Rosewood Fretboard? + Lemon Oil?

paintrain · #1 03-08-2011, 10:54 AM

So I cleaned my rosewood fretboard with some lemon oil and noticed that, along with most gunk some of the crack color was transfered to the clean cloth.
Does real Rosewood behave that way? Can it be the result of shady Lem-Oil (it was kind of cheap)?

How can I fix it?

Rebop · #2 03-08-2011, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paintrain

So I cleaned my rosewood fretboard with some lemon oil and noticed that, along with most gunk some of the crack color was transfered to the clean cloth.
Does real Rosewood behave that way? Can it be the result of shady Lem-Oil (it was kind of cheap)?

How can I fix it?

Crack color?

Cheaper lemon oils, including Kyser Lem-oil and other "guitar store" lemon oils are usually just mineral oil with some lemon scent. I prefer Formby's which you can get at any hardware store. Use it sparingly and wipe off the excess. Too much of it is not good and if it's a formula with a lot of detergents in it, over time they can penetrate the rosewood and dissolve the glue that holds it on.

Kabal · #3 03-08-2011, 10:59 AM

Maybe you took off some of the finish? Wait, is there a finish on rosewood boards? Lemon oil can be kind of shady, I've read that guitar polishes/cleaners are just a bunch of bi-products from other chemicals.

paintrain · #4 03-08-2011, 11:04 AM

The cracks were black, now they are whitish with a little bit of blue.

And I used Kyser Lem-oil.

I wouldn't mind a 'used look', but if it is infact just something I can wipe off with some other chems, it would be great..

Pilgrim · #5 03-08-2011, 11:04 AM

Go very, very, very easy on the oil....maybe once a year, and the absolute minimum at that.

Personally, I don't oil fretboards. Maybe I'll be convinced some day. My oldest bass is a '63 P and I have never oiled the fretboard. it shows no ill effects.

BigOldHarry · #6 03-08-2011, 11:04 AM

I've used Formby's in the past and it's worked very well.

lareamond · #7 03-08-2011, 11:11 AM

I use Dunlop Fretboard 65 and the same thing happens. Its just dirt and grime being pushed into the "cracks". Use soft wooden toothpicks to clean them out if it bothers you that much. Just go light, you don't wanna rip apart the sealer coat.

joeyl · #8 03-08-2011, 11:28 AM

I never use any oils on the rosewood boards either, and no ill effects on 20 year-old basses

FromTheBassMent · #9 03-08-2011, 11:35 AM

I had a bass once that a previous owner had used some harsh cleaner on, and the board looked the same way... some of the color of the wood had actually been leeched out by whatever he used, and the deeper grain lines were off-white.

Fixed it with Olde English scratch cover for dark woods. You can get it at most supermarkets. Rub it in, wipe off the excess. It's basically like a lemon oil with a little bit of stain in it. Worked like magic.

Octoplus · #10 03-08-2011, 11:53 AM

Goodness, it stripped those inlay dots right off...

Domz · #11 03-08-2011, 12:49 PM

I was wondering about old english.... Does anyone else use it?

paintrain · #12 03-08-2011, 01:18 PM

Ok it is indeed just polished gunk. Would a toothbrush be suitable for removing that stuff fast?

testing1two · #13 03-08-2011, 03:18 PM

A stiff nylon brush (like a toothbrush) is just fine. You can use naptha to clean the board and then finish the job with a little bit of oil. Rosewood is pretty durable stuff provided you use a little common sense and don't saturate it with oils or liquids.

THORRR · #14 03-08-2011, 03:29 PM

I've used Lemon Pledge on all my guitars for the past 40 years and never had a problem with any finish - nitro -poly - you-name-it. No checking, cracking, just shine.

I use it on my rosewood boards too, with no build-up or discoloration. I use it sparingly and don't overdo it.
Best to spray it on the cloth until damp and apply it that way.

Then buff with a clean dry towel. 40 years - still works!

Rebop · #15 03-08-2011, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Domz

I was wondering about old english.... Does anyone else use it?

It contains detergents, waxes and a whole bunch of other stuff. Great for my coffee table to keep it dust and fingerprint free but I would be hesitant to use it on a musical instrument that I actually like. Just get Formby's. A bottle of it will last the lifetime of your instrument. IMHO you shouldn't even need the stuff unless for some reason the fingerboard is noticeably excessively dry from storage, misuse, dry climate, yadda yadda, YMMV.

testing1two · #16 03-08-2011, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by THORRR

I've used Lemon Pledge on all my guitars for the past 40 years and never had a problem with any finish - nitro -poly - you-name-it. No checking, cracking, just shine.

I use it on my rosewood boards too, with no build-up or discoloration. I use it sparingly and don't overdo it.
Best to spray it on the cloth until damp and apply it that way.

Then buff with a clean dry towel. 40 years - still works!

The downside to using Pledge is that it contains Polydimethylsiloxanes (aka Silicon oil). This silicon makes finish repair absolutely impossible because it prohibits finish adhesion. Anybody that does finishing or finish repair won't let products with silicons anywhere near their shop as even the vapors can bond to surfaces making further finishing nearly impossible.

This may not be an issue if you never plan to have your instrument's finish repaired but it is definitely something to keep in mind since there are so many non-silicon alternatives out there.

stflbn · #17 03-08-2011, 03:49 PM

Howard's Feed n' Wax works great on Rosewood IMHO.

And I think by 'cracks' the OP is meaning 'grain'

MysterMunky · #18 03-08-2011, 04:02 PM

I use the Old English on my fretless p with a rosewood fingerboard. Works just fine.