Members Jkater Posted June 7, 2008 Members Share Posted June 7, 2008 One of my acoustic's ebony fretboard once cracked because of dryness (I was living in Calgary at the time). Fortunately, it's one of the easiest repair there is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ashasha 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. Pretty funny that there are so many posts about sharp fret ends all the time and then people saying that oiling a fretboard is stupid, huh? If the wood dries, it shrinks which cause tons of problems from sharp ends to lifted frets to warped necks/cracked fretboards. But don't let any of that be a reason to buy a $5 bottle of lemon oil that will last the next 5 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BlackCat Posted June 7, 2008 Members Share Posted June 7, 2008 I never heard of a board splitting, ever anywhere, though I'm sure it could happen in theory. ... I saw one the other day on a severely abused Jazzmaster. I wanted to take a picture of it but I didn't have my camra with me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kcinator Posted June 7, 2008 Members Share Posted June 7, 2008 I helped my friend pick out his first guitar. It was the fender hwy1 strat back when it was on sale. I go to his house a couple months later and the fretboard was all dried out and the entire neck had bent. His house had a humidity problem. Even after he had the humidity fixed the guitar is never going to Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ashasha Posted June 7, 2008 Members Share Posted June 7, 2008 You know what though, it really doesn't frickin matter to anyone except to the guy who is playing the guitar. I know that when I oil a fretboard up that I like the way that it feels. I also know that different people have different body chemistry so while I can play a set of strings for months, some people have to change them everyother day. Perhaps they sweat some amazing organic wood preserving funk in the same class as bacon fat. Come on. I mean you all didn't think that I wouldn't get at least one post in without a bacon fat comment even if it is late in the game? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members valentsgrif Posted June 7, 2008 Author Members Share Posted June 7, 2008 It is not proven that, baring improper storage in an ultra dry area, that a fret board will expand or contract. I don't buy it. Where's the pics of fretboards growing oversize in high humidity? Everyone agrees though that greasy, dirty strings impair tone. I just can't understand oiling a board and then popping on a nice new set of strings. That oil, no matter how judiciously applied, is going right on the strings. Maybe that $6 bottle of lemon oil is messing with the tone your $1000 amp can put out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mrbrown49 Posted June 7, 2008 Members Share Posted June 7, 2008 It is not proven that, baring improper storage in an ultra dry area, that a fret board will expand or contract. I don't buy it. Where's the pics of fretboards growing oversize in high humidity? You are debating whether or not wood expands and contracts with moisture? I'm in NY state, so i see quite a bit of change in my instruments throughout the different seasons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ashasha Posted June 7, 2008 Members Share Posted June 7, 2008 Everyone agrees though that greasy, dirty strings impair tone. I just can't understand oiling a board and then popping on a nice new set of strings. That oil, no matter how judiciously applied, is going right on the strings. Maybe that $6 bottle of lemon oil is messing with the tone your $1000 amp can put out? How? Most of the oil is in the wood of the fretboard itself and unless you are just being silly its going to be appied judiciously and wiped off so it shouldn't be coating your strings. And I don't know about you, but when I fret I don't mash the string into the wood. Between the oil and gunk on your fingers and stuff I don't see how a little bit of lemon oil is going to coat the strings to the point of ruining your tone. I really am spending a lot more time on this topic considering it really doesn't matter that much. If you don't have issues than apparently you are doing something that works for you. I personally have seen some of the problems so while I can't discount your opinions working for your case, you shoud understand that we aren't just sitting here talking out of our asses. I am not one of those people that buy {censored} because the guy at GC recommended it; I buy it because there is a need. Now if I told you that lemon oil saved my marriage or turned my epiphone into Les Paul himself than I need to be shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Ratae Corieltauvorum Posted June 7, 2008 Moderators Share Posted June 7, 2008 . Maybe that $6 bottle of lemon oil is messing with the tone your $1000 amp can put out? That $6 bottle of lemon oil is actually a volatile oil and what doesn't soak in flashes off Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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