Opinion from luthiers.. Oiling a fretboard?

[quickfix]

I guess that's a compliment? I'm not sure

Well...Bruce's opinion and knowledge seems to be spot on. I'd certainly pay heed to his advice as it makes more sense than most.

 

[wisconsindead]

As the owner of a 48 year old bass with a gorgeous fretboard that also has some cracking I would suggest oiling at least once a year. I don't think it's a huge deal one way or the other. I don't know of a case where a bass became unplayable due to extreme fretboard cracking. But if you have a bass you love, why not pamper it a bit? It's inexpensive and easy enough for a 4 year old to do.

 

[ReneB]

Here's what Gibson suggests:

"Clean your fretboard.

Even on a frequently played guitar, the fretboard really only needs to be cleaned once or twice a year. That’s because it’s important not to mess too much with the natural moisture the fretboard picks up from oils on your fingers.Begin cleaning your fretboard with a soft, damp cloth (an old T-shirt or sock will work) that you have wrung out as much as you possibly can; you don’t want to see any drops of water on your fretboard. Work the cloth down the fretboard, making sure to use different portions of the cloth so that you’re not just transferring dirt from one fret to another.

If your fretboard has accumulated some significant grime, you may need to follow your rag cleaning with a very light brushing with some extra fine #000 or #0000 steel wool. Please note that tiny steel wool particles can stick to the magnets in your pickups. It’s best to cover up your pickups when cleaning with steel wool.

For spots that are particularly hard to get at, you can try using the edge of a credit card, a damp cotton swab, a pipe cleaner or a small toothbrush.

If you notice that your fretboard has dried out or developed hairline cracks, you may finish this process with Gibson’s Luthier’s Choice Fretboard Conditioner. Alternately, you can rub one or two drops of oil (mineral, almond or linseed oil) into the fretboard to condition it. Make sure to wipe off excess oil with a soft, dry rag."

Source: Link Removed

I have done this to a 12 year old bass whose fretboard needed some TLC. I used mineral oil sparingly and I wish I had taken before/after pictures. The fretboard looked as if it had been replaced after I cleaned and oiled it.

 

[bassbully]

i say always polish your wood at least once a week! that is all...

You know you can go blind from that.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

Tung oil, a.k.a Danish oil, is a wood finish. It takes a long time to harden and requires multiple applications to be a barrier against moisture. Over time, I'd guess it'd be pretty effective protection if one used it at every string change and allowed enough time for it to harden. Subsequent applications, however, could entrap finger gunk if the fingerboard wasn't thoroughly cleaned with something like alcohol before application of the oil.

I have a fretless with a rosewood board and put several applications of tung oil on it, and it did indeed harden it up.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

I've built a bass during a course with a luthier. His way was to oil one time a year, with linseed.
I did it, but stopped linseed because of the old fish smell. I now do it with lemon oil, on rosewood and ebony. I don't have mapple fretboard.

If you'd grown up in the UK it would just remind you of leather on willow and bring back memories of summer.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

I've built a bass during a course with a luthier. His way was to oil one time a year, with linseed.
I did it, but stopped linseed because of the old fish smell. I now do it with lemon oil, on rosewood and ebony. I don't have mapple fretboard.

If you'd grown up in the UK it would just remind you of leather on willow and bring back memories of summer.

 

[Spacecase]

If you'd grown up in the UK it would just remind you of leather on willow and bring back memories of summer.

Warning: Thread derail.

Had I grown up on the UK, I'd know what that means. I had to look it up.

AFAIK, baseball bats aren't oiled, and they're typically made of ash or maple -- which just so happen to be useful tonewoods in a bass guitar. I wonder what a willow bass would sound like? Ever think of stringing up a cricket bat?

Carry on...

 

[zontar]

One of my older guitars has a rosewood board & years ago I did over oil it, however it hasn't suffered any damage- but I oil them much less often these days