Fingerboard cleaning

[baumwolle]

Good morning to all of you who live in the GMT + x timezone! I have another noob question, so please be gentle. I plan to clean the fingerboard on my Lester. Is the Dunlop "Fretboard 65 Ultimate Lemon Oil" any good? Is there a risk of rosewood swelling and 'dropping' the frets, like I read on another thread? Thank you!

[Lurcher]

Lemon oil is generally considered the best cleaner and treatment for rosewood fretboards. Follow the instructions and you should be good with a nice clean board.

[baumwolle]

Should I first clean the wood with a razorblade?

[lpplayer]

I wouldnt use a razorblade, unless it has that factory film on it and you dont like it...or there's built up crud. For that, the edge of a credit card is probably safer.

Buffing the board and frets with 0000 grade steel wool is probably the most common way to clean the board.

Less is better is a good guide when you are talkin about putting fluids on the board. Too much lemon oil or applied too frequently will make the wood too soft, almost soggy even, and this will weaken the wood and loosen frets. I wrap a 100% cotton T shirt strip around my finger, and wet it just a bit with the lemon oil, then rub it in. Let it set in for about 15 minutes, then a final buff-off of any excess. Under normal conditions, the board should not need oiled more than once or twice a year....or when the wood starts to look dried out.

There are tons of posts on here with different opinions on what products to lube the board with. Have a look-see...

[baumwolle]

There is a lot of dirt from playing near the frets, that's why I asked about the razorblade treatment (I read about it in a thread about restoring an Epi, by Roman Rist). The credit card idea sounds really good and less harmful, I will try it. Other than that, I've never oiled the fingerboard in the 2 years since I've been playing that guitar. Thanks a lot for the advice!

[dudu]

Hi Baumwolle. You can use a credit card to scrap the dirt off your fingerboard.

As for the oil treatment, I got the best results with Ed Boyle's Fret Doctor. Unlike Dunlop or Fender oils, which I'd used before, it really nourished the rosewood. Of all oils I've ever used, this one seems to last the longest. As a side effect, it gives your fretboard a nice dark hue

Here's my fretboard before the treatment:


And here it is afterwards:


I let it dry for a couple of hours before taking the 2nd round of pictures. This was a few months ago (I think 4-5), and it's still as dark, while feeling really healthy and smooth.

Last, but not the least, Ed Boyle is a very nice guy, you'd do him a great favor by buying from him, he's in his 70's and doesn't have an easy life. Check out his website: Be A Fifer! Learn to Play the Fife!


HTH.

[lpplayer]

Originally Posted by baumwolle

There is a lot of dirt from playing near the frets, that's why I asked about the razorblade treatment (I read about it in a thread about restoring an Epi, by Roman Rist)

Yep, Roman's procedure was mostly dealing with the shiny coating that is on some rosewood necks. I did his razor blade thing on two of my Epis, and the results were outstanding. If you have crud that is up against the frets....I would be very careful (if at all) with a razor blade. That stuff can be softened first with some oil, or even saliva works well, then scraped away with a credit card.

For regular cleaning, I use Gorgomyte (www.gorgomyte.com). Ony thing with that is, it is 14 something dollars, and its difficult to get in the stores, if GC doesnt have it I order it online. The company says use it at every string change, but I never do that...I buff the board with a cotton cloth and gorgomyte it when I think it needs it. That stuff is excellent though. Cleans the board nicely and shines the frets to a mirror.

[Loserface300]

where can i get the steel wool? and will this ruin the frets? cuase im having a problem with black stuff rubbing off my fretboard when i play....

[River]

Originally Posted by dudu

Hi Baumwolle. You can use a credit card to scrap the dirt off your fingerboard.<snip>
Last, but not the least, Ed Boyle is a very nice guy, you'd do him a great favor by buying from him, he's in his 70's and doesn't have an easy life. Check out his website: Be A Fifer! Learn to Play the Fife!
HTH.

Great advice on the credit card (or hotel key). Don't use anything sharp if you're a klutz like me - you'll regret it. Rub firmly with a washcloth dampened with the cleaner of your choice, scrape with the card. Repeat as necessary, when done rub with a dry washcloth.

dudu, you took the wind out of my sails with your heartfelt plug. I won't try to counter that - it's too sweet.

Originally Posted by Loserface300

where can i get the steel wool? and will this ruin the frets? cuase im having a problem with black stuff rubbing off my fretboard when i play....

a) It may not be anything rubbing off your fretboard. Some of us tarnish new strings and our fingers turn black. Welcome to the club. Our skin oil is more manly than everyone else's.

b) You're joking, right? You get steel wool at the hardware store, Walmart, Home Depot, sometimes even Safeway. If you live in a place where none of those exist, you're on your own.

c) Yes, it'll ruin your frets, your board, and your life. That's why we recommend it in every 100th thread here. Stick with Grade 0000, though, and it'll take you 100 lifetimes for the ruination to set in.

[Fracture]

Try an old toothbrush for the crud right up against the frets.
Then oil away.
I use Dunlop oil, and it's fine.

[Quill]

Originally Posted by dudu

Last, but not the least, Ed Boyle is a very nice guy, you'd do him a great favor by buying from him ...

Yep - you got me with that one. I need some anyway, I'll give it a try, thanks - I hope - for the link!

[baumwolle]

Thanks for the advice. The credit card trick worked out just fine, but the Dunlop "Fretboard 65 Ultimate Lemon Oil" is crap, like dudu told me privately. 'Ultimate' my a**, it doesn't make any visible difference. Lesson learned.