Guitar Fretboard Conditioning 101: Rosewood
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 6 сен 2024
- In this video, I cover a couple different basic methods for cleaning and conditioning a rosewood fretboard. I start with the more traditional method of steel wool and oil, then compare it to the product Gorgomyte.
1:26 - Oil / Steel Wool method
3:10 - Gorgomyte method
You used steel wool and didn't cover up your pickups!? If anyone uses that method with the wool (which I highly suggest you don't) cover the body of your guitar in a bin bag and tape it off at the base of the neck so no wool gets into the pickups potentially damaging them. You could just tape over them but any still bits will find their way to your pickups.
Guys, don't use steel wool on your fretboard to clean it. It's quite abrasive and will ruin block inlays and/or binding you might have on your guitar. You can just use Naptha (lighter fluid) and a clean cloth to remove the dirt, grime and other crap on there without doing any damage. Not to mention how steel wool will drive you crazy for days when you do get one of the steel hairs stuck in your fingers like a splinter.
+thelongslowgoodbye Exactly! I've been researching this over the last few days and decided against using steel wool. Plus it's too easy to get the particles into the pickups if you don't tape them over. I also wouldn't leave the oil on the fretboard for any longer that 30 seconds or so. He put way too much on to begin with, and I know from experience, it can cause the frets to swell up a little and raise the grain. Not good!
thx 4 leting me know
I like the Music Nomad products on my Suhr & Taylor. F-One Oil, The One Guitar cleaner & polish and the String Cleaner kit. Very impressed and happy with the results.
i only use baby oil and used toothbrush for cleaning my fretboard. cheap, effective and eficient way
god rosewood is beautiful.
Fret erasers and fret guards for the frets. For the neck, lighter fluid/naphtha and then a nice dusting of lemon oil on unfinished wood like rosewood or ebony.
If you really insist on buffing them some metal polish and a buffer wheel with a dremel rotary tool but that’s a light touch.
As someone who has repaired guitars for over 20 years..._please_ don't ever soak your fretboard with that much oil! That's _way_ too much and can cause a lot of problems down the line (loose frets being the worst, but it will also attract dirt, grime and all sorts of other nastiness that permanently embeds itself into the wood. If it's too saturated with oil, it can make refret jobs impossible because the wood will no longer hold the tangs of the fretwire.) Just a few drops for the _entire fretboard_ is all you need, typically no more than once a year at the most. Far too many people over-oil their rosewood and ebony fretboards and it causes more problems than it fixes; if it doesn't look dry, it most likely doesn't need to be oiled.
Hey cat dumpling (awesome name, btw). I hear what you're saying, though with the viscosity of this particular oil I wasn't really worried about it. I have seen on some mistreated rosewood boards where the wood will be much darker up near the fret because it had been over-saturated previously & the oil (presumably fairly thin) worked its way down to the end pores in the fret slot. I'd also guess the wood is much softer there, causing the issues you have mentioned. I will be sure to cover more details along these lines in an upcoming fret level video in the future!
Axe Hacks How long is too long to let the oil soak in?
As someone who has repaired guitars for 20 years should know to NEVER USE OIL!! Use water ! Why would you want more oil on your fretboard if it's already coming off your hands .??
Sheldon Benton
Unless you're talking about a rag that's only slightly damp, water is one of the worst things for bare wood. It makes it swell, raises "fuzz" and can cause frets (and sometimes even inlays) to dislodge from their slots due to said swelling.
Raw wood needs _some_ kind of treatment, whether that's a clear finish or very occasional oiling. Ask any woodworker in the history of woodworking what happens to wood that's not treated somehow: it ends up completely drying out and cracking.
There's a difference between finger oils and something meant to treat wood: finger oils contain salts and other minerals (also dead skin cells), that also wreak havoc on raw wood. Treating the fretboard _occasionally_ with a proper oil helps seal the pores enough to keep some of this gunk from soaking deep into the wood, and makes it a bit easier to clean off (yes, cleaning your fretboard is still important.)
You sound like someone who is parroting something Scott Grove keeps insisting. While I agree with Scott on many things, this is not one of them; many other luthiers and repair people (who've been doing this _way_ longer than I have) also disagree with him. He's a collector and player, not a repairman, and he's certainly not always right. Anyone who has woodworking experience beyond just guitars also knows that leaving wood raw is a recipe for eventual disaster, and you can't just wipe down raw wood with water and not expect to have issues. Water makes wood swell: that's Woodworking 101 stuff.
+Sheldon Benton I hope you're kidding... It's not coming off your hands evenly and maintaining the fretboard is it? BTW...what kind of oil comes off your hands? Catdumpling knows exactly what he's talking about.. You'd be wise to follow his advise..
I use lighter fluid to clean wood fret board then i tape off the wood and use a metal polish on the frets (very sparingly) using a lint free cloth then every 3 months ill use orange oil to help with drying cracking issues and it looks nice too.
Sounds like you've got a pretty good method down. Very similar to what I do now, though I use Murphy's Oil Soap instead of lighter fluid since it's not quite as drying to the wood (and smells way, way better)
I'd say id probably use the steel wool and then gorgomyte because of the reason you said its pretty much close except for the frets and also cause its more portable,also just came to your Chanel from your installation video great content and taste of music keep it up
The way you used the Gorgomyte wouldn't give the best or full results. I use the product myself and the way you quickly skimmed over those frets wouldn't work very well. I tend to spend much more time with the Gorgomyte on each individual fret on the tops and sides of the fretwire. After a few frets, even ones that aren't overly dirty the Gorgomyte cloth will be very black because of the grime and chemical reaction, much blacker than the cloth you used to skim ALL the ones you did with it. It's not the cloth that cleans the frets but the chemical in it. The cloth is not really abrasive nor should it be used like it is.
naptha to clean the fretboard, nevr-dull or the like, to do the frets, then linseed oil to finish. :)
Chris just wanna say I stumbled upon your channel and like your videos. Well recorded and informative. Cheers
Great to hear, thanks man! I actually have a few new videos filmed, just need a little more editing time & they'll be rolling your way!
If you want mirror polished awesome frets; buy ALC-301 Micro Mesh!
Yep. Micro Mesh is actually all I ever used for fret polishing now. I really need to make a follow-up video to this haha
Axe Hacks Ok, thats nice sir....do it! When is the Ibanez video ready about the green guitar?
I use those stupid fret eraser things...They're annoying but they seem to do a good job. Annoying because the rubber pieces go everywhere just like a pencil eraser....but does a good job still.
Another issue with steel wool is it sheds, so now you have metal shavings or the like that can get into your pickups because of the magnets causing them to short eventually. I personally wouldn't use steel wool. Scotch brite maybe
Using Gorgomyte incorrectly. You need to go up and down on the frets a few times and one square lasts much longer. You tossed that piece way to early.
im using CORT SFX-ME NAT when i clean the fretboard with cloth and bit water it change colour a bit... is it okay?
Definitely avoid using water on your fretboard. Not only will this contribute to it drying out, it may raise the grain of the rosewood, causing a rough feel when playing.
From what I a read, obviously, rosewood has oil in in naturally. As we play and through time some of the oil will leave. You only have restore the portion that has basically left the superficial layers of the wood . Very small about of oil is needed to replace what has left. Now if the guitar has a few years on it, then you would give a couple of light coats of oil. And wait a few minutes between applications. And wipe off the excess oil. The best product to use in MO is called "Feed and wax" I will condition your fretboard not just oil. Rock on.
I've always done the old school rout save me cash. I'll use furniture polish that lemon oil that can be used for both dark wood and light wood. Recently I switched to plain water works great, the polish will be mainly used for maple fretboards.
Please tell me you don't actually put water on your fretboard........ Rip fretboard
+Tommy Not by itself. I take cotton rag either spit on it or dip it water wipe entire fret-board then I take a very soft brissel toot brush and then clean whole thing remove dirt also in between the frets.
Last, I put old English furniture polish that has lemon oil condition the fret board this is very cheap and is the same as the brand name stuff.
Every time after playing I always wipe the strings down with a cotton rag. Every other day I take cotton rag and low percent Rubbing Alcohol to clean the strings.
I do the heavy cleaning with h20 and very soft tooth brush once a year or if I notice some gunk build up.
But I conditioner my fret boards every 6 months because I either keep them on stands or in case mostly their on stands.
What this method is taken from guitar techs diy basic rule book.
ahhhhh, thought you where going to put bulk water on it xD
i've been using linseed oil on my guitar fretboards for many years works for me , some of them are almost fifty years old, & i still play them !
What about an Ebony board?
Is it really a good idea to scrub the frets with steel wool? You're wearing down the frets much faster than they need to be.
+Endezeichen Grimm I'd really advise against steel wool, using steel wool actually takes the surface off the fret board which in fact does clean it. But also takes layers off the wood. For cleaning you can use small amounts of naptha and a rag, or some people like to use old toothbrushes to get the gunk built around the frets themselves.
Endezeichen Grimm steel wool barely goes through a paint finish, just about dulls the lacquer (I use it when repairing cars at work all the time to key up panels) if it can't burn through thin paint layers it sure as hell won't wear frets down xD
I have a gibson Les Paul with big pearl inlays, will the steel wool damage the pearl inlays?
It shouldn't do anything too noticeable to them, but to be on the safe side I would scrub the fretboard with Murphy's oil soap and a toothbrush. This is what I do now, followed up with some Music Nomad F1 oil. I'll make a video for my current practice soonish haha
Ok thanks, I've also bought some Dunlop Lemon Oil to help clean the frets because that's what everyone says to buy.
hi, thx for the vid, what are your thoughtson maple FB maintenance and care?
this always freaks me out because it's wood with pieces of metal embedded in to it so you have to find a way to clean wood without rusting metal. how do you do that? and wouldn't steel wool ruin the frets if you are not careful? this seems really risky to me
0000 steel wool is fine. It's not the best but I used it in this video because it's a very common method that's been used for decades. Now I use Murphy's Oil Soap, toothbrush, fret polish, fretboard oil. I'll make an updated video some day.
ok. What did we learn? Mineral oil is pure. Steel wool and mineral oil at home.....and the gorgomyte for the road trip.
Chris can you PLEASE help me?! Ik have a black/grey sort of stain on my white laquer of my white ESP Horizon. This stain was created by rubbing the inside of my arm against the guitar. What can I possibly do to remove it???
Chris. I've just stumbled across your channel after looking at a video of the Gibson True Historic Les Paul. It was aged, but the fretboard was still new and dry. I was looking for a video on ageing a fretboard. Do you ever buff a fretboard? I was thinking, perhaps wax it and use an electric polisher on it for ageing.
Hmm, I've never really tried to age or 'relic' a guitar in any way. Good luck & let me know what you find!
Great Video! Thanks for the useful information!
Is Microfiber cloth good alternative to steel wool if my guitar fretboard is not really dirty?
Hi, any tips on cleaning a maple fretboard?
Use water and a cloth . Never use oil
LMAO, heavy heavy low low, I remember so many of there shows back in the day.
will the steel wool remove the dirt that is in the paws within the fretboard, if not, what will remove that little dirt?
The steel wool will remove the grime on the fretboard, but I honestly rarely use it now. I suggest using a bit of Murphy's oil soap and an old toothbrush. Once all the grime's cleaned up, hit it with some Music Nomad F-One oil. If you can't find it, standard mineral oil will work in a pinch.
Steel Wool removes wood! Never use it on fretboards!
I don't anymore, I mostly used that example because seriously just about every shop Ive come across that does tune ups uses this exact method. That being said, 0000 steel wool is hardly going to remove any notable amount of wood. Maybe after cleaning it several thousand times you would start to see a slight amount of scalloping. Not a big deal to use every once in a while, but still, there are better methods. I will make an updated video when I have time.
SAM FUCKING KILLS IT
vary helpfull
can i use tire oil? would it be harmful to the fretboard?
Should really wear gloves with steel wool if you don't want splinters haha
That's my tip ;)
I would not use a paper towel; it leaves fibers. Use a cloth to wipe off excess oil.
did i watch and ad?
Nice. Wish you woulda jammed for us on the way out of the video!
Haha, I appreciate that dude! Trying to keep the videos as short as possible, so some will have a jam and some won't :-)
i used steel wool on an all maple neck and it fucked up the finish.
i use gorgomyte and then polish frets with dunlop fret polish cloths
Yeah me too, the best!
Need help and guidance in conditioning a maple fretboard :( Dunno which oil to use
If it's a finished maple board, dont use oil. there is no need. If it's unfinished maple, use Misic Nomad's fretboard oil.
Thank you! :)
hi!
great video, and great advice!
but I don't know what has my guitar :(
it's a Ibanez At-10P, it's a maple fretboard, but I don't know if it's finished...
anyone know?
thank you!
Will the oil still be slippery after or will it dry up?
+zen flores You will see it "sweat" out of the wood in spots for an hour or so after treatment, but it will stop shortly after.
Chris, What do you recommend for ebony fretboards?
Water
anyone experience with bore oil?
Great video. What about lemon oil? Thanks!
It's literally mineral oil with a lemon scent.
Use water . Never use oil
What? No.
Sheldon Benton wrong...
Anyone who uses steel wool straight on their fretboard is crazy imo. That literally rips the wood off. It's fine for the actual frets though.
yeah, go ahead with your steel wool......
1:35 -- Notice how the blue tape wraps all the way around the neck -- if you have a finished neck -- NEVER do this. When you peel the tape off, it *can* take the finish off.
If it is 3m tape, it isn't going to take the finish off, if it doesn't sit there for years. If the finish comes off, it was coming off anyway. I have built furniture for 30 years, use blue tape all the time. Good product.
You are right; I was a little alarmist in my comment -- but there is still a small chance of it taking the finish off especially if it's an older guitar.
Could you do the same on a maple fretboard?
If it's a finished maple board, DO NOT use steel wool. If its unfinished, the gorgomite -could- be okay, but I'd still mask it, polish the frets, then hit it with some Music Nomad F-One oil. I should make a maple board vid.....
your way seems more effortless
you dont even need to oil fingerboards, do people put that shit inside acoustics, lol no
You have to hydrate fingerboards ..I use Planet waves hydrate.works fine
for me..
RockRiff888 no you dont my first guitar i got 5 years ago has never been oiled, just kept in a humid-stable place, and thats all you need, oiling a fretboard is a method to get people to buy a companies products
guitaroidman524 That depnds on how much
you play.If a fingerboard is gunned up with sweat dead skin and crap The best thing to clean it is lighter fluid.However this drys out the fingerboard which needs rehydrating to avoid the grain opening drying and eventually cracking. Not everyone lives in a humid climate..
Lol, you obviously have really poor attention to detail. NOT EVERYBODY LIVES IN HUMID CLIMATE! Can you read this?
Don't buy this stuff ! It's not good for your guitar ! Please use water . Don't buy this junk . I'm only trying to help .
+Sheldon Benton Water for the rosewood??? Isnt that really bad?