Fretboard care. To oil or not…

[Skinnyman]

Well, do you?

I occasionally give a rosewood board a light oiling but I understand that there are other schools of thought on whether this is a sensible idea.

So… do you?

[ezbass]

I do. Normally, it’s with that good old favourite, Lemon Oil. However, I have also used a small amount of wax on one particular guitar where Lemon Oil seemed to be stripping the stain (it wasn’t an expensive guitar). Did the trick, no harm done and no complaints from the luthier when it went in for a fret level.

[EdwardMarlowe]

Never used anything on maple. Have used a bit of oil on a rosewood board, though more for aesthetic reasons (to try and darken it a bit) than anything else. 

[Dad3353]

I've never used anything on any of my guitars, basses, keys or drums. Various fingerboard essences (all wood...), and some over fifty years old, now. No sign of issues with any of them. I think it depends somewhat on one's climatic conditions (high and rapid humidity and/or temperature swings...); in the UK or here in France I've never had, myself, nor any folks I know, problems. I have used Dr Duck's wax for cleaning, on occasion on some (rarely...), though. Things might be different for other instruments, such as db, clarinet or oboe.

Edited June 12, 2021 by Dad3353

[Stub Mandrel]

And so the lemony terror spreads its influence. Having caused a major outage on Talkbass, followed by turmoil on Basschat this could be the end of poor guitarchat.

[Stub Mandrel]

On 26/05/2021 at 14:15, Skinnyman said:

Well, do you?

I occasionally give a rosewood board a light oiling but I understand that there are other schools of thought on whether this is a sensible idea.

So… do you?

I applied lemon oil to the rosewood fretboard of my 1976 Epiphone acoustic.

By the morning it had shrunk so badly, all I could do was retune it as a ukulele.

 

[ezbass]

Despite adding oily lemoness to my fretted instruments, I’m not not putting on my fretless as it, I’m reliably informed by shouty types who know better than wot like I does, causes fret sprout. I’m buggered if I’m going to start the guitar equivalent of weeding.

[Chudallica]

I forget who I heard this from but they suggested to use valve oil for brass instruments on a fretboard, I tried this on a cheap guitar I had at first and now I use it on all my guitars when I restring them, I've been using this for years and would recommend it. 

[EdwardMarlowe]

13 hours ago, Chudallica said:

I forget who I heard this from but they suggested to use valve oil for brass instruments on a fretboard, I tried this on a cheap guitar I had at first and now I use it on all my guitars when I restring them, I've been using this for years and would recommend it. 

What effect does it have? What finish / wood are you using it on? 

[Chudallica]

23 hours ago, EdwardMarlowe said:

What effect does it have? What finish / wood are you using it on? 

I don't know the science behind wood treatment, I guess you can look at it like using hand cream !

It's become a routine now when I clean and restring and I've seen no damage.

 

I'm not sure about  the materials on passed guitars but my current ones all seem to be rosewood.

 

Edited November 7, 2021 by Chudallica

[FrankAtari]

On 12/06/2021 at 17:29, Dad3353 said:

I've never used anything on any of my guitars, basses, keys or drums. Various fingerboard essences (all wood...), and some over fifty years old, now. No sign of issues with any of them. I think it depends somewhat on one's climatic conditions (high and rapid humidity and/or temperature swings...); in the UK or here in France I've never had, myself, nor any folks I know, problems. I have used Dr Duck's wax for cleaning, on occasion on some (rarely...), though. Things might be different for other instruments, such as db, clarinet or oboe.

 

I totally agree. It really depends on the climate, and the wood, etc. I use a little bit of wood wax for antique furniture. I wanted to try it as an experiment and thought "go to hell, if it works it works, if it doesn't it doesn't" everything seems fine. It is actually very good.

Edited November 6, 2021 by FrankAtari
making an expression clearer

[Stub Mandrel]

Sewing machine oil is very good. I have used it in the past.

 

Lemon oil of guitars is the same stuff (light mineral oil) but with some lemon oil to add fragrance, which makes it pleasant to use.

 

Avoid plant-based oils as they tend to oxidise and go sticky.