Lemon Oil 65

darthplagis · #1 04-16-2006, 12:11 PM

Hi People,

Just a quick question, -

will lemon oil dammage strings? - cause it says you've gotta take them off, before you clean the neck and I ain't paying £35 for a new pack of strings (Elixir's) every time I clean my fret board.

Thanks in advance.

ebe9 · #2 04-16-2006, 12:23 PM

Any sort of oil will lessen the life of strings and affect the tone.

You can apply the oil with the strings on if you want you will then have to clean them in alcohol so basically save yourself the trouble and take them off first.

darthplagis · #3 04-16-2006, 12:46 PM

thanks ebe9 i'm gonna try putting it on one side of the cloth and putting it under the strings so they dont get it on.

tyburn · #4 04-16-2006, 02:51 PM

Take the strings off then put them back on..... no need for new strings unless you need them. They won't take any harm.

As for the lemon oil... use less and take your time.... If it's still 'wet' looking after a few seconds you're using too much.. let it absorb and restring and retune.

Should be fine.

rhythm · #5 04-22-2006, 02:55 PM

How long roughly would you suggest leaving the oil to absorb after applying the lemon oil?

Gothax · #6 04-22-2006, 03:53 PM

actually, I just spray the oil on a (polish)cloth, apply it to the fretboard, polish it with another dry cloth and leave it to absorb for about 2 days (you really can't play after you've polished your fretboard, it messes up your strings)

btw, I'm new! Hi!

rhythm · #7 04-22-2006, 03:59 PM

Is it ok to leave it for two days with the strings off (truss rod etc)?

I have to say my Ibanez bass (which wasn't that good at all), had a much 'darker' looking fretboard compared to my beautiful Spector (even though they're both rosewood I think I'm right in saying), was this because it had plenty of lemon oil applied?

Gothax · #8 04-23-2006, 05:11 AM

you can put the strings back on, just don't play that bass for 2 days because the oil will mess up your strings everytime it hits the fretboard/frets.

the fretboard is becoming a bit darker idd, but I don't know if it depends on the amount of oil you use. my other bass has a maple fretboard so..too baad

bassicinstinct · #9 04-23-2006, 05:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darthplagis

Hi People,

Just a quick question, -

will lemon oil dammage strings? - cause it says you've gotta take them off, before you clean the neck and I ain't paying £35 for a new pack of strings (Elixir's) every time I clean my fret board.

Thanks in advance.

Why would you want/need to put on new strings just because you had taken the existing ones off so that you could clean your fretboard?

seventhson · #10 04-24-2006, 11:05 PM

lemon oil is a cleaner. for conditioning your board you want to use linseed, gunstock, or tung oil.

paulraphael · #11 04-25-2006, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seventhson

lemon oil is a cleaner. for conditioning your board you want to use linseed, gunstock, or tung oil.

+1

Roger Sadowsky used to advise people to stay away from lemmon oil in general. First of all, there's no such thing as lemmon oil! What they sell under that name is just mineral spirits with lemmon scent. It initially leaves wood looking wet and shiney but will eventually dry it out.

If i remember right, Roger recommended using some kind of gentle furniture cleaner (maybe even just warm soapy water) followed by tung oil or lineed oil.