Fretboard oil

[kiwigeo]

What sort of oil is everyone using on their rosewood fretboards. Have been using a martin product but was going to give the Dunlop 65 lemon oil a go. I know most of these lemon oils are mineral oil with a few other additives but would be interesetd to hear everyone's preferences.

[routout]

To be honest Martin i think Olive oil and some lemon oil would work ,I think snake oil is a great product sold well I was trying to get a damp smell out of leather and used cloves and olive oil (never thought about the smell of cloves ) .If you look at french polish method the oil carries the shellac then permeates away no harm that stuff is great ,these are just thoughts and also things that I do I will not be held responsible for any misuse of this procedure aforementioned cheers John.

[Allen]

I use a cabinet makers wax. Just trying out the Ubeaut wax and it seems as good as any.

[ozziebluesman]

Hi Martin,
I have used the Dunlop Fretboard 65 product and have been using the same bottle for the past 5 or 6 years. The secret is to use is sparingly and buff it in. Every time I change the strings I keep the small rag used to apply the oil in a sealed bag and just give the finger board a rub over with the rag as there is enough oil on the rag to refresh the board and it works real good on rosewood.
Cheers
Alan

[kiwigeo]

Thanks for the replies.....will try the Dunlop product and see how I go.

[demonx]

Like Allen I also use a wax, massaged in by hand using paper towel and then polished with a buffer and then just wipe with a towel. Very quick process with great results.

Make sure you get the exact name on this tin as this one is great and I've been using this for many years, there are several similar named waxes and you might regret buying the wrong one and end up spending a lot of time trying to get it off, I've been there when experimenting and it's not pleasant!

[Ormsby Guitars]

We are just about to release our own care packs. Fretboard conditioner, detailing/cleaning spray, nut lubricant, and a polishing wax with no silicon (silicon contaminates the paint surface limiting the ability to spot repair). Just waiting on the labels and retail packaging bags.

We use a mineral oil for the fretboard conditioner, with three additives to promote a higher penetration (regular mineral oil doesn't soak in very well). Higher penetration gives a more thorough sealing of the fretboard and avoids fret tangs popping out the sides due to the fretboard shrinking. It also means you could go a longer period before reapplying. We also added an enhancer to really pop the grain contrast, and a nice scent rather than a chemical like lemon smell. Quite a bit of work to get everything right (14 months!), ensuring nothing effects any finishes (eg: lacquered fret board edges). We sourced mineral oil from 16 different suppliers and it's amazing how different they all are.

Ebony. Ours on the left, Stringfellow lemoil on the right.


Rosewood. Ours on the left, Stringfellow lemoil on the right.


Penetration. Ours on the right, Stringfellow lemoil on the left. We took this photo the day after cutting. You can see how the sample on the left has really dried out of the surface...

[Jeremy D]

Just thought I would reply because no one mentioned this stuff. I have been using it on all my guitars for years and I have seen a few builders recommend it on various forums etc. I really like it, non sticky and doesn't collect dirt etc. I use it very sparingly like maybe every 5 or 6 string changes. Looks great on a bridge as well. Also mitre 10 stocks it so easy to obtain.

http://www.howardproducts.com.au/feed-n-wax.html/

[routout]

I think you hit the nail on the head wax with no silicon base something to carry it and there you go no snake oil mystery concoctions by the light of a full moon just stuff that works .