Finger board

[Hebron Valley]

Just recently purchased myself a Englehardt ES9. My question is with the finger board. After playing for awhile I noticed my fingers were starting to turn black from the finger board. Seems if the finger board is losing its paint job,, or is this just a proscesss it goes through before it dries, After awhile I did take some lemon oil and place on the finger board, let it dry, but it still is giving up the black on my fingers, Need help and suggestions,, or is it something I need to return ? Thanks for all the info Donald

[Gufenov]

I had the same problem with my ES1. I rubbed down the fingerboard with a rag dampened with mineral spirits to get off the "excess" dye, let it dry, used some very fine steel wool, and then finished it off with a couple of coats of boiled linseed oil. That was over a year ago, with no problems since.

[Brent Norton]

Did you have the bass set up? A good fingerboard planing, which just about all new factory basses could use, would eliminate the problem. Other than that, mineral spirits can work, or regular ol' rubbing alcohol if you already have some laying around.