Lemon oil.

[LT ED]

My les paul LE has ebony neck and when I apply lemon oil it looks great but can you over do it. I apply It every few weeks, Is this ok or is it to much?

[Tim Plains]

So you're replacing your strings every couple of weeks too? You know that stuff kills your strings' sound, right?

 

I was told by a tech to rub the neck down every couple of months when I replace the strings. Rub it on, rub it in, rub it off, almost 'til it's dry.

[Flight959]

Three times a year for me! Dont over do it.

[LT ED]

Thank you flight959.

[Plank_Spanker]

I use woodwind bore oil. I apply it a couple of times a year.

[rjay777]

Once or twice a year is plenty.

[Stewie]

My tech recommended D'Andrea oil. It is specifically for Fretboards. A little goes a long way.

[Raptor]

You only need to treat your fretboard when it is dry. If it is played regularly the oils in your fingers should keep it in good shape, unless your house is very dry. Ebony will tend to look a little chocolate brownish when it starts to dry out. Once or twice a year is usually more than sufficient. If the environment is so dry that you need to do it more, then you should look at a home, room, or case humidifier. Too much oil can soften the wood and cause the frets to lift out, and cause the fretboard to swell and push the binding outwards, causing cracks between the binding and neck (these cracks often appear naturally over time but too much oil speeds it up). A dry fretboard can crack if left to get too dry, first you will see little cracks in the binding where the frets are. This is because a dry fretboard shrinks a bit allowing the fret ends to push on the binding. Too much oil can also make the board sticky and attract dirt.

[saturn]

I've read that once a year is fine. I have also tried this stuff called Dr. Stringfellows Lem Oil. It's a fret board conditioner. But I can't decide if I like it or not. It really smells strong and will make you case smell too after you use it.

[Tim Plains]

Is Dunlop 65 Lemon Oil any good? That's what I use.

[rjay777]

Is Dunlop 65 Lemon Oil any good? That's what I use.

 

I've heard mixed reviews on it, but I use Dunlop 65 too. I've never had a problem with it.

[Raptor]

I haven't used the Dunlop fretboard product yet as I am waiting for my next string change, which should be soon. I have not heard anything bad about them, but I use and like the guitar cleaner and wax. I bought one of the care kits, it was in a package labelled 'Drum Care Kit' still wrapped from the factory, but it had the guitar stuff inside. So I sent a pic of it to Dunlop and they sent me a free kit. I will keep the odd one in it's wrap.

[rjay777]

That works for me Raptor. Either way I don't worry about it too much. I change my strings about as often as I see the dentist, but safe bet my fretboard will probably outlast my teeth.

[Thundergod]

Hi guys, dont kill me for what im about to ask... is it ok if you never use this kind of product on your guitar at all?

 

I´ve had some guitars for more than 10 years (one for 15 years) and never cared for them aside from playing with them, and cleaning them with a brush (hard to get places) and cloth (body and back of the neck). And i have never had trouble with them, not a crack or anything like it.

 

Should i espect something bad to happen? How should i care for my standard faded?

[Flight959]

I dont think so. Its more cosmetic than anything else really. Some necks can end up looking really dry and cracked. I do mine if required at string change time when I also have the frets polished.

 

Regards

[ALIEN8]

Lemon oil is a marketing ploy used to make you think you need to buy a cleaner and a conditioner. They use lemon because it easily breaks down the left over residue of oil and skin that you leave behind on the fretboard, and is more of a cleaner.

 

Personally I use flax seed oil on rosewood, and gibson fret board conditioner on Ebony, though flax seed oil would be good too, along with some good elbow grease you should be able to clean any neck. For that matter you could use olive oil to condition the wood, I use flax because it is thin, and easily wipes off, so the oil stays on the fretboard and not your fingers.

 

Linseed oil is good too...

 

once or twice a year is fine for regular use... it all depends on abuse, and how often you wipe your guitar down etc. Or you could just not do it... really its a cleanliness thing that aids in feel and playability. The wood should be good on its own under realistic environmental conditions.

 

A lot of what you hear is hype to buy products...

[Riffster]

Hey Thundergod, probably your guitars would be OK given that probably you don't have to run heat in your house in Ecuador. The thing about winter in the some states in the US is that you have to run your heat and this significantly dries out everything in your house if you do not have a humidifier.

 

I have a dedicated humidifier in my guitar room and that keeps my guitars in good shape over the winter....

 

Check out www.Gruhn.com for "Humidify for Winter"

[JSJH]

'Ever drank oily lemonade? Lemon is a scent and additive in the mixture to other oil-vehicle products. Many useful comments have already been made above re using 'lemon oil.