ratae Corieltauvorum]

 

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DaveAronow wrote:

 

 

Yes, but as you are very well aware, sometimes it is just fun to be an as*shole

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Dat true

[knotty]

More wood with lungs, breathing.

[Ratae Corieltauvorum]

 

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knotty wrote:

 

More wood with lungs, breathing.

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I know hat you mean, but I also knwo what they mean, woood is not inert...jus that

[kayd_mon]

What if you never oil it? My 62 year old guitar doesn't have an oiled fretboard, and it's good to go

[american sinner]

I use dr,. Ducks axe wax. Silly name as it is just an oil. Have used olive oil, pecan oil. Just a little once a year.