fretboard help

ozone

Hi, I hope I'm not irritating anyone by posting my question in this section of the forum boards.

I just dug out a guitar that I haven't played in a long time and changed the strings. Then it occurred to me that I should probably have applied some fretboard conditioner.

My question is, how frequently does fretboard conditioner need to be applied? I think I applied some to the fretboard conditioner about two years before I completely stopped using it, and a year before that, I didn't play it very often.

So this leads to the other thing I'm wondering. Do fretboards dry out with time and need conditioner for that reason, or is it use that removes the oil?

Do any of you guys use fretboard conditioner? If so, how do you decide when it's time to use it? Any help will be much appreciated!!!

HNB

ozone said:
Hi, I hope I'm not irritating anyone by posting my question in this section of the forum boards.
I just dug out a guitar that I haven't played in a long time and changed the strings. Then it occurred to me that I should probably have applied some fretboard conditioner.
My question is, how frequently does fretboard conditioner need to be applied? I think I applied some to the fretboard conditioner about two years before I completely stopped using it, and a year before that, I didn't play it very often.
So this leads to the other thing I'm wondering. Do fretboards dry out with time and need conditioner for that reason, or is it use that removes the oil?
Do any of you guys use fretboard conditioner? If so, how do you decide when it's time to use it? Any help will be much appreciated!!!

Found this online:

"I put a few drops of lemon oil on a cloth, and wipe a wet coating across the fretboard, leave it set for a few minutes and then wipe off whatever is left on the fretboard. Since the climate there has fairly low humidity, I would start off by using the lemon oil every other month, if you notice that it soaks right in after a few minutes and there is very little to none left to wipe off, then increase the frequency. Lemon Oil does dry, if you think you have used too much, just don't use any for a while, if you ever notice the fretboard "sweating" up any oil after playing, that's a good sign that you are using too much, too often."

Marlonmm

I also use lemon oil every six months to clean up the gunk and condition the fretboard.

If you use to often too much, oil might sit in between frets and loosen up the frets over time.

ozone

Wow, you guys have been super helpful. I really appreciate the input.

One quick question: Why do both of you use lemon oil instead of so-called "fretboard conditioner" that they sell at guitar stores? Thanks again!!!

irish_punk13

I use lemon oil normally every 3-4 months.

I use lemon oil instead of fretboard conditioner because it's a lot easier to go to Ace for a bottle of lemon oil than it is for me to get to guitar center for a thing of fretboard conditioner.

HNB

irish_punk13 said:
I use lemon oil normally every 3-4 months.
I use lemon oil instead of fretboard conditioner because it's a lot easier to go to Ace for a bottle of lemon oil than it is for me to get to guitar center for a thing of fretboard conditioner.

What he said. 😀

Marlonmm

It's kinda 2 in 1 also - a cleaner and a conditioner. And cheaper. 😉

HNB

Marlonmm said:
It's kinda 2 in 1 also - a cleaner and a conditioner. And cheaper. 😉

I agree. It is funny though. There are people who have to use a specific item for a job even if there is a cheaper alternative. My personal example is people who won't drink filtered tap water because it isn't bottled. I drink regular tap water, but I know a few who avoid water that isn't in a plastic container. 😀 I go for the cheapest thing that works.

irish_punk13

Marlonmm said:
It's kinda 2 in 1 also - a cleaner and a conditioner. And cheaper. 😉

Yeah. I've never seen a thing of actual fretboard conditioner go for as cheap as lemon oil. Last time I got lemon oil it cost me a little more than a dollar.

Also it smells good too.😀

Joey

Yikes, I'm bad about oiling the board and swapping strings. It can be YEARS before I put a new set of strings on a guitar 😡

HNB

Joey said:
Yikes, I'm bad about oiling the board and swapping strings. It can be YEARS before I put a new set of strings on a guitar 😡

Me too. Do people clean the boards without changing the strings? (Just get 'em loose and wipe the board down?) I can't imagine putting lemon oil on without changing the strings and I don't like to buy strings that often.

irish_punk13

HNB said:
Me too. Do people clean the boards without changing the strings? (Just get 'em loose and wipe the board down?) I can't imagine putting lemon oil on without changing the strings and I don't like to buy strings that often.

I've done that once or twice before, and I think it kind of defeats the point of cleaning your fretboard. The good thing for me is that strings normally last 3-4 months, so my string changing schedule lines up perfectly with my cleaning schedule.

HNB

irish_punk13 said:
I've done that once or twice before, and I think it kind of defeats the point of cleaning your fretboard. The good thing for me is that strings normally last 3-4 months, so my string changing schedule lines up perfectly with my cleaning schedule.

I suppose that is true. 😀 I just don't play very often because my kids are too little for me to get much time away from them when I am home.

irish_punk13

HNB said:
I suppose that is true. 😀 I just don't play very often because my kids are too little for me to get much time away from them when I am home.

Well if you don't play much then your strings shouldn't be that dirty. You should be fine just wiping the fretboard down with strings on. I play normally 4-5 hours a day so my strings get kind of dirty, so it would kind of defeat the point as I said above.

HNB

irish_punk13 said:
Well if you don't play much then your strings shouldn't be that dirty. You should be fine just wiping the fretboard down with strings on. I play normally 4-5 hours a day so my strings get kind of dirty, so it would kind of defeat the point as I said above.

Makes sense to me. 😀 I wish I could play 4-5 hours a day. Will have to wait until both kids are potty trained and less dependant.

irish_punk13

HNB said:
Makes sense to me. 😀 I wish I could play 4-5 hours a day. Will have to wait until both kids are potty trained and less dependant.

I just pick it up whenever I have some spare time, and I also have a fucked up sleep schedule, so I have quite a bit of time on my hands. I normally only sleep about 4 hours a night, so I have roughly 20 hours to fit that in.

HNB

irish_punk13 said:
I just pick it up whenever I have some spare time, and I also have a fucked up sleep schedule, so I have quite a bit of time on my hands. I normally only sleep about 4 hours a night, so I have roughly 20 hours to fit that in.

Can be good or bad I suppose. 😀 I need to invest in a good accoustic. That way I could at least practice when the kids are sleeping without making too much noise.

ozone

Is the point just to clean the fretboard or also to moisten the wood to keep it fresh?

johnnykazz

HNB said:
Can be good or bad I suppose. 😀 I need to invest in a good accoustic. That way I could at least practice when the kids are sleeping without making too much noise.

Highly recommend Yamaha LL-series.

Hand-made STYLE (I extremely doubt actually handmade unless they are higher end models)

But they have LL6, LL16, LL26, LL36. All range in price but have more features and/or higher quality ####.

I own the LL6 and just to tell you the sound is incredible with a pair of Elixir strings, considering the guitar

is under $500 dollars.

Another thing to know is that Yamaha also as other "L-series guitars", the LL's are just dreadnaughts.

They also make LJ6, LJ16, LJ26, LJ36 which are Jumbo versions.

They also make LS6, LS16, LS26, LS36 which are Concert versions (More Martin 000-style, good for smaller hands / people)

I believe they also make different variations of each guitar, some with cutaways, some acoustic/electric, some with both cutaways

AND electronics.

They really are awesome and you should at least give them a chance by looking into them.

EDIT:: I should work for Yamaha huh? Yeah, that'll happen 😀

HNB

johnnykazz4l said:
EDIT:: I should work for Yamaha huh? Yeah, that'll happen 😀

LOL

I have a pawn shop accoustic, but it needs new tuners. I might do that until I have cash to get a new one. 😀