Members JoshuaLogan Posted March 5, 2007 Members Share Posted March 5, 2007 Well, I got my new guitar today. and everything seems good and looks good, except the fretboard looks very faded/dry... and is a very light color, and I think it looks kinda ugly. I was wondering if there is anyway I can permanently color/stain it a darker brown color? and if so, what would I use? anybody know? help me out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members OverDriven Posted March 5, 2007 Members Share Posted March 5, 2007 Fiebings dye. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members boogieman_dan Posted March 5, 2007 Members Share Posted March 5, 2007 http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Fretting_supplies/Fingerboard_cleaner,_stain_and_oil/Black_Fingerboard_Stain.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Armitage Posted March 5, 2007 Members Share Posted March 5, 2007 Light mineral oil is the best thing for fretboards if they're dry. It also darkens them, like spit on the sidewalk. You can dye it, but it's tougher then you think, the stuff stains everything, including fingers and inlays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JoshuaLogan Posted March 5, 2007 Author Members Share Posted March 5, 2007 thanks, guys. anybody else? and is that black fingerboard stain stuff from stewmac okay to use on rosewood fretboards? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members duncan Posted March 5, 2007 Members Share Posted March 5, 2007 i know it sounds bad, but shoe polish... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members OverDriven Posted March 5, 2007 Members Share Posted March 5, 2007 Light mineral oil is the best thing for fretboards if they're dry. It also darkens them, like spit on the sidewalk. You can dye it, but it's tougher then you think, the stuff stains everything, including fingers and inlays. Nah...it doesn't stain inlays unless you leave it a long time and it's pretty easy. The only thing you have to be careful about is getting it on the binding. It does love to stick to that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pink freud Posted March 5, 2007 Members Share Posted March 5, 2007 a sharpie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Weathered Posted March 5, 2007 Members Share Posted March 5, 2007 i know it sounds bad, but shoe polish... That's a really bad idea. If there are silicates in the polish, it can damage the rosewood. I always use Lemon Oil - it darkens and keeps the board moist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members duncan Posted March 5, 2007 Members Share Posted March 5, 2007 yeah, but there are types that wont damage the wood. he's asking about a permanent way of darkening it. i use lemon oil on my fretboard and it's great. :] makes my case smell nice and fresh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Weathered Posted March 5, 2007 Members Share Posted March 5, 2007 makes my case smell nice and fresh. Lemon oil darkens the board for years on end, and you really need to oil a rosewood board once a year if you're in a dry climate, and once every 2-3 years if you're in a humid climate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members duncan Posted March 5, 2007 Members Share Posted March 5, 2007 i condition my freboard (and my guitar, as it's a satin finish) every 2 months or so. *shrug* i'm also kind of anal about my gear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Weathered Posted March 5, 2007 Members Share Posted March 5, 2007 If you overcondition your fretboard, it can swell and pop frets out or loosen glue. If you're cleaning it, that's one thing, but conditioning with an oil repeatedly isn't good for a guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members duncan Posted March 5, 2007 Members Share Posted March 5, 2007 i use a very small amount of oil, and i live in saskatchewan...we have desert-like humidity during the winter. the summer, however, it's like florida's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members psychodave Posted March 5, 2007 Members Share Posted March 5, 2007 i condition my freboard (and my guitar, as it's a satin finish) every 2 months or so. *shrug* i'm also kind of anal about my gear. This is not the best thing for the frets. Over oiling can cause the frets to become loose or un-glued. edit... i saw someone else posted this.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members duncan Posted March 5, 2007 Members Share Posted March 5, 2007 well, i didn't know that. :] i'll take it easy on the conditioning then. :] has anyone tried using lard on their fretboard? my old guitar tech (before he moved to vancouver) swore by this. just take a bit, and rub it in with a toothbrush. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Digital Jams Posted March 5, 2007 Members Share Posted March 5, 2007 Man someone really should edit this thread because some kid is going to destroy a $1800 guitar neck with some of these posts. If the board looks dry you have better things to do than play GC with your guitar's looks. Oil that board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Scott K Posted March 5, 2007 Members Share Posted March 5, 2007 A black sharpie would make it darker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JoshuaLogan Posted March 5, 2007 Author Members Share Posted March 5, 2007 Man someone really should edit this thread because some kid is going to destroy a $1800 guitar neck with some of these posts.If the board looks dry you have better things to do than play GC with your guitar's looks.Oil that board. "better things to do than play GC with your guitar's looks"...? excuse me? GC? anyways, I think you guys are not understanding. it isn't just a little light looking... it's {censored}ing almost white looking in some places. it came from las vegas so I'm guessing it was very dry there and nobody took care of it. it looks way lighter than any rosewood board ever should..... looks like {censored}.... the guitar itself plays great and sounds great and the body and everything else looks good, so I'd really like to get the fretboard looking and feeling better, so I can keep the guitar, heh... I think it's too far gone to just oil it a bit and have the problem solved... it may help bring back some moisture, but I do want it to darken up a lot too, so that's why I'm asking about how to permanently darken it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Weathered Posted March 5, 2007 Members Share Posted March 5, 2007 Josh - Go get some lemon oil or other fretboard conditioner, and condition the fretboard. Don't worry about dying it or anything else. Sounds like a bad case of dry rosewood, and little bit of conditioning should bring it back to life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Digital Jams Posted March 5, 2007 Members Share Posted March 5, 2007 "better things to do than play GC with your guitar's looks"...?excuse me? GC?anyways, I think you guys are not understanding. it isn't just a little light looking... it's {censored}ing almost white looking in some places. it came from las vegas so I'm guessing it was very dry there and nobody took care of it. it looks way lighter than any rosewood board ever should..... looks like {censored}.... the gutiar itself plays great and sounds great and the body and everything else looks good, so I'd really like to get the fretboard looking and feeling better, so I can keep the guitar, heh...I think it's too far gone to just get a little oiling done.. it may help bring back moistening it, but I do want it to darken a little too, so that's why I'm asking about how to permanently darken it... Oopsssss I meant GQ...sorry. Go oil that fretboard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JoshuaLogan Posted March 5, 2007 Author Members Share Posted March 5, 2007 Josh - Go get some lemon oil or other fretboard conditioner, and condition the fretboard. Don't worry about dying it or anything else. Sounds like a bad case of dry rosewood, and little bit of conditioning should bring it back to life. alright, I'll try that first I guess. got a link to a particular one you recommend? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JoshuaLogan Posted March 5, 2007 Author Members Share Posted March 5, 2007 OopsssssI meant GQ...sorry.Go oil that fretboard. Still not following. haha. GQ = ??? and I'll oil it asap. I don't have any, so I need to order some online I guess... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Weathered Posted March 5, 2007 Members Share Posted March 5, 2007 I'd have to check, but I believe that the stuff I have is Murphy's or something like that. They make stuff for guitar, but it's more expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members starsnuffer Posted March 5, 2007 Members Share Posted March 5, 2007 Lend it to some "br00tl" metal kid, he'll put a black t-shirt and camo pants on it after he takes it to his moms basement to sleep with it. It'll come back black and more metal then before. -W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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