Anyone else experiencing gray fingers?

[michaeld13]

I've been getting this ever since I got my Luke Starry Night. I was thinking the ebony could be dyed since its hard to get these days without any streaking... But not sure. I thought it could be strings, but I've been though a few sets and same thing happens. Any ideas? Just kinds strange. Wondering if anyone else has fingers like mine

 

[michaeld13]

I have Paradigms on right now. Enjoying them! Prior to that I had EB Pure Nickel- really liked those as well- and before that NYXL- none of the strings made a difference with what I posted above - just to put that out there. Thanks for any insight all.

 

[agt]

Are you a shredder? It looks like your fingertips are charred. I suspect that your Luke's fretboard might still be smouldering. Keep a fire extinguisher handy.

 

[QuietSpike]

My starry valentine did that a bit on day 1, but nothing like that!

 

[MikeVt]

I was getting it too from my Starry Night Cutlass. I figured it was either freboard oil or gunstock oil residue, stain or a reaction from the steel strings or frets. I believe it came with steel hybrid slinkies. When I did my first string change, I gave the fretboard a good rubdown with EB fretboard conditioner and put regular slinkies on it and it has GREATLY reduced the dirty fingers. It's like 10-20% of what it was.

Mike

 

[Fro]

I haven't had that problem with my SN LIII.

 

[michaeld13]

Well the Paradigms are supposed to last for a while- so I'll try a good wipe of the fretboard when I get ready for a new set. As for shredding - sort of - was doing my best Hendrix improve for about an hour or so- so lots of bending and going crazy . Pure fun!!!

 

[michaeld13]

Also seems so be a fairly common occurrence with lots of theories floating around on the net...

 

[AgustinJP50]

Yup, my Starry Night Majesty had that issue when I first received it. However, it only lasted for a day or two IIRC.

 

[spychocyco]

Happens to me from time to time with new strings, though never quite that bad. I recently restrung three guitars with the exact same strings, bought at the same time, and got that from one set, but not from the other two. I figured it was just luck of the draw with new strings. Sometimes you were gonna end up with dirty fingers.

 

[TheShreddinHand]

Most likely it's the fretboard. It's happened to me on every new Ibanez or ESP guitar I've ever bought that had rosewood or ebony fingerboards. Give it a week of playing and shouldn't happen anymore.

 

[edhalen]

Most likely it's the fretboard. It's happened to me on every new Ibanez or ESP guitar I've ever bought that had rosewood or ebony fingerboards. Give it a week of playing and shouldn't happen anymore.

I'm getting it with my SUB AX4 maple board. It's the strings in my case.

 

[michaeld13]

I loosened the strings a lot so I had clear way to the fret board and wiped it down with a slightly damp microfiber- a ton of dye (I assume) came off. I don;t think there is anyway I could have that much dirt on it from the short time I have had it.
It also took a lot of wiping to get it fairly clean- in some spots I could have wiped much more and still some residue come off. But I got it clean enough and put some Dunlop lemon oil on it and wiped it down again and tightened th strings back up. I'll get some good playtime in this weekend and see if that was it. Actually I post a pic of the rag. Pretty amazing what came off. I did see some slight streaking in the board in some spots that wasn't there before- but them lemon oil brought everything back to very black- looks great and plays great!

 

[michaeld13]

Other side looks the same. Really feels nice after the TLC.

 

[BrickGlass]

Gotta just be the fretboard. Cleaning it with the lemon oil and wiping it off good like you did should solve it.

 

[Flash Gordon]

I had a little of this on my Starry Axis. No big deal.

 

[michaeld13]

Yes, mystery solved. Clean fingers A lightly damp microfiber I found worked the best. And man playing so smooth- might have been a little drag with fingerboard having that on it- Also the Paradigms are sweet.