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I thought Id post this in luthier section. When I change strings I normally clean the finger board of all the finger grease with a little furniture polish and then some fast fret. This tends to take away all the grease and dirt and leave a nice clean, slightly waxed fingerboard with shiny frets.
Recently I was asked to change strings on a friends guitar that had been sitting around for a a few years with the finger grease really dried on hard around the frets. I tried my usual trick of using polish and fast fret but no luck. The grease will come off if I scrape it but I dont want to scratch the fingerboard (which is ebony).
Is it better to try to scrape off the grease using a credit card for example or is it better to use a chemical cleaner. I have not attempted to use any alcohol based solution as yet. Thanks. Pim.
RE: Best way to clean a fingerboard (in reply to Pimientito)
Its like good barbecue... YOU NEVER CLEAN THE GRILL!
If you do..Swiss-knife...then alcohol +napkin. But,..I started washing my hands before playing :). yeah kind of odd..haha... bt that helps.. No more fingerboard cleaning needed since years.
RE: Best way to clean a fingerboard (in reply to Pimientito)
I use an old-fashioned razor--the kind that has a lip folded over one of the sides. I haven't found a cleaner that will remove this type of build-up without damaging the wood. From what I've read a lot of Ebony is dyed with leather dye due to the shortage of uniformly dark Ebony. So you have to be careful with solvents. If there is a difference in color (most likely it will be lighter in color) after you have scraped the wood you can apply Linseed oil or Fast Fret to darken it slightly. I haven't had any issues and the fb's I've done look great. Finally, I have sealed Rosewood wood with Tru-oil and that looks nice as well. It's more durable than Linseed oil, too.
RE: Best way to clean a fingerboard (in reply to Leñador)
Once it's clean you can cover it with linen oil, let it dry for 24 hours, remove the excess oil and then polish with very fine grain (I used that micro mesh stuff last time). After that the fingerboard is pretty much like a teflon surface.
RE: Best way to clean a fingerboard (in reply to Pimientito)
Naptha/soft cloth cleans grease. Don't oil fingerboards. It just gives the dust more attractive sticky stuff to stick to. Clean dry fingerboards stay the cleanest. Dust and exfoliated skin are attracted to moisture. Wipe the guitar dry with a soft cloth after you play.
Posts: 1240
Joined: Nov. 6 2008
From: Sydney, Australia
RE: Best way to clean a fingerboard (in reply to Pimientito)
My Anders guitar came to me with super disgusting green gunk on the fretboard, I scrapped it off with a credit card because it's non scratch, and just wiped it down after. It was FARKING disgusting, I don't understand how that much gunk can be on a guitar that is played.
Posts: 1108
Joined: Sep. 29 2009
From: Back in Boston
RE: Best way to clean a fingerboard (in reply to Doitsujin)
doit--major bbq error in not cleaning the grill. professor steven raichlen, bbq master of bbq university has 3 rules for the grill--keep it hot, keep it clean and keep it oiled.
as to the gunk--0000 steel wool will clean the gunk and polish the frets. i like to use micromesh 1500 then 4000 then 6000 to get the fretboard super polished and super fast. as to oil--a lot of folks recommend it but i would be wary of using it on the fretboard prior to/during the winter months when hydration is critical as oil repels water. of course this applies to us folks who spend money on hats, mittens and heating bills.
Posts: 1694
Joined: Jan. 29 2012
From: Seattle, Washington, USA
RE: Best way to clean a fingerboard (in reply to Pimientito)
I have cleaned some fingerboards on guitars that came to me for other repairs. Some had thick waxy buildups the source of which I cannot fathom.
I scraped carefully with a cabinet scraper and then wiped with paper towels soaked with naptha ("odorless paint thinner"). Then I dressed them the way I do new fingerboards, with coconut oil, which does not attract or retain dust; I wipe off the excess.
I would advise against using alcohol to clean any part of a guitar that has a french polish finish! And naptha dissolves wax better anyway.
RE: Best way to clean a fingerboard (in reply to keith)
quote:
doit--major bbq error in not cleaning the grill. professor steven raichlen, bbq master of bbq university has 3 rules for the grill--keep it hot, keep it clean and keep it oiled.
hahhaa great. ^^ That would mean el bundy is wrong??? Does this prof have any publications out on that?
Posts: 1108
Joined: Sep. 29 2009
From: Back in Boston
RE: Best way to clean a fingerboard (in reply to Pimientito)
doit--you are taking advice from al bundy. omg, has your life sunk that low? are you thinking about giving up botany to sell shoes? are you watching television with your hand stuck in your pants?
steven raichlen has published several books on barbequing and host the pbs shows, barbeque university and primal grill. i find cooking shows horribly boring but his shows have a weird attraction. the man has the greatest life--he gets paid, and paid well, to barbeque.
RE: Best way to clean a fingerboard (in reply to estebanana)
quote:
Dust and exfoliated skin are attracted to moisture.
That's why I use linen oil. To avoid contact with dust I keep the guitar in the case until the oil polymerizes. After removing the the excess oil which is almost solid after about 30 hours the guitar stays in the case for some more time. The oil has turned solid then and the fretboard is coated. I have seen this done on double bass fretboards that looked like a mirror later. Still looks different than varnish.
RE: Best way to clean a fingerboard (in reply to Pimientito)
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Is lighter fluid the same as Naptha?
I'm not sure, but I think a small amount on a cotton ball or Q-tip would clean finger grease away from frets. As long as it flashes off quickly, evaporates.
Naptha is a mild solvent and it dissolves oil and grease. To clean a fingerboard most makers agree on a light swipe with naptha and a tiny bit of 0000 grade steel wool used with care. But you want to go easy, it does not take much force.
Actually saliva on a Q-Tip will clean a lot of surface dirt. Painting conservators use saliva on cotton balls and Q-Tips to clean surface dirt from pictures. There is an enzyme in saliva that acts as a solvent for grease and dirt and saliva is safe to use on delicate paint films. And a drop of dish washing detergent and five drops of water will make a soap you can dip a Q-Tip in to clean embedded dirt in corners. Then wipe dry with tissue.
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When I was in college working in a furniture restoration shop on the side I over heard a heated argument between two older conservators; One argued that linseed oil had an electrical charge that attracted dust particles. I still do not know if it is true, but I do know oils trap dust and exfoliated skin by surface tension and plain old stickiness.
But I notice you live in London so who knows, maybe your stuff does. I'd search for actual VM&P naptha in your local hardware store (B&Q is it?). The stuff cleans many types of surfaces without harming them. It's useful just to have around.
RE: Best way to clean a fingerboard (in reply to Pimientito)
quote:
I'd search for actual VM&P naptha in your local hardware store (B&Q is it?). The stuff cleans many types of surfaces without harming them. It's useful just to have around.
Posts: 597
Joined: Jan. 14 2007
From: York, England
RE: Best way to clean a fingerboard (in reply to Pimientito)
The only thing I ever put on fingerboards is lemon oil. I mean 'the oil of lemons' not that synthetic stuff sold for guitars. I use it on new wood or you can clean with it. Actually, you can use any citrus oil eg tangerine, lime etc
RE: Best way to clean a fingerboard (in reply to Pimientito)
I love lemon oil just for the smell of it. I use it only every other year and usually remember it when I just finished changing the strings.
I am also in the ukulele business and have seen quite a few ukes with the fretboard literally vanished in places. Deep groves especially where the C Major Notes are. Sweat with all the minerals it contains, oil and stuff, dirt, skin cells and moisture are a deadly mixture, at least for rosewood. Don't know if ebony can bear more but cleaning and applying a little oil afterwards can't be wrong. Wiping the instrument after playing it also is cool - but who can be bothered, really?
RE: Best way to clean a fingerboard (in reply to Pimientito)
It all depends on the PH value and mixture of minerals you emit. Some need to only touch the guitar for a couple of seconds for the strings to be corroded next time you open the case.
Others like me will leave no traces whatsoever, even if they do not wash hands before playing, and strings will last until mechanically worn out.
What grooves in f-boards are concerned, I always thought that they were caused by fingernails. Often times single imprints from nails can be observed too.
RE: Best way to clean a fingerboard (in reply to estebanana)
quote:
ORIGINAL: estebanana
quote:
I'd search for actual VM&P naptha in your local hardware store (B&Q is it?). The stuff cleans many types of surfaces without harming them. It's useful just to have around.
Does it make a dry, dry martini?
Dunno about martinis, but it sure does make for one fine Flaming Moe!
RE: Best way to clean a fingerboard (in reply to timoteo)
Clean oily finger grease with rubbing alcohol, and then on occasion (you can almost tell when it is needed due to the dry look), oil the board with linseed oil. Let it soak in and wipe away if any excess oil is applied. It soaks into the wood, it dries completely by oxidation/polymerization, and it does not attract anything whatsoever, quite the opposite, it will help keep the wood from absorbing the wrong oils, such as from your hands. It is also a very good water and moisture repellent. Linseed is a time tested and proven very good treatment for unfinished wood, as it has been used as a wood preservative, conditioner for many centuries for these very reasons. Non-drying oils, such as those exuded by human hands, will not dry and do attract and accumulate dirt. This is the key, the drying vs non-drying oil property of different types of oils is the crucial difference in what kind of oil is good and which is bad for which specific application. Wiki info on linseed oil is here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linseed_oil#Wood_finish
quote:
Additionally, a luthier may use linseed oil when reconditioning a guitar, mandolin, or other stringed instrument's fret board; lemon-scented mineral oil is commonly used for cleaning, then a light amount of linseed oil (or other drying oil) is applied to protect it from grime that might otherwise result in accelerated deterioration of the wood.
RE: Best way to clean a fingerboard (in reply to Guitarsid)
quote:
Clean oily finger grease with rubbing alcohol, and then on occasion (you can almost tell when it is needed due to the dry look), oil the board with linseed oil. Let it soak in and wipe away if any excess oil is applied. It soaks into the wood, it dries completely by oxidation/polymerization, and it does not attract anything whatsoever, quite the opposite, it will help keep the wood from absorbing the wrong oils, such as from your hands. It is also a very good water and moisture repellent. Linseed is a time tested and proven very good treatment for unfinished wood, as it has been used as a wood preservative, conditioner for many centuries for these very reasons. Non-drying oils, such as those exuded by human hands, will not dry and do attract and accumulate dirt. This is the key, the drying vs non-drying oil property of different types of oils is the crucial difference in what kind of oil is good and which is bad for which specific application.
Still not quite getting the chemistry right. Alcohol is not a complete solvent for oil, it might solve some hardened dirt or grime, but not all. It also dries out the wood. Sometimes restorers use Xelene whch is like alcohol, but will not act as a solvent for oil based finishes.
Naptha flashes off fast and is a solvent for oil, it usually solves and removes oil deposits alcohol won't remove. And more importantly naptha is not a solvent for Shellac or Lacquer finishes. This is important to tell to guitarists trying to clean their own guitars because they may not understand or be aware that alcohol dissolves French polished, shellac, finishes. That is why instrument makers refrain from telling customers to get near finishes with alcohol. There been more than on sad story of how some one cleaning an instrument spilled the alcohol over it or wiped too far..etc.
Linseed oil is a drying oil, put on wood? Sure, but it's not needed. A Q-tip with tiny bit of naptha is still better. It is impressive to a customer when they get a nice oiled dark fingerboard, but if you applied linseed oil every time you changed your strings and cleaned the fingerboard it would create a thick varnish like mess.
That is why I tell people to be fastidious about wiping off sweat and moisture from strings and fingerboard after a long playing session. It prolongs the life of the strings and wipes the grimy spooge off the fingerboard while it is wet and removable. Then think about where that oil goes when you put it on a fingerboard. It goes right into the windings of the strings. So sure some linseed oil is ok, but it's really not necessary. The preventative care of wiping the guitar dry, to me at least, is more important than applying all kinds of goops.
RE: Best way to clean a fingerboard (in reply to estebanana)
quote:
but will not act as a solvent for oil based finishes.
Not getting the thread topic right, this cleaning is strictly talking about the cleaning of an unfinished fingerboard, not about cleaning the finish. Finish cleaning is another topic altogether, unless the fingerboard itself is finished and you want to preserve that finish. Rickenbachers have finished fingerboards, but I didn't think flamencos are normally finished. When cleaning a fingerboard, you only need to moisten a rag or q-tip and clean off the residue on the unfinished fingerboard surface. There are a number of good cleaning agents one can use, lemon oil was mentioned, soapy warm cloths, spirits, alcohol, naptha,etc. Alcohol will nicely clean off the unwanted oil and dirt. It can also be used to clean strings that have the same nasty finger deposits and residue deposited within the grooves of the wound strings. This will restore the bright sound and extend the life of the strings to a certain point. Alcohol and naptha both completely evaporate.
For finish cleaning, there are a number of caveats and specifics associated with proper cleaning and maintenance and french polished finishes are the most delicate . Avoid any contact of any cleaner with a french polished guitar. Never wipe or clean a french polished surface with a wet cloth, with solvents, or with polishes; do not even use any of the cleaning agents and compounds specially sold for guitars - these are not intended for French Polished instruments. It is possible to clean off a french polished guitar with a very wrung out, slightly damp cloth, but one must excercise caution. But for guitars with other commonly used modern varnishes, a number of cleaners can be used, soap and water, lemon oil, naptha, alcohol, murphy's oil soap, mineral spirits, a mix of turp and oil, commercial guitar cleaner formulations, etc. Even these finishes have caveats, for instance, some should not be used with nitrocellulose, but some should be used for nitrocellulose.
As I said, the oiling of a fingerboard need only be done on occasion, wipe off any excess, it is absorbed by unfinished wood and does not get on the strings. I have done it many times, for many decades, to many guitars and I have never seen any problem whatsoever, I have only seem much benefit. I have never ever seen a fingerboard that was over oiled, but countess times, I have seen it greatly improve dried out fingerboards. Very old, worn, and dry fingerboards will soak up oil, some are often literally as thirsty as they can be and are very often badly in need of some oil. As I said, this is a centuries old, time tested, wood treatment that provides benefits without problems.
RE: Best way to clean a fingerboard (in reply to Pimientito)
I feel like channeling Anders....*rant*
First, in another thread you said that waxing modern finishes will help preserve them. Really? Which finishes? Catalyzed lacquer, Phenolic Resin, Alkyd resin..non of which can be touched by waxes.
Are you saying this stuff because you actually know, or are you inventing stuff because yo think it might be so? Just because it works in the electric guitar world does not mean it works for flamenco guitars.
You tell people what you want to tell them, but by how you post I don't find you to be a reliable narrator of guitar issues. Fart on your fingerboards, I don't care. The deal is how people care for flamenco guitars and I tell my customers to wipe the bloody thing off after then play and don't put goop on it. You can tell them any fracking thing you want, whether you actually know about flamenco guitars or you are making it up as you go along.
In the end it's merely cleaning a ****ing finger board who gives a flying ****? For ****s sake. Is that all you got? Tell me what the inside of a 1906 Manuel Ramirez looks like. Because I don't care about stupid issues like fingerboard cleaning.
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It feels pretty good to be Anders for five minutes.
RE: Best way to clean a fingerboard (in reply to Pimientito)
quote:
Guitarsid aficionado
Posts: 47 Joined: Aug. 5 2013 From: Maryland USA
RE: waxing guitar (in reply to Guitarsid) No New Messages Natural resin varnishes all also age, dry, and crack eventually, so periodically treating the guitar with carnauba wax or lemon oil will also help to slow this processs and preserve these finishes longer. Newer synthetic resin varnishes are less prone to this deterioration because the newer synthetic complex polymers are far more durable than traditional natural resin varnishes/shellac. So while newer poly finishes may not benefit as much from feeding the surface, they will also keep the guitar looking like it has been dipped in plastic forever.
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Report Abuse | Date Sep. 7 2013 3:16:33
This is what you posted the other day. It makes no sense at all.
Flamenco guitars get French Polished or sprayed with lacquer, both finishes are best kept by doing as little as possible. Wipe with a dry cloth, visit your guitar maker when they need care.
Some cheaper flamenco guitars occasionally get modern finishes, but which ones? Catalyzed lacquer is super hard and nothing really touches it, you can't put wax on it to 'feed' it.
Phenolic and Alkyd resins are also fairly hard and polyurethane is thick and formulated to not show scratches as white crusty lines. So they look like plastic? Who cares? One of them is actually plastic, the other three are seldom used on high end flamenco guitars so what's the point of discussing them?
I get the feeling that you just made that stuff up and it's not your experience over a long period of time as a builder of flamenco or classical guitars. A which is fine, but of you floss on like you you are the **** you need to really be the ****.