MCChris Posted April 11, 2012 Posted April 11, 2012 So my little photo session on Sunday made me realize that the fretboards on my guitars (all rosewood) have gotten a little gamey. Okay, a LOT gamey. Gunked up around the frets and whatnot.So what do you recommend? Lemon oil? Lighter fluid? 0000 steel wool? All/none of the above? I'm looking to clean rather than condition.And a pre-emptive "shut it" goes out to SirDan. Don't make me bust out the "Fabulous Forties" pic.
murkat Posted April 11, 2012 Posted April 11, 2012 fretboard,to clean~ naptha and a soft toothbrush if needed.doll up~ scott's liquid gold for rosewood.frets~ buffing wheels and compounds
Eric Weston Posted April 11, 2012 Posted April 11, 2012 000 steel wool makes 'em nice & shiny (makes a big steel wool mess too). formby's lemon oil crap makes 'em nicely dark & rich. I just re-fretted my Strat & used both on it afterward.......looks awright......as in fooking awesome
bondedbybrick Posted April 11, 2012 Posted April 11, 2012 GORGOMYTEwww.gorgomyte.comI know the name sounds silly, but try it, you'll like it!
thehikingdude Posted April 11, 2012 Posted April 11, 2012 Another option: http://www.formbys.c...up_remover.cfm?Lot's of info here: http://www.beafifer.com/boredoctor.htm
RichRS6 Posted April 11, 2012 Posted April 11, 2012 +1 For Gorgomyte.Less messy than steel wool and no worries about the bits sticking to the pickups.
cynic Posted April 11, 2012 Posted April 11, 2012 GORGOMYTEwww.gorgomyte.comI know the name sounds silly, but try it, you'll like it!Yep, it does sound silly. I tried this and it gives results as good as or not better than the steel wool with far less mess. Of course, it's per application price is much higher, but still nothing that's going to break the bank. It also leaves the frets feeling very nice.
Disturber Posted April 11, 2012 Posted April 11, 2012 Just some mineral free oil I got from my guitar repair man. I use it to get the mush loose then scrape the dirt of with something, a pic might work or something plastic that does not scratch the wood.
Steve Haynie Posted April 11, 2012 Posted April 11, 2012 Steel wool then fretboard oil have been the way things got done for years. On a beater I tried the Gorgomyte and it cleaned the frets nicely, but left white residue on the fretboard. The fretboard was really dirty, so the Gorgomyte was used liberally. Had the fretboard been normal it would have taken less effort and probably came out with no residue at all.
gwayne Posted April 11, 2012 Posted April 11, 2012 Micro-mesh for the frets - use Badger Dave's regimen.
LordOfTheThighs Posted April 12, 2012 Posted April 12, 2012 After you get your fretboard cleaned up, try using Fret Doctor on the rosewood to wrap up the job. I've been using it for the last couple of years. Gives the rosewood a nice luster, and rejuvenates a dry board. Good stuff.
BadgerDave Posted April 12, 2012 Posted April 12, 2012 I'm using the Gorgomyte process on lightly gunked up boards, or if I'm in a hurry. For heavier muck, I apply Dunlop lemon oil and scrape with a plastic radius guage, then polish the frets with micro mesh pads.Bring 'em over if you need a hand.
Kurt L Posted April 12, 2012 Posted April 12, 2012 Another vote for Gorgomyte followed by a little Guitar Honey.
silentman Posted April 12, 2012 Posted April 12, 2012 Gorgomite works very well. Also lemon oil. To get the gunk around the frets, you can take some sort of credit card, wrap in an old tshirt and rub that parallel (right up next to the fret). The tshirt will pick up the gunk and you can get right in there easily.
zenmindbeginner Posted April 12, 2012 Posted April 12, 2012 I like to use toothpicks to clean right up to the fret.Naphtha and Dr. Duck's Ax Wax works really good although I'd like to try that Rose Gold or whatever it's called.
KH Guitar Freak Posted April 12, 2012 Posted April 12, 2012 I use Brasso on a cloth to polish the frets out. Then I proceed to clean and nourish the fretboard with Fret Doctor. Yes, I know Fret Doctors isn't a fretboard cleaner, but with some liberal use of it, it gets the job done...
lincsman Posted April 12, 2012 Posted April 12, 2012 Wire wool and gibson fretboard conditioner works wonders
Jeff R Posted April 12, 2012 Posted April 12, 2012 I used to use Guitar Honey (a bottle would last me several years) but the last time I looked for some I couldn't find any locally, so I got a pack of Ernie Ball Wonder Wipes. Kind of like baby wipes for fretboards. I like them a lot. If I can't find Guitar Honey next time I need fretboard goop, I'll get the Wonder Wipes again without hesitation.
stobro Posted April 13, 2012 Posted April 13, 2012 I use what Lakland recommends for their basses-Howard's Orange Oil to clean the board followed by Howard's Feed-n-Wax to protect it.
HoboMan Posted April 13, 2012 Posted April 13, 2012 Another vote for Gorgomyte followed by a little Guitar Honey.Same here.I have never heard of Gorgomyte until about six months ago.Now I'm sold on the stuff. My Artist's Fretboard used to get sticky by the third set. I thought it was just the nature of this guitar.Then I tried Gorgomyte. It made my frets feel like stainless steel. The stuff is amazing.Guitar Honey really makes the fretboard look nice.
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