Cleaning the fretboard

  • Thread starter Thread starter MenT-aL
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Lemon Oil is used as a furniture/paneling-polish/cleaner.....
It actually is supposed to "feed" the wood with whatever it is that wood needs....
I use "Wilbert" brand...made in Lester PA by White Cap Inc.

You should be able to find it at the supermarket..
I've had the same bottle for 6 years...you don't need that much....ya know?



Fangar, to eliminate the need to use fingerease...you should try a set of Elixer strings....they are pre-coated and you get very little finger noise...pretty expensive but they also last 3 times as long....I tried them for the first time recently and I think I am hooked on them now...pretty cool.
 
Joro,

Thanks for the recommendation. I use the super slinky's and have had relatively good luck with them. The fingerease lasts for quite a while too. I will check out those strings sometime.

Fangar
 
i use a soft toothbrush and a *little* soapy warm water then as soon as it dries oil it with a high quality wood oil.
 
Lemon Oil????

I live in the UK, and it seems that lemon oil over here doesn't exist, i went to 4 DIY stores, and 3 supermarkets, and all i got was a #000000 steel wool! Non eof the stores had heard of lemon oil.

Any ideas on what it may be called, or anywhere i can get it online?

Anyone recomend a similar oil?

regards

aL
 
Try Boiled linseed oil. It is better for the fingerboard anyway. They should sell that at a harware or home inprovement store. I have never seen 6 -0ught (#000000) steel wool. That should be ok though as it in theory should be finer and less abrasive than #0000. Anyway try the Boiled linseed oil. Lemon oil is good for taking off stickers and such.

Fangar
 
Cheers Fangar.
Sorry my typo, its actually 5 noughts, and its real fine, almost like a, ermmm...like a ...well its just soft and fine.

I saw linseed oil in every shop but the stupid workers said it would be no good.

anyway i'll try it out.

thanks again...

regards

aL
 
MenT-aL said:
Cheers Fangar.
Sorry my typo, its actually 5 noughts, and its real fine, almost like a, ermmm...like a ...well its just soft and fine.

I saw linseed oil in every shop but the stupid workers said it would be no good.

anyway i'll try it out.

thanks again...

regards

aL
Click to expand...

Make sure it is BOILED linseed oil, and trust me it works great. I have been using it for years.

Fangar
 
I guess I'll chime in here too. I've never heard of boiled linseed, but regualr linseed oil gets very very sticky, and would be a nightmare.

As a guitar tech, I always use some variation of lemon oil. Any good luther suppy store has some. (Stewart McDonald..Etc).

After your frets are dressed (filed) we used a extremly fine wet sand paper to pollish out the grooves from the file. THe sand paper was on one of those rubber sanding blocks. This is a very gentle proccess down the length of the neck. Also the last few strokes are done per fret from side to side to get all grooves out that the fine paper left, so your strings do not catch.

Before I apply the oil, I use 0000 steel wool first lightly from side to side to clean the board then from end to end with the grain to take out all visible marks. Wipe clean then oil one drop or so to each fret. Wipe in good then wipe off excess.

DO NOT USE OILS OR STEEL WOOL ON LACQUERED FINGER BOARDS. Try a little tooth paste or white rubbing compound (NOT THE ORANGE).
 
Bortzoil products makes boiled linseed oil, at least they did when I bought a quart (sort of a lifetime supply). It doesn't get sticky. They used to slop it on wagon wheels to keep them from drying out in dry desert conditions.
 
boiled linseed

It certainly may be fine, I'v never used it. I have used regualr linseed on furniture and it gets tacky. In fact I think thye used in on rags to make tack cloths for removing dust before painting items.

Anyways,

Later,

Joe
 
I use Formby's in three steps. They have a cleaner for getting the grime that's embedded into the wood out, a treatment to seal the pores after cleaning, and lemon oil to keep the wood from drying out. I play an unfinished maple neck though 'cause I like the feel and tone of the unfinished raw wood. If your neck is finished, any guitar cleaner, Pledge, etc. should work fine. I wouldn't recommend using any abrasives. That's just extra wear. Hell, a little discoloration...that's character!
 
A little Murphy's Oil Soap and warm water sparingly on a lint-free cloth worked well for me with some work. Took all that gunk off one of my acoustics rosewood fretboard. It had never been done...yikes where exactly did all that gunk came from:D
 
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