Lemon oiling the fretboard.

[tater71]

I have noticed that the ebony is developing some gray areas. Is it alright to put some lemon oil on there to richen it up a bit?

[Jim Broyles]

Well, I have seen where some say no liquid of any kind ever on your fretboard. I personally don't see how it can hurt it to help the drying out parts. Here's an article I came across about fretboard care.

[tater71]

Thanks, great article.

[mandroid]

Use as article, seems to suggest green scotchbrite pads , or for fine non metalic abrasive, similar pads are made impregnated with fine carborundum, I've found they're brown, sold with sandpaper and emery cloth in some hardware stores.

Also, best thing I know of for kitchen scrubber for burned on oils on stainless pots & frypan.

the same oil that makes my pick feel slippery in my right hand, is exuded also from my left hand

[nobleheart]

My dad and I have used lemon " furniture" oil on our string and lightly on our fretboards for nearly 2 decades without negative affects.

[EdSherry]

Also check out Frank Ford's comments:

http://www.frets.com/FRETSPa....02.html

[tater71]

The lemon oil worked beautifully. The bottle said "No wax - No water - No build up." My fretboard has lost the gray it had and now is a beautiful black -- and I only used a tiny bit.

Cheers to Holloway House's Lemon Oil!

[Caleb]

I put some on my Kentucky when I got it. The board was all dried-out looking and looked thirstly to me. I used the lemon oil very sparingly and it darkened up the board like it was supposed to be. In my experience, any wood that is subject to change in climate (like an instrument) will need some kind of conditioning from time to time. A bottle of lemon oil will last most folks a lifetime. It goes a long way.

[DryBones]

I just did one of my mandolins with the lemon oil and it looks great. I rubbed some on lightly with a Q-tip between all the frets and left it on for about 10 minutes then gave it a gentle rub down with a soft cloth and it looks great!

[Caleb]

I rubbed some on lightly with a Q-tip between all the frets and left it on for about 10 minutes then gave it a gentle rub down with a soft cloth and it looks great!

That's just the method I use.

[Ivan Kelsall]

I have used TEAK oil for over 40 years on all my instrument fingerboards with no ill effect.The oil is extracted from Teak,also a very hard wood,& being a 'wood' oil,has no ill effect on most other hardwoods.I just wipe some on with a piece kitchen towel,leave it for a couple of minutes & wipe it off. A violin maker i used to know years ago,used Almond oil to finish off his fingerboards,
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #Saska

[Stephen Perry]

Some in the violin trade use green kitchen pads and mineral oil on necks and fingerboards. Well known folks, so I suppose it is OK. Their strings are rather more expensive than mandolin strings. I would expect complaints if harm resulted!

[Five]

I was taught as a repairman many years ago to use lemon oil. However, you only use it when the fingerboard needs it. Using oils to often will cause the fingerboard to become soft around the fret slots and the result will be that frets can start raising. You on the other hand do not want the fingerboard to become dry. Cracking is the result of a fingerboard allowed to become to dry. So yes to the lemon oil but only as needed. I am sure there are other thoughts on this but this is how I was taught.

[Jerry Byers]

Cracking is the result of a fingerboard allowed to become to dry.

If your fingerboard begins to crack, I certainly would be concerned of other cracking going on.

[Five]

Jerry,
Just the final outcome of fingerboard neglect. If you have allowed your instrument to prgress to this degree of neglect from humidity changes you don't deserve to own them.

[Jerry Byers]

I hear ya. It really doesn't take much to care for mandolins. A simple wipe down after playing; keeping your eye on temperature/humidity; keeping them out of the way of foot traffic, mike stands, case fixtures, banjos and guitars; the occasional string change and setup adjustment. I find it amazing that these seemingly delicate instruments can last a lifetime and more.

[tater71]

It seems I started a successful topic. I wonder how long it will be before the board dries out again.

[DryBones]

It seems I started a successful topic. #I wonder how long it will be before the board dries out again.

this message "board" never dries out!

[tater71]

phhhhhhh........

[jk245]

What you see is not always what you get
The product commonly called 'lemon oil' can be almost anything, including just a lemon smell.

True lemon oil is an extract of the lemon fruit in a mineral spirit base.

Lemon oil for frets should not contain any waxes or silicones.

Where to purchase? There are a few products made by guitar maintenance product companies:
GUITAR RESEARCH Lemon Oil "gets at the grime and dirt on your guitar's fretboard."-
DUNLOP Fretboard 65 Ultimate Lemon Oil
Kyser Dr. Stringfellow Lem-Oil

For the above, a small bottle is about $4 (from Musician Friend, Guitar Centers, Sam Ash, etc.)

[clem]

If you have to use something, Gerlitz Guitar Honey. Best stuff out there for ebony/rosewood finger boards.

[MikeBrennan]

The factory tecs for Taylor guitars were at a local music store doing free set-ups, fingerboard care and restringing. As they were working on my guitar I asked what was in the f-board conditioner they were using and they said it was a mixture of oils and wax. I don't know what to think with all these different "do's and don'ts". I'll just continue using oil but very sparingly.

[MartinD_GibsonA]

Here's what Martin Guitars has to say on the subject ...

Don Smith

[jk245]

Here's what Martin Guitars has to say on the subject ...

Don Smith

Here is what GIBSON says at
Gibson frertboard care

http://www.gibson.com/Product....0Polish

Note: they recommend LEMON OIL or LINSEED OIL


You can wipe down your strings and the neck of your guitar every time you play it. And you can change your strings every few days. But sooner or later, you're going to notice a funky, gunky feeling on the fretboard that won't go away no matter how much you wipe it down or change strings. The fretboard needs cleaning and the frets need polishing. It's one of the easiest do-it-yourself jobs in the guitar maintenance/repair handbook -- as long as you have the right tools and supplies.

Here's what you'll need:
* Scissors
* 600 and 400 grit sandpaper
* Rubber sanding block
* 0000 steel wool
* Masking tape
* Lemon oil or linseed oil
* 100% cotton or flannel cloth
* Jewelers rouge (metal polish)

The following process applies to an open-grain type of fretboard, such as rosewood or ebony. If you have a lacquered maple fretboard you must protect the lacquer during the fret-polishing process by taping over the fretboard between the frets.
1. Remove the strings.
2. Cut the sandpaper into 2" squares.
3. Protect the neck and the body by taping it off with masking tape. But before you apply tape to the guitar, apply and remove the tape from some other surface in order to remove some of the adhesive. This will make it easier to remove the tape from the guitar later. Now tape off the sides of the fingerboard and the top of the body where the neck extends over the body.
4. Begin polishing the frets with 400 grit sandpaper. With your hand moving lengthwise across the fretboard and over the tops of the frets, gently sand the tops of the frets, one section at a time until the scratches are gone from the frets. As the paper wears out, use fresh pieces until the board is complete.
5. Repeat Step 4 using 600 grit paper this time.
6. Clean the fretboard with steel wool, rubbing across the board parallel to the frets.
7. Using the rubber sanding block with 600 grit sandpaper, sand the tops of the frets over the entire board. Check for any scratches and repeat the process if needed using fresh paper.
8. Cut two pieces of cotton cloth to fit the rubber sanding block. Use a double-thickness cloth. After it is in place on the block, rub the jewelers rouge or metal polish onto the cotton surface. Buff the tops of the frets until sufficiently shiny. Repeat if necessary.
9. With another piece of cotton cloth, apply some oil to the entire fretboard. Let it soak in for about five minutes.

[MartinD_GibsonA]

Gibson says to oil the fretboard. #Martin says not to oil the fretboard. #Great ... just great. # # #

Don Smith