Tips on oil

[basmicke]

I have a fretless bass with an ebony fingerboard and top.
The rest of the bass is in mahogany except for the stripes in the neck.
It seems to be without any kind of finish and now in the cold winter climate I was wondering if there are any special oils that I could use so that the wood doesn't dry out.

 

[Jimbob Jones]

A lot of people will recommend lemon oil, I've heard a few horror stories about it though; even though they probably aren't true, it was enough to put me off! I use raw linseed oil on all of my unfinished fretboards, and IMO it works great. It's a lot cheaper than lemon oil too!

 

[Pilgrim]

Search TB for threads and you'll find various oils discussed at length, both for the body and for the fretboard. You should also check the manufacturer's site for recommendations, and email then any questions.

 

[Rockmusician]

Alembic recommends pure lemon oil for ebony fretboards. I have used it for years without any problems. The horror stories that people hear about are usually due to confusing lemon oil with lemon juice. Lemon juice is very acidic and will destroy the fretboard.
I have read forums where some players have made this mistake. Make sure you use PURE LEMON OIL.

I usually take the strings off the bass and wipe it down. Then I use cotton swabs to apply the lemon oil. I let it sit for about 30 minutes and then wipe the fretboard with a clean, soft, lint free cloth. Then repeat the process.

To clean the body and neck, I use guitar polish. For the hardware, I use Flitz metal polish. I apply it with a swab and remove it with a Dremel tool with a small soft buffing wheel attached. It's a lot of work but I have owned the same Alembics for more than 15 years. They get played constantly and still look like the day I bought them.

You can find pure lemon oil at many bath and body stores and at Whole Foods.

 

[RustyAxe]

What's called lemon oil is really just mineral oil with lemon scent. A friend uses Fast Fret (also mineral oil) and swears by it. I hate the way it feels and smells. In 45 years I've never oiled a fretboard.

 

[basmicke]

Thanks for all the info guys. I mostly want to have something for the body(mahogany and ebony top). It looks pretty dried out and here in Sweden where I live it's a really bad winter and down to -30 so it's not easy on wood and frets.

 

[Randyt]

I use a product called Bore Oil...I got it from a music store that sells wood wind instruments..it keeps gaskets and other parts lubricated...I have used this product for over 10 years...never had an issue...little bottle was $5.00 lasts for ever...I do the FBoard twice a year..