oiling the fretboard ..

[yr990099]

ok i have dunlop 65 lemon oil and wondering how many times should i oil the fretboard ? i live in UK where its pretty cold . and also how much oild should i apply each time ? do i apply it on a cloth or straight on the board ? thanks

 

[smokin joe]

I oil my guitars boards about once a year.

 

[scoobyzjr]

Oil the board as needed. If it looks like it is a little dry, oil away! I usually do mine 2-3 times per year. I will place the oil on a microfiber towel and rub it on.

 

[xsouldriverx]

a couple of drops of oil on a cotton swab once or twice a year should do it.
i personaly use fret doctor. that stuff is realllly good and will last a lifetime

 

[Nugget]

Seriously, Johnson's Baby Oil is way better.

 

[5er driver]

I use Dunlop 65 Lemon Oil. I rub some into my rosewood boards when they start to look dry and lighten up. I like dark boards. Don't pour it on and let the excess sit a while, I've heard folks say their frets had become loose from too much oil. The bottle I have has an applicator tip, I just spread it on thin and evenly and then rub it in with a soft cloth.

 

[Alligatorbling]

I oil mine twice a year... I wipe it down so that the wood is shiny and then let wood absorb some of the oil before polishing it in. Rember to use enough, but make sure you dont over do it either...

 

[stryker59]

theres really no standard of how often to oil fretboards....depends on climate and seasons really.
you really aint gonna hurt it if you oil more often than not imo....ive had a fender strat for 10 years that i used to oil the fretboard after every string change(about once a month) before i realized that that could be overkill....havent had any problems w/ frets coming loose, it still plays great!

 

[jonesy]

In My Shop I always use a Lem-Oil polish every time I change strings on my guitars or for someone else. It cuts dirt, grease and sweat and keeps frets and metal parts, bridge etc. from rusting since it contains some petroleum distillates. Even works good on cleaning up sweat from the body, but it is a little greasy so you need to wipe off excess with clean dry rag(T-shirt)
I have a huge quart size bottle that has last me about 20 years, currently using Dr. String fellows Lem-Oil polish it seems to be a little weaker?
I Hate anything with WAX in it for boards or body and Stay clear of it as it gunks up strings etc..
When I get a finger board that is super dry(newer indian rosewood)I will wipe it down with the Lem-Oil, then take some 3 in 1 Oil and wipe the board down with that since it is a bit heavier and will Oil the wood better. After that soaks in, I will wipe it down with a light coat of the Lem-Oil again removing the 3 in 1 Oil odor and any excess. This only needs to be done a couple times a year.
If you are playing outside or in Hot Humid, Sweaty Conditions a nicely oiled board(and back of neck) will make the difference from "sticking" or "sliding" up and down your neck...

Peace, jonesy

 

[lineboss58]

I use lemon oil a couple of times a year, apply with a cotton bud one end dipped in the oil. Do four frets at a time leaving a 3mm gap close to the frets, use the other end of the cotton bud to remove the oil and dirt with. When you have done them all wipe fretboard with a lint free cloth, you are now ready to put on a new set of strings.

 

[kevinT]

The main ingredient in most of the products on the market for care of guitar fretboards is food grade White Mineral Oil which is baby oil without the fragrence.....just as Spence mentioned.

The California Air Quality Laws prohibit more effective formulas because of the VOC limit...I marketed a product that i had specially formulated that was Pure Orange Oil and Soy Oil....Orange oil is considered a mild solvent and is effective in removing oils, dirt and grime....the soy oil was used to replenish the moisture. But baby oil/white mineral oil is probably the best.

White mineral oil doesn't really have the cleaning properties that a solvent or a stronger distillate would have but it is excellent and is probably the best treatment for the care of your board in replenishing moisture and to get it looking new again...This is also what they use on butcher blocks to maintain the wood and prevent it from drying out.

If you fretboard is really dirty and there is a lot of grime in the crevices of the wood grain, i recommend a soft tooth brush with mineral oil...works like a champ.

FYI...Old English Lemon Oil is nearly 100% white mineral oil....look at the Materal Safty Data Sheet (MSDS).... and does not specifiy any lemon oil from the peels of the lemon.

 

[jonesy]

Just checked the Older Bottle of Lemon Oil Polish I have been using forever and it says contains petroleum distillates. Also the New Bottle of Kyser Dr. Stringfellow Lem-Oil Fretboard Conditioner I am currently using says contains petroleum distillates, and also says shake well before using indicating it probably contains some type of Oil but did not mention if it was made from Real Virgin Lemons or not, but it does smell lemony?

At My Shop I have frequently had to use a one sided razor blade to clean fret boards that were caked with gunk from prolonged string changes and infrequent hand washing habits...
This stuff works fantastic, far better than mineral oil ever could for cleaning and conditioning. I will probably keep using it until the petroleum distillates get the best of me...Lol

Different Strokes I guess....

Peace, jonesy

 

[kevinT]

White mineral oil is considered a petroleum distillate because it is a product of refining petroleum. Manufacturers must label thier product like this....

You have to shake it well to mix the oil with the other ingredients (probably a solvent of some sort that sinks to the bottom of the bottle as the oil floats on top)

I don't believe many products on the market for fretboard care contain much if not any real lemon oil as extracted from the lemon peel through a process called cold expression (essential oil) or steam distillation (turpene) ... Many folks are duped into believing that lemon oil is the primary ingredient in these products. All one has to do is contact the manufacturer and request the MSDS that identifies the ingredients.

Old English lemon oil which is used for furniture polish and cleaner has very little lemon oil...enough to fragrance it...it is 90-100% white mineral oil. Generally most products for fretboard care are formuated to clean (using a distillate other than mineral oil or a solvent) and replenish the natural oils of wood that dry out over time (mineral oil) Some manufactuers have other proprietery formulas....but the most i've seen don't contain much lemon oil in the forumula.

It smells like lemon because lemon fragrence (usually lemon essential oil) is used as an additive and coloring is added as well to attain a yellow appearance for some products.

Cold pressed lemon oil is exspensive and wouldn't be cost effective for manufacturers to use as the primary ingredient. Cold pressed lemon oil is considered an essential oil. There is another process of steam distillation....it turns the oil into a turpene or mild solvent...this is even more expensive to produce.

I have heard stories of folks using steal wool, credit cards, razor blades, etc....I have researched many methods and used many formulas, and the best approach that i discovered, without the threat of harming the fretboard in any way, is to use a nylon bristled brush...essentually a tooth brush....the bristles get down into the crevices of the wood grain to lift the grime (mainly on rosewood)...without scraping or harming the wood.

Ebony is a bit more dense and doesn't require a lot of work to get clean because the wood doesn't have the deep grain as rosewood.

Even though companys label it as lemon oil with hardly any lemon oil, they are probably able to label it that way because they put a small bit of essential oil...enough to fragrence the product and can call it lemon oil.


EDIT:
D'Adrea states that they have real lemon oil in their product.

http://www.mveducation.com/invt/34737/

 

[jonesy]

To Me it was really never a Big Deal if it actually had REAL Lemon Oil in it or Not, but rather that it did a good job cleaning and oiling the fretboard. Just going by the trade name, "Lem-Oil" because thats what I have known it as for 25 years...

Have a great weekend Bro, and you know what they say..."If Life Gives you Lemons, use them to Clean your Fret board..lol

 

[kevinT]

no worries bro....as you said...if it works and it's safe on the fretboard... that is all the matters.

I've just seen so many threads on this topic...and it is amazing how much misinformation that is out there....I like to help clear it up a bit when i can

 

[geochem1st]

no worries bro....as you said...if it works and it's safe on the fretboard... that is all the matters.

I've just seen so many threads on this topic...and it is amazing how much misinformation that is out there....I like to help clear it up a bit when i can

Misinformation. Thats an understatement.
Many manufacturers have recommendations, but they all differ greatly. According to their websites, PRS, Tom Anderson and Takamine all recommend Lemon Oil for their fretboard. On the other hand, Martin does not recommend lemon oil because it can break down the Nitro Cellulous finish on their necks. Collings Guitars recommends boiled linseed oil for their necks, which I wouldn't use. There is no consensus.

 

[gremboul]

the lemon oil won't harm the fretboard...excess can get into strings...I put on generously and let it seep in overnight. I then polish the FB for a good hour in front of a TV show.