onewilyfool Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 What do you guys use for oiling the fretboard? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 Castrol EDGE 10W-60. Reduces friction, and all the moving parts work cooler and faster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobouz Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 I've been using Guitar Honey. Works quite well, imho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 Dunlop lemon oil works a treat for me  Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modoc_333 Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 If I really want to take the time and do it right for long term, the I use pure, raw linseed oil. Â a quicker but almost as good fix is bore oil (clarinet type, not the gun cleaner). Â Â those lemon oils really aren't that good. heck, they aren't even lemon oil! just a cheap petroleum product with lemon scent added. If it's not good, then why do all of the shops sell it as fretboard conditioner? Because it doesn't last and you will have to come back and buy more. Â the "lemon oil" and most of the oils advertised for guitar fretboards work well... but don't stay in the wood and last. the board will dry out again soon. that's why I use/ suggest something better like the raw linseed or bore oil. Â Â Â -Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 . Fret Doctor  Basically it's bore oil.  . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 Another Fret Doctor user. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smurfbird Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 Keith (Modoc) Thumbs Up! Thanks for the straight info. Â And also for the many times you've come to the rescue with good info for the rest of us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 If I really want to take the time and do it right for long term, the I use pure, raw linseed oil.  a quicker but almost as good fix is bore oil (clarinet type, not the gun cleaner).   those lemon oils really aren't that good. heck, they aren't even lemon oil! just a cheap petroleum product with lemon scent added. If it's not good, then why do all of the shops sell it as fretboard conditioner? Because it doesn't last and you will have to come back and buy more.  the "lemon oil" and most of the oils advertised for guitar fretboards work well... but don't stay in the wood and last. the board will dry out again soon. that's why I use/ suggest something better like the raw linseed or bore oil.  -Keith  Keith, the problem I see with raw linseed oil is that it can remain sticky, attracts grime, and can darken the wood over time. I would think boiled linseed oil would be a better choice, if you were to go that route, although boiled linseed oil will also darken the wood, and can build up on the surface over time.  Most of the "fretboard conditioners"--including the Planet Waves Hydrate I use--are some petroleum distillate for a delivery/drying vehicle, with some added plant or seed oils of one form or another.  A high-grade woodwind bore oil is probably not a bad choice, although it is designed for a somewhat different job on an instrument that absorbs a lot of expelled human mouth/lung moisture when you play it, unless the inside is oil-sealed. I think the best bore oils are refined nut or seed oils--basically high-grade cooking oils, rather than mineral-based oils. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modoc_333 Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 Keith, the problem I see with raw linseed oil is that it can remain sticky, attracts grime, and can darken the wood over time. I would think boiled linseed oil would be a better choice, if you were to go that route, although boiled linseed oil will also darken the wood, and can build up on the surface over time. Â Most of the "fretboard conditioners"--including the Planet Waves Hydrate I use--are some petroleum distillate for a delivery/drying vehicle, with some added plant or seed oils of one form or another. Â A high-grade woodwind bore oil is probably not a bad choice, although it is designed for a somewhat different job on an instrument that absorbs a lot of expelled human mouth/lung moisture when you play it, unless the inside is oil-sealed. I think the best bore oils are refined nut or seed oils--basically high-grade cooking oils, rather than mineral-based oils. Â Â good points. the raw linseed does require a little more care. VERY light application, let it soak, and remove excess VERY quickly. Most people do like a nice, dark RW board, (myself included) so I don't mind that property of it, but a good point that should be noted. I guess some people wouldn't want that and I didn't think of it. Â Â -Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 I've used lemon oil. It does seem to dry out quickly though. I've only tried linseed oil once - on a hiking stick - and had the result j45nick mentioned. It remained tacky for a month. It wasn't the boiled variety and I didn't wipe it off as MODOC cautioned. I've heard coconut oil is a good conditioner for raw wood. I need to research that more, but I plan on getting some coconut oil and trying it out on some unfinished wood blanks to see how that works. Some recipes I've seen melt very small amounts (1:10) of beeswax in as well. If my wife has any, I may try that concoction to compare with the pure coconut oil. I only treat my fretboards once every 9 or 10 months, so I think it's equally important to wash your hands before playing to keep dirt, oil, acids and whatever from getting ground into the fretboard in the first place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fromnabulax Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 Fret Doctor twice yearly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 I use the Gibson Premium Fretboard Conditioner. I have a lifetime supply. Â Only every few years on my ebony J-45 board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MR GIBS Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 I use the Gibson Premium Fretboard Conditioner. I have a lifetime supply. Â Only every few years on my ebony J-45 board. Â Dunlop lemon oil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountainpicker Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 Kyser Lem-Oil. The 4oz. pump spray bottle I have is about down to 1/2oz. which indicates how much I've felt the need to use it over eight years of maintaining five fretboards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boyd Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 I have a bottle of Dunlop 65 Ultimate Lemon Oil that I use sometimes. I am not convinced that it is even needed. What terrible things happen if you don't oil the fretboard? My 1974 fretboard wasn't oiled for over 30 years and I never noticed a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarrr Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 Boiled linseed oil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aster1 Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 Much discussed on another post in the Lounge:  Lemon Oil  I still maintain that great Lemon Oil is non-petroleum based and non-toxic. Use on all my wood projects too. On the guitars that have finishes NO. Just raw wood.  Aster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badbluesplayer Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Mineral oil. That's what they make fretboard oil from. In a pinch, I guess I can use it as an intestinal lubricant. Â Â I always wondered how you're supposed to use it as an intestinal lubricant until I just saw this - Â Â Hey - keep one in the gig bag just in case! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red 333 Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Boiled Linseed Oil. Â Red 333 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 I found a big jar of Coconut Oil in my wife's cooking supplies yesterday. It's a sort of mayonaise-looking goop that says it's 100% pure and 'indigenous'. I'm going to put some on a piece of wood i use as a coaster today and watch how it fairs over the months until my next fretboard project. If anything 'conclusive' occurs - I'll try to dig out this old thread and report back here. I'm not optimistic I would know how to measure the superiority of it over lemon oil - other than by visual 'inspection'. Oh, the jar also says you can use Coconut Oil as a skin care product. I think I'll stick to soap and water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red 333 Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 I found a big jar of Coconut Oil in my wife's cooking supplies yesterday. It's a sort of mayonaise-looking goop that says it's 100% pure and 'indigenous'. I'm going to put some on a piece of wood i use as a coaster today and watch how it fairs over the months until my next fretboard project. If anything 'conclusive' occurs - I'll try to dig out this old thread and report back here. I'm not optimistic I would know how to measure the superiority of it over lemon oil - other than by visual 'inspection'. Oh, the jar also says you can use Coconut Oil as a skin care product. I think I'll stick to soap and water. Â I think I would be careful about using cooking oils, as they could mildew (at least, that is the prevailing wisdom I have heard). But by all means, update us with your experiment. Â Red 333 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hogeye Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 I think I would be careful about using cooking oils, as they could mildew (at least, that is the prevailing wisdom I have heard). But by all means, update us with your experiment. Â Red 333 Â Food oils do go rancid and then the smell nasty. Stick with the Gibson fretboard oil and all will be fine. To much will gunk up your strings so follow instructions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ponty Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 C F Marin, another guitar company(!) state 'We do not recommend using lemon oil on our fingerboards. The acids in lemon oil break down the finish of our guitars. It may also aid the corrosion of the frets and lessen the life of the strings'' I have used Gibson Lem oil for decades on all my guitars. Never had a problem, using it sparingly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Boiled linseed oil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.