Fretboard oil.
Fretboard oil.
Hi I want to ask
1. what is a good oil to use for reoiling a guitar neck.
Some ideas I seen around are.....
Lemon oil, boiled linseed oil, dunlop fretboard oil, danish oil, bogie juice, fast fret, olive oil, mineral oil
There may be more options just getting some ideas
2. How much and how often to apply.
1. what is a good oil to use for reoiling a guitar neck.
Some ideas I seen around are.....
Lemon oil, boiled linseed oil, dunlop fretboard oil, danish oil, bogie juice, fast fret, olive oil, mineral oil
There may be more options just getting some ideas
2. How much and how often to apply.
Just a simple musician who plays for fun and enjoymet here.
Re: Fretboard oil.
I use Martin fretboard oil....
Olive oil will go rancid over time.....not a good choice IMO.
Olive oil will go rancid over time.....not a good choice IMO.
Martin
- Mark McLean
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Re: Fretboard oil.
I like Gilly Stephenson Orange Oil. You will probably find it at your local hardware store. A little bit on a soft cloth goes a long way.
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Re: Fretboard oil.
lemon oil is good
don't use boiled linseed oil as it has hardeners in it - it will go sticky and set over time like a slow drying varnixh
don't use boiled linseed oil as it has hardeners in it - it will go sticky and set over time like a slow drying varnixh
Re: Fretboard oil.
Different timbers I use different products.
I tend to stay away from oil on a fingerboard, my favorite product is an Australian Wax. (some waxes are good, others will make a big sticky mess)
Some timbers are best not waxed and I'll buff them with a furniture polish.
I tend to stay away from oil on a fingerboard, my favorite product is an Australian Wax. (some waxes are good, others will make a big sticky mess)
Some timbers are best not waxed and I'll buff them with a furniture polish.
Re: Fretboard oil.
So what is this wax product you speak of.demonx wrote:Different timbers I use different products.
I tend to stay away from oil on a fingerboard, my favorite product is an Australian Wax. (some waxes are good, others will make a big sticky mess)
Some timbers are best not waxed and I'll buff them with a furniture polish.
Just a simple musician who plays for fun and enjoymet here.
- J.F. Custom
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Re: Fretboard oil.
First thing I'd clarify is that you only mean the fretboard? Your title says fretboard, but your post says neck.
As above. Not olive oil. Not Danish. Products like the one Martin mentions are often mineral oil or synthetic based, which I'm usually a little cautious about - though I should clarify I'm not specifically talking of the Martin brand one here, I've never used it. More of a general comment on "fretboard oils". Lemon or orange oil is good, very light and has the benefit of being non-toxic and smelling good! That's what I use if I'm ever re-oiling. If it was a new fretboard/raw timber, I often give a coat of hard burnishing oil (an 'organoil' product that is a blend of tung, citrus, eucalypt and a natural thinner) as a start. This is thin, soaks in and sets up hard to protect the wood. After many days I'll buff this back and apply a final top of citrus only. That's it. You don't need much and really, you rarely need to re-apply. Don't over oil.
If the neck itself (not the fretboard) needs an oil, the hard burnishing oil mentioned is what I use on oiled necks - it gives good protection, wear and feel. This is it in use actually -
Hope it helps.
Jeremy.
As above. Not olive oil. Not Danish. Products like the one Martin mentions are often mineral oil or synthetic based, which I'm usually a little cautious about - though I should clarify I'm not specifically talking of the Martin brand one here, I've never used it. More of a general comment on "fretboard oils". Lemon or orange oil is good, very light and has the benefit of being non-toxic and smelling good! That's what I use if I'm ever re-oiling. If it was a new fretboard/raw timber, I often give a coat of hard burnishing oil (an 'organoil' product that is a blend of tung, citrus, eucalypt and a natural thinner) as a start. This is thin, soaks in and sets up hard to protect the wood. After many days I'll buff this back and apply a final top of citrus only. That's it. You don't need much and really, you rarely need to re-apply. Don't over oil.
If the neck itself (not the fretboard) needs an oil, the hard burnishing oil mentioned is what I use on oiled necks - it gives good protection, wear and feel. This is it in use actually -
Hope it helps.
Jeremy.
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Re: Fretboard oil.
J.F. Custom wrote: I often give a coat of hard burnishing oil (an 'organoil' product that is a blend of tung, citrus, eucalypt and a natural thinner) as a start.
Hopefully that's easy to find on the shelf, you wouldn't want to go ask the young girl behind the counter!
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Re: Fretboard oil.
yep a typo I am talking about fretboard/fingerboard.J.F. Custom wrote:First thing I'd clarify is that you only mean the fretboard? Your title says fretboard, but your post says neck.
8
Great info so how often do you recommend.J.F. Custom wrote:As above. Not olive oil. Not Danish. Products like the one Martin mentions are often mineral oil or synthetic based, which I'm usually a little cautious about - though I should clarify I'm not specifically talking of the Martin brand one here, I've never used it. More of a general comment on "fretboard oils". Lemon or orange oil is good, very light and has the benefit of being non-toxic and smelling good! That's what I use if I'm ever re-oiling. If it was a new fretboard/raw timber, I often give a coat of hard burnishing oil (an 'organoil' product that is a blend of tung, citrus, eucalypt and a natural thinner) as a start. This is thin, soaks in and sets up hard to protect the wood. After many days I'll buff this back and apply a final top of citrus only. That's it. You don't need much and really, you rarely need to re-apply. Don't over oil.
Yep it all helps.J.F. Custom wrote:Hope it helps.
Jeremy.
Just a simple musician who plays for fun and enjoymet here.
Re: Fretboard oil.
I'll have to check the exact name next time I'm in the workshop as there are a few very similar named & labelled in the range and I've picked up the wrong one by mistake at the store myself and I've been using it for years!mickeyj4j wrote: So what is this wax product you speak of.
Re: Fretboard oil.
Ive mentioned using a Martin product. This product and alot of the "lemon oil" products seem to me to be largely naptha with a bit of lemon oil added to make it smell less "chemical".
After a long think the question that comes to mind is.....does a Rosewood fretboard really need an "oil". Rosewood is a naturally oily wood and Ive never heard of a rosewood fretboard cracking because it hasn't had oil (or wax) applied to it.
My overall feeling is that a majority of fretboard products function as cleaners more than conditioners.
After a long think the question that comes to mind is.....does a Rosewood fretboard really need an "oil". Rosewood is a naturally oily wood and Ive never heard of a rosewood fretboard cracking because it hasn't had oil (or wax) applied to it.
My overall feeling is that a majority of fretboard products function as cleaners more than conditioners.
Martin
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Re: Fretboard oil.
@Nick - Ha! Fortunately, it's reasonably handy over here as it's an Aus product. Not so sure about in NZ...
@mickeyj4j - that's not a question that can be answered as simply as that and really, Martin hits the nail on the head as to why.
Indeed, there are builders who do not oil their fretboards at all, just fine sand, buff and away you go. Thereafter they also rely on the natural oil in your hands to keep the fingerboard conditioned while playing with, as Martin suggests, a 'clean' on occasion. Many of the products do indeed market themselves as cleaning and conditioning in one. We know that citrus is used in cleaning products too.
Whether or not to oil and how much will come down to personal preference - how often the instrument is played, species of timber used and its natural oil content or propensity to crack, variability of climate lived in, acceptable levels of grime etc...!
Less is more.
Cheers,
Jeremy.
@mickeyj4j - that's not a question that can be answered as simply as that and really, Martin hits the nail on the head as to why.
Indeed, there are builders who do not oil their fretboards at all, just fine sand, buff and away you go. Thereafter they also rely on the natural oil in your hands to keep the fingerboard conditioned while playing with, as Martin suggests, a 'clean' on occasion. Many of the products do indeed market themselves as cleaning and conditioning in one. We know that citrus is used in cleaning products too.
Whether or not to oil and how much will come down to personal preference - how often the instrument is played, species of timber used and its natural oil content or propensity to crack, variability of climate lived in, acceptable levels of grime etc...!
Less is more.
Cheers,
Jeremy.
Re: Fretboard oil.
The one on the left
The one on the right had no place anywhere near a guitar!
The one on the right had no place anywhere near a guitar!
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