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Hi Guys,

I was looking at was going to buy dunlop 65 lemon oil for my fret baord but then i realized, i dont know what its even for! So i didn't but i might next time i drop in to buy an adaptor. Whats the point of it? How do you properly apply it? What type of wood needs it and which don't? I own a fender strat with a rosewood fretboard and a taylor 214 with an ebony fretboard. Would they both require such a oil to be maintained? Thanks again guys in advance!

-Jason


Originally Posted by strat_masterHi Guys,

I was looking at was going to buy dunlop 65 lemon oil for my fret baord but then i realized, i dont know what its even for! So i didn't but i might next time i drop in to buy an adaptor. Whats the point of it? How do you properly apply it? What type of wood needs it and which don't? I own a fender strat with a rosewood fretboard and a taylor 214 with an ebony fretboard. Would they both require such a oil to be maintained? Thanks again guys in advance!

-Jason

I just put some of the Dunlop Lemon Oil on my Fender today. Stuff sure smells good! Mine is rosewood. Keeps it from drying out I guess. It has a built in applicator so you just rub it on.

Is it ebony your not supposed to use lemon oil on?

I know it's cool for rosewood amp; maple, but I remember reading you shouldn't use it on something amp; I think it's ebony.


Originally Posted by PUCKBOY99Is it ebony your not supposed to use lemon oil on?

I know it's cool for rosewood amp; maple, but I remember reading you shouldn't use it on something amp; I think it's ebony.

no, its maple. it says so on the label (dunlop 65). maple fingerboards usually are finished.


Originally Posted by PUCKBOY99Is it ebony your not supposed to use lemon oil on?

I know it's cool for rosewood amp; maple, but I remember reading you shouldn't use it on something amp; I think it's ebony.Nope. Ebony amp; rosewood:good. Maple:bad. Very bad.

I guess it's important to keep the RW oiled, but it's also important to not keep the board too oiled.

so just to get this straight, i SHOULD use lemon oil on my rosewood AND ebony fretboard? I should NOT use it on any maple fretboard? Are there any reasons for this? Hmmi'll definately pick up a bottle of lemon oil next time. How often should i oil the fretboard down?

you just need to be careful which product you buy. Many are not really lemon oil at all but some conglomeration of junk left over from other chemical processes with some lemon scent added. Look for something that is organic... often it is easier to find in bore oil for woodwind instruments than fingerboard oils.

I went to the grocery store and bought some 100% lemon oil and I use it on all my rosewood fretboards. I hear that ebony is naturally oilier so you don't have to use it as often.

As it is, only oil your boards once every six months. No more. Too much oil will loosen the frets potentially. Not enough oil and the board will dry out. When that happens, it shrinks. Just a little but enough that if you have a bound fretboard, the frets will sometimes crack the binding on each fret edge. If you have an unbound fretboar and it shrinks, your fret ends will feel sharp and will be sticking out too much.

I once bought a PRS from a guy up north that never oiled, but ran his furnace all winter. Dried the crap out of it. When it got to me, I was ticked off. Then I oiled it up heavily, let it soak in for a long long time. Additinally, I put a damp sponge inside an open zip lock and put it in the case with the guitar for a week or two. Board got moist and swelled back up, covering up the exposed fret ends.

That's why you oil them. Now take a guy like me down here in humidity land. Oiling isn't as crucial, although I still do it twice a year.


Originally Posted by Scott_FI went to the grocery store and bought some 100% lemon oil and I use it on all my rosewood fretboards.

Yep. Me, too.

As an aside, I thought that I was missing something. I was thinking that quot;Lemom Oilquot; was some kind of kinky French lubricant made specifically to be used on MILF's.


Originally Posted by sgstratNope. Ebony amp; rosewood:good. Maple:bad. Very bad.

Which guitars uses Maple wood for their fretboards ?


Originally Posted by DesertRoseWhich guitars uses Maple wood for their fretboards ?

Bunch of companies, fender, music man, ibanez, gibson (the zakk wylde custom shop, plus some of their older models), Its pretty common really. Maple is typically finished, so it doesnt require oil, as the finish retains the wood's natural oils.

I hear that Its especially important to oil ebony, if you let it dry out too much it can crack.


Originally Posted by sgstratNope. Ebony amp; rosewood:good. Maple:bad. Very bad.

I have to disagree with the bad part... finished maple won´t give a rat´s ass whether you put lemon oil on it or not, because lemon oil won´t penetrate the finish, not even vintage Nitro....

And on any unfinished wood there´s no good reason NOT to use it.

The only reason for the general rule of quot;Use on Ebony and RW, not maplequot; is because of the finish on maple making the treatment totally superfluous... not because of potential damage


Originally Posted by HamerPlyr
As an aside, I thought that I was missing something. I was thinking that quot;Lemom Oilquot; was some kind of kinky French lubricant made specifically to be used on MILF's.
Originally Posted by DesertRoseWhich guitars uses Maple wood for their fretboards ?

don't tell me you haven't heard of or seen pics of jimi.


Originally Posted by ZerberusI have to disagree with the bad part... finished maple won´t give a rat´s ass whether you put lemon oil on it or not, because lemon oil won´t penetrate the finish, not even vintage Nitro....

And on any unfinished wood there´s no good reason NOT to use it.

The only reason for the general rule of quot;Use on Ebony and RW, not maplequot; is because of the finish on maple making the treatment totally superfluous... not because of potential damage

Thanks Zerb....makes sense. I knew it was one that you didn't use it on, but the finished neck makes sense that you quot;wouldn'tquot; use it, not quot;couldn'tquot;.