Fretboard care

[littlejohnny]

Hi there,

 

I have three gibson guitars ( no fretboard care for the br-9 lap steel needed), two electrics and my j-45. I owned a few others over the years.

I have always used gibson fretboard conditioner for fretboard care once in a while and never had any problems.

 

Now my j-45 (2006) has developed a few bright and dry looking spots on the fretboard. I used the fretboard conditioner when changing strings, but the spots came back very quickly.

 

So now I'm wondering if I should use some kind of oil for the fretboard. My Les Paul (1990) once got oiled by a luthier during some regular maintenance work. It looks great and I always forget to use the conditioner on that guitar.

 

So what are you guys doing? Any Products you recommend? something to keep in mind? just don't give a d*** about those bright spots? Any input appreciated.

[kidblast]

so you have just used the Gibson stuff in the past?

 

Guitar honey (from Gerlitz) is what I've used since the stuff first came out (even before Gerlitz started selling it)

[blindboygrunt]

boiled linseed oil . once a year ...about 5 drops the whole fretboard and wipe and dry with kitchen roll .

[j45nick]

I use Planet Waves Hydrate, but I don't know if it is better or worse than anything else. Is it possible that the shiny spots are just from finger contact?

 

By the way, I go over my fretboard with fine bronze wool to clean gunk from the board and around the frets, then put the Hydrate on and rub it in a bit with a rag before wiping more-or-less dry. I'm not changing strings often--maybe once a month, since I'm not playing an awful lot--but do wipe the board with conditioner at every string change.

 

I definitely feel like you need to do something like this with rosewood fretboards. On my guitars with ebony boards, the conditioner doesn't seem to soak in much, if a all.

[j45nick]

boiled linseed oil . once a year ...about 5 drops the whole fretboard and wipe and dry with kitchen roll .

 

 

"Boiled" is the key word here. Raw linseed oil oxidises and turns to a gunky semi-solid over time.

[Del Nilppeznaf]

+1 on BBG's and Nicks post

 

also some linseed oil is not supposed to be used apparently.

 

I think lemon oil is the universal standard for finger boards...boil it if ya like :)

[Red 333]

boiled linseed oil . once a year ...about 5 drops the whole fretboard and wipe and dry with kitchen roll .

 

+1 on boiled linseed oil on fretboards and bridges. Gibson Pump Polish on everything else, including metal parts.

 

Red 333

[davenumber2]

I use a tiny tiny bit of mineral oil on the fretboard a couple times a year. Never had any problems and it looks nice, for a while anyway.

[jedzep]

I'm on board with the mineral oil too. Odorless and absorbs instantly. Any knowledge out there as to why min oil might be inferior or harmful?

[aliasphobias]

I have always used Old English Lemon Oil on my rosewood fb and bridges. A few drops, rub it in, let it soak in for a few minutes and wipe up excess. I have always had good results.

[retrorod]

I have always used Howards Feed and Wax....

 

My first 4oz. bottle lasted 20 years. I am on my second and probably LAST bottle....Sad, eh?

 

At any rate, the treatment gets applied every 1-3 years for my guitars ...as needed. I live in a naturally humid area, so dryness is not usually an issue. It is a wonderfull combination of orange oil/bees wax and never gets sticky.

Cheers!

[ballcorner]

I use Gibson Fretboard Conditioner which clearly contains lemon oil. I also use lemon oil and have done for years. I don't use lemon oil on ebony. On ebony I use mineral oil once a year.

[telemaster03]

Pledge. Seriously.

[BigKahune]

.

 

Fret Doctor

 

 

.

[mountainpicker]

Kyser's (the capo people) Dr. Stringfellow Lem-Oil. I got the 4 oz. bottle about ten years ago and it looks like I'll need a new bottle in about three years! It services about seven guitars so you figure the rate of use. It's light in weight and penetrates well and helps clean along close to the frets, where the gunk builds up, pretty good. You're making me think I need to service a guitar or two.

[merseybeat1963]

Some sort of high quality Lemon Oil .. applied every few years..a bottle will last 20-30 years : )

[jedzep]

Glad we all agree. What, no extra virgin cold-pressed olive oil?

[fortyearspickn]

Mermaid Tears. A mermaid will last longer than a bottle of Lemon Oil.

[Run]

I use Fret Doctor twice a year on all my guitars and get very good results.

http://www.beafifer.com/boredoctor.htm

[RusRob]

I use Lemon oil... And its also tasty for frying up a big mess of catfish.....

 

 

@littlejohnny

 

Hi there,

 

I have three gibson guitars ( no fretboard care for the br-9 lap steel needed), two electrics and my j-45. I owned a few others over the years.

I have always used gibson fretboard conditioner for fretboard care once in a while and never had any problems.

 

Now my j-45 (2006) has developed a few bright and dry looking spots on the fretboard. I used the fretboard conditioner when changing strings, but the spots came back very quickly.

 

So now I'm wondering if I should use some kind of oil for the fretboard. My Les Paul (1990) once got oiled by a luthier during some regular maintenance work. It looks great and I always forget to use the conditioner on that guitar.

 

So what are you guys doing? Any Products you recommend? something to keep in mind? just don't give a d*** about those bright spots? Any input appreciated.

 

 

What I do (and probably what the luthier you took your LP to) is once the strings are off clean the fretboard with naptha and then take a small piece of 600 grit sandpaper fold it over to make a "pad" about 2 inches and sand the fretboard being careful to sand with the grain and up to each fret. Switch to 800 grit and then to 1200 and finally 1500. After the board is sanded down I usually polish the tops of the frets with 1500 grit (make sure not to hit the freshly sanded fretboard). Next I put a good coat of lemon oil on and let it soak in until you only see a few wet spots. Wipe it down really good and then apply another liberal coat and again let it sit until it is almost dry. Wipe it down and restring.

 

The sanding will not take off so much material that you risk changing the radius but it will give you a "like new" fretboard.

[RusRob]

Oh... The "catfish" part was a joke... don't try this at home...

[kidblast]

Rusrob> Sandpaper? interesting. I've only used .0000 steel wool on occasion.

[j45nick]

Rusrob> Sandpaper? interesting. I've only used .0000 steel wool on occasion.

 

 

I always recommend bronze wool rather than steel wool, to avoid rust specs. You can also use a Scotchbrite pad. I've also found emery boards (fingernail sanding boards) handy for working around the edges of the frets. It doesn't hurt to use a fine board cross-grain provided you finish up sanding with the grain. It actually helps keep the fretboard flat in the longitudinal plane between the frets, and can remove nascent ruts before they become a problem.

[BigKahune]

.

@Kidblast - You wouldn't want to use steel wool on an electric guitar - the magnets - not good. And as Nick mentioned - rust specs.

 

Bronze is non-magnetic. . B)

 

 

.

[RusRob]

Steel Wool.... AARGGG!!!! Hate the stuff. It gets all over everything including under your skin.

 

About the only thing I use it for is to create a nice satin finish when I refinish a guitar that calls for it.

 

I have worked on guitars that people have used steel wool on the fretboard without covering the soundhole, you will never get it out of the inside of the guitar.

 

With the advent of the ultra fine sandpaper I just don't see a need for wool anymore.