Fretboard Finishing Oil
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 มิ.ย. 2010
- Dan Erlewine applies a thin protective finish on the fretboard of a 1953 Gibson J50.
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This is like this old House for guitars. Dan is the man
@azfryguy
From Erick Coleman: "I've got two different routines. On my own guitar I prefer an unfinished board, so I'll clean it with lemon oil, which leaves no finish build up but still conditions the board. For customers who prefer a finished board, my last step is fretboard finishing oil."
Thank you Professor Farnsworth
@mitchellsonguitars I'm sorry, but we're not able to ship any flammable items outside the U.S.
I read in an article, on Spanish guitars they put petroleum jelly in rosewood fretboard, is that true? What happens when petroleum jelly is applied??
Is it ok to add a stainer to this oil to darken a rosewood fretboard ?
@azfryguy From Erick Coleman: “Our fretboard finishing oil is not a cleaner, your fretboard should be cleaned thoroughly before application. Naphtha can also be used as a cleaner before applying our fretboard finishing oil. But I most often use lemon oil to clean and condition fretboards."
Do I need to wear gloves with this? Will it work with the StewMac cotton clothes? Please answer soom I am going to buy this stuff and needto know if I need to get gloves and clothes. Thank you!
Does the oil also take or makes the scratch marks on the neck come off?
Is this oil also a cleaner? I am going to buy some but I do not know if it cleans and if it doesnt clean what will naptha?
I used it on my bridge to give it a nice dark colour. I wasn't sure if it would be a problem, thanks for clarifying that it isn't.
It’s fantastic on the bridge.
@stewartmacdonald So Lemon oil then Stewmac finishing oil is your most common routine?
Martin says you can clean yourfretboard with 0000 steel wool and use 3 in 1 oil on fretboard then just use soft dry cloth to remove any access oil.. and this should be done once or twice a year.
I wonder if this would work on a rosewood neck as a light finish?
Hi. I have a question. Should I oil my fretboard before installing frets? It's a new guitar that's never had frets in it before. I don't think the fretboard has ever been treated either. I'm using boiled linseed oil. Thanks.
What did you do in the end?
I just purchased some along with Norton*0000 synthetic steel wool pads. My rosewood fret board is going to look nice and be dirt and finger cheese and humidity resistant. Woo hoo!
@jasonr123guitar Dan says, "I'm a darn good pourer."
Just stained my fingerboard a while ago and noticed it looks a bit dull. ...like a matte black. What should I use to make it more shiny/gloss like?
Did you figure it out? You can use a little mineral oil on it.. But it will dry out again.. I'm looking into a more permanent solution.. Perhaps tru oil
What do you use to Treat/Condition an Unfinished Maple Suhr neck? How often should it be done? I get so many Confusing answers. Any input on this?
You never use anything on a maple fingerboard because they are usually finished with a layer of nitro or poly. If they are unfinished the guitar was designed to be that way and you still shouldn't use any cleaners or oils because maple doesn't need it and usually is so tightly grained that it won't accept its anyway, I believe maple is hydrophilic!
A lightly water damped cloth will clean an unfinished maple fingerboard with no issues I do it all the time on my Van Halen tribute guitars I built and on all of my super Strats with unfinished maple necks.
How does water get in the fingerboard when you humidify it if you've sealed it?
I don’t think it’s a hard seal. A hard seal would be like a paint like substance
Seems like everybody and nobody is an expert on what to clean and oil your fretboard with.
@enoughzenough - I'll stick with linseed oil. Petroleum products make frets lift.
The best cleaner is just plain hot water (as hot as you can get it). Just damper a cloth and rub the fretboard in the same direction as the frets run (so as not to snag the cloth on any fret ends), the hot water helps loosen the dirt, oil and finger goo, you'll be able to see it come off on the cloth. Let dry thououghly.
I use soap water with dish soap and then I scrub hard with a plastic type of dish sponge. It gives hard friction to the fret board but no damage since it’s plastic. After drying I finish off with a fret conditioning oil. The key to a clean guitar is to monitor it. Don’t let it too long with no cleanup
Im not sure but ive read over & over again that when conditioning the fretboard the best is go with the grain of the wood `not being done here.Maybe it doesnt matter but its just what ive read to do when applying oil.
What is your opinion on those who say that because it tries it now stops you from treating the actual dry would under neith the thin finish. And over years you won't be getting through because you put it on and now it's layered
I think it would seal the ebony then when dries out from weather, time it would be difficult to get natural oils back in. Then pay lutheier to fix it win win gor stewmac. Im not a wood expert but tung oil on body and humidify from inside but cat do that to fretboard.
:23 ? I cannot believe that. Any liquid (oil, whatever) would necessarily seep into cracks and pores and I have put lemon oil on my homemade guitar a lot from around 1982 to 84 and it does go into the wood and I could tell that because when I scalloped the fretboard some 30 years later, the wood of the TOP of the fretboard was considerably darker than that underneath it. I believe oil does soften the wood over decades. Maybe this is a SPECIAL kind of oil? I just cannot understand how this would act differently than any other type of wood oil. ? Any physics Ph.D.s who can explain?
Anyway, this is why I never put any kind of oil on there. Just keep your hands clean, and wipe the fretboard with a CLEANER/DEGREASER to remove any finger crud. Rosewood is a pretty hard wood anyway. I'd say if you want it darker, maybe stain it instead. Just my thoughts. What do I know?
TruthSurge I agree, over oiling could definitely have consequences in the long run. The only oil you really need should be from your fingertips from playing, and your right washing and having clean hands before playing is definitely beneficial. Maybe if one isn't played for a year or more and neglected it could benefit from a few drops to keep the fretboard from getting too dry. I've checked your videos out by the way Truth you play really well, keep rocking my friend.
It's because it evaporates so quickly. It may get into pores initially, but it's ultimately inconsequential as any liquid in the solution will be gone in minutes. The only thing leftover would be the solids it leaves behind. Those are what act like a sealant/protectant and why it feels glossy afterwards. I agree most oils are unnecessary and some even harmful, but the StewMac stuff is actually completely different than what is usually sold for fretboards.
Dan, do you or the folks at Stewmac have an idea how to get this stuff to Europe? A.f.a.I.k. these substances cannot travel via air freight...
What kind of oil is that?
Ever heard of mineral oil a.k.a (baby oil) ? Cost me .99 cents & lasted 20+yrs. Just bought a new one last year for $1.99, works great. Warm damp rag to remove the crud when you change the strings, mineral oil, wipe off with an old shirt. Done.
Is it the same for an ebony fretboard?
The Fretboard Finishing Oil works great on a variety of unfinished woods (i.e. rosewood, ebony, granadillo).
Hey, Dan! Is the bridge's name Lloyd, Beau or Jeff?
Are you really saying that the fretboard has no effect on the tone of an acoustic guitar?
It's not necessary, but it's not harmful either unless you're using furniture polish or something. Lemon oil and mineral oil are fine. If it's a finished maple fretboard, it's completely unnecessary.
whats in it?
@MusicToMyEars36 - Nope. You just clean the the fretboard with some lighter fluid(Zippo/Ronson) and a toothbrush, then call it a day
How about using wood block oil?
In rosewood, I usually apply a little every string change... Before that... If the rosewood has dried out.
This is more like linseed or tru oil though.. Probay a bit more diluted than either though.
They actually did this back in the day. It was called Ebonizing.
Got this tip from Charvel guitars, the good old petroleum jelly Vaseline does the job just as well.
I have a Martin D 18..Someone offered me 500.00 should I take it..I found it in a garage clean out along with a Fender Telecaster.Someone told me it’s from 1952 but I have no idea what year it is.He said he can tell by the pick ups and bridge.You can tell that the guitar strings are very old.Probably the same strings it came with.He said he wanted to take the neck off to check under it for some reason but I wouldn’t let him.
Unfortunately, there's just no way to accurately appraise an instrument without being able to inspect it first hand. However, depending on the instrument's condition, if it's really from 1952 it could be worth quite a bit. The reason the person you spoke with wanted to remove the neck is because Fender stamped a series of numbers on the neck's heel that indicate when it was built. To have your guitars appraised, we recommend taking them to a local music shop. Even if the shop cannot appraise the instruments for you, they likely know someone who can.
I just got done doing a fret job and have tried plain water on my MIM strat the rosewood looks dried out.
Is darkwood Old English polish safe for rosewood-ebony fretboards?
+DALE97DSM no
@mitchellsonguitars = i have the same problem, what does everyone have again Australia!
alfalfasprout69 o
@jwandhistools Other than this random family, find a place that says it's a good idea. Just a google search reveals it is almost unanimously considered a bad idea. Food grade oil can spoil when in a bottle, I don't want material that can rot to be on my fretboard.
Dear Sir
Thanks for your nice program. pls lead me! i am new in guitar making and i am going to make an electric guitar for my self! (pls dont laugh) i dont know the differ between multi scale and single scale fretboard
I've read all comments here and as an apprentice of guitar works I agree with most. But my opinion is that you use the technique that best suits you or what desired finish you want. Some turn opaque some shinny and some are just plain disgusting... Why listen to an arrogant man say don't use oil, while professional luthiers recommend it. Bottom line do what you want as long as you achieve the goal, keep the fretboard hydrated.
Do you clean with naphtha before applying an oil?
It's always a good idea to clean any surface before applying finish to it. Naphtha is a great solvent for removing waxes, grime, and oils built up on your fingerboard that would otherwise hinder the application of the ColorTone Fretboard Finishing Oil.
Thank you for your reply. I want to clean up a used guitar I just got. There is so much contradiction with what to use on the fretboard. I want the previous owners funk removed. I dont know where his fingers have been. Yes Im one of those people. I have been watching youtube videos and what one person swears by another says the opposite. There were several people who were putting coat after coat of oil untill the fretboard wouldn't accept anymore. What I have learned so far is there are different scenarios to approach the reasoning for the fretboard maintaiance weather its a new guitar with fresh wood, a dried out fretboard or just plain nasty. My case being a used guitar in good shape and wanting to remove the previous players stuff and condition the fretboard. My fretboard is Rosewood and I think I will just clean with moist towel and then use Music Nomad F One oil very lightly. I do understand the oils with eveaporatives are way different than just plain oils that soak in way too deep. I think I might make a video on all that I have learned covering these different scenarios and the different approaches to fretboard maintenance.
Mineral oil works just as great
Yeah, black paint.
Is that what I really said? Not going any farther down this trail, happy picking and playing to you all!
Funny reading all the comments from guitarist that don't know what they are talking about and think they know it all.
+Tod Gilding #FACT
Tod,
Yep....I do know it all and yet no one ever knocks on my door and asks for a opinion.
That just proves how stupuud peple ar.
I thought the same. The only way you will ever know for sure is if you have tried it yourself.
@@bobsullivan5714 an opinion... stupid people are... What phone do you have? Lol. Is spell checking an optional extra when you buy a phone?
@@andreungerer3531
You really didn't understand the comment? You're kidding. Right???
@jwandhistools Terrible idea. You may have gotten lucky but it is a food product. If it gets humid where you live you can get bacteria to grow, especially in deep grained wood.
Why would you want to put a finish on an unfinished fretboard?
It is not a "finish" you poes. It is to prevent the wood from being dry. Like you.
To finish it, I dunno, I just built a bass from a kit and the maple fretboard is the only bit I left unfinished, its bare wood no sealer or nothing, the rest is all coated (dye, sealer, nitro top coat).
I don't know if I should finish the fretboard at all, or with what? I don't want to use nitro I have but not sure if oil is ok... Can you tell me what to do Hysteriaskull please?
@@philliusphoggwick8299 Maple fretboards are usually finished. I’d use whatever you used on the rest of the neck. It’s worked for Fender for the last 68 years. 😁
Stewmac uses a mix of linseed oil and sth. else. Probably a hardening component such as tung oil. Meanwhile I got myself raw linseed oil from a healthfood store which works fine. And Leonardo is dead (unfortunately) and besides he used linseed oil varnish which isn't exactly the same and not recommondable for fretboards
And there are the Taylor guitar people who brag about keeping it in its case. Taylor guitar company with Hydrate Hydrate because Taylor tops are thin, sounding good new but it will crack. Style and attack of the picker plus fresh strings makes the tone of a guitar. Fretboard wood making tone is really a non-issue. My attitude is play it and "A guitar in a case is a waste". Tone changes with time and the wood used. Extremes should be avoided. This is all my opinion and experience of course.THX!
Linseed oil is much cheaper and works considerably better. It just doesn't smell as nice.
Tung oil and linseed oil are both finishes. They actually harden. If you fill the pores of an otherwise natural wood with a substance that hardens, you change the mass of the wood it's made from. The only thing I would use is a light oil that naturally hydrates the wood without altering the sound of the guitar.
Putting a sealer onto a new ebony fretboard or old seems wrong. On a guitar yes but not ebony fretboard. I think?
Trust me, no oil in this universe will change the sound of your electric guitar, and if you choose to differ, please do some technical analysis and you will see. Tone wood and the likes is bullshit. An electric guitar produces sound from the resonating strings, gets picked up from the "pickups" and gets amplified. That is it. The only variable when "plugged in" to an amplifier will be the sustain (how long the note lasts).
@@andreungerer3531 Totally wrong. The Tonewoods in a build determine HOW a string vibrates. A string in and of itself has no inherent resonant peak. We proved this every day at Parker by building guitars to an insane tolerance out of basswood, poplar, mahogany, butternut, tulip wood and maple all of which sounded very different from one another.
@@Hysteriskull There are actual scientific experiments that proof what I am saying. Do you have proof or just winging it to promote your brand? I am open to ANY scientific proof you can present please.
@@andreungerer3531 So you're saying that an alder strat and a swamp ash strat with the same pickups and hardware played by the same person through the same gear sound exactly the same........
Nitrocellulose is a finish, oil is not much of a finish. Natural hydrater for wood would be water but the wood is dead! Tung oil hardens yes but a light amount and I did say to wipe it off. So it comes down to choice really and as far as sound I do not believe the tonal qualities would be altered at all. Consider the damage and ruination to a guitar comes from playing them. Fretboard and frets wear, the neck needs reset, sound hole scuffs from picks, play them or display them I say! more...
I would use vodka. Then I would drink some more. Now I don’t drink. As a wood worker, I would think a damp cloth would be fine. But water can raise the grain in most wood species, so be careful to keep it lightly dampened. Following up with oil would be more nourishing to a dry piece of wood. So a combination of the two would probably do the trick I think. Wipe it down with a damp cloth, then a very light coating of the aforementioned fast drying oil. If the fretboard is really dry, the oils from your fingers would not be nearly enough IMO. My two cents for what it’s worth.
I put lemon and oil on one half and fretboard finishing oil on their other. I just stood on the surface and did nothing for the wood.
"food safe" mineral oil - true spirit is what you want.
Someone beat to crap that j50
He looks like sir Alex ferguson
huh?
Who is putting a finish on a fretboard? He is using an oil to treat the wood. Rosewood as all woods become dry and smudged with finger oil and dirt. Clean it with lighter fluid which break down oils then apply a light coat of tung oil. Wait a few minutes then rub it off thoroughly with a clean dry cloth. A second application of tung oil may be required but that depends on how dry it was to begin with.
This guy smoked weed with Jimi back in the day!
Everyone in the comments are overthinking everything. They're brains are gonna explode from thinking about things that have never happened! Give your brains a rest and have fun with your instrument! 😫
I just clean mine with water.
That's all you need man . It works perfectly
This is about finishing a fretboard, not cleaning it. Although, in the process, it is cleaning some gunk off.
Tung oil. Cheaper and exactly the same.
People, so-called "Lemon Oil" is not lemon-based at all, it's actually just lemon-scented mineral oil. Mineral oil is basically baby oil. I liken it to tire shine. It looks great when it's wet, but once it dries it looks dull and your fingerboard is only moisturized as long as it has the oil on it. Also, although it will seep into the crevices of the wood grain, it will not actually be absorbed by the pores of the wood itself. For this, the best thing to use is BORE OIL. They use it for the inside of woodwind instruments, but it's also marketed as a fretboard oil as well. This stuff actually gets soaked up into the wood because it's plant-based instead of petroleum-based like so-called Lemon Oil. Once the oil evaporates off of the wood, the wood is still moisturized and dark because the fibers and cells of the wood have actually absorbed it. I swear by the stuff, and it's a lot less expensive than this StewMac fretboard finishing oil. I have bought that before too, it's certainly better than "lemon" oil but it's no where near as good as the Bore Oil. Nothing is!
I've been playing guitar for 50 years,I never oiled a fretboard and have no problems
This is not a good wood hydrater .. the goal is to have all the wood same moisture level so this isn't good to condition wood.
"food safe" mineral oil - true spirit is oil that is good for your body and no dryers to prevent future applicatoins
Try human blood. Gives a nice tack.
And the whole of human kind is giving their ten cents wort of something they don't know fuckall about...
Then use plain mineral oil just like is shown in this video, it works exactly the same. It dries quickly and doesn't leave the fretboard tacky. It's very inexpensive and can be found in most Pharmacies, it's apparently used by some people as a laxative... go figure.
Yeah... don't lick your fretboard after applying it.
Tooth brush and bio-degradable degreaser.
Scott Grove says to NEVER apply any oil on the fretboard!
+TheTSina Scott Grove is a major douche.
Scott Grove says a lot of things. Most of them I would ignore, sorry, all of them I would ignore. Dan Erlewine is like the Buddha of guitar maintenance and repair. He really knows his stuff. If you are going to apply anything to your rosewood fret board, I'd go with what Dan has got to say.
Actually, I'm a God and you should be thanking me for every word I print and every video I put out. Just because YOU don't "get it" everything is ALWAYS 100% true. You are simply biting the hand that feeds you.
@@groovydjs Take a hike.
DO NOT OIL YOUR FINGERBOARD folks. Just a bit of water (about a dozen drops or so) on a rag and clean that thing right up. Humidifiers use water....humidity is water.... how does a tree grow...water (not by dumping oil on it). For people who say NOT to put any water on your fingerboard to clean it....you are putting WAY LESS on there to clean it than what gets on there in 1 single day of properly humidifying it. So....water your guitar....humidity....ever heard of it? NO OILS. Just makes sense....not "That's what my daddy told me to do" or the same crap from COMPANIES wanting to sell you oil tell you. For those who don't believe me, stop putting water in every humidifier you own, otherwise you are getting water on your fingerboard.....go put oil in your humidifiers and see how well it does.
I absolutely agree. The ebony and rosewood fretboards on a couple of high end acoustic guitars I have owned for over 40 year still look great and not a drop of oil used on them ever. I've always been anal about keeping my things nice, many years ago I got into the habit of wiping down a guitar (including the fretboard) with a clean soft cloth every time after playing it, dirt never has a chance to build up on it. There is enough natural oil transferred from a persons fingers, no extra oil needed.
Oil is fine. People have been using for centuries.
@@ramencurry6672 People have been raping their family members for centuries as well.
Never use oil . Use a cloth and water . Please . Oil is not good for it no matter what people say . My god spit on it if you have to . Don't put more oil in the fretboard then you already do with your hands .