Dry fretboard

[Hiwatt1970]

Any info on how to revive a dried-out fret board on a Les Paul gold top built in 2000.

The feel is like someone has rubbed very fine sandpaper on the wood; I've been told it may have been left in a hot car at some stage causing the board to dry out?

I've tried lemon oil... Any better suggestions welcome!

 

[Mike's_LP]

Try this, I've heard many good things about it: Bore Oil for the Fife and Fret Doctor

 

[jonamojo]

+1 on fret doctor.

 

[jiveturkey1]

+2

 

[Caribou]

I use Tung Oil on both my ebony and rosewood fretboards, works great. Have heard good things about bore oil too.

 

[dspelman]

Any info on how to revive a dried-out fret board on a Les Paul gold top built in 2000.

The feel is like someone has rubbed very fine sandpaper on the wood; I've been told it may have been left in a hot car at some stage causing the board to dry out?

I've tried lemon oil... Any better suggestions welcome!

If the guitar is truly dried out, no amount of oily substance rubbed on it will help. If it's dried out, it needs to be re-moisturized (meaning water, not oil).
This will involve keeping the guitar in a 50% humidity level environment for a couple of weeks. That can include anything from re-humidifying sponges to a bathroom with a tub full of water (the guitar would be in the bathroom but NOT in the tub <G>). Check out this .pdf from Taylor guitars: www.taylorguitars.com/global/pdfs/greatest_hits.pdf

Oil (including things like lemon oil, Fret Doctor) is applied to fretboards to keep excessive moisture and acids and dirt from fingers from being carried into the fretboard. Wiping Varnishes like boiled linseed oil, bore oil, tung oil finish and Tru-Oil have nothing to do with re-hydrating the fretboard, and should be used no more than once every ten years or so.

Once the fretboard is rehydrated, then you can think about dealing with raised grain on the fretboard (again leave oily substances out of it). Talk to Stewart-McDonald about it; they have some *very* fine sandpapers that could take your fretboard almost to a gloss.

Once you have your fretboard and frets back where you like them, THEN consider gooping it up with lemon oil again. Leave the Fret Doctor and linseed oil and tung oil and Tru oil and all that out of it for now.

 

[Inside Guy]

If the guitar is truly dried out, no amount of oily substance rubbed on it will help. If it's dried out, it needs to be re-moisturized (meaning water, not oil).
This will involve keeping the guitar in a 50% humidity level environment for a couple of weeks. That can include anything from re-humidifying sponges to a bathroom with a tub full of water (the guitar would be in the bathroom but NOT in the tub <G>). Check out this .pdf from Taylor guitars: www.taylorguitars.com/global/pdfs/greatest_hits.pdf

Oil (including things like lemon oil, Fret Doctor) is applied to fretboards to keep excessive moisture and acids and dirt from fingers from being carried into the fretboard. Wiping Varnishes like boiled linseed oil, bore oil, tung oil finish and Tru-Oil have nothing to do with re-hydrating the fretboard, and should be used no more than once every ten years or so.

Once the fretboard is rehydrated, then you can think about dealing with raised grain on the fretboard (again leave oily substances out of it). Talk to Stewart-McDonald about it; they have some *very* fine sandpapers that could take your fretboard almost to a gloss.

Once you have your fretboard and frets back where you like them, THEN consider gooping it up with lemon oil again. Leave the Fret Doctor and linseed oil and tung oil and Tru oil and all that out of it for now.

+1 Get a humidifer. I like the ones that turn on and off by itself based on the humidity level that you set.