The Shark Posted June 13, 2017 Posted June 13, 2017 What's the best method to clean an unfinished maple fingerboard? The grime comes off with spit on my finger, but I don't want to spend two hours with that method! Just water and a rag? I just don't want anything weird to happen. Thanks in advance.
Jeff R Posted June 13, 2017 Posted June 13, 2017 I use naphtha and an old piece of T-shirt cloth. Like Murkat Jay has said here ... naptha to clean, polish to polish. If you have or get built up stubborn crudsludge, I use an old credit card as a scraper to get off bulk shit before I get into the naphtha.
HamerDave Posted June 13, 2017 Posted June 13, 2017 +1 for naphtha. A little bit on a soft rag and you'll do fine. If you don't have an old credit card go dig a guitar pick out of the dryer (that's where mine seem to end up) and use that to remove what you can before resorting to the solvent.
Jeff R Posted June 13, 2017 Posted June 13, 2017 Or your driver's license. Mine has a permanent embedding of sludge on its long sides.
The Shark Posted June 13, 2017 Author Posted June 13, 2017 Thanks very much. I'm off to the hardware store for some naphtha. Now, it's my hope that I don't have to buy a pint to get an ounce, but I know the answer to that question.
tbonesullivan Posted June 14, 2017 Posted June 14, 2017 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.
The Shark Posted June 14, 2017 Author Posted June 14, 2017 4 hours ago, tbonesullivan said: 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.
tbonesullivan Posted June 14, 2017 Posted June 14, 2017 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.
The Shark Posted June 14, 2017 Author Posted June 14, 2017 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.
Jakeboy Posted June 16, 2017 Posted June 16, 2017 Just an FYI..,for smaller amounts of naphtha..,Dr Stringfellow's fretboard cleaner is naphtha with a citrus scent added and I believe Ronson lighter fluid is 100% naphtha.
The Shark Posted June 16, 2017 Author Posted June 16, 2017 13 hours ago, Jakeboy said: Just an FYI..,for smaller amounts of naphtha..,Dr Stringfellow's fretboard cleaner is naphtha with a citrus scent added and I believe Ronson lighter fluid is 100% naphtha. Thanks, but I now have enough naphtha to last the duration.
tbonesullivan Posted June 17, 2017 Posted June 17, 2017 "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 Posted June 17, 2017 Posted June 17, 2017 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.
tbonesullivan Posted June 18, 2017 Posted June 18, 2017 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.
hamerhead Posted June 20, 2017 Posted June 20, 2017 Will it dissolve bones? I'm asking for a friend....
texwest Posted June 21, 2017 Posted June 21, 2017 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.
The Shark Posted June 21, 2017 Author Posted June 21, 2017 11 hours ago, texwest said: 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.
Jeff R Posted June 21, 2017 Posted June 21, 2017 On the 180 ... If you want the maple staining/discoloration and want your neck to feel old and worn in and comfy akin to that favorite pair of jeans, favorite old baseball glove, Watco Danish oil ala old skool San Dimas-era Charvel. My old ESP neck I Watco'ed is absolutely addictive in your hands and my trusty G&L Legacy is getting it when I finally get around to refretting her. I've done several of the Watco oils for folks, guitars and basses, after they've felt and played mine. Remove the old finish and follow the instructions on the bottle. Easy stuff.
Bennyboy-UK Posted July 4, 2017 Posted July 4, 2017 Ask a question like this on the EBMM site, and they flay you alive for not exhaustively searching the forum rather than interacting with humanz...
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The Shark
What's the best method to clean an unfinished maple fingerboard? The grime comes off with spit on my finger, but I don't want to spend two hours with that method! Just water and a rag? I just don't want anything weird to happen. Thanks in advance.
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