Lemon Oil

[Pekker_Head]

My local guitar shop is out of FastFret, so they recommend Lemon Oil, but I kind of hold a grunge against them as I think they purposely break my guitar when I take it to them, so I'll buy a new one...
Anyway, My main guitar broke a string (don't ask me how IT broke it.., I guess it plays itself, dunno...) and I think it time to wipe down the fret board. Is it safe to use lemon oil? If so do I put it on the fretboard or on a paper tower and wipe it down?

[Dmackenzie]

Lemon oil is absolutely safe and I fully recommend it as it moisturizes the fingerboard as well as gets rid any built up grime. Most of the pros use it every two changes of strings... so you remove your strings (you don't want to get it on the strings or frets) and applay a small amound between all the frets. After letting it soak for two to five minutes, wipe it off and you're all set to go.

Good luck.
Dmack

[Chet Ubetcha]

Is it lemon oil that is unsafe to use on maple fretboards? I forget.

[Pekker_Head]

Lemon oil is absolutely safe and I fully recommend it as it moisturizes the fingerboard as well as gets rid any built up grime. Most of the pros use it every two changes of strings... so you remove your strings (you don't want to get it on the strings or frets) and applay a small amound between all the frets. After letting it soak for two to five minutes, wipe it off and you're all set to go.

Good luck.
Dmack
What happens if it gets on the frets? My 24th fret barely has room for a drop of lemon oil..

[disobedience]

If you get it on the frets simply wipe it off.
It won't hurt anything..but if you leave it on the frets/strings it transfers and can make a mess (spreads to your hands...and clothing..etc)

[nlsstar]

I had the same experience...I needed new Fast Fret..went to the music store and the Luither told me he wouldn't sell it to me...he told me i should be using Lemon oil...he went on to explain how much better it was and how it stuck to the strings better...bla bla bla....i knew lemon oil was probably good for conditioning the wood of the fret board...but he swore up and down it's what most people use for string conditioning too...so i bought it...god..what a nightmare that was...it did give some slickness at the start but after a little bit it started to have a build up on the strings and the strings actually became sticky...so I went back and demanded Fast fret...I still use the lemon oil as Dmack and Pekker say as a conditoner during string changes, but nothing but fast fret for string lube from now on...and this Luithers advice is also the reason that my Strat it at another music shop getting it's make over and not his shop
Mitch

[Pekker_Head]

The Oil did make my fretboard more shiny and a bit easier to play. Now the new strings are slinky and causing a problem, hopefully it'll get better

[Dmackenzie]

Lemon oil isn't really a string lube or anything, it's strictly for the fretboard... keep that in mind
and Chet makes a good point, keep it away from Maple fretboards!

[ez-one]

Also if you are going to oil or condition your fret board, use a clean terry or other type of cotton cloth, not paper towels. Instead of Fast Fret try Kyser Dr Stringfellow or Finger ease, both are decent products, I use the kyser product, just spray it on a cloth and wipe the strings.
PS lemon oil is not a good string lube, any thing that is going to stay oily for any length of time is going to collect dirt and dust, it will probably help your strings to go dead before their time.

[nlsstar]

actually the lemon oil he sold me was Dr Stringfellows lemon oil. I couldn't remember the name when i posted the first one. I knew it was DR. something..lol...i was calling it Dr. Whydidilistentothatguy..:eek:

[ez-one]

thats the stringfellow product for polishing and oiling a fretboard, they also make a product called Kyser Dr. Stringfellow--String cleaner and lubricant- that works really well on strings

[nlsstar]

ah..yea..see that's not what he sold me...i didn't know they had that product...or i would have asked him about it...

[cisshritri]

Is it lemon oil that is unsafe to use on maple fretboards? I forget.



Hi guys, Im a newbie. Nice to join this forum.