theDeuce Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 and see this- Lubricant of the Stars Jimmy Ray Harrell and Todd Jagger are musicians from Austin, Texas. Known as The Border Blasters, the two have used WD-40 for more than 30 years to clean and lubricate their guitar and mandolin strings. After squirting WD-40 onto a cloth and wiping down the necks of the instruments, one of them always begins their show by saying, “This set, and every set, is brought to you by WD-40: ‘Lubricant of the Stars.’” Check them out at their Web site – www.BorderBlasters.com – especially if you like bluegrass, country or folk music. Also, try using WD-40 to: Quiet squeaky piano pedals Lubricate bass drum and high hat pedals Protect chrome on bass guitars Lubricate guitar case latches Note: Be sure to refer to the owner’s manual for your equipment before using WD-40 What are they doing, just wiping down the back of the neck? Surely not the fretboard? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pohatu771 Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 Whoever makes WD-40 isn't very helpful in telling us what's in it, but they do say what isn't... the only thing that looks suspicious is silicone, and there isn't any. I can't imagine playing a guitar with WD-40 on it... the smell would drive me crazy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinTheHood Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 I've been cleaning my fretboard with WD-40 for years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg M Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 The only thing I would ever use WD-40 for on a guitar woud be to clean up rusty metal parts after I had removed them from the guitar. WD-40 is not a wood cleaner or polish. I'm sure it is a petroleum distillate (likely a mixture of low-volatility gasoline and kerosene) with some anti-corrosive additives. Very likely to harm lacquer finishes and not likely all that good for fretboard materials. Wipe your strings off when you get done playing and replace them when they lose their sparkle. Lemon oil is good for the fret board once per year and Gibson or Martin guitar polish for the body. I never put anything on the back of guitar necks-just wipe down. Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swoop Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 I'm pretty sure I read somehwere that it's water based. Dunno how true that is. Sure smells a lot better than some other guitar cleaning products out there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg M Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 Here is a link to the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) for WD-40 http://www.wd40company.com/files/pdf/msds-wd494716385.pdf. Like I said above, it is mostly petroleum distillates (thats what aliphatic and non aliphatic hydrocarbons are). Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinTheHood Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 I'm pretty sure I read somehwere that it's water based. Dunno how true that is. Sure smells a lot better than some other guitar cleaning products out there! I dont know about water-based, but its not water soluble, if thats what you mean. Spray some on your hand and then go run it under some water. It beads up and gets pretty slimy. I dont recommend it over lemon oil or any other products made specifically for fretboards, but I've been using WD-40 on my EBM for sixteen years without any problems. Of course, I use it very conservatively, and it goes on a rag - not the board. But thats just me, and I obviously dont advocate it around here because I know better. It just works in a pinch and I'm willing to take my chances. So far so good, I'd say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pohatu771 Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 I'm pretty sure I read somehwere that it's water based. Dunno how true that is. Sure smells a lot better than some other guitar cleaning products out there!It's not water-based... water is one of the things they listed as not being in it. Makes sense, since it's a moisture-repellent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tulsaslim Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 I'm always puzzled as to why people take the time to 'preserve' their strings. I've been playing guitar since 1962 and have probably tried just about every string made & never have found one yet that had more than 20 hours of 'giggable' tone in them. Unless you live someplace where guitar strings are hard to come by just replace them after 20 hours or so. They're 4 bucks a set. Less than a pack of smokes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DizzyFingers Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 Whoever makes WD-40 isn't very helpful in telling us what's in it' date=' but they do say what isn't... the only thing that looks suspicious is silicone, and there isn't any. I can't imagine playing a guitar with WD-40 on it... the smell would drive me crazy.[/quote'] Some fishermen use WD-40 on their lures to attract fish... it contains unspecified amounts of cod liver oil...you got to be cheap if you can't use a proper fretboard cleaner/preserver on your guitar... Although I would use WD-40 on a Fender guitar as it would might ease some of the "twang" in the tone... :D/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bvarsel Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 Although I would use WD-40 on a Fender guitar as it would might ease some of the "twang" in the tone... :D/ Ouch....down goes Fender, down goes Fender! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Notes_Norton Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 The sheet says avoid eye contact, so does that mean if I rub my eyes after playing it will cause a problem? It also cautions about prolonged and/or repeated skin contact. I don't know if that is any better or worse than the furniture polishes that call themselves lemon oil (but are mostly petroleum distillates). I don't put anything but my fingers and a dry cleaning cloth on my strings, and oil the fretboard sparingly. Notes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinTheHood Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 you got to be cheap if you can't use a proper fretboard cleaner/preserver on your guitar... Whatever. 16 years hasnt lied to me yet. Maybe I'll start using Windex just to get everyones' feathers all ruffled....oh, wait...I've already done that. :D I guess I'm just not anal retentive about my guitars. Besides, I know a semi-pro that cleans his fretboard with beer...and domestic beer at that. Good lord! Anyway, maybe someone could explain to me the side effects of using WD-40 on a fretboard, because I havent seen any yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DizzyFingers Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 Whatever. 16 years hasnt lied to me yet. Maybe I'll start using Windex just to get everyones' feathers all ruffled....oh' date=' wait...I've already done that. :) I guess I'm just not anal retentive about my guitars. Besides, I know a semi-pro that cleans his fretboard with beer...and domestic beer at that. Good lord! Anyway, maybe someone could explain to me the side effects of using WD-40 on a fretboard, because I havent seen any yet.[/quote'] Hope you don't clean the dash on your car with WD-40 or brush your teeth with it...LOL... Hey you can use Crisco if you want go ahead it's your axe Cleanin the fretboard with beer? How about german beer, it helps when you have to play a polka... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruznolfart1281734103 Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 I saw the thread title and immediately wondered when WD-40 started making fans...:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinTheHood Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 Hope you don't clean the dash on your car with WD-40 or brush your teeth with it...LOL... Hey you can use Crisco if you want go ahead it's your axe Cleanin the fretboard with beer? How about german beer' date=' it helps when you have to play a polka...[/quote'] LOL! It never even occured to me to clean my dash...at all (rusty but trusty work-truck type vehicle), but duly noted about the teeth. There goes my Friday night! Oh, and they are a metal band. So, on second though, maybe domestic beer is appropriate. I'll drink the German beer though :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grant Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 I saw the thread title and immediately wondered when WD-40 started making fans... WD-40 started making fans in the 40's and then stopped when the fans got hit with sh*t. I don't put anything but my fingers and a dry cleaning cloth on my strings' date=' and oil the fretboard sparingly.[/quote']+1. Seriously, I had a friend whose grandfather did not invent WD-40 but bought the secret recipe and made it into the company it is today. They have bought 3in1 Oil and Lava soap to diversify. One of the few things I think the stuff is good for is penetrating into tight places. I don't think this is what you want to happen to your fret slots. Dan Erlewine recommends treating the fretboard with raw linseed oil from an art store over lemon oil saying lemon oil is usually mineral oil. But even with thick linseed oil, he recommends carefully applying it so it does not get into the fret slots. I don't think he recommends any string treatment other than wiping them down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinTheHood Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 One of the few things I think the stuff is good for is penetrating into tight places. I don't think this is what you want to happen to your fret slots. Dan Erlewine recommends treating the fretboard with raw linseed oil from an art store over lemon oil saying lemon oil is usually mineral oil. But even with thick linseed oil' date=' he recommends carefully applying it so it does not get into the fret slots. I don't think he recommends any string treatment other than wiping them down. [/quote'] I work with WD-40 quite a bit, and for a lot of different uses. It SORT OF gets into tight places, but not as good as you would think. It takes a lot of oil and a lot of time to really penetrate anything and break parts free. It also can be used as an adhesive remover to some extent. But again, alot of oil and a ton of elbow grease. Any bit of WD-40 that would seep into the fret slots and loosen any glues wouldn't be any different that any other oils that got in there. Obviously I'm talking about using it very conservatively. Too much of any oil is going to be a bad thing...it doesnt matter how its packaged. If there is enough to wet the wood and cause glues to separate from the wood, you are using too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dh82c Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 FWIW: WD (Water dispersal). Fishermen use it more to hide the human scent on lures than to attact the fish. Some people soak their hands in it for arthritis. It is fine for cleaning crud off strings. It hasnt hurt my fingerboards yet but I dont rub them down with it. Does NOT clean dirty pots (it might seem like it.. but they will gunk up faster afterwards). Personally I like the smell :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis G Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 Whoever makes WD-40 isn't very helpful in telling us what's in it' date=' but they do say what isn't... the only thing that looks suspicious is silicone, and there isn't any.[/quote'] I know it isn't water based because I used to have to deal with Fire Department's all over the place on the storage, quantities, etc. They HATE that stuff!!! They pretty much consider each can a "fire grenade". And yeah, they're real secretive as to the formula, only releasing info they're required to. As mentioned, WD = water dispersal. I heard/read somewhere that the current formula was the 40th attempt at achieving what they wanted, hence the WD40 name. Nice coincidence I would think, but probably some marketing going on there, I mean, how good would WD 267 sell? LOL. I personally wouldn't want it anywhere near my guitars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theDeuce Posted May 27, 2009 Author Share Posted May 27, 2009 ... Dan Erlewine recommends treating the fretboard with raw linseed oil from an art store over lemon oil saying lemon oil is usually mineral oil. That's interesting. This has really got my curiosity up so I dug around (OK' date=' easily [i']Googled[/i]) some info. from Wikipedia, >>...lemon oil used on the unsealed rosewood fingerboards of guitars and other stringed instruments is not made from lemons. It's a different product altogether, made from mineral oil and a solvent, usually naphtha, and got its name from its color and tart smell... << from WD-40.com, >>contains petroleum base oil 15-25%<< as well as those aliphatic hydrocarbons mentioned. from my guitar gadget box, Gibson has at least 2 packaged products of "Fretboard Conditioner"- Luthier's Choice and Vintage Reissue, both of which contain petroleum distillates. from Wikipedia, >>Linseed oil, also known as "flax seed oil" is a clear to yellowish oil obtained from the dried ripe seeds of the flax plant... Due to its polymer-like properties linseed oil is used on its own or blended with other oils, resins and solvents as an impregnator and varnish in wood finishing, as a pigment binder in oil paints, as a plasticizer and hardener in putty and in the manufacture of linoleum.<< Using an oil, resin or solvent based product is not appealling to me, so I'll taking Dan E's advice and go with raw linseed oil as a conditioner when my git's fretboard get's dry. Although I use WD-40 every chance I get (love the smell) I'd never use it on my guitar. Maybe on a finished maple neck!, naw! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ef_in_fla Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 I remember hearing about wiping strings with WD40 back in the late 70's. I tried it a couple times, hated it, and never looked back. (If strings ever cost $200 a pack, I suppose I might rethink it.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
headcase79 Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 WD stands for water displacement. It was designed to spray on metal that did or could get wet to prevent rust. And that's about the only thing it's really good at other than attracting dirt, lint and gunking up stuff you thought you were lubricating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinTheHood Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 WD stands for water displacement. It was designed to spray on metal that did or could get wet to prevent rust. And that's about the only thing it's really good at other than attracting dirt' date=' lint and gunking up stuff you thought you were lubricating.[/quote'] So, then its not good for helping to remove surface rust, cutting through grease & gunk, lubing rotary dies as well as brass bushings on narrow-web removable rotary press parts and idler rollers, loosening dries ink, remoisturizing dried-out or freshly sanded metals, as well as the multitude of other uses around the shop? I'd better tell my boss ASAP. Man, he's gonna be bummed... If we used anything else, everything would be a smelly, sticky, disgusting mess. Talk about attacting dirt and gunking things up. Yeesh... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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