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Actually I've used "Finger-Ease" since way back in the 80's.
It really makes the strings feel slick without feeling greasy, oily or even wet at all.
I don't care about the string noise and have never used it for that.
Sometimes the fretboard, strings or neck feels a little tacky or dry. My hands don't sweat at all so Finger-ease takes care of that. I tend to spray the back of the neck as well and just run the palm of the hand up and down it.
I really like the stuff but as I say, I only use it about once a month.
One can of it will last 2 or 3 years.
I think I started using it because I worked in a music shop for a long time and we always stocked it.
I actually thought it was quite commonly used. Maybe not?
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07-02-2012 06:16 AM
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Good idea. But I am very frugal with it. A real quick blast and I'm done.
Originally Posted by Dad3353
Good morning, Philco...
I suppose you could slide some paper (or even aluminium foil...) under the strings before spraying..? It might help keep the stuff off the FB..?
(...and most generous of you concerning disposal of your collection if you 'go'. Watch your back..!
)
Re my bequeath... well Patrick has so many guitars that he has to store them in his Bathroom. My guess is that he'll just forget about my measly collection in a few hours time
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Au contraire!!! I've already designated a special place for them within my harem. By the way . . . I'm sending you a special gift. Two cases of a new and "special blend" finger board eaze type of product. (Pay no attention to the paper label that covers the original label). This stuff works best in a very small non ventilated room. Be sure to strictly adhere to the instructions to use enough so that the over spray creates a cloud in the room . . . . (it works best that way). Originally Posted by Philco
Good idea. But I am very frugal with it. A real quick blast and I'm done.
Re my bequeath... well Patrick has so many guitars that he has to store them in his Bathroom. My guess is that he'll just forget about my measly collection in a few hours time
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I have used "lem-oil, made for guitar fret-boards" for about the last 35 yrs or so, ever since a guitar repair guy told me it was a good thing to do when you change your strings. I also use that spray "finger ease, or whatever its called" once in a while. I have never noticed any ill effect on any guitar of mine over the years do to the use of these products.
Having said that, I can't say I have ever noticed any significant Benefit from the use of these products either!
And, after reading the posts on this thread I may change my old habits by eschewing the use of said products altogether.
What do the Experts recommend when it comes to cleaning frets and ebony? Is there one process that can be agreed upon as safe and effective?
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Wow what a thread! I guess I'm going to be the contrarian here..
But...
I had my first guitar in 1955 and have had many since.
I currently have 4 guitars, 2 rosewood fingerboards and 2 ebony fingerboards. They are between 6 and 25 years old.
I have NEVER oiled a fingerboard and I have never had any problems with cracking, distorting, swelling or any issues at all. I wipe the guitar down after playing gigs, I occasionally (maybe twice a year) use a little naptha on the fingerboards to remove the dirt that's deposited adjacent to the frets. I wash my hands without fail before playing my guitar, especially after I have moved gear into a club and set it all up...has anyone ever seen a clean stage area?
It reminds me of my high school days where I drove a car around, did normal maintenance but never got into what all of the gear heads did. I drove trouble free while the gear heads cars often ran like crap. Sometimes simple is better.
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Jazzbow recommends....
GORGOMYTE
Gorgomyte Fret And Fingerboard Conditioner
as used by your friendly Jazzbow
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I use something similar to this: http://www.amazon.com/Pampers-Softca...rds=baby+wipes .....
for my hands, in between plays, before I pick up the guitar.
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The first, last and only criteria of something like lemon oil or whatever else one cares to use is: Does it satisfy you? If yes, you will keep using it. If not, you won't.
I have a bottle of what says "lemon oil" made for guitar fret boards. I use it and I like the results. I don't care if it's a really good idea to do or if it is, in fact, completely unnecessary. It makes me happy, so I'll keep doing it.
All the conflicting advice is a bit silly. No one can convince me lemon oil or whatever is BAD for a guitar. I've used it too many times myself with zero problems to ever believe it.
I'm sure there are dozens of products that would get the same result. All are fine. If I had the inclination to try all of them out and find one that I like better than others, I would. But since I'm fine with what I've got, I'm just going to keep doing it.
I've heard enough about silicone to stay away from it, even though that is probably also over blown. 99 percent of guitars won't ever get a refinish so it won't be an issue. Though if you have a fine guitar, certainly you'd want to preserve that option, Good idea to avoid it.
Ironically, the very first time I ever heard of using silicone on a fret board was at a very high end boutique shop. The rather highly regarded tech who worked on all those fine vintage instruments said he always uses it on any guitar that he "cleans up" in the shop. He said "silicone." No brand, no qualifier. Just silicone. Made me think he had a can of pure spray silicone lubricant on hand. Probably did.
I won'd mention the shop or the tech. Most of you know both names, I'm sure.
My only point in this post is I think we're all taking this subject a little more seriously than it warrants.
Clean the FB. Don't clean it. Either way, your guitar will be fine and you'll basically sound pretty much the same...
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Here's a direct quote from Taylor Guitar's customer support section on the company website:
"To clean the fingerboard, we use and recommend 0000 extra-fine steel wool. Simply rub the steel wool up and down the length of the fingerboard right over the tops of the frets. This will remove any grime from the fingerboard without damaging the wood and will also remove any oxidation from the frets, giving them a nice shine. "
Yes, I realize the above quote is about cleaning a fretboard. Nowhere that I can find do they mention oiling a fretboard. Taylor's higher end models (prob. the 500 through 900 series) all come with ebony fretboards.
I've never oiled my fretboards and never will, despite having owned a variety of guitars for about 30 years. I've had my 1976 Guild for about 5 years and it's fretboard looks and feels the same as the day I found it.
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Originally Posted by furtom
The first, last and only criteria of something like lemon oil or whatever else one cares to use is: Does it satisfy you? If yes, you will keep using it. If not, you won't.
I have a bottle of what says "lemon oil" made for guitar fret boards. I use it and I like the results. I don't care if it's a really good idea to do or if it is, in fact, completely unnecessary. It makes me happy, so I'll keep doing it.
All the conflicting advice is a bit silly. No one can convince me lemon oil or whatever is BAD for a guitar. I've used it too many times myself with zero problems to ever believe it.
I'm sure there are dozens of products that would get the same result. All are fine. If I had the inclination to try all of them out and find one that I like better than others, I would. But since I'm fine with what I've got, I'm just going to keep doing it.
I've heard enough about silicone to stay away from it, even though that is probably also over blown. 99 percent of guitars won't ever get a refinish so it won't be an issue. Though if you have a fine guitar, certainly you'd want to preserve that option, Good idea to avoid it.
Ironically, the very first time I ever heard of using silicone on a fret board was at a very high end boutique shop. The rather highly regarded tech who worked on all those fine vintage instruments said he always uses it on any guitar that he "cleans up" in the shop. He said "silicone." No brand, no qualifier. Just silicone. Made me think he had a can of pure spray silicone lubricant on hand. Probably did.
I won'd mention the shop or the tech. Most of you know both names, I'm sure.
My only point in this post is I think we're all taking this subject a little more seriously than it warrants.
Clean the FB. Don't clean it. Either way, your guitar will be fine and you'll basically sound pretty much the same...Sometimes this method (0000 guage steel wool) will get it done . . . sometimes it will not get it done. It depends mostly how much "mung" is on the finger board to begin with. Also, what this article doesn't speak to, because it is speaking exclusively about acoustic flat top guitars . . . is the havoc that the fine particles of steel wool (that will shed from the steel wool pad) can play on your MAGNETIC pick ups. If the fret board is very loaded up with mung, it's best to clean it off with a cleaning solution, such as the naptha that was recommended here more than once. Then, by all means, follow that up with a good rub down with 0000 steel wool pad. But, make sure to tape off and protect the magnetic pups and the routes they're sitting in. Then, if possible vacuum the whole guitar thoroughy with a soft bruch attachment on a powerful vacuum cleaner. Originally Posted by Section Player
Also, it might be a little more understandable if people would stop referring to the process as "oiling the fret board". You "oil" the Tin Man in Wizard of OZ. You "treat" a fret board . . and even then, only as needed. If an ebony board is never subjected to conditions that are sever enough to dry it out . . . it may never need to be treated, except for aesthetic purposes.
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Personally, I like to use my own face/body oil on the ebony of my Centuras. I just wipe my fingers across my greasy forehead and nose and rub it into the FB and tailpieces, then polish it up with those specific prehistoric bone & certain wooden picks that help me get such incredible tone from my archtops... but not the picks I use for comping, just the ones I use for melody and lead work like my special camel dung picks, to get into the corners of the frets... not the most hygenic way, but certainly the cheapest...
Actually a drop of Dr. Duck's Axe Wax never hurt anything now and then...
Other than that, how is everyone these days? Sorry I haven't been around. Been writing and selling guitars.
Hope y'all are doing well.
Stay young!
-Squint
Last edited by Squint; 07-10-2012 at 08:14 PM.
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I've used it for years and never had a problem with lemon oil. Using it to clean the fretboard before putting on a new set of strings, never made anything sticky either.
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The key to lemon oil is what everyone else has said here... a little bit goes a long way. Which is why it's a good idea to put the lemon oil on a cloth and THEN apply it to the fretboard, let it soak in and then polish with a clean cloth to remove any excess that might have oozed out.
Also, if you're going to be using 0000 steel wool to clean up the frets, make damn sure you put masking or painters tape over your pickup(s) because the magnets will pull every stray piece of that steel wool into your pups and mess them up but good!
I like to use a little Fitz cream and a little metal "fret guard" that you can order from StewMac to keep the abrasion to a minimum on the fret metal and off of the wood of the fretboard when I use the steel wool.
If you happen to live in a dry climate like the American Southwest, proper humidification and fretboard care is essential. If you don't live in such a climate, then you really have no idea of what it's like and any "advice" you might have just doesn't apply. One of the first signs that a guitar is in danger of being so dry that cracks and splits can occur is when the metal of the frets actually starts sticking out of the sides of the necks and feels like sharp points and has to be filed down so you don't cut yourself on them. This USUALLY occurs BEFORE any cracks start in the top, back or binding of the body, but not always.
When I lived back East, I never had to worry about proper humidity, but after moving to LA and seeing a pal's 1941 Martin top split right down the middle... you can bet your bippy I put a Planet Waves humidifier in every acoustic and hollow and even semi-hollow guitar case that I own! Solidbodies don't have a bad of a problem, but again, I've seen fretboards on solidbodies shrink so badly that the binding came away and they had to be re-fretted.
These things happen when you live in an arid climate.Last edited by Squint; 07-11-2012 at 04:50 PM.
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so will the dunlop 01 help?
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Gorgomyte arrived quickly. Cleaned a couple of guitars. They were a lot more grimy than they looked. Stuff works great. Very easy and quick. Fretboards feel dry and clean. Frets and nice and shiny. Thanks Jazzbow.
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OK, fret-cleaning. This is what I use: Autosol. First, it takes off all kinds of plating, including GOLD. So, don't touch gold-plating if you get any on your fingers that you may not be aware of. Second, a little really does go a long way; use sparingly. I use it once a year and the frets remain smooth and gleaming. Can't be worse than 0000 wire wool. Tape off sections that you don't want Autosol on. It leaves a white residue in the grain of rosewood or ebony. Doesn't harm them but unsightly.
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I was reading about some of you using Lemon oil. To clean the Fret Board!
It is not really oil. It is water based. This can have really bad results.
Why not use "Melaleuca Oil". It's common name is Tea Tree.
Tea tree is an oil. It is not an aqueous solution (aqueous means water soluble). Since there is no water, there are no free H+ ions and so there is no pH.
Melaleuca oil is an alcohol, which isn't acidic as is Lemon. So the oil is neutral Ph. It is also an antiseptic and a cleaning agent.
This is Dogfence Australia
Last edited by Dogfence; 07-17-2012 at 10:55 PM.
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No worries mate. This stuff can be used to remove feint scratches in cellulose laquer with caution, too heavy handed and you can rip through a thin layer. Also cleans metal ware and other woods (bridge, scratchplates). Originally Posted by Spook410
Just a note to say I am not affiliated with this brand. It does exactly what it says on the tin without sticky residues......
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If you're not sure what to use, buy a product that is marketed specifically as a fretboard "oil". Use it sparingly and not often. Once or twice a year is fine.
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I've always used olive oil, works fine...
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Olive oil? I never even considered that as an option. But now that you mention it, Dirk, why not???
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Yeah Dr Ducks is good for fretboards (and a lot else too) Originally Posted by kenbennett
a bottle will last for ages ........
you only need a tiny bit
I used to use it to clean my strings irregularly
but I found it irritated my eyes (a bit)
now I use 'finger ease' spray for that before a gig etc
that combo works for me anyway
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Originally Posted by markerhodes
Olive oil is organic and can spoil/rot/mold, etc. You can buy mineral oil (non-organic) for about $10 per gallon at the pharmacy or $10 per oz at your favorite guitar store.
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Most of what is sold as 'lemon oil' is low grade light mineral oil with a little bit of naptha (or some other solvent) and some fragrance. You can easily mix up a jar yourself - I usually add some eucalyptus oil from the health food store for fragrance.
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I've used oil-sold-for-the-purpose on FB's on a somewhat regular basis. Don't believe I was overdoing it.
Gorgomyte was suggested to clean frets and fretboard.
Bought some and tried it on two guitars. They were a whole lot grimier than they appeared.
I don't like grime. Fretboards feel dry and clean now. Don't plan on using oil again.
YMMV
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