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Excessive black residue on Fender '62 RI

Discussion in 'Basses [BG]' started by godspeed68, Nov 30, 2005.

  1. Nov 30, 2005 #1
    godspeed68

    godspeed68 i'm here for the sound

    Mar 24, 2004
    Chicago, IL
    Hey guys, just picked up a 62 reissue fender (american)...I've had it for a few weeks and am currently in the process of changing the strings. I figured the fretboard (rosewood) needed oiling after noticing a little white flakiness (sp?)...overall it just looked dry...took the strings off, got my oil and went to work. Applied oil and started rubbin' 'er a little bit...but I looked at the soft tissue i was using to apply it, and saw a remarkably large amount of black residue, you know, the normal dirt...but this was way too much...most i've ever seen come off a fretboard actually....anyone have any ideas as to what the cause may have been? The strings were stock fenders if that helps?

    thanks,
    tOm
     
  2. Nov 30, 2005 #2
    pc

    pc

    Apr 4, 2000
    Montreal QC
    AFAIK this the oleosity that came from your hands plus dirt.

    yuck!
     
  3. Nov 30, 2005 #3
    Chef

    Chef In Memoriam

    May 23, 2004
    Columbia MO
    Staff Reviewer; Bass Gear Magazine
    James Jamerson would have insisted that all that be left on.







    :bag:
     
  4. Nov 30, 2005 #4
    Ostinato

    Ostinato Guest

    Feb 7, 2005
    Toronto ON
    When I cleaned my '74 Jazz for the first time, I think I removed about 25 years of gunk, sweat, Big Macs, chicken grease, gut sweat...I mean you could run your fingernail anywhere on the bass and remove about five layers of this stuff...previous owner must NEVER have even bothered cleaning it. :meh:
     
  5. Dec 4, 2005 #5
    godspeed68

    godspeed68 i'm here for the sound

    Mar 24, 2004
    Chicago, IL
    Understandable if it was from 62...but its a month old. And thank god I'm not James Jamerson....heh.


    tOm
     
  6. Dec 4, 2005 #6
    FreeSpirit

    FreeSpirit

    Jul 12, 2004
    Brampton, Ontario
    My P-Bass is the exact same. I don't remove the dirt but when i first bought it, i noticed a lot of dirt so i took my finger nail to like the 17th fret and i could just peel off the dirt. also, my frets on it have turned green, its sort of gross but i love the way it sounds, so im not changing anything on it.
     
  7. Dec 4, 2005 #7
    diptixon

    diptixon

    Oct 29, 2004
    Atlanta
    Are they putting dye on the rosewood to darken it up a bit these days...? If so that may be what you're seeing...
     
  8. Dec 4, 2005 #8
    jenderfazz

    jenderfazz

    Apr 17, 2003
    montreal, qc, Canada
    I know that when I picked up my 97 jazz a couple years ago, the fretboard was pretty dirty. A nice cleaning job had it sparkling again, I was surprised at how dirty it was. However I wouldn't expect that from a month-old bass, unless the previous owner played with extremely dirty hands (it can happen, I'd assume).
     
  9. Dec 4, 2005 #9
    SundanceChile

    SundanceChile

    Sep 7, 2005
    San Jose, CA
    I guess kids these days just don't appreciate the old days. :scowl: ;)
     
  10. Dec 4, 2005 #10
    Munjibunga

    Munjibunga Retired Member

    May 6, 2000
    San Diego (when not at Groom Lake)
    Independent Contractor to Bass San Diego
    Perhaps, in the interest of authenticity, Fender puts a commensurate amount of sebum on the fretboards of the reissues from years past.
     
  11. Dec 4, 2005 #11
    FireBug

    FireBug

    Sep 18, 2005
    Houston
    Heh, yeah. If Fender wants it to be authentic, you should notice the finish on the neck coming off in a few years.

    But, at least the fingerboard isn't wenge like my '92 Streamer. I picked it up off a guy a month ago and it had never been cleaned. Let me tell you, cleaning wenge has been pure hell. I still can't get all the gunk out of the grain...

    What I used to remove the gunk was lots of lemon oil treatments coupled with frequent scrubdowns with #0000 steel wool.
     
  12. Dec 13, 2005 #12
    godspeed68

    godspeed68 i'm here for the sound

    Mar 24, 2004
    Chicago, IL

    wow...i've just been called young...thank you :)
    however, ill hand it to you...my dad would whip me if i didn't appreciate jamerson...or dave holland for that matter....or ray brown since we're on the topic...and some stanley, jaco, and definitely marcus for good measure...hehe I have much respect for anyone who can strut 8ths like that dude...some of my favorite stuff right there. I just love my delay and looping pedals...and envelopes....synths....hot hot o.d....well, you get the point :) :) :)

    tOm
     
  13. Dec 13, 2005 #13
    godspeed68

    godspeed68 i'm here for the sound

    Mar 24, 2004
    Chicago, IL
    I do notice about half way through a good sit down the neck gets a little "sandy" in some spots...almost like skin comin' off or nice and smooth finish wearin' off....hmmmm....