Notes_Norton Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 So what do you use to clean an ebony fretboard? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AXE® Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Lighter fluid. / Naptha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krock Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 I use lighter fluid as well because its mostly contains naptha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonzoboy Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 I use Gibson or some other brand fretboard cleaner plus an old toothbrush for getting out any crud that has built up around the frets.To clean/polish the frets I mask off the wood on the fretboard just keeping the frets exposed and go over them lightly with a non-metallic scouring pad and a Sparklean polishing cloth and Sparklean spray cleaner if real heavy caked on grim is present-the best guitar hardware cleaner and polish I have ever used,Silvo and Brasso etc. can't come close to it for getting a lustre without causing any eroding of gold plating etc. ( http://www.sklean.com/ ).BTW under no circumstances do you ever use steel wool to clean an electric guitar because the minute metal particles that come away from the pads are incidious in the way they find their way into the pickups and electronic bits of the guitar and causing considerable damage that's hard to rectify. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tvguit Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 I use clarinet "Bore Oil." I penetrates deep into very dense woods. It loosens the grime and conditions the wood at the same time. You can get it from any music store. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan H Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 BTW under no circumstances do you ever use steel wool to clean an electric guitar because the minute metal particles that come away from the pads are incidious in the way they find their way into the pickups and electronic bits of the guitar and causing considerable damage that's hard to rectify. I've used Steel Wool more times than I can count. Mask off your pickups and you'll be fine. No big deal. -Ryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twiz Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Once we have the ebony fretboard clean, is it ok to use lemon oil on it? I put that on my Flying V's fretboard, and I hope I'm not messing up anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveg Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 A Gibson tech recommended "Tres Amigos" Lemon Oil for the fingerboard and Carnuba Wax for the body many years ago. I don't know if it is still available. DG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AXE® Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Lemon oil is fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badbluesplayer Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Micro-Mesh is useful for some stuff like that, depending on how abrasive you need to be. Toothbrush is good. http://www.woodcraft.com/product/2004014/9147/micromesh-small-sanding-kit.aspx Mineral oil is good to help break up crud. Lemon oil like Old English is mineral oil with fragrance. Mineral oil from the pharmacy is cheapest and it's odorless. Special fretboard oils are at least as good as plain old oil. I think Taylor recommends oiling ebony boards something like once a year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twiz Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Lemon oil is fine. Thanks man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hall Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 elbow grease. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flight959 Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Fret doctor! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveinspain Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Dr. Stringfellow Lem-Oil conditioner... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Bill Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 We had a member here that used brake fluid on his SG's fretboard, it didn't look too bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff-7 Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Naptha to clean, fret doctor to condition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RowdyMoon Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 We had a member here that used brake fluid on his SG's fretboard, it didn't look too bad. After that he could never do bends very good....buddummpa bump....get it? brake fluid, stopped fingers from......whew tough crowd! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quapman Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 I suck so bad,, I don't clean nothin,,, they still seem to play ok though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Notes_Norton Posted March 23, 2013 Author Share Posted March 23, 2013 Thank's y'all. The frets are hardened stainless steel and are in great shape. I have some lemon oil (actually it's furniture polish which is a mixture of petroleum distillates and lemon oil) that I use on my rosewood fretboards. That's what most products called lemon oil actually are. So I think I'll try that first. Notes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan H Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 Thank's y'all. The frets are hardened stainless steel and are in great shape. I have some lemon oil (actually it's furniture polish which is a mixture of petroleum distillates and lemon oil) that I use on my rosewood fretboards. That's what most products called lemon oil actually are. So I think I'll try that first. Notes "Petroleum distillates" is a fancy industry term for Mineral Oil. That's all it is. There's about 1% lemon oil, but the majority of it is plain old Mineral Oil. -Ryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slavestate Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 I use a bit of water on a clean rag with a bit of elbow grease myself. For the frets I mask off the neck and pickups and use 0000 steel wool following that with some steel polish. Works for me every time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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