Canola oil on a rosewood fretboard?

[Brokepick]

Tung oil! I didn't know that worked. I'll do that from henceforth.

 

Why do you feel that you must oil the fingerboard?

[panhandler]

I've never oiled a fredboard. Ive never polished a guitar or a car. Hell my cars are lucky to get their oil changed. LOL

 

All kiddin aside, I hope you can get the spooge off there.

[Hoddy]

I use this maybe two or three times a year on all my guitars....

 

[kwakatak]

Crap. I just had some Lay's potato chips and now my ebony fretboard's got some shiny spots. It's all good, though.

[jerry_picker]

I use this stuff.

 

[Sangemon]

Okay, looking for some fretboard oil... I realize I have none. I do, however, have canola oil. I know this sounds like bacon grease all over again, but this stuff doesn't go rancid, ever. Should I do it?

 

Oh God, no!

[Jimmy Chaos]

I leave mine well alone.

[boxorox]

Not trying to be disrespectful, but did anyone else laugh out loud when they read Post #6?

[Samilyn]

Not trying to be disrespectful, but did anyone else laugh out loud when they read Post #6?

 

Yeah, but I didn't want to say anything about it.

[Dr. Spivey]

 

Not trying to be disrespectful, but did anyone else laugh out loud when they read Post #6?

 

 

I must be tired, it sailed right on by me.

[NotDead]

 

Why do you feel that you must oil the fingerboard?

 

Actually, I so far, never had.

 

I just was cooking something and thought it was an interesting thought.

 

 

Probably never will, as mentioned, sweat is a good oil.

[Samilyn]

Actually, I so far, never had. I just was cooking something and thought it was an interesting thought. Probably never will, as mentioned, sweat is a good oil.

 

Sweatin' while ya frettin'....that'll work.

[Gary Palmer]

Just as with string longevity, much depends upon an individuals body chemistry, degree of playing and can be influenced by how one stores instruments. Especially if crud build up tends to be an issue, as some shed more dead skin than others - as well as varying fingerboard quality. It's basically an either, or situation.

 

Natural body oils are great, but if your body chemistry falls into the alkaline or acidic camp (Body chemistry is seldom neutral) you'll tend to find some degree of deterioration or effect on the fingerboard and even frets in some instances - hence the oxydization and need for fret cleaning. This is where the use of mineral and some plant derived oils can help, as they can minimise such effects and float grime/body funk from exposed grain during cleanup, as body oils alone are seldom in sufficient quantity or clean enough to do so.

[VengefulTikiGod]

Fretboard conditioners (they're usually mineral oil based) are nice to have, I use them to help get rid of gunk build-up on the fretboard every few years. I think they definitely improve the feel of guitars with fretboards that are drying out (sometimes new guitars need the stuff after being blasted with air conditioning on the shelves too long). You hardly ever need to reapply, though; like I said, if you use it when cleaning, that's enough. The fretboard's condition probably wouldn't get any better if you used it every month than if you only used it every few years.

 

Edit: Actually, maybe more than every few years would be good. The post above me makes a good point about body pH and how acidity/alkalinity can damage and tarnish wood and frets. Just keep an eye on it. If there's gunk build-up, clean it off just to be on the safe side. And clean your frets now and then. They probably need it if you never have. Super fine 0000 (four-0) guage steel wool gives it a nice polish, then just oil up the fretboard and you're golden.

[mjuenem]

I know they recommend Canola for my popcorn machine since it has the highest burning point. Maybe that makes it a good choice for those chosen few whose fingers literally burn-up the fretboard.

[JasmineTea]

Ok, I gotta fess up. I use olive oil. But not on the fretboard. I just put the smallest amount on my fingertips, just a slight grazing after washing my hands. My (uncoated) strings last forever because of it.

 

I used to use Human Oil, but it seems my chemistry has changed over the years and my fingers just don't produce what they used to.

[Guitarplay]

i once put olive oil on the fretboard of a beater and it shined it up nice. never had an issue with smell, either. wouldn't risk it with a nice acoustic though, ha

[Bubbalou]

Use Naptha to get the Canola oil off followed by good fretboard oil. Such as the lemon and Fender stuff.

I use Dr. Duck's Axe Wax myself.

Only oil the fret board once or twice a year (not less than 6 month intervals)

[ihavenofish]

pure canola oil doesnt go rancid. i put some on a small piece of wenge about 2 years ago as a test and its fine in that regard. the real issue would be that it never dries, so it will be sticky and attract dust and other things.

[NotDead]

Really?

[Samilyn]

 

pure canola oil doesnt go rancid. i put some on a small piece of wenge about 2 years ago as a test and its fine in that regard. the real issue would be that it never dries, so it will be sticky and attract dust and other things.

 

 

I can well imagine what a canola-oiled fretboard would feel like in a couple of years. Yuk.

[seagullplayer77]

 

Not trying to be disrespectful, but did anyone else laugh out loud when they read Post #6?

 

 

lol...did a bit of a mental facepalm, but like Samilyn, I didn't really want to mention it.

 

I use lemon oil on my fretboards every once in a while. I've heard that turpentine and naphtha are both good ways to clean a fretboard, but I've never come across any dirty fretboards...

[jerry_picker]

pure canola oil doesnt go rancid.

 

So sorry to disagree...

 

Any triglyceride can go rancid, and canola is quite prone to rancidity.

Google > and read up. :poke:

 

Also, even if your statement were true, it would not be applicable. As soon as you apply the oil to a fingerboard, it would be the equivalent of stirring canola with a dirty piece of wood and mixing in dead skin and other filth from fingers. "Pure" is out the wndow.

[AndrewGG]

Once or twice a year I use a drop or two of lemon oil as a cleaning agent along with an old credit card to scrape any gunk off. Otherwise my fingers do the job of oiling just fine; and a good, hard wipe down of the strings and fingerboard with an old towelling cloth keeps things clean.

[Queequeg]

just one word for you:

Bear Grease

 

(it's the "new" math)

 

 

why is it people insist on gumming up their gits.

as Nancy Reagan told me when I attended her guitar care and feeding workshop years ago, "Just Say No!"