guitar neck care -etc.

[newbie chick]

I was re-stringing my guitar and noticed that the rosewood on the neck looked dry. Is there something that I can do to take care of it and keep it in good shape. I'm a pastry chef, so the first thing that I thought about was mineral oil, as that is what we use on wood cutting boards and wood handled utensils and such. It is not greasy and it soaks in and leaves a nice semi-gloss shine. My other idea was some furniture polish on a rag and wipe down the rosewood. Any ideas or suggestions? I was looking at some new guitars(American Strats') and noticed that the plain maple necked guitars were more expensive than the rosewood models. I had always though that the rosewood overlay necks were preferable to the plain maple neck. If anyone knows why this is, or is it just a personal choice? Thanks in advance for any advice. Kelli

[Billster]

DO NOT USE FURNITURE POLISH!

 

Let me emphasize that. Do not use furniture polish. There's a wax element to furniture polish that actually attracts and traps dirt in such an application.

 

Martin and other manufacturers make special "guitar polish" that I use for the back of the neck. I think it's basically furniture polish without the wax in it. I never felt like the fingerboard needed anything. I suppose you could use mineral oil, but your body oils get rubbed in right off your fingertips, so what the hey.

 

Maple fingerboards are varnished, so the wood doesn't need a thing. Don't know if that affects the cost.

[WornNeck]

I saw where lemon oil was recommended and have used it ever since without any problems. Obviously, go real easy, as you don't want to gunk up your board. I put some on a Q-tip to get up against the frets. Sometimes you might need something a little firmer, like the edge of a credit card to scape the gunk off.

 

As to why a maple neck costs more than one with a board, I'm not really sure. Could be something to do with other factors involved in marketing schemes (ie, all other things being equal, a Clapton signature strat will have an all maple neck and be more expensive than a standard strat with a rosewood board.) Also, could have something to do with the wood grain like maple caps on Les Pauls. If the cap (or neck) has crappy looking flaws in the grain, then they can still use it if they put an opaque finish on it. Maybe the same is true for putting a board over a neck? I'm not sure, but someone here will probably know.

[Dak Lander]

Lemon or orange oil will do just fine. Good cleaning, restorative and really does leave a nice sheen.

I use mostly one or the other regularly, mostly Old English Lemon Oil but one other brand that I can't recall right now and different brands of the orange oil.

 

Stay away from anything with silicon in it. That will react with many finishes as well as the adhesives that hold the guitar together.

[BillWelcome Home Studios]

I wipe a thin coat of lemon oil on the neck, (kind of a lot) and let it sit for a while to soak into any gunk. (20 minutes or more... not scientific or anything, but it works for me) Then I brush the oil into the neck, using an old toothbrush on the neck, cross-grain, to get the gunk out from close to the fret wire. Wipe the old dirt-and-oil mixture off with a soft cloth, carefully getting all the gunk. Then follow with a cloth dampened with clean lemon oil, and hand rub it in, going with the grain. Wipe up any excess.

 

I have bottles of both Old English and Formsbys.

 

Bill

[Bbach1]

Originally posted by newbie chick:

I was re-stringing my guitar and noticed that the rosewood on the neck looked dry. Is there something that I can do to take care of it and keep it in good shape. I'm a pastry chef, so the first thing that I thought about was mineral oil, as that is what we use on wood cutting boards and wood handled utensils and such. It is not greasy and it soaks in and leaves a nice semi-gloss shine. My other idea was some furniture polish on a rag and wipe down the rosewood. Any ideas or suggestions? I was looking at some new guitars(American Strats') and noticed that the plain maple necked guitars were more expensive than the rosewood models. I had always though that the rosewood overlay necks were preferable to the plain maple neck. If anyone knows why this is, or is it just a personal choice? Thanks in advance for any advice. Kelli

You are right on the mineral oil newbie. Here's a tip tho - no matter what you use, do not apply too much. The wood will expand with the moisture and can actually move the frets. Just a nice even coat and a little clean lint free wipe of and do that every now and then. Do you live in a northern climate? The humidity changes rapidly in the north. It's best to check the neck tension now and then and oil the fretboard.

[Gifthorse]

linseed oil. thats the only thing I have ever heard of using on a fret board. my tech uses it on mine. he rubs it in for a while and the result is a nice even shine and it makes it feel better.

[Werewolf by Night]

Yeah, another vote for Old English Lemon Oil (in the BIG bottle, with NO silicon), applied and rubbed and wiped-off with a couple of plain-white all-cotton tee-shirts. One of those large bottles will last you a lifetime, probably more, for a bunch of guitars.

 

Economical, and seemingly every bit as good as the very expensive (per volume, in those tiny little bottles) Gibson fingerboard oil/fretboard conditioner. (I've used both.)

 

NOT to be used on a maple fretboard, however! They're finished, usually either nitro-cellulose lacquer or polyurethane.

 

You can clean fretboards as needed prior to oiling with naptha "lighter fluid". Use the aforementioned all-cotton clothes, in a well-ventilated area, and let the guitar sit in the open air for a while to dry. Then apply the lemon-oil. Better than better! Nice and clean and shiny and bright and happy and healthy and well-conditioned tonewood!

[Clapton_Fan111]

Re the linseed oil.

 

I've hear good things about Raw Linseed Oil, and Dan Erlewine recommends it. Just use a little bit. Also, be very carfeul with dispoing. If you put it in your trash can and it gets hot, it can combust in as little as 2 ohurs, and then you have a fire. Put it outside to evaporate, then throw it away.

[Guitarzan]

hey i just got done cleaning my aes, now i have to decide whether i am going to put the 11's or 10's on.

[BillWelcome Home Studios]

Originally posted by Clapton_Fan111:

Re the linseed oil.

 

I've hear good things about Raw Linseed Oil, and Dan Erlewine recommends it. Just use a little bit. Also, be very carfeul with dispoing. If you put it in your trash can and it gets hot, it can combust in as little as 2 ohurs, and then you have a fire. Put it outside to evaporate, then throw it away.

Just be careful not to use boiled linseed oil. I've never heard about using linseed on a guitar at all, but I know from my painting days that boiled linseed is a no-no.

 

Bill

[jetboy]

I use gerlitz guitar honey, its an orange oil so it does some light cleaning. But only on rosewood or ebony. Maple boards usually have a lacquer or poly finish unless its old and worn away.