Fretboard Maintenance

[yardbird mac]

Howdy:

What products are recommended for cleaning and oiling ebony fretboards?

Thanks!

[gtrpkr]

I've used lemon oil on both ebony and rosewood fingerboards. Just put some on a clean lint-free rag, rub down the fretboard and wipe off any excess.

[Marty]

I use guitar honey from gerlitz, http://www.gerlitzusa.com/
the stuff is amazing...

Purchased a bottle years ago, still have 4/5ths of it left.

[HLG]

Lemon oil is ok but most of the lemon oils on the market is primarily mineral oil. Bore oil is much better but it's a little pricey. Fret Doctor makes the stuff

[darwinohm]

I use Formby's Lemon oil Treatment and have been very satisfied. I use it on both Ebony and Rosewood- Darwin

[Marty]

Lemon oil is ok but most of the lemon oils on the market is primarily mineral oil. Bore oil is much better but it's a little pricey. Fret Doctor makes the stuff

Mineral oil is a solvent. It may not be so good on the glue that holds the fretboard on. I would think twice.

[HLG]

Exactly! Most household lemon oil cleaner/polishers contain mineral oil which is a solvent and depending on the amount of petroleum distillates or mineral oil it contains, it may indeed emulsify some of the adhesives used in the manufacturing process of the neck. Take for example Old English lemon oil polish. Good stuff, makes your woodwork shine! That being said, It also states on the ingrediants label: Contains petroleum distillates greater than 10%. What does that mean? 15% or 90%. Hard to say but if it states on the container: DANGER CONTENTS COMBUSTIBLE I wouldn't use it on my guitar.
After all, Have you ever tried to set a lemon on fire?

[spideyjg]

Lemon oil is ok but most of the lemon oils on the market is primarily mineral oil. Bore oil is much better but it's a little pricey. Fret Doctor makes the stuff

Fret Doctor rocks!

Jim

[gtrpkr]

I was just looking at guitar cleaners on Musician's Friend's web site and found Big Bends Fret Board Juice Fret Board Conditioner with the following description: "Fret Board Juice differs from most other fretboard dressings in that it is 100% pure white mineral oil. It is a safe cleaner and moisturizer without any solvents (lemon, citric, etc.) that can loosen instrument frets and inlays over time." There were a number of reviews praising this stuff. Is mineral oil good or bad for your fretboard? I'm not sure what to believe now.

[HLG]

By definition mineral oils are petroleum based. Gas, oil, solvents etc. Where as pure lemon oil is more along the lines of sunflower, almond, and olive oil. The pure stuff comes from the seeds more often than not. The mineral oils may clean the gunk better but as far as treatment and rehydrating the fretboard, go with the stuff you can eat. I have read several different reviews that say thiers is the only way to go. Hard to say what is the very best to use. I've never seen any fretboard ruined by any treatment engineered just for that purpose. I do however know some of the furniture type cleaners (which do contain mineral oils) say not to use if the finish is lifting exposing the bare wood.
Any woodworking chemists out there?

[westsideduck]

Mineral oil will not harm your fretboard, I've been using a combination of mineral and lemon oils for 30 years with no harmfull results, Here's how I keep my rosewood and ebony boards looking great, First thing I apply to the board is a liberal coating of Old English Scrath Cover, for rosewood I use the product marked for light woods and for ebony I use the dark wood scrath cover, For an old dried up board I let it sit for 5 minutes and then wipe off the excess, You will be amazied at how the color and sheen perk right up! Old English Scratch cover contains Isoparaffin, a cleaning agent, mineral oil and a light dye. I do this two times a year and for the rest of the time, at string changes, I apply a light coat of Kyser Dr. Stringfellow Lem-Oil fret board conditioner. Also, to me some lesser quality rosewood boards just look like crap and I'll use the dark scrath cover on them to darken the color a bit. try it you'll like the results.

gary

[Marty]

I have heard good things about Stringfellow Lem-Oil.

[Woodfixer]

Huh..heres a goodin. Get you one of them dang ole road kill skunks. Squeeze out the oil from its skunk gland. Watch it now, just a little dab will do ya. Now Rub a dub dub in the tub. I promise you'll never ask another question about what to use!

[bassman]

Huh..heres a goodin. Get you one of them dang ole road kill skunks. Squeeze out the oil from its skunk gland. Watch it now, just a little dab will do ya. Now Rub a dub dub in the tub. I promise you'll never ask another question about what to use!

I gotta try this at the next party that my wife plans! LOL

The ol' skunk oil treatment.

[Marty]

Huh..heres a goodin. Get you one of them dang ole road kill skunks. Squeeze out the oil from its skunk gland. Watch it now, just a little dab will do ya. Now Rub a dub dub in the tub. I promise you'll never ask another question about what to use!

I gotta try this at the next party that my wife plans! LOL

The ol' skunk oil treatment.

Wow, reminds me of one time I made salsa.... habanero juice on my fingers from dicing peppers...

Wife wouldn't talk to me for weeks...

Sensitive parts are sensitive, who knew?

but I'm

[shawn500]

Wow, reminds me of one time I made salsa.... habanero juice on my fingers from dicing peppers...

Wife wouldn't talk to me for weeks...

Sensitive parts are sensitive, who knew?

but I'm