Oiling A Rosewood Fretboard

audiosoul · February 23rd, 2009, 05:09 PM

Hi, my first post here. What oil do you use to refresh a rosewood fretboard?
Thanks, DK

thaus · February 23rd, 2009, 05:12 PM

Welcome and this is a common question; some guys use bore oil or lemon oil. I use this stuff and it really is the best......

Bore Oil for the Fife and Fret Doctor

BOD2 · February 23rd, 2009, 05:13 PM

Google "Lemon oil guitar" and you'll get a few suggestions.

Note that this "lemon oil" is a specialist product and has nothing to do with food preparation ! (I'm not even sure it has much to do with lemons either).

There are some other oils that will do the trick but lemon oil for guitars is cheap and readily available. You use it sparingly, so a bottle will last for years and years.

Zman · February 23rd, 2009, 05:16 PM

D'Andrea Lemon oil and conditioner. They sell it in a small bottle and I have used it on about 5 boards and I have hardly used any. I put it on with a Q tip let it sit then wipe it off with a rag. I don't take the strings off at all. I wipe the strings down and away I go.
My guitar tech uses the same stuff when he does a set up.

asc67 · February 23rd, 2009, 05:29 PM

Plain Mineral oil is all you need. Most lemon oil and fret board oils that you can buy are just Mineral oil with scents added.
You can get a bottle of mineral oil at any Drug store for like $2 and it will last a lifetime.
Wipe on wipe off.

Jackie Treehorn · February 23rd, 2009, 05:36 PM

I've been using bore oil for some time now. No obvious ill effects.

rocks · February 23rd, 2009, 05:48 PM

Another vote for lemon oil here. I've been using it for years and it does a great job. I normally let it soak in for about 10 minutes before I wipe it back off.

thaus · February 23rd, 2009, 06:25 PM

If you read a bit at the fret doctor page that I linked, he's got an interesting read about the various oils and why they may or may not be beneficial to the wood. He states that most mineral oils only coat the surface but don't penetrate the wood. May look nice and shiny but doesn't do much for the wood............believe what you may I guess! I have been using this stuff for over 5 years and it really seems to work well and some of my rosewood boards do come out darker after a couple of applications.

Dice · February 23rd, 2009, 06:55 PM

I've been using Dunlop lemon oil for years - good stuff, and I'm only about 1/2 way through a bottle (and I use it on about 10 guitars).

I'll be going with Fret Doctor next - I've never heard so many positive reviews for a product in my life as I have for Fret Doctor.

imwjl · February 23rd, 2009, 08:14 PM

I broke down and bought a Gorgomyte cloth after somebody I trust suggested it and I think it does the best job I've seen. It cleans and polishes the frets and wood and seems to stay looking nice longer than lemon oil and mineral oil. It does a better job cleaning up the gunk that needed steel wool. It's distributed by GHS and available direct.

VolFan1nGA · February 24th, 2009, 05:43 AM

I like Fast Fret mainly because I like the application tool it comes in/with. It, the product itself, lasts a long time. Good for the strings as well.

midifarm · February 24th, 2009, 06:10 AM

Lemon oil is the best. I've used Dr Duck's with some success also Fast Fret.

Shades of Blue · February 24th, 2009, 07:30 AM

I use olive oil...that's what the guitar tech guy I go to suggested

PorkRollExpress · February 24th, 2009, 08:48 AM

Pennzoil, quakerstate, Mobil 1 ... I've tried everything and nothing seems to work...

thaus · February 24th, 2009, 09:10 AM

You guys using vegetable oils and such realize that you are just coating the rosewood right?? The wood is not absorbing the oil and you will find that after prolonged use, you won't be able to condition the rosewood anymore! Don't always believe your guitar techs..........go and ask people who make instruments and they will invariably recommend anything but vegetable oils. I would tell a tech who tried to use olive oil on the rosewood to make me a spagetti dinner but leave my guitar alone!!

Celeste · February 24th, 2009, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thaus

You guys using vegetable oils and such realize that you are just coating the rosewood right?? The wood is not absorbing the oil and you will find that after prolonged use, you won't be able to condition the rosewood anymore! Don't always believe your guitar techs..........go and ask people who make instruments and they will invariably recommend anything but vegetable oils. I would tell a tech who tried to use olive oil on the rosewood to make me a spagetti dinner but leave my guitar alone!!

Thaus, what you say is in direct opposition to what Fret Doctor says.

"4. Mineral oil merely coats the surface, giving it a bright sheen, but does not penetrate the wood. This oil prevents absorption by a plant oil after the fact. This includes most bore oils, but not all. Read the label. Most so-called fretboard treatments and bore oils are no more than inexpensive mineral oil with a scent added, like lemon."

as for olive oil
"9. Corn oil, Safflower oil, Olive oil, etc., do penetrate to some degree, but contain no preservatives. They may become rancid over time. "

It makes since to me that a plant fiber, ie. wood would absorb plant oil more readily then a petroleum distillate. Fret Doctor is mostly plant oil and the photo micrographs presented seem to suggest that the plant oils are penetrating well. Now, I do not believe everything I read, so can you point me to where you got your information?

thaus · February 24th, 2009, 09:45 AM

You are correct Celeste but rancid is something I don't want on my fret-board either!! I have used fret doctor oil for the past few years ever since I noticed that a well respected local luthier was quoted as saying it was the best he had used. I bought a small bottle ($3.95) and with 12 rosewood boards in my collection, I think this will last me a few more years. I used to use lemon oil but found that while the board looked good at first, a month later it looked like it needed treatment again whereas the fret doctor oil seems to really penetrate deep and I only need to treat it once a year. I still would rather use olive oil with my spagetti dinner!!

still_fiddlin · February 24th, 2009, 09:50 AM

I've never heard of any catastrophic fingerboard failures from using any particular oil, so take your pick, lemon, mineral, Fret-Doc... I would probably avoid vegetable oils because they can spoil, and based on the condition of our pantry, tend to get sticky over time as they dry.

I mean, it's a fretboard, not some priceless Louis XIV chair or something. Keep it from drying out, put strings on and play.

asc67 · February 24th, 2009, 09:51 AM

I'll take the info on the Fret doctor site with a grain of salt, he is after all trying to sell and promote his product. There is no reason that you would want oil to soak in deeply on a fretboard anyway. I'm sure it's good stuff and works well but so does plain mineral oil. I only use it very sparingly and maybe once a year if that.

It is mostly a topical cosmetic treatment anyway. There are many luthiers who recommend that no oil of any kind be put on a fret board. Properly seasoned wood for fret boards and guitars that are properly humidified are not likely to crack.

Everyone entitled to their opinion though and should use what they like.

thaus · February 24th, 2009, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by asc67

I'll take the info on the Fret doctor site with a grain of salt, he is after all trying to sell and promote his product. There is no reason that you would want oil to soak in deeply on a fretboard anyway. I'm sure it's good stuff and works well but so does plain mineral oil. I only use it very sparingly and maybe once a year if that.

It is mostly a topical cosmetic treatment anyway. There are many luthiers who recommend that no oil of any kind be put on a fret board. Properly seasoned wood for fret boards and guitars that are properly humidified are not likely to crack.

Everyone entitled to their opinion though and should use what they like.

Exactly.......use what works for you!! This is another one of those subjective topics that will never get complete agreement! I think what we can all agree on is that it is helpful to condition a rosewood board once a year just to keep it looking good and not looking too dry.

asc67 · February 24th, 2009, 09:57 AM

Even the experts don't agree:

Mr. Ford's advice on Frets.com:

"Some players talk of 'feeding' the unfinished surface of the fingerboard with oil. Fingerboards are not actually hungry and don't really need to be fed, but a light coating of oil gives them a finished and clean look. If you do choose to oil the fingerboard, do it with care. Use a tiny amount of lemon oil or mineral oil on the rag, wipe it on the fingerboard, and then wipe it all off. You don't want to saturate the fingerboard, and you don't want a lot of oil running down into the fret slots. If there are cracks in your fingerboard, consider having them filled professionally, and don't get oil in the cracks. Generally, you'll want to stay away from linseed and other natural vegetable oils, which become sticky and gummy over time."

I also use the 0000-grade steel wool treatment every so often to clean the frets and board, then oil.

Fingerboards can occasionally dry out, but require only a very small amount of boiled linseed oil (thoroughly buffed) to restore. Less is always best.
Collings Guitar website

Once a year or so, you may want to clean your fingerboard with 0000 steel wool. Then, rub in some Fingerboard oil onto the FB and bridge. Lemon oil works fine for this. Don't overdo this part, but it is a good idea, especially in Fall right before the air gets dry.
Huss&Dalton website

I
In the meantime we do recommend Dr. Duck's Axe Wax for oiling fingerboards and bridges. It is safe for use on finishes so it is acceptable to have it touch the finish when applying it to the ebony parts. Lemon oil is a popular alternative that can produce good results, however, some commercial brands may contain elements that will harm your finish. Make sure to keep it off the lacquer to avoid etching or softening of your finish.
Santa Cruz Guitar Company website

Though fretboard oil is not necessary for the long term-term maintenance of fretboards, occasional use is not harmful. As with cleaners, polishes and waxes, only use well-known brands made specifically for guitars, and be sure to follow instructions.
Bourgeois Guitars website

If the fingerboard becomes gummy, rub it lightly with 0000 steel wool. Clean off any left-over steel wool fragments, then apply mineral oil. Finally, wipe down the fingerboard with a dry cotton cloth. If the fingerboard appears dry or cracked, you should first take a humidity measurement to ensure the instrument is being stored under suitable conditions. If you find that the environment is too dry, establish proper humidity as needed, and then follow the procedure above.

Breedlove Guitar website
Once a year or so, depending on use, you may want to remove the strings and clean the fretboard and frets. Use #0000 steel wool and rub with the grain up and down the fretboard then apply a few drops of fret board and bridge with a paper towel. You may purchase fretboard oil at music stores or through mail order (we use Dr. Ducks brand).

Goodall guitars website
For care and cleaning of your Lowden guitar's fine ebony fingerboard we recommend that you thoroughly clean it (as above) when re-stringing and periodically use a fine, specially formulated fingerboard oil to keep it nourished and feeling great.

Lowden Guitars website
After cleaning, I occasionally apply a dab of lemon oil to the fingerboard, using a soft rag. Don't use oil everytime you change strings; use it only when the fingerboard is dry and in need of it - perhaps several times per year for the average player. If the wood seems exceptionally dry after cleaning, it needs the lemon oil.

Dan Erlewine. Repair Guide, 3rd edition
The fingerboard, by the way, receives no finish, except for a rubbed-in application of lard oil.

Dick Boak, Fine Woodworking Magazine article "Martin Guitar's Finish for rosewood", 1983

elementlax · February 24th, 2009, 10:06 AM

doesnt that lemon juice crap form the grocery store work
you know the stuff in the green bottle with the yellow lid

thaus · February 24th, 2009, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elementlax

doesnt that lemon juice crap form the grocery store work
you know the stuff in the green bottle with the yellow lid

That's lemon juice.......will probably dry things out rather than condition!

asc67 · February 24th, 2009, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thaus

Exactly.......use what works for you!! This is another one of those subjective topics that will never get complete agreement! I think what we can all agree on is that it is helpful to condition a rosewood board once a year just to keep it looking good and not looking too dry.

I agree

midifarm · February 24th, 2009, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elementlax

doesnt that lemon juice crap form the grocery store work
you know the stuff in the green bottle with the yellow lid

Yeah ummm, that's lemon JUICE. That can react with your frets and strings, corrode and rust. NOT recommended.