Cleaning the fretboard

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XXX

Posts: 4400
Joined: Apr. 14 2005

Cleaning the fretboard

Hi i have searched the foro and was surprised nobody has mentioned this. I wanted to ask what you use to clean the fretboard? Mine starts to get some bright things behind the frets??
Never done such a thing, and it would be cool if i could clean it with tools that you can find maybe in your hosehold?
Thanks!

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Фламенко

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 4 2009 3:10:02

Stephen Eden

Posts: 914
Joined: Apr. 12 2008
From: UK

RE: Cleaning the fretboard (in reply to XXX)

you can scrape them with the blade from a stanly knife. this is how i always do it just be cautious not to dig in with the corners of the blade. i usually fine sand it after and seal with some lemon oil. make is small nice for a while too

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 4 2009 5:21:48

minordjango

Posts: 918
Joined: Feb. 26 2005

RE: Cleaning the fretboard (in reply to XXX)

i heard the lemon oil may cause damage ??? not sure where, i love the smell of it, tastes great with a few ice cubes and used as a mixer!!!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 4 2009 6:10:36

XXX

Posts: 4400
Joined: Apr. 14 2005

RE: Cleaning the fretboard (in reply to XXX)

Hey thanks! Where can i get lemonoil? Or can i replace it with other oils? I have two oils for skin.

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Фламенко

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 4 2009 7:16:48

Stephen Eden

Posts: 914
Joined: Apr. 12 2008
From: UK

RE: Cleaning the fretboard (in reply to XXX)

i dont know why it would damage the finger board it has been developed for fingerboards. I just checked google and there's a fair few guitar shops over that stock it. Seem as you are in germany try google it and see what comes up. it's only about 5 pounds for a bottle that will probably last you a long time.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 4 2009 8:45:46

edguerin

Posts: 1589
Joined: Dec. 24 2007
From: Siegburg, Alemania

RE: Cleaning the fretboard (in reply to XXX)

quote:

Where can i get lemonoil?

Actually what you want is Camelia-Oil.
Check here (that's where I ordered mine)
"www.dick.biz/dick/product/705280/detail.jsf"where **** is d i c k

There was a thread about fret-cleaning on the foro a while back:
old thread

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Ed

El aficionado solitario
Alemania

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 4 2009 9:16:54

XXX

Posts: 4400
Joined: Apr. 14 2005

RE: Cleaning the fretboard (in reply to edguerin)

quote:

ORIGINAL: edguerin

There was a thread about fret-cleaning on the foro a while back:
old thread

Haha, you know why i didnt found that thread? I searched for fretboard and that thread only knows a fingerboard

Anyway, thanks for the Info!

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Фламенко

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 4 2009 10:43:15

GuitarVlog

Posts: 441
Joined: Mar. 19 2009
From: San Francisco Bay Area

RE: Cleaning the fretboard (in reply to XXX)

Anders may be able to give the best advice.

I lightly (and I stress LIGHTLY) rub mine with 0000-grade steel wool which is used to finish furniture. This is just to remove any dirt or metal flecks (from the bass strings). I carefully dust-off the board and may clean it with a compressed-air cannister.

After that, I apply a fretboard conditioner like Lizard Spit which is just a formulated lemon-oil. I wipe-off all the excess before restringing the guitar.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 4 2009 11:28:35

Stephen Eden

Posts: 914
Joined: Apr. 12 2008
From: UK

RE: Cleaning the fretboard (in reply to XXX)

yeah wire wool is another thing that can help but you will find it tricky to get the gunk right up against the fret the blade will do that. i use a blade to clean up the small amount of glue that can run down when gluing the frets in and the edges to take out any build of polish. then after all that, i use a micro fine sanding pad to re shine the frets and apply the lemon oil. works very well

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 4 2009 12:45:43

jshelton5040

Posts: 1500
Joined: Jan. 17 2005

RE: Cleaning the fretboard (in reply to Stephen Eden)

quote:

ORIGINAL: SEden

i use a blade to clean up the small amount of glue that can run down when gluing the frets in and the edges to take out any build of polish. then after all that, i use a micro fine sanding pad to re shine the frets and apply the lemon oil. works very well

You glue the frets in? Are you referring to black fill on the ends or the whole fret?

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John Shelton - www.sheltonfarrettaguitars.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 6 2009 5:41:26

Stephen Eden

Posts: 914
Joined: Apr. 12 2008
From: UK

RE: Cleaning the fretboard (in reply to XXX)

a wee bit of super glue holds em in place and fills the end. i just run it into the small hole. I dont run glue in the slots then put them in

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Classical and Flamenco Guitars www.EdenGuitars.co.uk

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 8 2009 9:49:21

jshelton5040

Posts: 1500
Joined: Jan. 17 2005

RE: Cleaning the fretboard (in reply to Stephen Eden)

quote:

ORIGINAL: SEden

a wee bit of super glue holds em in place and fills the end. i just run it into the small hole. I dont run glue in the slots then put them in

We use a dot of black epoxy at the very end of each slot when installing the frets.

I forget which American guitar manufacturer it was who glued the frets in (maybe Ovation?). We haven't worked on steel string guitars for many years but I learned very quickly to heat the frets before removal to avoid making a mess of the fingerboard. Now we always heat them before removal. It really simplifies the job.

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John Shelton - www.sheltonfarrettaguitars.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 9 2009 6:03:01

orsonw

Posts: 1934
Joined: Jul. 4 2009
From: London

RE: Cleaning the fretboard (in reply to Stephen Eden)

quote:

you can scrape them with the blade from a stanly knife

Thanks for the good advice. I got a stanley blade and cleaned up a 44 year old guitar that had lots of streaks of thick, dirt on the fretboard, from sweat and dirt I suppose?

I'm no luthier but with a bit of care to avoid digging into the ebony, it wasn't too difficult- satisifying work. Wish I'd taken a before and after photo, it's made a big improvement.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 7 2010 15:07:15

gounaro

Posts: 875
Joined: Sep. 28 2008
From: Athens, Hellas

RE: Cleaning the fretboard (in reply to XXX)

Hello Deniz. I already have asked Anders advice about cleaning fretboard and told me that this one is very nice. I think he uses the same and so i followed his advice.

http://www.dick.biz/dick/product/705280/detail.jsf

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 9 2010 6:37:53