How to clean a dirty Fingerboard Bass Guitar Three different ways
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- Опубликовано: 4 окт 2024
- How to clean a dirty Fingerboard Bass Guitar Three different ways.
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Nikola Petrek
Luthier & Zupfinstrumentenmacher/ Gitarrenbauer aus Frankfurt am Main
petrekguitars.com
Facebook: / petrek-guitars
Instagram: / petrekguitars
If you use steel wool, tape off those pickups to protect from lil fuzzy bits.
Thanks for your advice. This is what I do..Best Regards Nik
Thanks for sharing your experience. Best Regards Nik
If you use steel wool, you will regret that the day you convert your restricted bass into a fantastic fretless one. You do not want potholes in the fingerboard. No!
yeah i actually advise againat using steel wool, regardless of fret's metal type
Just wash your hands before playing
Don’t let it get that dirty in first place.
Thanks for your comment. The owner is a Bike Mechanic:-) Best Regards Nik
Rule of thumb.... wash your hands with soap before playing
@@damaco78 Thats good advice🙂 Best Regards Nik
Good advice but not realistic. Instruments that get played a lot by everyday people are going to get dirty. It's actually a good thing because it means the instrument is actually being played and not just left in a case.
@@N0B0DY_SP3C14L I have guitars I’ve been playing consistently for 40 yrs that are not even close to this dirty, so to say “it’s not realist” is not that case for people who take care and are not slobs. 😂
Don't sleep on the steel wool (if you're looking for it, get 0000). Also works great for shining up chrome, and cleaning up frets before polish.
Thanks for sharing your experience. Best Regards Nik
steel wool ftw
Steel wool should never come into contact with your guitar, i dont care how good youve taped the neck off guitar quackery did a video about this, he used a microscope unfortunately he could see various amounts of shavings in the fretboard
@@ernestochang1744 Couldn't find it, can you give me the title?
And considering luthiers have been using steel wool since it's invention, I think I'll be fine.
@@freednighthawk Well some things have to change, we've already been warned about the steel wool shavings getting into our pickups for over 20 years im not sure i'd want that anywhere near my frets either, gets some stewmac fret erasers to polish
ruclips.net/video/4gB36m1gvs8/видео.html
Please do not use acetone especially if you have binding. It can/will melt your binding. It’s also overly harsh to just remove the gunk. If you have to use a solvent, use something like naptha.
Thanks for sharing your experience Kale. Best Regards Nik
Naphtha is better.
I always use steel wool in my workshop. Been using it over 40 years now. Never a problem.
Thanks for your feedback. Yes steelwool works very fine. Best Regards Nik
People clean your instruments up ! Maintenance goes along way. I would not make someone else clean up my DNA like that not mojo just nasty
That’s a gorgeous Wal. Nothing sounds or plays like a Wal.
That true John. Great Instrument. Best Regards Nik
Nothing also costs like a wal
@@BillyBob-wg7yb indeed. 🤣🤣
@@BillyBob-wg7yb That's true..Cheers Nik
Naphtha (lighter fluid) works best. Finish friendly, dissolves the gunk instantly and evaporates in seconds.
Thanks a lot for sharing your experience. Yes naphtha is great for cleaning stuff. Best Regards Nik
Beltsander, the way to go!
Thanks for sharing your experience. Best Regards Nik
I always use an angle grinder!
Just run it along the bandsaw. If you nick the truss rod, you’re just a bit too deep.
Chainsaw is good for next to the frets
Oh my goodness! The Gunk on that thing!
Yes this was a dirty one:-) Cheers Nik
@@petrekguitars and you did a great job cleaning it up! Looks way better!
Thanks a lot Mate👍🕺🏻
I used 0000 steel wool on my acoustics and electrics for over 10 years of regular cleaning, finally looked in the soundhole and there was so much steel wool lint inside, I vacuumed it out and even then not all of it has come out, you need tweezers to get everything.
It's even worse on magnetic pickups, it'll get inside the pickup and short somewhere you can't fix, killing the pickup.
3M makes Brillo looking abrasive pads, buy the yellow/gold one. About the same scrub time and it won't hurt your instruments like steel wool
Thanks for sharing your experience. Yes you can get very good results wit 0000 SteelWool. But you have to clean the Instrument and the Workshop. Best Regards Nik
Thanks bro
Should probably wear a mask too. That crap is so fine it gets on everything everywhere.
That Wal is beautiful
Yes these are amazing Instruments. Best Regards Nik
With every change of strings (done 1 to 3 times a year) I clean the rosewood fretboard with a soft brush, warm water and a little bit of mild hand soap. I make the brush wet and use a littIe bit of soap only on the brush. I do it quick so that the wood does not get too wet. Although I remember my old Jazz Bass I once had seemed to not care about getting wet at all, I want to keep the risk low.
Then I immediately wipe it several times with a light wet cotton rag where I change sides after every wipe in order to get off the soap as best as possible. I use a dry cotton rag and wipe it dry afterwords.
Finally I use small amounts of good mild fretboard oil and put on a tiny bit on the fret board in order to prevent it from getting dry and wipe it off with a clean cotton rag. I did not do it to my old JB back then and it was dry as hell - but it didn't do it any harm though - just sayin.
Thats the way I have always a clean fretboard.
Thank you so much for your feedback and for sharing your way to clean a Fretboard. You are welcome. Best Regards Nik
I use toothbrush and furniture polish . No metal scrapers , no solvents .
@@whitemaneric4548 Thanks for sharing your favorite method. Best Regards Nik
Contact cleaner spray for electric / motherboard. It dissolves oil / grease / dirty fat without damaging the surface. And it evaporates quickly.
Thanks a lot for watching and for sharing your experiences. Best Regards Nik
I use steel wool, and then a magnet to clean up after. Works great. The steel wool also gives a great finish to the fretboard and shines up the frets.
Thanks a lot for your Feedback and for sharing your experience. Best Regards Nik
Acetone cam melt certain plastics, lighter fluid/naphtha doesn't melt plastics and evaporates too quickly to damage most finishes.
Thanks for your Feedback. That's absolutely correct thanks for sharing your experience. Best Regards Nik
Never EVER clean your bass fingerboard!! That's where the funk is!
🙂 True... Best Regards Nik
🤢
@@qwerty6789x Thanks for your comment. Cheers Nik
Sounds like a song 🎶
I think you misspelled "gunk".
PERFECT & EXCELLENT 😂😅😮
Thanks a lot for your feedback George. Best Regards Nik
GOD BLESS YOU
@@GEORGE_JATZ Thank you so much Mate. Best Regards Nik
Easiest thing to find that works is a heavy pick. Some designs have sharp edges and are great for removing dirt. And it's plastic, so there is no way to damage the fretboard. It is not the best or fastest but it's something that works pretty well.
Thanks a lot for watching and for sharing your experience Mate. Yes this works also very good 🕺🏻👍You are welcome. Best Regards Nik
NO WAY YOU HAVE A WAL. THATS MY DREAM BASS
It’s not mine 🥹owned by a good friend of mine 👍Best Regards Nik
If youre worried about steel wool dust clinging to your pickup magnets you can also use brass or bronze or copper wool
Thanks for sharing your experience. Best Regards Nik
steel wool works, you just need to put some painters tape over your pickups. once you are finished, place another piece of painters tape over the tape already on the pickups to pickup any shavings. old trick.
Thanks a lot for your feedback and for sharing your experience 🙏👍Best Regards Nik
Bet that wal sounds great
Thanks for your Feedback. Oh yes it does. Check out my RUclips Shorts there is a Soundcheck Video from this amazing Instrument. Best Regards Nik
The beautiful thing about a bolt on neck is that you can take it off with very little effort. It's very difficult to get particles of steel wool caught up in the pickups if they're on the other side of the room from the fret board.
Thanks for your feedback Andrew👍That’s absolutely correct. Best Regards Nik
You can tell that that base has been well loved
Thanks for your feedback. Best Regards Nik
Love Wal Basses… ❤️ and of course, your fabulous work… 🤓✌️🫶
Thanks a lot Mate. You are welcome. Cheers Nik
Very oddly relaxing, how long have you played guitar?
Thanks a lot for your positive feedback Addie🙏👍I started with 12 years it’s 40 years now …. Best Regards Nik
So many guitar experts lol
Thanks a lot John. You are welcome. Best Regards Nik
Lighter fluid works well to remove the mojo from guitars.
Thanks a lot for sharing your experience. This is also a great way to remove the dirty 👍You are welcome. Best Regards Nik
step one : don’t touch poopoo and touch guitar
Thanks for your Feedback. Best Regards Nik
Scraping is by far my favourite, especially on ebony you get a very even, shiny look which I was not able to reach with other techniques
Thanks a lot for watching and for sharing your experience 👍Best Regards Nik
My dream bass
I agree this a re amazing Instruments. Best Regards Nik
Use old English lemon oil, and old cotton rag
Thanks for your Feedback. Yes Lemon Oil is great. Best Regards Nik
I think that is best for dry wood.
I use plastic scrapers made at home, they dont damage wood at all cuz the material is softer than wood.
Thanks a lot for your comment. That’s a good way to remove the dirt 👍Best Regards Nik
On RW boards , I apply the lemon oil to the 0000 steel wool, clean the fb , then wipe off with a microfibre
Thanks for sharing your experience 👍Best Regards Nik
You can use steel wool as long as you cover all the electronics. I use plastic sandwich bags with scotch tape. When dusting off make sure to have newspaper or similar product beneath the guitar for it to all land on. Then wad it and discard it.
@@lynnglidewell7367 Thanks a lot for watching and for sharing your experience. Yes that’s also a good way to make them clean 👍You are welcome. Best Regards Nik
here's proper etiquette always wash your hands before you touch your guitar .
It doesnt matter. You will continuously leave dead skin and skin oil. The only thing you can do is clean it regularly and not let it build up like this
It’s simple: you wipe down your fingerboard before you put new strings on. I bet you a crate of beer those strings haven’t been changed since the time of William the Conqueror.
That’s a good idea 😉🕺🏻👍Best Regards Nik
Thanks for your feedback. That’s absolutely correct. Regular maintenance will avoid this situation 🥴👍Best Regards Nik
I guess rubbing it with colin and then putting lemon oil will be better than scraping the wood surface.
Thanks a lot for your feedback and for sharing your method 🕺🏻👍Best Regards Nik
Use a little oil with the steel wool and it doesn’t get everywhere. I use lemon oil with it and it works great
Thanks for sharing your experience, I will try this out👍Best Regards Nik
Oh man, the Wahl bass! That’s the holy grail right there. Fun fact: Give It Away by RHCP was recorded on one of these.
Yes this are really amazing Instruments. Thanks for sharing. Best Regards Nik
I'm all set with scratching all the finish off my fretboard
Thanks for your Feedback. Best Regards Nik
With that much dirt, that Wal must felt good to play with.
Regarding the steel wool, don't ever use it in your shop if you don't have a powerful vacuum cleaner. You should also wear a mask while using it, as you may inhale some of it. Not very fun to have them in your lungs. 😂
Thanks a lot for your feedback and for sharing your experience 👍🕺🏻Best Regards Nik
You forgot the 4th thing -
Wash hands in first place
Thanks for your reminder :-) Best Regards Nik
Love those basses
These are incredible Instruments. Best Regards Nik
Come up a treat Nik,beautiful👌
Thanks a lot Mate. Cheers Nik
Love Wal basses
Me too, these are amazing Instruments. Best Regards Nik
I just use Naptha and a micro-fiber towel. By the time you see Acetone degradation it's too late.
Than ks for sharing your experience. Best Regards Nik
Damn i think 1 year of playing won't make it enough to that level
Thanks for your feedback. The owner is a bike mechanic 😉👍Best Regards Nik
Murphy's Oil Soap and yes, play guitars with clean hands and fingers LOL!
Thanks for your feedback and your advice 👍Best Regards Nik
I've been telling people for years and people think I'm joking' the easiest way to clean a fret board is to use a pickled hogs knuckle' the vinegar from the knuckle will loosen up the dirt and grime on the fret board and also will remove tarnish from the frets' take the hide side of the knuckle and scrub the fret board and frets' wipe clean and then use the side that has the fat on it to condition the fret board and polish the frets to a mirror finish' wipe clean with a dry cloth. Fast and easy and lot less complicated.
Hey Bryan, thanks a lot for your Feedback. Never hear about this but it sound amazing..Yes vinegar is great for cleaning and it's absolutely natural. Thanks for sharing your experience. Best Regards Nik
Wait, is this advice or a recipe?
Non chlor brake cleaner/ liquid butane might work, acetone will destroy any cheaper polyurethane finish always spot test before using solvents.
Thanks for sharing your experience, that's absolutely correct. Best Regards Nik
Thanks for sharing these useful tips. Although scraping might seem a little harsh, it is sometimes the most effective method for cleaning off years of hardened gunk.
Thanks for watching and sharing your experience. Best Regards Nik
@@petrekguitars You are most welcome, Nik.
@@bluesguy62 Thanks Mate
@@petrekguitars 🤗
Heard naptha oil works well too but use it sparingly.
That’s absolutely correct. Thanks for sharing your experience. Best Regards Nik
gunk keeps the funk bro 😎
That's absolutely correct:-) 👍Cheers Nik
Meu amigo veio no meu lado viu o vídeo e disse:
-*que guitarra maneira*
- 💀
Thank you so much for your Feedback. Best Regards Nik
If it's for a Rosewood board use Simple Green all purpose cleaner. For Maple use Ronsonol lighter fluid. Both work like a charm and don't leave residue.
Thanks for sharing your experience. Best Regards Nik
You can buy polycarbonate scrapers that are shaped just like metal razor blades, except they are made of plastic. They are perfect for this sort of thing and they are much less likely to accidentally cause damage.
Thanks a lt for sharing your experience. Best Regards Nik
Omg…. you’re telling me that’s GUNK and not just the finish wearing off? I’m gonna go throw up and then clean my guitar neck…. 😭😭😭
Thanks for your Feedback. Yes that's just the dirt... The owner is a Bike Mechanic 🙂Best Regards Nik
The brown goo must have been all the beers he spilled..🤣🤣
This is realistic:-) Cheers Nik
Dang all that work for a "wall hanger" I want to see the ones he really goes in on lol
Thanks for your Feedback. The owner is a great bass player and plays it nearly every day. Best Regards Nik
Steel wool with a spush of vaseline is great too
That sounds great 👍🕺🏻Best Regards Nik
That's not dirt. That is abusing the guitar. How can a finger board get so dirty?
Thanks for your Feedback. The owner is a Bike mechanic🙂Best Regards Nik
Sick bass!!
Thanks for your Feedback. Cheers Nik
@@petrekguitars Is that your Wal or a client's?
@@N0B0DY_SP3C14L It´s from a Customer ... Best Regards Nik
@PetrekGuitars I have gotten some great results using a soft bristle brush like a child's toothbrush and a tea tree oil cleaner! I've also used windex and it worked but I can't stand the smell...lol.
Thanks a lot for your Feedback and for sharing your experience. Best Regards Nik
I use only Gibson Polish.
This is very clean give it a try.
Your fingerboard will look amazing.
Thanks for sharing your experience. Best Regards Nik
I sparky some orange glo and then scrape it off with a pick.
Thanks for your feedback. That’s also a option 👍Best Regards Nik
I use a media blaster (like a paint sprayer) set to 25 psi with a medium flow rate. It takes off the layers in no time
Thanks for sharing this method. Sounds interesting. Best Regards Nik
If you can scrape it off with a pick, it’s gunk. If you can’t, it’s mojo. 🎸
Thanks a lot for your Feedback. That's also a way to do it .... Best Regards Nik
Eu uso palito de madeira de picolé para retirar o sujo. Funciona bem!!
Thanks for sharing your method. Muchas Gracias Nik
Wal ❤️
Yes… amazing Instruments. Best Regards Nik
fun fact... guitar fingerboard prints are technically cheat codes...
Yes that absolutely correct :-) Best Regards Nik
washing your hands before playing is also a method hehe
That's good advice 🙂 Cheers Nik
Acetone is a no no with nitrocellulose, if you have a guitar with a nitro finish, acetone is like bathing in hydrochloride acid but for a guitar
That’s correct 👍Best Regards Nik
@@petrekguitars thanks!
Top
Thanks a lot. Cheers Nik
What was the liquid?
Which one do you mean? I wash it with Acetone but you have to be very careful because it can damage the laquer and the dots. And then I use lemon oil for the protection. Best Regards Nik
@@petrekguitars is there's something else instead of acetone?
And i am trying to learn these things so, can you also tell me that can we use sand paper to level fret instead of file?
@@shuvroahmedadip4087 You can also use Naphtha 👍Check out my RUclips Telecaster New Frets there you can follow the whole process of Feet leveling 👍Best Regards Nik
โห๋...ไม่เคยทำความสะอาดนานแค่ไหนเนี่ย
Thanks for your Feedback.Cheers Nik
How could someone let such a nice and insanely expensive bass get to that point?!
The owner is a bike mechanic 😉Best Regards Nik
I usually use a razor blade. After that I wipe the fretboard with some rubbing alcohol or naphtha.
Thanks for sharing your experience. This is a very good was to clean a Fretboard. Best Regards Nik
I use soap on hand before playing
This is a very good idea🙂 Best Regards Nik
3M Light Duty Hand pads and mineral oil is a 1000× easier and works just as good.
Thanks for your Feedback and for sharing your cleaning method. Best Regards Nik
Steel wool is just fine.
If you know how to use it.🎉
That’s absolutely correct 🕺🏻👍You are welcome. Best Regards Nik
Experimenting on a Wal !! Piper at the Gate of Dawn. Take No Prisoners !!!
Thanks for your Feedback. No Experiments this is how I clean the Fretboard:-) Best Regards Nik
The dirt shows off amount of hours spent on it. That bass easily shows 1000+ hours on it.
Thanks for your feedback. I have to say the owner is a bike mechanic 😉👍Best Regards Nik
Instructions unclear i have a scalloped fetboard now
This Fretboard cleaning processes are just for Fretboard recommended that are "not lacquered".
Best Regards Nik
PLEASE DON'T USE THE BLADE!!!
Personally, I would recommend using a small brush with guitar fret cleaner instead of using the blade, this way you save yourself the trouble of deforming the radius of the Fingerboard over time, and use the steel wool to give a better finish to the frets
Thanks a lot for watching my content and for your Feedback. Yes you are correct if you are not handle the blade with care you can damage the Fretboard, but as a skilled craftsman you surely know how to avoid this. Thank for sharing your experience. Bets Regards Nik
Acetone can seriously dry that fretboard, make sure to Oil it.
Better to just get the dunlope set that has Fretboard cleaner an conditioner.
Thanks for watching and for sharing your experience, Sure you haver to use some kind of oil after this Process. Best Regards Nik
I never use steel wool on electric instruments. 3M pads.
Thanks for sharing your experience. Best Regards Nik
Plastic scraper? Silicone for the end?
Thanks for sharing. Best Regards Nik
Thanks for the head's up about never shaking that bass player's hand. That fingerboard was...disgusting.
😉👍
I use furniture polish. I squirt it on let it soak. Rub it in with fingers and then toothbrush. What's with all this chemicals and hardware? Treat your GUITAR like fine furniture not a dirt bike fender
Thanks a lot for sharing your experience Eric. Best Regards Nik
i always used to use plastic guitar picks to clean the gunk off. scared of putting metal close to the fretboard.
Thanks for sharing your favorite way to clean it. You are welcome. Best Regards Nik
People pay extra for that
Some do... that's correct🙂 Cheers Nik
If it's not yours and you work by the hour, that's fine, but there's faster and more efficient
Thanks for your feedback and for sharing your opinion 👍Best Regards Nik
Lighter fluid ( naptha)
Naphta is also very good. Best Regards Nik
Forgot your hazmat suit
Yes was a big fault… still hustle with that infection 🫣😉🕺🏻👍Best Regards Nik
Non mechanical removal with Ballistol is safer for me...
Thanks for your Feedback. Yes Ballistol is an amazing product and it works great. Best Regards Nik
Dont scratch the Laquer instead use some Terpentine or floor care
Thanks for sharing your experience. Best Regards Nik
I hope that nobody did this with their maple fretboards
That’s not necessary on Maple Boards. Just if they are not Laquered. Best Regards Nik
Medium duty Scotch Brite.
Won't hurt your frets or pickups.
Oil a dry fretboard with a VERY SMALL amount of lemon oil.
And for fux sake, NO RAZORS, NO ACETONE!
Thanks for sharing your experience 👍Best Regards Nik
I just file the edge of a gift card and scrape everything away, then use F1 oil
Thanks for your feedback. That’s also a good way to clean this up 👍🕺🏻Best Regards Nik
DO NOT DO THIS
The scraper will also cut and carve the wood and make scratches on the frets. You also can't do this on painted fretboards on Fenders.
The steel wool stains the fretboard- wood when it mixes with sweat, this wont be removable.
And for god sakes, Acetone dehydrates the wood and dissolves the paint.
Use an oil and a cloth, and clean your instrument after playing.
Thanks for your comment.If you have lacquer Fretboards you will never get any Dirt in the Grain, because its sealed, so there is no use to scrape it of. Dont´t worry if you are a skilled craftsman you don't touch the woodgrain by this method.Thanks for watching. Best Regards Nik