What's the best way to clean an unfinished maple fingerboard?
- Thread starter The Shark
- Start date
There is NO finish on the board? Not even an oil one? Usually most recommend you oil it, as that helps keep the sweat from soaking deep into the wood.
Just traded for a Les Paul Custom w/ maple board. My hands don't sweat and strings last a long time for me. Don't think grime will be an issue. Just getting rid of the previous owner's grunge.
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If it's a Gibson, most likely there already is some type of finish on the fretboard, either a satin or some type of oil.
For me, to clean oiled boards I mix murphy's oil soap 1 to 1 with water, and use a soft toothbrush. It really helps getting the grunge out of the pores.
For me, to clean oiled boards I mix murphy's oil soap 1 to 1 with water, and use a soft toothbrush. It really helps getting the grunge out of the pores.
Okay, so here's the epilogue. I go to Ace Hardware and they look at me like I have three heads. Never heard of Naphtha. So, I go to Lowe's. The nice guy in the paint section leads me right to it. All solvents and other thinners are two or three containers wide and the Naphtha is one container wide on the bottom of the shelves. Two left.
I tell the nice gentleman what I'm going to be using it on and how little of it I'm going to use. He tells me, under his breath, that I need to do the job and return the container the next morning. "Just tell the cashier you bought the wrong stuff". But I can't do that. Just thought it was funny.
Thanks, fellas. I appreciate it.
I tell the nice gentleman what I'm going to be using it on and how little of it I'm going to use. He tells me, under his breath, that I need to do the job and return the container the next morning. "Just tell the cashier you bought the wrong stuff". But I can't do that. Just thought it was funny.
Thanks, fellas. I appreciate it.
Ernie Ball dips their necks in wax/oil.
"naptha" is really just a non-descript mixture of light and medium weight hydrocarbons anyway. Most of the fretboard conditioners out there are the same thing: refined oil of some type. It helps break down and dissolve the grease and other crap left on the neck, while leaving a residual behind. One could also use a soap but that would remove the oils, leaving the wood susceptible to drying out and oxidation.
Thundersteel
New member
Naphtha is also good for cleaning tar and other sticky goo off of your car. Take what little you need for the guitar, and use the rest keeping the cars clean.
I also have some... Way more than I'll ever need. I can also get more at work where they use it to clean old guns and other items. It's not as strong as something like acetone, which can be a PITA to deal with and dissolves everything.
texwest
New member
If its really not finished at all, then clean it first with the naptha and then put some Tru oil on it. The wood will slowly get stained darker by finger oils if there is no finish. Wiping tru oil on is easy and will protect the neck from having future problems. You can use a coffee filter to wipe it on. Pour a small amount on the filter. Wipe it on. Wipe off the excess with the coffee filter and then do it again every 12 hours or so until you get on about 6 coats. You can then buff it very very lightly with 0000 steel wool. It will look great!! I've done it may times on my strats when I change the shape of the back of the neck. Very easy to do and looks great.
Thanks, but my hands have little to no oil. I can leave a set of strings on a guitar for years as long as nobody else touches it. I was able to get all the discoloration cleaned from the board with the naphtha. It looks brand new. And I have lots of guitars, so it's not like it's going to get played to death.