Black finger tips

[Foofyter]

Just bought a brand new Epiphone SG the other night, and played it for a bit and noticed the tips of my fretting hand were getting black. Changed the strings thinking it was all the finger cheese from previous uses in the music shop and I'm still getting blackened finger tips. Anyone know how to make this go away?

[Supersonic]

Just bought a brand new Epiphone SG the other night, and played it for a bit and noticed the tips of my fretting hand were getting black. Changed the strings thinking it was all the finger cheese from previous uses in the music shop and I'm still getting blackened finger tips. Anyone know how to make this go away?

 

 

Clean and condition your fretboard. It will make it go away and also make your fretboard look better and easier to play.

[AnthemBassMan]

-Yep. Sometimes there is a black dye applied to the fretboard to give it a more uniform color. A lot of different manufacturers do this. Get yourself a bottle of bore oil, any music store that sells band instruments should have it, then remove the strings and apply the bore oil. Let it soak for a couple hours, then wipe off with an old terrycloth rag.

 

L8R,

Matt

[neilpanda]

This is common for new guitars. dont worry. Manufacturers use dye to darken the fretboard and it does not dry

too fast. if you leave it untouched or just play it, it should dry out in about a week. it dries faster if you

leave it out of its case. its fine, you should be washing your hands regularly anyways.

one more thing:

[brad1]

I get the same thing all the time.

But it has nothing to do with the fretboard.

It's the strings. I get black fingertips when I play my fenders also. And they have maple fretboards.

It could be the strings.

[neilpanda]

I get the same thing all the time.

But it has nothing to do with the fretboard.

It's the strings. I get black fingertips when I play my fenders also. And they have maple fretboards.

It could be the strings.

it has everything to do with the fingerboard lud. when I got my epi in november, new, had the dye and it dried out.

you probably have some gunky strings, might be time to change those out.

[wiggy]

This has been gone over several times before.

 

It might be the fretboard or it could well be the strings (particularly if you're using D'Addarios).

 

I've never had the problem on any of my Epi Rosewood boards or Rosewood strat or my ebony board Tanglewood but I went through a period of really bad black fingers on my laquered maple board Tele.

 

The tele was the only one which was strung with D'Addarios so go guess!

[Supersonic]

Well in the original post he said he already changed the strings, so I doubt that is what's causing it. Regardless, it's still a good idea to clean and condition the fretboard.

[wiggy]

If he changed the strings to another set of the same make then problem can still be there. I had the same problem with 6 consecutive sets of D'Addarios before the problem went away (my guess is that some batches have a problem with the final passivation layer and therefore allowing the nickel plating to react with the acids on the fingers.)

 

Agree with you that cleaning the fretboard can't do any harm.

[james_edward]

Unless you've had this problem with strings before, I'd say it's your fretboard, rosewood boards are stained black and have no finish on them to seal in the black stain.

 

Remove strings and wipe the board multiple times with whatever you use regularly use - the black will keep coming off on the rag until the solvent in the oil removes all the black dye.

 

For it to be the strings you'd need to have severely acidic skin and cheap strings.

[wiggy]

.... For it to be the strings you'd need to have severely acidic skin and cheap strings...

 

The last time I checked D'Addario XL's aren't cheap strings.

[james_edward]

The last time I checked D'Addario XL's aren't cheap strings.

 

Yup, that's my point - it's the stain on the fretboard, not the strings!!!!!!!!!

[brianh]

I'm in the fretboard camp myself. I pretty much use D'Addarios exclusively on my collectioon of 30 guitars, and never got black fingers on any of them except a factory-fresh Riviera P93 with over-dyed rosewood board. After a few thourough cleanings, the black fingers diminished and then stopped altogether.

 

After the string counterfeiting scandal, I make sure that the D'Addarios I buy are real. At the fall Philly guitar show, I bought several 10-pack boxes direct from the factory booth, so I'm set for at least a year.

[amx05462]

supersonic is giving you the correct advice.

[animalfarm]

...I'm still getting blackened finger tips. Anyone know how to make this go away?

 

This has been gone over several times before.

 

It might be the fretboard or it could well be the strings...

 

 

 

The debate over causes will endure until the Lord quits making the

"Ugly Stick" he beat most of us with.

I condition my fretboards regularly, and I've been playing with Dean Markley Strings

for 30 years. I still occasionally get the dreaded "Black Tips", especially after an

extended period of playing.

 

HOWEVER, I still condition the fretboards at least twice a year, usually during

set-ups for seasonal Temp/Humidity changes. It's fun, and it looks good!

 

Should you wish to condition YOUR fretboard, let's go on a trip to the EPI Lounge

"Do-it-Yourself" Sticky... There are 3 entries that discuss Fretboard conditioning,

fret polishing, fretboard dye-ing.

 

Look under ***GUITAR PROJECTS and/or BUILDS: (for reference in case you've been thinking...),

Sub-category - "Fretboard Care".

 

I'll post a link to the most common method, but take a look at all 3 just for info!

 

"CLEAN/OIL FRETBOARD and POLISH YOUR FRETS!!!"

(May help get rid of that "Rough Feeling" you get when bending notes)

 

http://forum.gibson.com/index.php?/topic/54572-wire-wool/

 

Good Luck with your mission!

[wiggy]

Yup, that's my point - it's the stain on the fretboard, not the strings!!!!!!!!!

 

Which is why I only ever get black fingers when I use D'Addario XL's and I only use them with my Tele which has a laquered maple board and never on any of my rosewood or ebony finderboard guitars where I use other makes of string

 

I'm not saying it isn't the board and I'm not saying it's definitely the strings - I'm saying the OP needs to consider BOTH possibilities as it could be either or both contributing to the problem.

[james_edward]

Which is why I only ever get black fingers when I use D'Addario XL's and I only use them with my Tele which has a laquered maple board and never on any of my rosewood or ebony finderboard guitars where I use other makes of string

 

I'm not saying it isn't the board and I'm not saying it's definitely the strings - I'm saying the OP needs to consider BOTH possibilities as it could be either or both contributing to the problem.

 

In case you missed it - you're the odd man out - dadarrio's usually DON'T cause issues and stain used on fret boards usually DOES cause issues - it goes without saying it COULD be both, but in MOST cases it's the STAIN

[Foofyter]

it has everything to do with the fingerboard lud. when I got my epi in november, new, had the dye and it dried out.

you probably have some gunky strings, might be time to change those out.

 

Nope - I switched the strings already - same deal. I think it could quite well be this dye that you have mentioned. I'm going to take a rag to the neck later this weekend. Also I'll post some pics of the new beast. Shes a beaut. Nice cream colored SG! Couldn't find any like it other than the 3pup one.

[Foofyter]

 

 

The debate over causes will endure until the Lord quits making the

"Ugly Stick" he beat most of us with.

I condition my fretboards regularly, and I've been playing with Dean Markley Strings

for 30 years. I still occasionally get the dreaded "Black Tips", especially after an

extended period of playing.

 

HOWEVER, I still condition the fretboards at least twice a year, usually during

set-ups for seasonal Temp/Humidity changes. It's fun, and it looks good!

 

Should you wish to condition YOUR fretboard, let's go on a trip to the EPI Lounge

"Do-it-Yourself" Sticky... There are 3 entries that discuss Fretboard conditioning,

fret polishing, fretboard dye-ing.

 

Look under ***GUITAR PROJECTS and/or BUILDS: (for reference in case you've been thinking...),

Sub-category - "Fretboard Care".

 

I'll post a link to the most common method, but take a look at all 3 just for info!

 

"CLEAN/OIL FRETBOARD and POLISH YOUR FRETS!!!"

(May help get rid of that "Rough Feeling" you get when bending notes)

 

http://forum.gibson.com/index.php?/topic/54572-wire-wool/

 

Good Luck with your mission!

 

 

My fingers aren't that black, but thats some great info! Much appreciated!

[brad1]

it has everything to do with the fingerboard lud. when I got my epi in november, new, had the dye and it dried out.

you probably have some gunky strings, might be time to change those out.

 

I was clearly talking about MY fretboard, and the fact that it was maple. Not HIS fretboard. How could you have misunderstood that?

 

And new strings are even worse at turning my fingertips black.

 

I'm just telling you what happens to me.

Gee, I guess a person can't even do that without someone seeing it as an opportunity to declare that person ignorant.

 

brad

[copperhead]

Just completed a string change and fret board cleaning and conditioning. My 2 yr old epi lp standard,I did this on a previous string change in the Fall. And what do ya know black finger tips! First time with this guitar. I've never had black finger tips with this guitar. My P93 took about three cleanings and conditioning before it stopped. Maybe it's my cheap green slinkies??

[GoldtopSam]

It is the dye. And I would know. It broke my fingers out something fierce that I had to go to the derm and get a steroid cream to heal it fast. I took all the strings off my Epi Genesis, got some latex gloves on, a white handkerchief and wiped the board with nothing on the rag, going side to side working my way down the neck, instead of just up and down the neck. I did this for 15 minutes. That handkerchief was black and had a slight odor of dye or stain. Had nothing to do with strings. I've purchased new USA Gibsons with rosewood boards and never ever had this problem. I've used the same strings for fifteen years with no allergy problems, and still none with the same strings. It is dye or stain. If I ever purchase another Epiphone new, I will have to thoroughly clean the board or I'm hosed on the allergy front. I wound up returning the Genesis. Fender USA, MIM, China or Indonesia rosewood boards cause me no problems either. But when I get that Epi stain on me it causes a problem, I verified it to be sure.

[Campbell]

New guitar gets home.

Remove factory strings.

Clean fret board.

Put on new strings.

Rock on!

[BaZie]

And what do ya know black finger tips! First time with this guitar. I've never had black finger tips with this guitar.

 

Maybe the guitar wants to tell you it needs pickups replaced with Gibson Dirty Fingers ;)

[clarkuss]

New guitar gets home.

Remove factory strings.

Clean fret board.

Put on new strings.

Rock on!

 

This is what I do. I have owned 30+ guitars with rosewood fretboards and used all different string brands. Never had black fingers and I have VERY acidic sweat...