View in: Desktop
Copyright @2023 TigerDroppings.com. All rights reserved.
- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Coaching Changes
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Posted by
Message
Cleaning a guitar fretboard.
Posted by FightinTigersDammit



I have some minor crud on a guitar I've disassembled. What's a good option to use here?
Is Murphy's Oil Soap acceptable for this application?
Is Murphy's Oil Soap acceptable for this application?
re: Cleaning a guitar fretboard.Posted by ChatRabbit77
on 4/13/16 at 7:33 pm to FightinTigersDammit

0000 steel wool and then lemon oil. Be careful not to scratch pickups.
re: Cleaning a guitar fretboard.Posted by FightinTigersDammit
on 4/13/16 at 7:43 pm to ChatRabbit77


The neck is detached, Brotato Chip 

re: Cleaning a guitar fretboard.Posted by Pepe Lepew
on 4/13/16 at 7:47 pm to FightinTigersDammit

Lemon oil
re: Cleaning a guitar fretboard.Posted by LSU alum wannabe
on 4/13/16 at 8:47 pm to Pepe Lepew


Ballsy.
Took the neck off but asking fretboard cleaning question?
Tougher than me.
I've read "no" on murphys oil soap. But I am only looking at acoustic discussions. I have to assume you're talking electric since you took off neck.
Took the neck off but asking fretboard cleaning question?
Tougher than me.
I've read "no" on murphys oil soap. But I am only looking at acoustic discussions. I have to assume you're talking electric since you took off neck.
re: Cleaning a guitar fretboard.Posted by FightinTigersDammit
on 4/13/16 at 9:41 pm to LSU alum wannabe


It's a Squier Strat I'm going to refinish, so no great harm if I screw it up. I'm using it as a learning project.
re: Cleaning a guitar fretboard.Posted by 19
on 4/13/16 at 10:00 pm to FightinTigersDammit

Murphy's on my rosewood and ebony fbs.
Aren't strats just the naked maple?
Please tell me you're not refinishing the fretboard/ fret side of the neck...
Aren't strats just the naked maple?
Please tell me you're not refinishing the fretboard/ fret side of the neck...
re: Cleaning a guitar fretboard.Posted by PPL on 4/14/16 at 6:47 am to ChatRabbit77
quote:
0000 steel wool and then lemon oil. Be careful not to scratch pickups.
This. You can use a credit card to scrape off large grime deposits.
TD Sponsor
TD Fan
USA
Member since 2001

USA
Member since 2001
Thank you for supporting our sponsors Posted by Site Sponsor
to Everyone


Advertisement
re: Cleaning a guitar fretboard.Posted by FightinTigersDammit
on 4/14/16 at 7:50 am to 19


quote:
Murphy's on my rosewood and ebony fbs.
This is a rosewood fretboard.
quote:
Please tell me you're not refinishing the fretboard/ fret side of the neck...
Hell, no! Just want to clean it up.
re: Cleaning a guitar fretboard.Posted by dnm3305
on 4/14/16 at 8:16 am to FightinTigersDammit


I use some Dunlop fretboard cleaner/conditioner with q-tips and then finish it with Dunlop Lemon Oil and a rag.
re: Cleaning a guitar fretboard.Posted by TheFretShack on 4/14/16 at 3:41 pm to dnm3305
Use a credit card or a driver's license to remove built-up crud on the fingerboard.
Unfinished rosewood or ebony fingerboard - lemon oil or fretboard conditioner. Good examples of the latter are Gerlitz's "Guitar Honey" and D'Addario's "Hydrate." Dunlop has a lemon oil that does the trick too.
Gloss or satin-finished maple fingerboard - If it's grimy or sticky, use guitar polish. I use Dunlop 65. If it's not grimy or sticky, a damp, soft cloth (think old T-shirt).
Oil or unfinished maple fingerboard - naptha/VM&P
Do not use steel wool to clean a fingerboard.
Unfinished rosewood or ebony fingerboard - lemon oil or fretboard conditioner. Good examples of the latter are Gerlitz's "Guitar Honey" and D'Addario's "Hydrate." Dunlop has a lemon oil that does the trick too.
Gloss or satin-finished maple fingerboard - If it's grimy or sticky, use guitar polish. I use Dunlop 65. If it's not grimy or sticky, a damp, soft cloth (think old T-shirt).
Oil or unfinished maple fingerboard - naptha/VM&P
Do not use steel wool to clean a fingerboard.
This post was edited on 4/14 at 3:44 pm
re: Cleaning a guitar fretboard.Posted by FightinTigersDammit
on 4/14/16 at 4:06 pm to TheFretShack


Thanks for the advice, guys. FretShack, you're apparently in the guitar business. 

re: Cleaning a guitar fretboard.Posted by WonderWartHawg
on 4/14/16 at 7:02 pm to FightinTigersDammit

Yeah, 0000 on the frets and lemon oil works well.
But lately I've been using a cloth that works really well at cleaning the fretboard (if it's not ankle deep in grunge) and polishes the frets at the same time.
Gorgomite cloth. Available from Stew-Mac, and probably some other places as well.
But lately I've been using a cloth that works really well at cleaning the fretboard (if it's not ankle deep in grunge) and polishes the frets at the same time.
Gorgomite cloth. Available from Stew-Mac, and probably some other places as well.
This post was edited on 4/14 at 7:04 pm
re: Cleaning a guitar fretboard.Posted by 19
on 4/14/16 at 8:40 pm to WonderWartHawg

Note to self: no buying guitars from MB.
Steel wool. On frets.
Laaawwwwd.
How dirty can the fret be?
Steel wool. On frets.
Laaawwwwd.
How dirty can the fret be?
re: Cleaning a guitar fretboard.Posted by TheFretShack on 4/14/16 at 8:51 pm to WonderWartHawg
If any of you guys insist on using steel wool, use it on the frets only. Go on top of the frets back and forth, don't go up and down the neck, and don't dig in too hard. And mask the fingerboard - you don't need even an "extra fine" abrasive on the board, especially if it's gloss on maple.
And MASK the pickups and especially all electronics controls. The filings shed can make their way inside pots, inside switches and produce scratch and noise. Granted, it's rare, but masking tape is cheaper than replacing scratchy pots and switches so don't roll the dice.
Get rid of the filings before you pull the tape. Use a vacuum hose. A brush attachment is quite handy for this. If you don't have a vacuum, use the sticky side of another piece of tape.
And MASK the pickups and especially all electronics controls. The filings shed can make their way inside pots, inside switches and produce scratch and noise. Granted, it's rare, but masking tape is cheaper than replacing scratchy pots and switches so don't roll the dice.
Get rid of the filings before you pull the tape. Use a vacuum hose. A brush attachment is quite handy for this. If you don't have a vacuum, use the sticky side of another piece of tape.
This post was edited on 4/14 at 8:53 pm
re: Cleaning a guitar fretboard.Posted by dbeck
on 4/15/16 at 3:30 am to TheFretShack


Any way I could make my unfinished ebony neck a little darker without losing the raw wood feel? The only thing it's got on it is oil from my hand.
Thanks
Thanks

re: Cleaning a guitar fretboard.Posted by TheFretShack on 4/15/16 at 6:14 am to dbeck
There are pro dyes just for ebony to give it the uniform black color that most consumers desire. Most ebony harvested today is black with varying degrees of chocolate-colored streaking in the grain. The dye darkens the chocolate streaks. Most manufacturers, including high-end guitar producers, utilize that dye today due to the high cost of ebony and the premium solid-black blanks command. Using the dye, the fingerboard looks like what we consumers "think" ebony should look like, and in turn it still feels like it should.
Do a Google search for "luthier ebony dye" and you'll find more information on it.
Do a Google search for "luthier ebony dye" and you'll find more information on it.
Popular
Back to top
