How do you clean frets?

**BobD** · 08-31-2009, 12:40 PM

My new old stock Sheraton II's frets are not shiny. They're kind of dirty like the way a string gets dirty. How do I clean them and is there anything to use on the fret board. I've read something about oiling the fretboard?

**bluemood** · 08-31-2009, 05:00 PM

For the fret I use very fine sand paper about 600 if needed my fret are not shiny and for the fret board you can use lemon oil ...I use a product called lizard spit it made with orange oil works great .

**bkdavidson** · 08-31-2009, 05:46 PM

0000 grade steel wool works nice too. Stew-Mac sells some great metal polish that will make your frets play like butter after you get them cleaned.

**Jake Hanlon** · 08-31-2009, 06:18 PM

If you have a Rosewood Fretboard use Peanut Oil and a toothbrush.

Rosewood is a wood that rots easily. If you don't use a product like Fast Fret I would recommend you do to prevent wood rotting.

**wizard3739** · 08-31-2009, 07:38 PM

A good friend, John Cotter, (Phoenix set-up pro) uses lemon oil on the fretboard after cleaning and dressing the frets. Wipe the oil on and then wipe it back off with a soft cloth. Works good for both Ebony and Rosewood fretboards. Arizona has a tendency to dry out the fretboards even with humidifiers in your guitar case.

wiz

**dh82c** · 08-31-2009, 08:13 PM

If it is just the frets, 0000 steel wool and then a little metal polish (X-treem from stewmac is fine) I always tape off the fingerboard before doing this tho. You actually didnt ask about the fingerboard but since everyone chimed in... When you are done a light coat of tung (or lemon) oil will hydrate your fingerboard (assuming you have removed the tape from the fingerboard from step 1. Only oil a CLEAN fingerboard. If there is cruddy buildup remove that first. I personally hate both lemon and tung because they make the fingerboard squeeky. (Peanut oil goes rancid.. not nice. I hear olive oil does the same thing but havent experienced it first hand). I had some Gibson fingerboard conditioner but I am out.. I guess I will try the stewmac stuff too.

**skyhawk53** · 09-01-2009, 04:15 AM

I used to apply linseed oil. Wipe on a heavy coat, let it soak in for 15 minutes, then wipe off the excess. The same treatment works wonders on kitchen knife handles and even gardening tools.
I haven't played much in recent years, so maybe I am out of touch with modern thinking on this topic. I would be interested in reading any opinions about the use of linseed oil.

**BobD** · 09-01-2009, 10:37 AM

I did a little research and I came up with this stuff called fret doctor. Has anyone used it?

Bore Oil for the Fife and Fret Doctor

**Meggy** · 09-01-2009, 11:46 AM

I recently revived the frets of a couple of guitars which had been sadly unplayed for several years. I taped off the fingerboard wood with masking tape, then just used a little silver polish on a cloth applied with a finger end. To revitalise the fretboard I use a small amount of almond oil, on the advice of a luthier friend. You just wipe a thin layer on, leave for a few minutes and remove the excess.

**Funkwire** · 09-01-2009, 02:43 PM

Gorgomyte Fret And Fingerboard Conditioner

I never do a string change without using this stuff. It works great!

**derek** · 09-01-2009, 04:41 PM

If you do use steel wool on any part of your guitar, be sure and tape off your pups (magnets), otherwise they will collect all the fine metal bits for you nicely. Good luck getting them off without disassembly.

Naptha is a common fretboard cleaner also. However, oil treatments do not put moisture back into a peice of wood. They only help remove the grime. Only water can hydrate wood.

**dh82c** · 09-01-2009, 11:35 PM

Ooooh.. I forgot about woodwind bore oil. Thanks. It is good. Has the same drawbacks as tung/lemon oil but not as smelly. MUCH more expensive tho but if you are only doing a few guitars it isnt too bad.

Cant comment on Golomyte but Gibson has a similar product. I like it. Cant comment on almond oil .. so I wont.

Taping off your guitar parts is always a good idea. If you want to get that steel powder from the pickups CAREFULLY bring a strong magnet (I have a bunch from old computer hard drives) next to the pickup. The dust will be attracted to the stronger magnet.

Naptha is great for some things. I usually only us it on metal now tho. It cuts through grease and, by the same token, remove oils from your fingerboard (which you dont want). You CAN use naptha on rosewood but water and elbow grease and finishing up with 0000 steel wool work fine.

oil is NOT for removing grime, it IS for rehydrating the wood (which has more than just water in it. Heat up a scrap piece of rosewood (with a soldering iron for example) and see the oils boil to the surface. Water would evaporate once exposed to the air. The oils do not. But this brings up an important point.. only oil CLEAN fingerboards.

I am done.. going to bed now

**theo** · 09-02-2009, 03:13 AM

that leads to the next question: how do you get rid of that black sludge on the fretboard?

**derek** · 09-02-2009, 11:30 AM

Originally Posted by theo

that leads to the next question: how do you get rid of that black sludge on the fretboard?

Naptha and a scrapping tool.

**BobD** · 09-09-2009, 08:41 AM

Found this: Gorgomyte Fret And Fingerboard Conditioner

It was really easy to use. Frets are bright and the board looks really nice. Anyone else use this stuff?