Danish oil question..........

[pabloman]

So I have this neck that was treated with Danish oil about a year ago and hasn't been played. I reprofiled the heel a little bit and changed the headstock. I now have some bare wood exposed that I would like to oil back up. She's never been mounted :icon_biggrin: and she's pretty dry. My question is, do I apply Danish oil to the fretboard also? It's some kind of rosewood. I was think of lemon oil or some commercial fretboard conditioner stuff I have. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks guys.

 

[Cagey]

In my experience, fretboards don't need any help. Outside of Maple, that is, which needs a hard finish to keep it from going squirrely on you. But, Rosewood and most others are fine as they are and will stay that way. Trying to rub oils and other finishes into them is akin to putting makeup and skin conditioners on an old lady's face. Doesn't change anything, but it makes them think they've done a Good Thing. But, don't take my word for it. I haven't owned any fretboards for longer than 15 years.

Incidentally, "Lemon Oil" is just mineral oil with some stink added. You might be happier finding some raw mineral oil, if you feel like oiling the wood will help things.

 

[Day-mun]

Maybe they should call it snake oil  :icon_jokercolor:

 

[Cagey]

Maybe they should call it snake oil  :icon_jokercolor:

Or something. I'm reminded of the wide variety of $5 miracle-cure-in-a-can products they sell for car engines. Basically just another tax on the poor and/or stupid.

 

[pabloman]

In Colorado fretboards need oil.

 

[Cagey]

I can imagine a fretboard needing oil, but it would be an extreme case, such as an instrument that's rarely played. On a well-used instrument your fingers are going to deposit more oil on there than it needs, to the point where you have to clean it off.

 

[Day-mun]

When I lived in Las Vegas, my rosewoods would get sorta parched... dunno if that was because of dry climate, or they were just cheaper guitars.

 

[DavyDave53]

I like this Gerlitz snake-oil, I mean fretboard conditioner.

http://www.gerlitzusa.com/prd_honey.html

 

[stubhead]

I like this stuff:
http://www.howardproducts.com/prod-feed-n-wax.php

Elderly instruments uses it on old $50,000 Martins and such. You don't want to do the soak/remove soak/remove thing, just wipe some on until you're happy. I put a little gob on every, four or five string changes maybe? Just when it needs it. I have NO oil in my fingers, 40 years of gittars and 25 years of kitchens have given me, like, alien fingertips. I resort to nose grease at times. Wes Montgomery used to buy a length of pepperoni sausage to rub on his new guitars, which is about the dumbest thing I ever heard - natural, organic food oils rot.

You can actually over-oil a fingerboard if you go all perfectionist/anal on it, and the frets can loosen. The whole more-is-always-better crowd stop reading now, Warmoth needs your return business! :laughing3: