Oiling the Neck

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Dumby

Dumby

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Does anyone oil the fretboard of their guitars by themselves? If so, any tips on how and with what or do you take it to a local shop and let someone experienced do it? And how often do you suggest doing it? Do wood types matter? I have an ebony fretboard according to the Jacksonguitars website

Thanks in advance
The Dumbster
 
I put some lemon oil on my rosewood fingerboards about once a year. Usually on a Qtip to only get it where I need it, let is soak 5 to 10 minutes then wipe off any excess that hasn't soaked in. I think it makes the fretboard happier! :rolleyes:
 
There's also this stuff called Dr.Ducks Axe Wax... I put it on every time I change the strings on any of my guitars. It's only a couple bucks @ any shop and application is similar to lemon oil. Put a small drop every couple of frets, smooth out, let set for a few minutes and remove the excess. It "conditions" the fretboard, and really makes for a good feel IMO.
 
It's part of the process of cleaning the fingerboard (rosewood and ebony only, maple is finished and can be cleaned just like the rest of the guitar). The first step is to clean the fingerboard with OOOO steel wool (or a similarly fine abrasive pad, not sand paper but something like the 3M pads). The next step is to wipe on some oil (I use Kyser Lem-oil, but a good pure mineral oil also works, and any good lemon oil would also work - they should be mostly mineral oil with a little lemon oil added). Let it sit for a few minutes, and wipe off the excess. If there isn't any excess, reaply. This doesn't need to be done more than about twice a year unless you play a LOT (6-8 hours a day) or have particularly copious or caustic sweat. It isn't going to hurt anything if you want to do it once a month or so, but unless you ARE one of those sweaty guys, don't bother.

Oh, and if you are getting your guitars set up on a regular basis, this should be part of the set up process.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
Anfontan said:
I put some lemon oil on my rosewood fingerboards about once a year. Usually on a Qtip to only get it where I need it, let is soak 5 to 10 minutes then wipe off any excess that hasn't soaked in. I think it makes the fretboard happier! :rolleyes:
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I do the same. Lemon or linseed oil. You don't need a lot of it, a little goes a loooong way. I usually do this more in the winter while changing all the strings because having the heat on in your house robs the air of moisture which tends to dry out guitars (not to mention sinuses,plants...everything) . I learned this in heating and air conditioning school, but what I got a graphic demonstration of how this happens by owning a cigar humidor. It can hold it's moisture content (70% relative humidity) all spring summer and fall with hardly adding any distilled water. During winter, it drops into the >55% relative himidity if I don't add water every week or so.

I have an old Harmony acoustic from the 60's that I never touched up.As a result it has wear marks (discoloration from rosewood to almost bare wood) from the nut to about the 8th fret under all six strings. One of the things I think the oil does to to combat the effects of the acids that come from your fretting hand.


J.P.
 
Thanks guys!

It's nice to get some consistency from answer to answer when you're looking for a little confidence. I'm going to give it a shot this weekend on my cheap, hole drilled RolandStrat that way I can learn to apply the stuff nicely. Thanks again.
 
Is 3-in-1 oil OK? It's mineral oil, isn't it? I'm a hillbilly and we just always used 3-in-1.

I know guys who used lemon oil, but some old fart guitar guy told me that you can't just go get the kind at the Home Depot. It had to be something specific. I kinda zoned out after he said that and don't remember what was so special about the right kind.

I never thought I'd live long enough to worry about keeping the guitars from deteriorating.
 
How come Martin says not to oil their fingerboards?

The Care and Feeding booklet tells me so.
 
kahuna said:
How come Martin says not to oil their fingerboards?

The Care and Feeding booklet tells me so.
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Probably they want it done by a service center, as you can cause damage by using the wrong stuff.

You have to make sure whatever you are using has no solvents, that's the main thing to look out for (they will just dry out your fingerboard even more).

Really, though, the main thing is that it just doesn't need to be done very often. A few times a year is PLENTY for the vast majority of guitars. If you get your guitars set up when the seasons change, you are all set.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
Light said:
Probably they want it done by a service center, as you can cause damage by using the wrong stuff.

You have to make sure whatever you are using has no solvents, that's the main thing to look out for (they will just dry out your fingerboard even more).

Really, though, the main thing is that it just doesn't need to be done very often. A few times a year is PLENTY for the vast majority of guitars. If you get your guitars set up when the seasons change, you are all set.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
Click to expand...
Thanks. I actually have oiled my guitars and mandolins using lemon oil and they have not been damaged. It does seem odd that Martin are the odd ones out regarding oiling the fingerboard. I oil my Gibson and my Maton boards. As far as I can tell they are made the same way Martin fashions theirs. The only exception is my DC16GTE which has a micarta fingerboard.

On a side note, my Martin 12 string J1216GT according to the specs is also supposed to have a micarta fingerboard but mine is rosewood, so it too gets the good oil.
 
You can warm the lemon oil a little by running warm (almost hot) water over the bottle for a minute before applying it. Then put a few drops on a piece of clean soft cloth, an old tee shirt works well, and rub the entire fingerboard. Let the oil soak in 5-10 minutes then use a clean dry cloth to wipe off any excess. This can be repeated as often as you feel you need it, but if you have rosewood it should be done at least a couple of times a year. Maple only needs cleaning and ebony rarely requires any oil added.
As for other oils, 3in1 is a machine oil and contains a solvent to make it penetrate. WD40 also contains solvents and can cause the wood to soften and become pitted, it might even cause your frets to become loose. A tiny drop of 3in1 (applied with a toothpick) is fine for the screws on adjustable bridges or on sticky tunning machines (white lithium grease is better) but is not advised for use on fingerboards.
Never use any products containing silicone anywhere on any guitar. If you don't want to use 0000 steel wool to clean your fingerboard, you can use a nylon scrubbing pad (the kind like for washing teflon coated pots and pans) they take a little more rubbing but wont damage your fingerboard, plus they don't leave any fibers behind like steel wool can.
 
Dani Pace said:
If you don't want to use 0000 steel wool to clean your fingerboard, you can use a nylon scrubbing pad (the kind like for washing teflon coated pots and pans) they take a little more rubbing but wont damage your fingerboard, plus they don't leave any fibers behind like steel wool can.
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Good point.
 
Go to a music store that sells/services band instruments and pick up some bore oil. That's the stuff they use on clarinets etc. Works great on rodewood and ebony.
 
What about vegetable oils? I've been using olive oil for years and it seems to work well.
 
Light said:
Really, though, the main thing is that it just doesn't need to be done very often. A few times a year is PLENTY for the vast majority of guitars. If you get your guitars set up when the seasons change, you are all set.
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True!
If you keep your gits cased in a consistent, even temp'd location, minimal neck cleaning and care will suffice in order to maintain the neck quality.
Also as prev'ly stated, a lemon-based wood cleaner evenly applied will provide
acceptable results.
 
bleyrad said:
What about vegetable oils? I've been using olive oil for years and it seems to work well.
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Generally not a good idea for wood finishing (which IS what we are talking about here). Food oils, and particularly oils which are high in impurities, such as olive oil, will over time go rancid and can make your guitar smell really bad.


Light.

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
I used to have a maple neck guitar that I just stripped all the wood for the neck. I just didn't wan't anything except maple- no varnish- nothing. For years, people had told me it would warp, etc. but I never had it happen. After it was stolen, I had another one a few years later and have doen it the same way with no adverse effects.

Even satin finishes just don't relly gel with my hands and oils when playing. It looks dirty, which I guess is what I wanted- I wanted a Georgia Satellites kinda feel.

I'm interested in the opinions because I know that even though I do this for maple, I'm always watching to make sure that nothing happens...
 
Great info here.

Shit, I need to oil my necks. Don't remember when it was last done. Mostly concerned with the rosewood on my Rick Bass.
 
Incanus said:
Great info here.

Shit, I need to oil my necks. Don't remember when it was last done. Mostly concerned with the rosewood on my Rick Bass.
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It's laquered, though, isn't it?
 
Supercreep said:
It's laquered, though, isn't it?
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Yeah, Rick's have lacquered fingerboards, even the rosewood ones. Just wipe them down with a lint free cloth, and polish them every now and then with guitar polish.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
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