Fretboard conditioning ...

[JerEvil]

What's a good oil/conditioner to use on your neck/fretboard?

I have an unfinished maple as well as your standard rosewood and ebony.

 

[se7en]

Big Bends Fret Board Juice

 

[glpg80]

Linseed/flaxseed oil cut with any favourite citrus oil. My personal preference is linseed oil mixed with lemon oil.

 

[nevusofota]

Phil Jacoby of Philtone recommends this:

http://willcuttguitars.com/accessories/fret-doctor

 

[glip22]

Phil Jacoby of Philtone recommends this:

http://willcuttguitars.com/accessories/fret-doctor

I've been using this for about four years now. Great stuff

 

[the4thlast1]

Does it make any difference with maple fretboard vs rosewood and ebony use with the Willcutt product ?

 

[NaturalBornBoy]

I don't condition maple but on rosewood or ebony, Bore Oil.

 

[DrugDM]

+1 on the Big Bends fret board juice.

 

[DrugDM]

+1 on the Big Bends fret board juice.

 

[DrugDM]

+1 on the Big Bends fret board juice.

 

[moronmountain]

I use the same thing I use for cutting boards which is a paste made from mineral oil and beeswax. I don't recall the formula off hand, but if you google it, you will find it. It's easy to make, is all natural, is super cheap, and probably better than most name brand stuff you will find at guitar stores.

 

[The Traveller]

http://www.gorgomyte.com/

 

[nevusofota]

Does it make any difference with maple fretboard vs rosewood and ebony use with the Willcutt product ?

This is a must read to understand this topic:

http://www.beafifer.com/boredoctor.htm

 

[jsp]

I don't condition maple but on rosewood or ebony, Bore Oil.

Yup.

 

[JerEvil]

Man, been reading up on this sh*t all day. Lots of "experts" saying oils get into the fret slots and rot the wood underneath, some say don't do anything but wipe with a cloth. Very confusing. My biggest concern is that I live in a very dry climate.

The more I read the more nervous I get about using anything!!!

 

[glpg80]

Man, been reading up on this sh*t all day. Lots of "experts" saying oils get into the fret slots and rot the wood underneath, some say don't do anything but wipe with a cloth. Very confusing. My biggest concern is that I live in a very dry climate.

The more I read the more nervous I get about using anything!!!

Fretboards and necks that are coated need nothing. rosewood fretboards need only cleaning, but the lemon oils or other cleaners dry out the wood which is why you need to replenish them. Ebony is the only other wood commonly used as a fretboard that needs constant replenishment of oils in order to keep from drying out and cracking. Especially up in the 22-24 fret region where the wood is least likely to be used/played/touched/oiled.

I said exactly what the ESP USA told me to use on my custom special after the satin wears off. I don't claim to be an expert, but whatever you're reading into is hogwash and what I mentioned is not personal beliefs - it is backed by ESP themselves.

 

[moronmountain]

It's weird that some peeps are saying that they condition rosewood and ebony, but that they don't do maple. IIRC, maple actually needs it more than the other two as it tends to be drier/warps easier/etc. Some neck builders won't warranty maple stuff unless it has a finish on it, but they will do raw/unfinished rosewood/ebony.

At any rate, use my idea with the whole mineral oil/beeswax paste, and it won't make a crap worth's of difference no matter what you put it on.

Also, if you use a product that has lemon, or water, or any other acid or solvent based ingredient in it, you are a tard monkey! Clean the grime up with a SUPER LIGHT WATERED DOWN detergent/water mix to get the funk off the wood. As soon as the wood is clean and dry, put the paste on it for a bit, so it can soak in good, and wipe the excess off. Do this about every 5 string changes unless you are a super acidic/salty/sweaty dude, (obviously you would do it much more often in this case), and all will be gtg.

On the other hand, if you sweat even a tiny bit of nasty ass, natural body oil out your fingers when you play, and don't mind having a dirty/slightly f'd up looking fretboard, then just play your guitar, never clean it, and be done with it.

 

[plexipwrd]

Does it make any difference with maple fretboard vs rosewood and ebony use with the Willcutt product ?

This is a must read to understand this topic:

http://www.beafifer.com/boredoctor.htm

Yup... been using Fret Doctor for a few years now and I am very happy with the results.

 

[RedRider]

Been using Guitar Honey for years...I have a bunch of guitars with unfinished rosewood necks so twice a year I slap it on and wipe it off...
https://www.amazon.com/Gerlitz-GEGHO-Gui ... B000EEJF4O

If you dont do this on the softer type woods your fretboards will start to dry and crack, fret ends will begin to pop, your frets will loosen up etc...you just take any type of rosewood oil and put it on for a minute or 2 and then clean it off...its just allowing the board to absorb moisture so it doesnt contract as it dries out and jack up your frets, change the level, etc...and also loosens up any crud that has accumulated so it can be wiped off.

With maple, you shouldnt use oil....99% of the time maple boards are already sealed, so it would be like oiling the body of your guitar...its just not needed. Plus maple is MUCH harder, less pourus...hences doesnt retain or lose moisture in the same fashion as rosewoods and ebony's...I dont beleive it has the same moisture content either...hence why builders can "bale" a maple neck and remove even MORE moisture and make it a more stable neck.

With maple you should just be cleaning the neck, not adding moisture to it. Guys clean them with lighter fluid or naptha...just coat it, allow it to loosen up the junk, and clean it off...use steel wool etc...

As far as the "experts" opinion about it rotting the frets...you shouldnt be "soaking" the board down, just adding a light coat to your fretboard, allowing the wood to absorb what its lost and and cleaning off all the excess. You dont submerge the board with the stuff. If everything is "proper" on your board yo will never have issues....loose frets and what not may have issues, as the cleaning and the oil will continue to loosen them up...but I have absolutely NEVER heard someone say rosewood oil rotted their boards...LOL...its produced FROM WOOD...so how can it possibly rot wood...its more that all the dirt, sweat, salt etc...from your hands got into the small spaces and rotted it vice the oil used to clean it.

If you live someplace mild, where your relative humidity is 40-50% all year then you should clean/treat your rosewood boards twice a year...if you live in the desert or someplace really cold where your heater is coming on all winter and the humidity is like 5% for months at a time them you probably should do it more often....its easy enough to see your fretboard changing color and getting a lighter shade...slap some oil on it and it will return to its original dark shade and you can literally see it absorbing the oil in the center of your frets when you do it....

Here is another decent article...

http://www.daddario.com/upload/FretboardCare2_1879.pdf

 

[kerryk]

Old English Lemon Oil...

Works great.
Leave the Linseed / Tung oil for gun stocks...
the lemon oil gets your finger schmutz off the fretboard and leaves a nice feel for the fingers.