To wax a dry Wenge fingerboard or not

Leo thechampion · #1 11-02-2011, 09:08 PM

G'day all, this is my first post , thanks in advance I really appreciate the knowledge you have here.
I recently got a 2005 Tobias basic 5 string.The fingerboard is Wenge and it appears to be quite dry. Should I wax it with guitar wax or leave it alone like it left the factory?BTW,It's an awesome Bass

bassbenj · #2 11-02-2011, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leo thechampion

G'day all, this is my first post , thanks in advance I really appreciate the knowledge you have here.
I recently got a 2005 Tobias basic 5 string.The fingerboard is Wenge and it appears to be quite dry. Should I wax it with guitar wax or leave it alone like it left the factory?BTW,It's an awesome Bass

I don't think that letting a fingerboard dry out is good for it. I always treat all of mine periodically with lemon oil. Lemon oil is quite light and does evaporate away after a month or so. But the up side is that it doesn't leave any build-up as wax often does.

In my case, after rubbing down good with lemon oil to "feed" the wood and remove crud build-up I give a final rub down with a rag soaked with "bore oil". This is an oil you buy at band supply houses or music stores that is used to treat the inside of wood wind instruments like clarinets. The bore oil doesn't evaporate so rapidly and makes the treatment last much longer.

That's me. But I'm sure you'll hear from the many others here who each have their favorite commercial fretboard products as well. I don't think anyone thinks letting the fingerboard dry out is a good idea. They can split and get cracks.

MysticMichael · #3 11-02-2011, 11:00 PM

Do not use wax! Lemon oil is indeed one of the standard choices for treating & preserving unfinished wood fretboards/fingerboards. But not just any lemon oil. Make sure it's high grade, specially formulated for use on guitars & bass guitars.

I've personally had very good results using Gibson Fretboard Conditioner. YMMV...

MM

Baird6869 · #4 11-02-2011, 11:29 PM

I put Howard Feed N Wax on all my necks. Many top luthiers use this or a similiar product.

Worked great on my wenge Warwick Fortress and works great on all of the basses/guitars I currently own.

Best part? You can buy it at Home Depot for approx $6 a pint.

YMMV, but I swear by the stuff.....

remy26 · #5 11-02-2011, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baird6869

I put Howard Feed N Wax on all my necks. Many top luthiers use this or a similiar product.

Worked great on my wenge Warwick Fortress and works great on all of the basses/guitars I currently own.

Best part? You can buy it at Home Depot for approx $6 a pint.

YMMV, but I swear by the stuff.....

+1

I have to be honest and say that I haven't really been able to keep the same bass long enough to worry about build-up (

), but the stuff works wonders on a dull dry finish. Not only does it have a very reasonable price tag, but the one bottle I own may outlast me since I tend to use very little for a treatment!

Baird6869 · #6 11-02-2011, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by remy26

+1

I have to be honest and say that I haven't really been able to keep the same bass long enough to worry about build-up (

), but the stuff works wonders on a dull dry finish. Not only does it have a very reasonable price tag, but the one bottle I own may outlast me since I tend to use very little for a treatment!

My wenge Warwick Fortress Masterman's board was caked with grossness. There was a ramp of goo from the board to each fret. I slapped on the Howard's a couple times, and it came perfectly clean. The stuff is like magic.

Slap it on, go for a smoke, coffee, walk the dog, whatever.... come back and be amazed at the crap that comes off your fretboard.

staccatogrowl · #7 11-03-2011, 04:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MysticMichael

Do not use wax! Lemon oil is indeed one of the standard choices for treating & preserving unfinished wood fretboards/fingerboards. . . I've personally had very good results using Gibson Fretboard Conditioner.

+ 1

GODSBASSMAN · #8 11-03-2011, 06:10 AM

On finger boards I have always used lemon oil for cleaning and then coats of Tung

Roscoe East · #9 11-03-2011, 02:19 PM

Wasn't there a famous (or, by now infamous) quote from Roger Sadowsky about how terrible Lemon Oil is for fingerboards? I'd swear I read that a few years ago...

Leo thechampion · #10 11-03-2011, 02:22 PM

Great advice from everyone. I really appreciate it. Cheers

mmbongo · #11 11-03-2011, 02:37 PM

Paul Reed Smith recommends Lemon Oil. He knows a thing or two about wood.

SoonerMatt · #12 11-03-2011, 02:55 PM

I use Fret Doctor oil and it works great.

Randyt · #13 11-04-2011, 05:41 AM

When I work on really dirty guitars (necks) I use 0000 steel wool and Naptha, followed by bore oil on necks, if backs of necks are asked to have paint removed down to wood, I use a light coat of tung-oil (Low build up)

georgestrings · #14 11-04-2011, 10:51 AM

I had an Ibanez sr3005 Prestige that had a wenge/bubinga neck, and wenge fretboard for awhile, and Scott's Liquid Gold Wood Cleaner & Preservative worked very well on it - it's also worked quite well on my rosewood fretboards over the years...

- georgestrings

RCCollins · #15 11-04-2011, 10:56 AM

Lemon oil on a wenge fingerboard, just like I'd use for a rosewood fingerboard. Don;t get it on your finish!

spufman · #16 11-04-2011, 01:59 PM

I've tried numerous oils throughout the years. The lemon oils are okay, but they don't seem to condition much. Linseed is okay, but be careful to use very very little. My clear favorite is woodwind bore oil, as mentioned above. I put a few drops on maybe 5 or 6 frets at a time, work it in with a Q-Tip, then wipe it off with a Bounty. Move on to the next set. The bore oil leaves the nicest look and feel in my experience.