How do you treat your fretboard?

[DrewPeterson7]

Woodwind bore oil (which I believe is just another form of mineral oil) is also supposed to be pretty good.

I wouldn't use tung oil - it's an actual finish, not a penetrating oil. Maybe to seal a maple fretboard if you're doing a tung oil finish on an unfinished neck, but I wouldn't use it for anything more than that.

 

[bassbrad]

I would only use tung oil on a fretless bass or other unfretted string instrument.

 

[slowmotion]

+1 for bore oil for woodwinds.

Even though it's really popular, I don't like the idea of using lemon oil, it contains varying amounts of limonene which is a fairly nasty solvent (you can strip paint with it!)... I've heard over time it can soften bindings and some inlays. Might be bullshit, but not something I want to experiment with.

 

[philboyd studge]

Boiled linseed oil lightly applied, then wiped off with a damp cloth, once or twice a year. Everything else dries out a lot faster. Like me, the stuff goes back to the covered wagon days...it kept the wheels together.

 

[mcmetal]

Baby oil (mineral oil) is better. Olive only in a pinch, it won't do any harm but it may end up a bit whiffy if you use too much over time.

I got olive oil and baby oil but the baby oil is the gel with aloe vera and vitamin E.I just bought new strings and was planning on cleaning up my neck so which would be the better alternative?

 

[muttley600]

I got olive oil and baby oil but the baby oil is the gel with aloe vera and vitamin E.I just bought new strings and was planning on cleaning up my neck so which would be the better alternative?

To be perfectly honest I'd order up a bottle of purpose sold stuff. A single bottle will last you years and will cost about the same as a few beers. If I was looking for a substitute it would be baby oil then ev olive oil. I don't what sort of gel you have but it's not something I am at all familiar with. I'd say avoid it.