Advice on Dunlop cleaners...

[zb0430]

Hey guys.

 

I got a nice little gift set this Christmas from a friend that included the Dunlop 65 series cleaners. It included 2 nice cotton polishing cloths, an 8000 grit fret wire polishing cloth, a Formula 65 Body polish and cleaner, a Formula 65 string cleaner and conditioner (I've always stayed away from these, so unless I'm recommended otherwise, I'll stay away from this), and the main point of my question, a Formula 65 Ultimate Lemon oil fretboard cleaner and conditioner for use on rosewood/ebony.

 

My 814ce is ebony on the fretboard, and I'd like to dab a little bit of this stuff on there, but I wanted to hear some opinions from here first. Anybody used this stuff before? They say a little goes a long way on the fretboard, but I've never used products like this. I've always just kept the board cleaned with a damp cloth after during string changes. Is it worth it to use this stuff on here unless I see a noticable dryness on the fretboard? Is lemon oil even safe to use on fretboards?

 

Thanks for any help, fellas.

[Freeman Keller]

Zack, lots of different opinions here. Frank Ford says a little is OK, Martin says no, not because of the f/b but because it can react with their nitro finish. This is from the Martin FAQ "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. "

 

Since yours is the UV catalyzed finish I would guess that is not an issue, but here is the little bit Taylor says on their FAQ

 

"How should I clean/polish my guitar?

For all "glossy" Taylor models, we recommend a non-abrasive (very important!) carnauba wax or a brand-name guitar polish to rub out minor scratches and to preserve the high-gloss finish. However, our 300 and 400 Series models, two of the four Taylor acoustic basses, our 100 and 200 Series, and all Baby Taylors have a "satin" (non-gloss) finish. On these Taylors, you don't want to use any type of polish, wax, or Murphy's Oil Soap anywhere on the body, because they can damage the finish. The only polish we recommend for a satin finish is Ken Smith Pro Formula, likely sold wherever Ken Smith basses are sold. Otherwise, simply use a clean, damp cloth to wipe the surface, and follow quickly with a clean, dry cloth. Think of a non-gloss surface as a glass window; if you don't immediately wipe it dry, it will "streak." As for cleaning the ebony fingerboard, we recommend dry, extra-fine steel wool (.000 to .00000). You can rub pretty hard without damaging the fingerboard; just be careful not to touch the body with it! "

 

Note that they don't say anything about adding oil.

[zb0430]

Thanks a ton Freeman.

 

I had seen Taylor's recommendations for cleaning, but I never really let it get bad enough to warrant anything other than a damp cloth, much less steel wool, to actually clean the guitar... Well, I suppose there's really not a need, unless I see dryness, to even use the lemon oil, though I'd like to make sure I'm doing what's best for the wood. Then again, properly humidifying should keep the ebony in great condition, I'm guessing.

 

Some folks in another thread, including Hud and Ellen, recommended lemon oil as a conditioner, more along the lines of what I was thinking/aiming to use it as, rather than strictly a cleaning agent.

 

I normally do some pretty extensive cleaning/dry polishing during string changes, so about every two weeks it gets a good once over. I don't let things build up on the fretboard, but I also wanted to make sure I wasn't missing an important step of "necessary" conditioning on the ebony as well. I suppose, then I'll wait a bit on the oil and continue to use a damp cloth to moisten and clean, then wipe dry, as usual, as long as I'm not neglecting the wood due to my ignorance...

 

Thanks again, FK.

 

Oh, BTW, what are your regards on this "String Conditioner/Cleaner and Squeak Eliminator"? I can't really find anything on the ingredients. My guess is it's ingredients are bad news on my acoustic's woods, but I possibly could get away with it on a maple boarded strat, right? Thoughts?

[Freeman Keller]

My personal feeling on the whole lemon oil thing is that a little bit probably doesn't hurt anything (and I'll admit to having done it once or twice). And as far as string conditioners - again, I know some people on the forum who swear by them but personally I eliminate string sqeak by using the dreaded Elixers and just wipe the string off every now and then.

 

I have used steel wool (four ought, very fine) to polish fretboards and frets - particularly on a new guitar or a really old dirty fretboard. I wouldn't use it anywhere else. And I've used both the Martin and Gibson cleaners on the wood a few times - but usually I just wipe everything down with a damp cloth. So many of the guitar finishes have little micro cracks - either from wood pores or from thermal or moisture checking of the wood that any cleaner or wax that remains in the cracks seems to dull the finish, and you really don't want to get things like this on unfinished wood (fretboard or bridge).

 

I'm certainly no expert, and I tend to be pretty conservative with these things.