Help! Using Lemon Oil on JP15 Roasted Maple fretboards

[gurtejsingh]

Hey Guys,

Long time no see!

First of all, I am not trying to advertise other products here, so please pardon me for posting questions about non EBMM products. I have going absolutely nuts about this but I cannot seem to find a definitive answer anywhere.

My JP15's fretboard (roasted maple) has been going a bit dry of late, which is probably due to the hot and dry weather where I live in. I have always been wondering whether I can use the 'Jim Dunlop 65 Lemon Oil' (Which I have and use on my other guitars) on the fretboard to give it some life back. But it says on the back - 'not to be used on Maple fretboards'. I understand it could probably mean on the finished maple necks, but I am confused. I know I can use the wonder wipes which are a little hard to find here, I have placed an order for a few which would take a while to arrive.

I regularly use the lemon oil on my JP6 (stealth black), and it seems to work really well.

If any one could throw any light on this, I'd greatly appreciate it. More on the fact that if some one has used it and can let me know it's perfectly safe

Also, pardon me for posting about a question which has been asked a few times, I found other recommendations, but not a yes/no about this product as such.

Please let me know your thoughts. Seeking help! Thanks!

 

[DrKev]

But it says on the back - 'not to be used on Maple fretboards'. I understand it could probably mean on the finished maple necks, but I am confused. I know I can use the wonder wipes which are a little hard to find here, I have placed an order for a few which would take a while to arrive.

Yes, it usually refers to finished maple necks. Applying lemon oil to that would be like putting lemon oil on the body of your guitar - messy!

You'll be fine with lemon oil. It's not recommended by some manufacturers because some people use way too much and it could damage the frets if it gets in underneath. Just dab a little on a cloth or paper towel and apply against the light so you can see even light coverage.

 

[gurtejsingh]

Thanks DrKev! I was hoping you'd chime in although I completely trust your word for it, have you ever tried it on a roasted maple neck? I've read that it does darken the look a bit? Cheers and thanks a bunch for the reply!

Sent from my Redmi Note 3 using Tapatalk

 

[damo_512]

I used it on the fretboard of my JP15 after asking CS (multiple times may I add aha). It does look a tad darker when you apply the oil but that's what happens when you put oil on wood. After wiping it off it cleans up a bit and lightens as it dries out.

As DrKev said, just remember not to put too much on.

 

[gurtejsingh]

Thanks a lot buddy. Was going to try it today after DrKevs response, but your confirmation makes me feel more safe. Do you use the same brand of lemon oil?

Sent from my Redmi Note 3 using Tapatalk

 

[damo_512]

Yea mate, I use the the Dunlop Lemon Oil. It's good stuff and it makes restrings smell lovely

 

[gurtejsingh]

Awesome! Thanks much! Will be trying it out today

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[BrickGlass]

I can't speak to the roasted maple part of this, but you can absolutely use lemon oil on maple. It is just pointless if it finished maple. Just going to make a mess and not absorb. It does darken the wood a bit, but it lightens up again after it starts drying out again. I prefer the Old English lemon oil. My true preference is the Stewart MacDonald fretboard finishing oil.

 

[Spudmurphy]

+1 on the Dunlop oil.

Fret issue? - when my mate does a refret on an old guitar he puts a LOT of oil on the board - this oil "wicks" under the fret and aids fret removal.

Another mate had his guitar serviced - the shop said that they had oiled the neck overnight - oh dear I thought, The next couple of days saw some of the frets rise out of the fret slots due to the oil. - the shop owner tapped them back with a mallet .

So don't use too much oil.

 

[gurtejsingh]

Thank you so much @BrickGlass and @Spudmurphy! This is awesome information and I am sure will answer questions for many users here. I will be trying on the Dunlop Lemon Oil tonight on the fretboard as advised by @DrKev. I'll ensure that I keep it to a minimum and not overdo it!

Thanks again!

 

[alf cockle]

i have actually squeezed orange peels over a rosewood neck,and the fine spray of orange oil that was deposited on the neck did a decent job when rubbed in….wonderwipes are a lot easier,but if you*re stuck,wtf….plus,you can chow down on the orange after.

 

[Spudmurphy]

FWIW Johnsons Baby oil is great on rosewood - if it's good enough for a baby's bum then it's good enough for "your neck" lol

 

[DrKev]

Did you know that Johnson's Baby Oil is not really made from babies but from dinosaurs and prehistoric plants?! It's true! Baby oil is just a low-viscosity light mineral oil, i.e. paraffin oil, with fragrance.

Speaking of mineral oils, I've used 3-n-1 oil on the rosewood fretboards. As I said above with the lemon oil, apply small amounts to a cloth first, then wipe on, and then buff off.

Incidentally, 3-n-1 oil gets it's odour from citronella oil, also known as lemon grass oil, which is an insect repellant and has some anti-fungal properties. Doesn't make you play better though, alas. Probably not a great on babys' bums either.

This episode of "DrKev says..." was brought to you by a 10 month old baby and not enough letter Zzzzzzzs.

 

[Spudmurphy]

Did you know that Johnson's Baby Oil is not really made from babies but from dinosaurs and prehistoric plants?! It's true! Baby oil is just a low-viscosity light mineral oil, i.e. paraffin oil, with fragrance.

Speaking of mineral oils, I've used 3-n-1 oil on the rosewood fretboards. As I said above with the lemon oil, apply small amounts to a cloth first, then wipe on, and then buff off.

Incidentally, 3-n-1 oil gets it's odour from citronella oil, also known as lemon grass oil, which is an insect repellant and has some anti-fungal properties. Doesn't make you play better though, alas. Probably not a great on babys' bums either.

This episode of "DrKev says..." was brought to you by a 10 month old baby and not enough letter Zzzzzzzs.

hee hee very good, very good! You wait till they get into their teens !!!!!

 

[gurtejsingh]

So much information in this thread Nicely put DrKev I too have a two year old son, and I can totally relate to your post

Next time probably I'll try his baby oil on the neck For this time I went ahead and applied the lemon oil as suggested by DrKev, and it worked really well. It's as if the wood has restored it's beautiful "orange" color and it smells so good smooth and all!

Thanks a lot everyone once again! You guys are super helpful as always.

 

[FreeHat]

Thank you folks. Just used the Dunlop 05 Lemon Oil on my roasted maple JP15 fingerboard which was started to dry out and worked beautifully.