Cleaning, oiling, polishing, etc.

[Jimi2]

What products are you guys using for the above? I usually just wipe down my fretboards at string changes - have actually never oiled one. But I just noticed my omc-28e that I got two years ago has what looks like tiny cracks- not sure if it’s a problem developing or just the grain of the wood, but I LOVE this guitar and want to maintain it properly. (I of course keep it cased and humidified btw). So, what can I use to clean, then oil the fretboard, and how often should I repeat the process? I do get some gnarly finger gunk built up between string changes that can be hard to remove with just microfiber.

Also, I have never in my life polished a guitar and would likely have no interest in starting, but on Black Friday I traded some stuff in for a nice all-Mahogany Taylor that has been steadily acquiring fingerprints that really show up. Any suggestions?

[srick]

Tim McKnight, one of the AGF sponsors, has this great concoction:
thread here

I just used it on a 1971 Yamaha Red label and it looks lustrous.

There’s a lot of mythology about ‘conditioning the wood’, ‘feeding it,’ etc. but the purpose of these materials is to slow down the rate of moisture exchange and secondarily, make the fretboard\bridge look good. Tim’s fretboard balm has received great reviews.

Rick

[Jimi2]

Thanks, looks like that would do the trick. Interesting what Tim has to say about other products actually drying out fretboards.

[dilver]

Just a little mineral oil on a soft cloth will do it. Don’t need to do this more than 3-4 times a year. Do not do it at every string change. Sounds like you could also do with a better humidifier. In case or room doesn’t matter, just shoot for around RFP-50%.

[CityPickn]

I bought some lemon oil but have no idea what to do with it.

[jp2558]

If you've never polished the guitar just use Dawn dish detergent to gently wash the body and neck, then wipe down with a soft dry cloth. When I was ready for polish, I got some Virtuoso cleaner and Virtuoso polish. For the fingerboard I use Bore oil (for rosewood clarinets) on my ebony and rosewood fingerboards.

[rstaight]

I have been using the Music Nomad products but my supply is getting low. But really any cleaner that doesn't use harsh chemicals will work. A damp cotton cloth is good.

For polish something with out silicon. I have been considering Guardsman furniture polish.

I still have plenty of F-One Fretboard oil. It only get used once a year on the fret board and the bridge.

[jschmitz54]

I use fret doctor. I believe it’s only available online.

[varmonter]

I use a dark watco oil.
I beleive its walnut..iirc
One small can will last a lifetime.
I apply it to the fretboard and bridge.
Let it sit awhile the rub it out..

[JayBee1404]

I like my guitars clean and tidy but, having said that, I’m not an obsessional polisher, and my deep-cleaning rituals occur only at string changes, or even less frequently.

For the body and neck, at each string-change (eight weeks or so) I wipe with a warm, clean, damp cloth followed by a soft, clean, dry cloth (microfibre is OK, or old tee-shirt material well-washed). That’s all they really need although, a couple of times a year only, I give them a spritz with Lizard Spit or Music Nomad Guitar Detailer, gently buffed with a soft cloth. I also check the tightness of the tuner mounting screws and the security of the bushings when the strings are off.

On the FB, I wipe the strings and board well with a dry cloth after every playing session - this keeps things clean and hygienic, and I’ve never experienced the build-up of ‘gunk’ or ‘gunge’ I hear other players refer to, or needed to resort to scrapers or wire-wool. At each string-change I wipe the FB and bridge with a barely-damp cloth and immediately follow with a soft, dry cloth. No more than once a year I use Dr Duck’s or Music Nomad F-One - three tiny drops on a dry cloth will treat the whole FB, and one will do the bridge. I apply the product, taking great care not to drive it in to the fret-slots, leave for a few minutes, and buff off with a clean, soft cloth. I don’t delude myself that I’m ‘feeding’ the wood, the oil treatment is purely cosmetic, and makes the bare wood of the FB and bridge look and feel ‘nice’.

I’ve recently received a tin of Fretboard Balm from Tim McKnight, and I’m planning to using it at my next string-change. Tim’s product has received rave-reviews, and I’m looking forward to seeing the results!

As ever, the usual disclaimers apply......IMHO, YMMV etc.

[rllink]

Why would I clean my guitar, it's just going to get dirty again? Just kidding, I wipe it off with my hanky every once in a while.

[rmp]

Cleaning a guitar is just part of general maintenance, I don't get why folks spend good money on nice guitars and don't maintain them.

what ever, it's not my dough...


for Products, here's some I use There's a million choices out there.

I keep it simple.

• F1 Oil by Music Nomad for fret board conditioner is pretty good stuff
• Gerlitz Smudge Off for general cleaning, water based safe for any thing
• Gibson Pump Polish good old standby, nitro and poly
• Virtuoso Cleaner and Polish
• Eterna Shine Players kit. Cleaner and scratch remover

I would steer one away from household cleaners that are bought in grocery and big box stores. Some of that stuff has varying degrees of ammonia and various alcohols in there.

Everything one would ever need, is available from Amazon and it's all stuff formulated for guitar finishes, bridges/fretboards etc.

For maintaining the rosewood, if you treat it around twice a year and that should be ok.

If you have never done this, you may want to put it on a little heavier than norm and let it sit for about 15 minutes, then wipe it down. That will let that stuff soak in a little.

[FrankHudson]

Originally Posted by CityPickn

I bought some lemon oil but have no idea what to do with it.

When fate gives you lemon oil, you make....

Strings off (like at string change). A few drops on a soft rag. Wipe the fretboard up and down with it. It'll likely get darker and it may feel a little "slicker" even after it dries. Do not use a lot, you're not watering a plant, and too much can even loosen fret tangs.

Lemon oil is basically mineral oil with some fragrance.

[GTRGUY005]

I use Lemon oil on the fretboard if needed.

Lizard Spit on the body and back of the neck. It makes the guitar feel like new. Love that stuff.

[Brent Hutto]

Originally Posted by JayBee1404

I like my guitars clean and tidy but, having said that, I’m not an obsessional polisher, and my deep-cleaning rituals occur only at string changes, or even less frequently.

For the body and neck, at each string-change (eight weeks or so) I wipe with a warm, clean, damp cloth followed by a soft, clean, dry cloth (microfibre is OK, or old tee-shirt material well-washed). That’s all they really need although, a couple of times a year only, I give them a spritz with Lizard Spit or Music Nomad Guitar Detailer, gently buffed with a soft cloth. I also check the tightness of the tuner mounting screws and the security of the bushings when the strings are off.

On the FB, I wipe the strings and board well with a dry cloth after every playing session - this keeps things clean and hygienic, and I’ve never experienced the build-up of ‘gunk’ or ‘gunge’ I hear other players refer to, or needed to resort to scrapers or wire-wool. At each string-change I wipe the FB and bridge with a barely-damp cloth and immediately follow with a soft, dry cloth. No more than once a year I use Dr Duck’s or Music Nomad F-One - three tiny drops on a dry cloth will treat the whole FB, and one will do the bridge. I apply the product, taking great care not to drive it in to the fret-slots, leave for a few minutes, and buff off with a clean, soft cloth. I don’t delude myself that I’m ‘feeding’ the wood, the oil treatment is purely cosmetic, and makes the bare wood of the FB and bridge look and feel ‘nice’.

I’ve recently received a tin of Fretboard Balm from Tim McKnight, and I’m planning to using it at my next string-change. Tim’s product has received rave-reviews, and I’m looking forward to seeing the results!

As ever, the usual disclaimers apply......IMHO, YMMV etc.

I am with John on this except I don’t ever add oil to the fretboard. But as for cleaning, my guitars never get dirty enough to need more than wiping because I wipe them down after every day’s playing.

OTOH, I have bought used guitars that required extreme measures like naphtha or steel wool to get clean when I first pulled them out of the box.