Fretbord maintanance

vengence · #1 08-04-2011, 12:38 PM

How do u clean the freeboard without damaging it? I don't want to use lemon oil, I do not want it to damaged in anyway. I jus got a new bass ^_^

Slowgypsy · #2 08-04-2011, 04:33 PM

What type of wood is your fretboard... maple, rosewood, ebony, etc ?

Pilgrim · #3 08-04-2011, 04:37 PM

If you just got a new bass, play it for 10 or so years before you worry about cleaning it. Nothing is needed at present.

Rockmusician · #4 08-04-2011, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pilgrim

If you just got a new bass, play it for 10 or so years before you worry about cleaning it. Nothing is needed at present.

This is not true. It depends on the type of wood. Ebony needs to be treated several times per year with Pure Lemon oil. It can also be used for Rosewood.

You can also contact the manufacturer and ask what they suggest.

Pilgrim · #5 08-04-2011, 04:57 PM

Hey, it's his bass. I have a Precision and EB-0 which date to the 60's and neither fretboard has ever been oiled, cleaned or messed with. They're both in great shape.

I'm no expert on ebony, but it's a more dense wood than rosewood, so with all due respect, I'm not buying the assertion that it needs to be treated multiple times a year with lemon oil - which is many, many different concoctions depending on who sells it.

I have yet to clean or oil a fretboard since I got my P-bass in 1967.

kb9wyz · #6 08-04-2011, 05:08 PM

I regularly clean my fretboards with 0000 steel wool (light pressure, with the grain) then give it a bit of lemon oil to make it happy. This is mostly for aesthetic reasons. I have had zero problems with the rosewood boards. As for ebony, I have never heard of having to treat it more that rosewood. So I'm not buying that either, but I might be wrong. But I have only ever been told that annual treatment is required for good maintenance. Of course, there is the option of going the Jamerson route and just letting it go. I can't criticize either decision.

walterw · #7 08-04-2011, 07:17 PM

unlike mostly bulletproof rosewood, ebony is a brittle, "twisty" wood that likes to split. it probably does need oiling now and then to stabilize it.

+1 on "pure lemon oil" being a meaningless phrase; it's lemon-scented inert mineral oil, or it's (rarely) made from actual lemons and is a thin, volatile cleaner that would strip, rather than add, any oil to the wood.

i like fret doctor for the rare occasions when i use anything at all.

Slowgypsy · #8 08-04-2011, 07:56 PM

These are all good opinions... but... we still need to know what type of wood this particular fretboard is made from. Simply no getting around that required piece of information.

grendle · #9 08-04-2011, 08:00 PM

I clean mine every time I change strings. Steel wool the frets, and a light wipe with lemon oil, wipe off the excess.

Hey guy Lemon oil is what your supposed to use. You can buy what ever brand x you want to spend your $ on , but it's still basically lemon oil.

Having said that, I have talked to several luthers who recommend oiling the fret board asap. according to them it should be wiped with lemon oil and let sit for a few min. the wood will suck up the oil. continue to wipe it until it dosen't suck up any more lemon oil, then wipe it dry. it keeps the fretboard hardwood from becoming dry and brittle. I have seen a few fretboards start to deterioriate and crack from not being oiled. Been doing it myself for over 20 years now with never a problem. I see so many basses with crap caked up on the boards it makes me sick. Looks like the flea bags were playing with a snickers bar. I wouldn't touch it let alone play it. That's just my .02

darkstorm · #10 08-05-2011, 01:46 PM

I dont like lemon oil. It can cause wood to need treatment more often over time. As it speeds up drying over time. I use dunlop 02 fretboard deep conditioner 1-2 times a yr instead. Lemon oil reminds me of armour all for leather and car interior. At first it seems great, then one starts noticing you got to keep useing it more over time. Unlike other products which dont have that side effect. I learned about the pitfalls of lemon oil from "fine" furniture makers. something my parents where big on when I was a kid.

vengence · #11 08-05-2011, 07:46 PM

I have a Rosewood fingerboard

milo · #12 08-06-2011, 12:34 AM

Lemon oil and toothbrush will do work just fine for rosewood..
I bought Dunlop lemon oil. Bottle has have soft fabrick on top so you cant spill leomn oil on your freatboard.I put lemon oil on my freatboard leave it for 15 minutes, clean it with toothbrush and polish it with soft cloath.

Swampman Cory · #13 08-06-2011, 12:53 AM

I have Kolstein cleaner for my upright, but I use it on my bass guitars as well.

walterw · #14 08-06-2011, 01:42 AM

i would really avoid letting anything soak for long periods into wood!

if you insist on using the stuff, wipe it on, and whatever doesn't get sucked up in 10-15 seconds, wipe it off!

then you don't need to use anything for a good long time afterwards. (like years, or even never.)

milo · #15 08-06-2011, 03:13 AM

Walterw I leave it for about 15 minutes because my freatboard was real oily mess.
I put LINSEED OIL on freatboard because my friend told me that this is the best.
And after few time of use freatboard gets sticky and fingers get oily every time I played.
So i leave lemon oil the time to work and then I use toothbrush.
Freatboard is now clean ,shiny and ther is no fat around frets.
Now i will use your method -wipe it-wait 10-15 seconds-wipe it of.

milo · #16 08-06-2011, 03:20 AM

‪DUNLOP LEMON OIL FORMULA65 STRINGCLEANER AND FORMULA 65 POLISH‬‏ - YouTube

‪Fretboard Finishing Oil‬‏ - YouTube

‪Cleaning the fingerboard‬‏ - YouTube

Slowgypsy · #17 08-06-2011, 05:21 AM

So many methods... so many opinions...

Just some info from my knowledge base, but as already mentioned, letting any oil soak into a Rosewood fretboard isn't really a great thing to do. About once a year, maybe longer, I'll wipe some mineral oil onto my Rosewood fretboard, let it sit for a few seconds, and then wipe it off. More than anything the oil is simply acting as a cleaning agent of sorts. Rosewood is already a somewhat "oily" wood, and gets lots of replacement oils from your fingers and such.

And as has already also been mentioned here... "Lemon Oil" is simply mineral oil and lemon scent. All pure citrus oils are very powerful solvents that you don't want to use on any part of your instrument... but great for taking paint off...

Let the bashing begin...

tekdiver500ft · #18 08-06-2011, 06:07 AM

Do NOT use "lemon oil" on your fretboard. It is, as mentioned above, a cleaner. This means that it will actually strip your wood, requiring more frequent treatment. I would also stay away from mineral oil. If you feel the need to treat your fretboard, then only use 100% boiled linseed oil. This is far and away the best treatment for wood available. This is proven by the fact that we have flintlock firearms that are hundreds of years old, and the wood is still in perfect condition, even though the gun was neglected for a hundred years. When the gun was built, it was heavily treated with boiled linseed oil, and the wood has/will stand the test of time. I have seen maple, rosewood, walnut, ebony, purple heart, etc all last with treatment with boiled linseed oil.

Personally, I will treat my fretboard every time I change my strings. Of course, I'm of the Jamerson school of thought, and will never change my strings (unless one breaks, but I still won't change the whole set).

milo · #19 08-06-2011, 08:33 AM

I have bed experience with LINSEED OIL but maybe because it was not boiled

tekdiver500ft · #20 08-06-2011, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milo

I have bed experience with LINSEED OIL but maybe because it was not boiled

I had a bed experience with linseed oil, too, but then I discovered Emotion Lotion, and haven't looked back.