Severe musicians perceive the importance of maintaining and caring for his or her instruments. For guitarists and bassists, fretboard care is a top priority. The kind of wooden a fretboard is crafted from determines what kind of care is acceptable. Untreated woods like ebony, rosewood, koa and mahogany benefit from oiling. Maple — and other varnished fretboards — ought to be cleaned with out oils.
Linseed Oil
Linseed oil is probably the most trusted oil for cleaning and sharpening an untreated fretboard. It conditions and preserves the wooden with out inflicting any adverse chemical reactions. Most highly respected industrial fretboard cleansing merchandise contain contain linseed oil as a major ingredient, although many guitarists desire instead to make use of straight linseed oil. Regardless of which kind of product you select, at all times work with small amounts of oil at a time, and rub the oil into the wooden following the course of the grain.
Considerations Concerning Lemon Oil
Lemon oil is commonly beneficial for use on fretboards, but it should not be used on untreated woods. Lemon oil and other citrus oils comprise d-limonene, which is a robust solvent succesful — over long durations of repeated use — of loosening the bindings and trim on a guitar. Moreover, most lemon oil merchandise comprise silicone or waxes that leave residues behind on the fretboard.
Furnishings Polish
Furniture polishes often include lemon oil, waxes, detergents, water and petroleum distillates — all of that are detrimental to the life of an untreated fretboard. Nevertheless, as soon as a treated fretboard has been cleaned, a fine spray of furnishings polish is acceptable. It needs to be understood that using polish on a treated fretboard does not benefit the wood, however simply adds luster and improves the smoothness of the floor.
Promoted by Different Oils
Within the seek for the proper fretboard oil, musicians have tried just about anything. Mineral oil, olive oil, baby oil, orange oil and even motor oil have all been tried and lauded at one time or another. While mineral oil is probably going the safest of these alternative choices, all include agents, solvents or additives that may cause more harm than good in your fretboard.
Cleaning Treated Fretboards
While treated fretboards do not have to be oiled, they still should be cleaned sometimes. Many musicians and luthiers advocate utilizing a 000-grade steel wool pad to scrub the neck completely, followed by a buffing with a clean, natural fiber rag. Afterward, a small quantity of excessive-grade furnishings polish could also be used to reinforce the shine and sleekness.
Related Searches
References
AMZ – Fretboard Care
Luthiers Mercantile International – Guitar Finishing with TRU-OIL
Electric Guitar Tendencies – Fretboard Cleaning and Maintenance
Be a Fifer – Bore Physician and Fret Physician
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