Lemon Juice...

[missedmyexit]

Hey Guys I've heard many times that lemon juice is great for cleaning up and reviving frets. If anyone so the pics of my new Tak 12 string, it could use a little TLC. The plan is to give it the full treatment when I go home. A good, cleaning, some 0000 Steel wool to shine up the frets, new set of silk and steels. I also am thinking of giving the Lemon juice a try since the Steel Wool suggestion I got here worked out so well. I just wanted to check in and make sure I didn't misunderstand:

 

We are talking normal Lemon Juice, it's not the name of some product I am not aware of, you mean the actual juice of the yellow fruit? (I know I know sounds like a dumb question until tomorrow my fret board is a mess and I find out there is some Fender Product called "Lemon Juice")

 

Do you put it on straight or water it down?

 

There are a couple dings and surface scratches that don't bother me enough to go crazy about but if anyone has some easy quick tips to fix them up I'm all ears.

[Freeman Keller]

no, what people usually talk about is lemon OIL, which is sold as furnature cleaner/polisher. However, read this from the Martin site

 

"Can I use lemon oil on my fingerboard?

We do not recommend using lemon oil on our fingerboards. The acids in lemon oil break down the finish of our guitars. It may also aid the corrosion of the frets and lessen the life of the strings."

 

Lots of folks use it, I don't.

[EvilTwin]

I think you're referring to lemon oil:

 

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Dunlop-Fretboard-65-Ultimate-Lemon-Oil-425264-i1134774.gc?source=4WFRWXX&CAWELAID=92168142

 

Some people really dig it. Others think that it's a bit harsh, and that in the long run, it can actually dry out the wood more.

 

It irritates my fingertips, so I pretty much reserve it for the funkiest of fingerboards (in which case I break out a toothbrush or steel wool, too).

 

I use mineral oil instead (which you can buy pretty cheap at your local Wal-Mart).

 

You may wanna read this:

 

http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Musician/GenMaint/Cleaning/cleaning02.html

[Queequeg]

a soft cloth moistened with warm water will do fine, after your 0000 Steel wool.

[Hudman]

I took a guitar building / set up class a couple years ago. The instructor was a guitar tech out of Nashville. She was a guitar tech for the Eagles.

 

She recommended using Formby's Lemon Oil Treatment on rosewood and ebony fretboards that appear dry and chalky. It helps prevent cracking from lack of moisture. It works great with no issues.

 

[outdoorgb]

I like this stuff but only sparingly. Used on the old Yamaha I picked up a few weeks ago and wow it sure looks nice. Smells good too!.

 

http://www.amazon.com/2080-Dr-Ducks-Axe-Wax/dp/B000EEL50Q

Cost about $6

 

Use very little and wipe it all off. I like to use new cloth diapers for all of my polishing needs.

[garthman]

 

a soft cloth moistened with warm water will do fine, after your 0000 Steel wool.

 

 

That's all I use too.

[missedmyexit]

Well that was a catastrophy averted. Good thing I doubled checked or I'ld be scrubbing my fretboard with the contents of the plastic Lemon you get in the produce section!

 

I think I'll try to find some mineral oil if not go with the water. I would like to get a little of that rosewood "glow" back into them but if I can't I can't.

[totamus]

This is a subject of great debate. I have been using lemon oil for years and recommend it. Many guitar manufacturers also recommend it (Martin does not). Gibson recommends it and offers a nice tutorial for cleaning up your fretboard: Gibson fretboard tutorial. Collings recommends Linseed oil Collings. PRS (Paul Reed Smith) recommends Lemon Oil PRS and so does Takamine Takamine. Tacoma is also in the lemon oil camp Tacoma. Pantheon (Bourgeois guitars) indirectly recommends lemon oil by recommending brands which contain lemon oil.

 

Several notable manufacturers sell lemon oil specifically for the fretboard (Dunlop, D'Andrea, Redland) but most just buy 100% lemon oil at the local department store.

 

While it is a subject of debate, there does seem to be a preponderance of opinion on the lemon oil side (Martin not withstanding).

 

If you clean with a damp cloth, make sure that the cloth is thoroughly wrung out before use. You do not want the fretboard to absorb water - the water will displace the oils in the wood and leave it clean but purged of the needed oils.

[Freeman Keller]

Totamus is right on. As I understand the issue with lemon oil is that it is not totally compatible with nitrocellulose lacquer, which is what Martin still uses (and most of my guitars have). Taylor recommends using lemon oil (and I understand even demonstrates it at their clinics) but their finishes are UV catalyzed poly - very few solvents hurt it. Most modern guitars are some kind of catalyzed finish and again, should be just fine. The general feeling is that if you are going to use it don't use much.

 

However, I have done just fine with cleaning the fretboard and polishing the frets every couple of times I restring and wiping everything down with a damp cloth every now and then.

 

For you car buffs, it is a bit like using Armor All or some similar silicon compound on your tires and dashboard - really makes it shine but is it really necessary? And if you ever have to have your car repainted (or have an accident) your painter will cuss you if he has to contend with the silicon.

 

but with both cars and guitars, milage will vary....

[daklander]

I use lemon or orange oil on my guitars, have for years.

For a really nasty fret board you could use Murphy's Oil Soap with orange oil to clean it, then one of the other oils to protect.

[DeepEnd]

I've used gun stock oil, which is primarily linseed oil. I've been sparing and only used it once each on my 30+ year old 12-string, my Alvarez beater, and our daughter's 30 year old Epi. I've never felt the need to use it on my Ibanez.

[EvilTwin]

Another manufacturer who recommends lemon oil (and Danish oil): Seagull.

http://www.seagullguitars.com/faq.htm

 

I've read a few posts on other forums that say lemon oil is simply mineral oil with a little lemon scent added (which doesn't make much sense to me; the mineral oil I bought has no scent at all...so why even bother putting a scent on something that you won't smell?).

 

You're probably not going to have a problem, whichever you choose.

 

Just for fun...the many uses of mineral oil:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mineral_oil

 

You can drink it, rub it on, put it in medicine...or just clean your fingerboard.

[missedmyexit]

Another manufacturer who recommends lemon oil (and Danish oil): Seagull. http://www.seagullguitars.com/faq.htm I've read a few posts on other forums that say lemon oil is simply mineral oil with a little lemon scent added (which doesn't make much sense to me; the mineral oil I bought has no scent at all...so why even bother putting a scent on something that you won't smell?). You're probably not going to have a problem, whichever you choose. Just for fun...the many uses of mineral oil: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mineral_oil You can drink it, rub it on, put it in medicine...or just clean your fingerboard.

 

 

 

You can also submerge your Over clocked PC in it with a refridgerator coil to keep it from overheating ...

 

 

[Samilyn]

 

I've used gun stock oil, which is primarily linseed oil. I've been sparing and only used it once each on my 30+ year old 12-string, my Alvarez beater, and our daughter's 30 year old Epi. I've never felt the need to use it on my Ibanez.

 

 

+1

 

Linseed oil is used by many woodworkers. I don't use lemon oil because of possible fret damage. Lemons and oranges contain citric acid. Citric acid and metal don't play well together. Perhaps the processing of the oil neutralizes any acids, but I'm not into taking chances, either.

 

Mostly, oil is to seal in moisture and prevent its loss, not so much to re-moisturize, though it does a bit of that too. Oil also helps protect bare wood from the elements. Oil will darken wood over time.

 

Once you've cleaned the fretboard with water and steel wool, a very, very light coat of oil will help prevent that moisture from evaporating quickly and make it look pretty. When you think you've rubbed enough oil off, rub some more!

 

Dispose of linseed oil rags properly. It is prone to spontaneous combustion if rags are left wadded up in a pile.