how to cure a dry fretboard.

[Burgess]

Really?

 

Well, I must've found some kinda warp in the fabric of the universe because I've been using lemon oil for 30+ years no with no ill affects. One of my guitars is 16 or 17 years old and I've been using lemon oil from day one. It's still the same tank it was when I first plugged it in.

[Ratae Corieltauvorum]

Really? Well, I must've found some kinda warp in the fabric of the universe because I've been using lemon oil for 30+ years no with no ill affects. One of my guitars is 16 or 17 years old and I've been using lemon oil from day one. It's still the same tank it was when I first plugged it in.

 

Note the caveat "if used to much for too long".

 

Lemon oil is a cleaner...nothing else, as is any hydrocarbon product. Woods are "conditioned" by natural oils in small amounts.

[Bubbluz]

 

There appears as usual to be the truth and the myth. So called lemon oil is NOT a conditioner but a cleaner. And if used too much it can eventually break down the glue that keeps the fret board on your neck. For the best conditioning oil use http://www.beafifer.com/boredoctor.htm

 

I like that stuff.

[ILikeGuitar]

note: naptha contains hydrocarbons and benzene i think... i wouldnt want to be around that stuff too long

[Ratae Corieltauvorum]

 

note: naptha contains hydrocarbons and benzene i think... i wouldnt want to be around that stuff too long

 

 

Naptha is a HC, it's used as feedstock for petrol....err gasoline

[Mr. Steve]

The best stuff I found is Old English Lemon Oil. I've been using it for several years now and it works great! It cleans and preserves Ebony and Rosewood. Typically you only need to use it a few times a year and if your guitar is finished in tung oil, you can use that stuff on it as well.

[Ratae Corieltauvorum]

 

The best stuff I found is Old English Lemon Oil. I've been using it for several years now and it works great! It cleans and preserves Ebony and Rosewood. Typically you only need to use it a few times a year and if your guitar is finished in tung oil, you can use that stuff on it as well.

 

 

I wouldn't put that stuff anywhere near any wood, again that is pure mineral oil, just petroleum distillates.

[3 Headed Moses]

Household lemon oil.

[leakyfaucet]

Really? Well, I must've found some kinda warp in the fabric of the universe because I've been using lemon oil for 30+ years no with no ill affects. One of my guitars is 16 or 17 years old and I've been using lemon oil from day one. It's still the same tank it was when I first plugged it in.

 

Yep. I've used plain old $3 lemon oil on all my guitars for years with no ill effects. It conditions rosewood and ebony perfectly. Also one bottle of it will last you almost a lifetime. I think people who say it doesn't work haven't actually tried it themselves, or they're doing something wrong.

[Ratae Corieltauvorum]

 

Yep. I've used plain old $3 lemon oil on all my guitars for years with no ill effects. It conditions rosewood and ebony perfectly. Also one bottle of it will last you almost a lifetime. I think people who say it doesn't work haven't actually tried it themselves, or they're doing something wrong.

 

 

Nobody says it doesn't work, it's just not the best or even anywhere close. It's like my Dads generation in the 30s who were told that smoking helped with bronchitis and kept germs away:D

[zepfan976]

throw it in a pond

[Ratae Corieltauvorum]

throw it in a pond

 

Pfffffffffffft, this pond thing is really taking off:p

[leakyfaucet]

 

Nobody says it doesn't work, it's just not the best or even anywhere close. It's like my Dads generation in the 30 who were told thats smoking helped with bronchitis and kept germs away:D

 

 

Point taken, but I know at least 10 people who use lemon oil regularly, and I've yet to see any of their guitars' frets loosen or fingerboards fall away. Most of those people who smoked back in the day developed lung diseases or worse.

[ILikeGuitar]

OK is there like a solid answer to this? What you should use? What you shouldn't use? Thread is getting a little confusing

[bluzkat]

 

I remember reading in Dan Erlewine's book that he uses raw linseed oil, which I think you can get pretty cheap.

 

 

+1

 

I learned this years ago (from Dan E., I think). If the neck was 'really dirty', it was cleaned with a solvent (like triple 1) which lifts all the grime from the grain. Lightly dress with some 0000 steel wool, wipe to remove any loose particles, then apply the *raw* linseed oil, wipe all the excess linseed oil (give it a good rub) of with a soft lint free cloth (old t-shirts work well), re-string and you're good to go.

Personally, I would not use lemon oil, because of the 'build-up'. I learned this from an experienced cabinet maker. It sits on the finish and will streak and smudge (and attract dirt) more than without it. I don't think I would ever put it on a fretboard. Just my 2 cents.

[RIC N BACKER]

 

Fretboard Care To oil, or not to oil... One of the questions most often asked in the newsgroups is 'How do I take care of my guitar's wood?' It is also a discussion that is plagued with misinformation and half-truths. This article should clarify many of the misconceptions about fretboard care. The vast majority of guitar fretboards are made of rosewood, ebony or maple. These are dense woods with different characteristics. Maple fretboards are almost always sealed with a varnish or lacquer coating and require very little care other than cleaning. The sealant coat prevents dirt and grime from getting into the pores of the wood and accumulating. Rosewood and ebony are left untreated and the natural oils in the wood protect them. The cleaning products that can be safely used on maple are unsuited to these woods. The same care that is used for these would apply to other dense natural finish fretboards (unvarnished). General rule number one about fretboard care is to avoid any products that contain silicone. While silicone oils are inert substances, problems over the long term will be avoided by not using them. General rule number two is to avoid products that contain waxes. This includes carnauba, paraffin and silicone waxes. You do not want to apply a waxy residue to the fretboard, you merely want to clean it and leave a very thin oil protectant. What about furniture care products like "Lemon Pledge"? Aerosol furniture polishes contain waxes, petroleum distillates, emulsifiers (detergents), and lots and lots of water. A very light spray on maple to clean it is fine, but aerosol polishes ahould not be used on unvarnished fretbaords. We do not want to apply products containing water to the natural finish of a guitar neck and fretboard. A statement that is seen many times in the newsgroups is "use only 100% lemon oil". First, there are NO furniture care products that actually contain nothing but lemon oil, and even if there were, you would not want to use it on a wood finish. Pure cold-pressed lemon oil is very expensive and could not be marketed for $3 or $4 per bottle like the furniture oils you see in stores. "But Product XYZ says that it contains 100% lemon oil." Yes, I've seen products with that on the label, and I assure you it is a false and misleading statement. It is used in the context that the product contains 100% lemon oil conditioner as opposed to a cheaper steam-distilled citrus oil or synthetic duplicate made from pine tree wood. Typically 99% or more of the product is a mineral oil with less than 1% lemon oil. Pure lemon oil (or other citrus oils) is composed of d-limonene at an amount of 90% or more. There are other minor components that give each of the citrus oils its own unique flavors and fragrances. These ingredients include citral, linalool, geraniol, nerol, citronella, pinenes and other terpenes. Since d-limonene is the majority of lemon oil (or orange oil), we can look at its properties to determine why it is not suited for fretboard care. First, and most importantly, d-limonene is a very strong solvent. It is used to remove glue, paint, grease, oil and other substances. If an oil with a high percentage of d-limonene were applied to a fretboard, it might even begin to loosen the bindings, fret markers or other trim. Additionally, it could soften some varnishes or lacquers used on necks and bodies. Also the vapors of d-limonene are flammable with a flash point of about 124 degrees F. What are petroleum distillates? The type of petroleum distillates used in furniture cleaners is a very thin, purified and deodorized mineral oil. Normal paraffin and iso-paraffin oils are generally used since they are less agressive to finishes and have lower odors. They are also flammable but the flash points are usually above 200 degrees F. What to Use To clean a natural finish fretboard or neck, little is required in the way of chemical treatment. Basically you use a clean rag to remove as much of the dirt build-up as possible. Around the frets, grime often gets packed in and is very hard to remove. A plastic scrubbing pad is recommended since it will be softer and less likely to scratch, although very fine grades of steel wool (000 grade) may be used with care. Either type of scrubber should be plain; NO SOAP as is often in SOS pads or similar. Watch the steel wool because any fine bits of metal that are shed by the pad will be attracted by the magnets of guitar pickups. A furniture oil may be placed on a clean rag and wiped around the hard to clean spots to assist the pad in removing the dirt. Once the fretboard is clean, wipe the entire surface with the oil dampened cloth to seal it. The furniture oil that is left behind will replenish the oil lost from the surface of the wood and help retard further losses. Use as little as possible; you just want to put a slight gloss on the surface. Select a furniture oil that contains petroleum distillates. It is required by Federal law to have a child resistant cap and to state on the label: "Contains petroleum distillates. Harmful or fatal if swallowed". Lemon oil makes the product smell better and might add a little cleaning action due to its solvency, but is not required. Avoid silicones and waxes. Buy a good quality furniture oil. Since you use it sparingly and only clean once or twice per year, a typical bottle will last a lifetim

 

 

 

 

with as many guitars as you have you should Know.....

 

I use this on my LP

 

http://www.jimdunlop.com/index.php?page=products/pip&id=230&pmh=products/maintenance

 

My Rics neck doesnt need the Lube but I clean the entire Bass with #65

 

I would like to try this stuff sometime

 

http://www.jimdunlop.com/index.php?page=products/pip&id=224&pmh=products/maintenance

[Virgman]

[ashasha]

Even better

 

Or reconstituted cow urine. I have no idea what reconstituted means, but it sounds cool.

 

I use the Dr Stringfellow lemon oil. Of course there is a lot of shit that I do in my life that isn't recommended. It works fine for me, lasts like forever and if only do it about 3-4 times a year max it shouldn't be much of an issue IMHO. Spray a little on a cloth, wipe it on, wipe it off real good.

 

Biggest problems creep in when you saturate the shit out of your fretboard, don't wipe it off well enough and the stuff seeps under your frets and loosens them up. I saw somewhere that some luthier was doing a fret level and the frets were so loose that they had to be swapped. Once he pulled them out there was like a puddle of oil in the fret slot.

 

That would probably be considered 'too much' lemon oil.

[Burgess]

 

The best stuff I found is Old English Lemon Oil . I've been using it for several years now and it works great! It cleans and preserves Ebony and Rosewood. Typically you only need to use it a few times a year and if your guitar is finished in tung oil, you can use that stuff on it as well.

 

I've been using that stuff for 30 years and you're right, it doesn't take much.

[ILikeGuitar]

anyone use dunlop before? looks like a good product

any difference between their 65 lemon oil and their fretboard 01 and 02 combo cleaner+conditioner?

[ksguitars]

 

I just noticed the fretboard of my gibson has been way too dry due to the heating in all the winters. The color of the rosewood has become very pale, and frets have come up a little bit. Any gurus here know how to cure it? Many thanks.

 

 

Spray some lube on it

[Buck62]

A friend of mine hed the same problem with his Mexican Strat. It was so dried out that the frets were protruding 1/32 to 1/16 of an inch all up and down the neck. The neck was also bowed and twisted due to lack of moisture. The frets were so bad that it would cut your hands and draw blood if you tried to play it.

 

Now, I'm no luthier, guitar-tech, or expert on guitar products. So I went the low-tech route and simply "re-hydrated" the guitar. I removed the strings, put duct tape over the pickups, and set it on a guitar stand in my basement bathroom. Then, I turned on the shower full-blast on the hottest setting, closed the door, and let the steam do it's thing. I dried it off with a towel when it was done and low and behold... it was PERFECT! The fretboard expanded to the point where the frets no longer protruded even the slightest bit. The neck also straightened out on it's own and was dead-on perfect, too. We don't have metered water here in Chcago, so the cost of the "fix" was $0.

 

Just an idea you might want to consider.