Members valentsgrif Posted June 6, 2008 Members Share Posted June 6, 2008 Why put oil on a rosewood fretboard? Oil on a fretboard makes no sense to me. Isn't this just a means to greasy, bacony, gunk coated strings? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tumbleweeed Posted June 6, 2008 Members Share Posted June 6, 2008 Your choice of color spray paint is fine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Funderbunk Posted June 6, 2008 Members Share Posted June 6, 2008 Well, an extremely dry rosewood board can crack, I suppose... Besides - really dry wood feels nasty - like the underside of one of those Chinet paper plates - drives me insane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Ratae Corieltauvorum Posted June 6, 2008 Moderators Share Posted June 6, 2008 It's mainly to stop fretboard shrinkage and as a moisture repellent. Think of it as moisturising, but theoretically if the board was fretted in very low humidity and the wood was dry to say 7-8% moisture content, then there would be no harm to it at all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members arrowhen Posted June 6, 2008 Members Share Posted June 6, 2008 It also makes them really, really pretty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members valentsgrif Posted June 6, 2008 Author Members Share Posted June 6, 2008 I never heard of a board splitting, ever anywhere, though I'm sure it could happen in theory. My own finger grease puts enough down on the board to darken it up where I fret, so I just don't see a benefit to slathering on lemon oil, smoked meat or mineral oil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Minitruth Posted June 6, 2008 Members Share Posted June 6, 2008 I never heard of a board splitting, ever anywhere, though I'm sure it could happen in theory. My own finger grease puts enough down on the board to darken it up where I fret, so I just don't see a benefit to slathering on lemon oil, smoked meat or mineral oil. I hear maple syrup works great! (Ducks chair and runs away) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hecticone Posted June 6, 2008 Members Share Posted June 6, 2008 Eventually you will have some frets lifting a way from the neck. This doesn't happen on all guitars but will to quite a few.Usually every 6 sets of strings we oil the fretboards. And you don't use a lot just a little dot.A little preventative maintenance will save in the long run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Scoogs Posted June 6, 2008 Members Share Posted June 6, 2008 Egg whites work well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members keNz Posted June 6, 2008 Members Share Posted June 6, 2008 Dry fretboard= frets no longer fitting properly= bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members valentsgrif Posted June 6, 2008 Author Members Share Posted June 6, 2008 Never had a board shrink or fret lift in 38 years. The humidity in my studio is pretty controlled though. So if the humidity is always at least 50-60%, the wood isn't gonna dry out, right? And it seems to me putting a lubricant next to steel means more likelyhood of movement in the slot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jamdogg Posted June 6, 2008 Members Share Posted June 6, 2008 I never heard of a board splitting, ever anywhere, though I'm sure it could happen in theory. My own finger grease puts enough down on the board to darken it up where I fret, so I just don't see a benefit to slathering on lemon oil, smoked meat or mineral oil. The Colonial Maple cured bacon is the only way to go for a rosewood strat, if your gonna go the bacon route. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members valentsgrif Posted June 6, 2008 Author Members Share Posted June 6, 2008 The Colonial Maple cured bacon is the only way to go for a rosewood strat, if your gonna go the bacon route. I'm sorry, hickory smoke for teh win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MrChitlins Posted June 6, 2008 Members Share Posted June 6, 2008 I have a 1930's Gibson L00 that the fretboard was never oiled until I did it a couple years ago. No crackz !1!1! I think it's pretty pointless, but it does look nicer i guess. For a short while. Unless I really wipe it down good after oiling it. Then the oil is pretty much gone and it looks the same. I also think really smooth/polished fretboards looks less 'dry' in general, and command less oiling attention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members axepilot Posted June 6, 2008 Members Share Posted June 6, 2008 There's nothing quite like a thoroughly dessicated fret board with cracks and the fret ends poking out from the edges....................:poke: This is a parody thread, right? If not, the OP is smoking his breakfast.......................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members valentsgrif Posted June 7, 2008 Author Members Share Posted June 7, 2008 ....... the OP is smoking his breakfast.......................... No bro I just can't figure this {censored} out. I'm not seeing cracked boards. And where are you cats storing your guitars? car trunks in the Sahara? And if the rosewood is so good with a finish, why not just throw a couple of coats of poly on it like a maple board? Gimmie anotha hit of that pancake...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MrChitlins Posted June 7, 2008 Members Share Posted June 7, 2008 There's nothing quite like a thoroughly dessicated fret board with cracks and the fret ends poking out from the edges....................:poke: This is a parody thread, right? If not, the OP is smoking his breakfast.......................... My guitar went 70 years without the rosewood fretboard being oiled. No cracks or frets poking out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members katillac Posted June 7, 2008 Members Share Posted June 7, 2008 Freboards on older guitars that have been owned by others before may already have been oiled enough times that they don't need any more. I was reading something recently about treating rosewood fretboards using tung oil as a one- or two-time thing and forget about it for a long time. I'll see if I can find the articles (there was more than one). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bubbluz Posted June 7, 2008 Members Share Posted June 7, 2008 I use Fret Dr now,(bore oil)and first of all you shouldn't be 'slathering' it on. You put on only as much as the wood will take,i do mine about once a year. I usually do mine in the winter,to counter act the drying effect of forced air heating. I like the feel of a newly oiled 'board. If you are a greaseball and have really oily skin there there is a real probability that your FBs would never need additional attention other than the occasional wipedown.:poke: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members caveman Posted June 7, 2008 Members Share Posted June 7, 2008 I have a 1918 L3 Gibson. I know my brother or I've never oiled the board and I'm pretty sure my father and grandfather never did either. After my brother did his best to destroy it about the only thing that doesn't need repair is the fretboard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MrChitlins Posted June 7, 2008 Members Share Posted June 7, 2008 I have a 1918 L3 Gibson. I know my brother or I've never oiled the board and I'm pretty sure my father and grandfather never did either. After my brother did his best to destroy it about the only thing that doesn't need repair is the fretboard. Nice ! Here's mine: edit: I know it wasn't oiled cause my grandmother bought it new and would have :freak:'d if you told her to oil the board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members caveman Posted June 7, 2008 Members Share Posted June 7, 2008 Nice ! Here's mine: edit: I know it wasn't oiled cause my grandmother bought it new and would have :freak:'d if you told her to oil the board. Grandmother knows best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wimpy77 Posted June 7, 2008 Members Share Posted June 7, 2008 i know after a good cleaning with lemon my fretboard feels better. but to each there on. and no it want feel oily if you wipe the access off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dcindc Posted June 7, 2008 Members Share Posted June 7, 2008 There was a Harm on ebay a few weeks ago with some rather large cracks in ebony. ooof. I tru-oil'd some of mine. See my turd thread. I likes it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Armitage Posted June 7, 2008 Members Share Posted June 7, 2008 When a fretboard dries out you get fretboard shrinkage causing frets to stick out the edges and fine cracks on the board that worsen over time. And depending where you live and how much the humidity changes over the year it can mean serious repairs... or next to nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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