Lemon oil.

[saturn]

I've had a bottle of Old English for almost 20 years. Use it sparingly on my rosewood fretboards about twice a year. So far my inlays are fine.

I was at one of those home stores awhile ago and saw some stuff called Parker and Bailey on clearance, so I bought it. I used it when I strung up the banjo last week and it did well.

[Murph]

On 1/12/2024 at 6:19 AM, IanHenry said:

Back in my younger days, we'd never heard of oiling your fretboard, 

I grew up in Mesa/Phoenix and that's about as dry as you can get, and I'd never heard of it in my younger days, either. I still have a 62 Melody Maker I played back then, and the rosewood board looks fine, except for the divets.....

[ksdaddy]

2 hours ago, Murph said:

I still have a 62 Melody Maker I played back then, and the rosewood board looks fine, except for the divets.....

I wonder how much of that is the fact it’s Brazilian. I’ve had older Gibsons where the boards stay nice n glossy year after year. I had a ‘96 Herb Ellis that had the most horrible coarse dry feeling board (Indian).

[merciful-evans]

Of course you can get actual oil from lemons rinds. Its used for cooking. 

One brand says it takes 225 lemons to fill a 3.4 oz bottle. What's it like on your fretboard? No idea.

[fortyearspickn]

I'm guessing the small amount of oil in most of our fingers most of the time is all the wood really needs.  Especially if you don't wash your hands after eating fried chicken.  

[merciful-evans]

2 minutes ago, fortyearspickn said:

I'm guessing the small amount of oil in most of our fingers most of the time is all the wood really needs.  Especially if you don't wash your hands after eating fried chicken.  

My skin is quite oily. Most would say that its dirt, but then dirt is merely misplaced matter. 

[Murph]

28 minutes ago, ksdaddy said:

I wonder how much of that is the fact it’s Brazilian. I’ve had older Gibsons where the boards stay nice n glossy year after year. I had a ‘96 Herb Ellis that had the most horrible coarse dry feeling board (Indian).

I'd have to say yes, you are right.

And I may have oiled it in the "Aughts". I don't remember.

But it never saw oil in the 70's and early 80's when I was living in Arizona.

[Larsongs]

4 hours ago, Murph said:

I grew up in Mesa/Phoenix and that's about as dry as you can get, and I'd never heard of it in my younger days, either. I still have a 62 Melody Maker I played back then, and the rosewood board looks fine, except for the divets.....

I’ll bet that fretboard would look awesome with a little Bore oil.. 

[Pinch]

3 hours ago, ksdaddy said:

I wonder how much of that is the fact it’s Brazilian. I’ve had older Gibsons where the boards stay nice n glossy year after year. I had a ‘96 Herb Ellis that had the most horrible coarse dry feeling board (Indian).

I think you're onto something.

[jdgm]

6 hours ago, merciful-evans said:

Of course you can get actual oil from lemons rinds. Its used for cooking. 

One brand says it takes 225 lemons to fill a 3.4 oz bottle. What's it like on your fretboard? No idea.

I should think a bit sticky - a lot of citric acid in it.

I have a very old bottle of thin cine projector oil (nearly finished) and I found some sewing machine oil in a £ shop which will replace it.....when/if.....

 

Edited January 13 by jdgm