Lemon oil: dulling effect?

[walterw]

Originally Posted by PSPookie

Yup, this stuff is great. I've used it on a couple of oil finish basses with good results.

nice, but if that stuff has wax in it then it's more for putting an actual coating over wood, which you certainly want for furniture but to me feels weird on fretboards.

the fret doctor is for restoring unfinished wood while keeping it unfinished.

and no, don't use "lemon" (mineral) oil first, as that stuff just blocks the fret doctor, negating the entire purpose.

[HogieWan]

I know mineral oil is good for the board and I have some baby oil. I'm just curious if that smell will stick around. Does the lemon oil make your bass smell like lemons for an extended period of time?

[Ryan Mohr]

Originally Posted by walterw

nice, but if that stuff has wax in it then it's more for putting an actual coating over wood, which you certainly want for furniture but to me feels weird on fretboards.

the fret doctor is for restoring unfinished wood while keeping it unfinished.

and no, don't use "lemon" (mineral) oil first, as that stuff just blocks the fret doctor, negating the entire purpose.

Ok thanks, I was just wondering if I should use something with the Fret Doctor prior to application, like naptha in your case.

[dave_p]

woodwind bore oil

[walterw]

Originally Posted by HogieWan

I know mineral oil is good for the board...

see, that's just what i don't know.

Originally Posted by Ryan Mohr

Ok thanks, I was just wondering if I should use something with the Fret Doctor prior to application, like naptha in your case.

the naphtha is strictly to get other stuff out of the wood. it's a volatile solvent that dissolves oil, wax, and grease, and naphtha itself evaporates away completely.

Originally Posted by dave_p

woodwind bore oil

which is what the fret doctor guy first made it for.

[cassanova]

I read some years ago and IIRC it was in Bass Player magazine that Roger Sadowsky said lemon oil actually dry's out the wood and should be avoided. If you're using it and getting a dulling effect then it would IMO support what I remember reading as the drier wood becomes the duller it looks.