Question About the use of the Fretboard Conditioner

[whitestrat]

I was wiping down some of my other RW boards the other day, and I did what I usually do. Wipe, and air dry. But after playing the guitar a bit later, I noticed my fingers became coated with black grime.

So, question is, am I supposed to wipe off the excess fluid after application? As in, does the wonderwipe "eject" the dirt in the boards so I have to clean them off?

Or do I just air dry the guitar?

 

[David Corrales]

What I've read and do is to apply a fretboard oil like the Dunlop one and remove the excess with a cloth. I use an old crappy shirt for this

After that I have to no problems with stickiness or anything.

 

[the24thfret]

Good question. I can't say I know the answer for sure, but I'd assume you'd either wipe off excess or let the stuff fully "dry". I've used only the wonder wipes for fretboards and I've never had any problems.

 

[ShaneV]

I usually wipe down the neck/ fingerboard a few minutes after applying the wonder wipes. Not sure what you're supposed to do, but that works great for me.

 

[ScoobySteve]

After the wonder wipes after its saturated (RW Im assuming) remove the excess with a paper towel.

 

[whitestrat]

Actually, I don't just mean the excess. What I meant was, is the Fretboard conditioner sort of like a soap solution, that removes the grime, floats it to the top where it can be cleaned off?

 

[Slingy]

I think it is a cleaner and oil or their own mixture. I'm looking at the bottle and it has the vapor warning, so most likely more than just mineral oil. I like to scrub of any grime with a paper towel before wiping off the excess.

 

[whitestrat]

So this means yes, it's a cleaner of sorts, and I SHOULD saturate the board, wait for a while to let the filth rise up then wipe it of huh?

I've been doing it wrong... Hahahaha!!!!

 

[patpark]

if the fretboard is really dirty a little steel wool helps in removing the dirt and polishes the frets. then I hit it with a little naptha, then the EB fingerboard wipes. The wipes you can use for more than one guitar. I tear open the little pack, use it then place it back inside the pouch. this is for a rosewood board only.

 

[whitestrat]

if the fretboard is really dirty a little steel wool helps in removing the dirt and polishes the frets. then I hit it with a little naptha, then the EB fingerboard wipes. The wipes you can use for more than one guitar. I tear open the little pack, use it then place it back inside the pouch. this is for a rosewood board only.

Actually, I have the steel wool. I'm a bit afraid to use it... I don't know why... But since you say it helps to polish the frets as well, maybe I should give it a try!

So I need the naptha as well?

 

[patpark]

Actually, I have the steel wool. I'm a bit afraid to use it... I don't know why... But since you say it helps to polish the frets as well, maybe I should give it a try!

So I need the naptha as well?

only if the board is very dirty. the naptha does the final cleaning of residue.

follow with the fingerboard wipes. let the oil absorb in the f.b. and then wipe the rest off.

 

[nobozos]

I've always found that fretboard conditioners are pretty good cleaners. My understanding of these products from the research that I have done, is that they are primarily a kind of penetrating oil. This would indicate to me that it would get into the grains of the wood, and help to displace any dirt that is in there.

The main reason I use fretboard conditoner, or lemon oil, is to provide a moisture barrier on the unfinished wood of the neck. If my neck is getting grimy, I will use a toothbrush to clean the wood part of the neck after applying the lemon oil. I don't use steel wool on anything but the frets. On maple necks, it's not as apparent, but on rosewood necks, you can really see micro abrasions from the steel wool, especially when the neck starts to get a little dry. I hardly ever use steel wool on the frets, only if they are getting really nasty. If I do, I mask the wood to ensure that I don't have any steel wool contact with the wood.

As a general rule, I don't clean the neck because it starts to look bad, I clean the neck when it effects tone or playability. Otherwise, I add lemon oil for the moisture barrier.

 

[Abraxas]

I am somewhat perplexed about using the Wonder Wipes on my maple fingerboards.

I don't care much about the yellowing of the wood (my 9 y.o. ASS has in fact yellowed beautifully!) but I'd like to know if it's useful in removing dirt, as mentioned above.

Also a warning for those using steel wool: always, ALWAYS, mask your pickups with masking tape! You wouldn't believe how much those tiny bits of metal love to gather on your pickups' polepieces.

 

[Spudmurphy]

If you don't buff the rosewood fingerboard well after conditioning it, you will get black residue on your fingers - has happened to me.

I don't like the idea of just letting it air dry as you won't be removing any residue that the conditioner has loosened up.

I bet that if you condition it - buff the hell out of it, and try conditioner in another couple of days (without playing it) you will get black on the wipe - I think that it may be a characteristic of rosewood. The reason I say this is that I took all the strings off my JP just before Xmas and really (and I mean really) cleaned the neck.

Before I restrung it the night before last ( Yeah the strings were off for 3 weeks!!), I gave it a wipe down with another fresh conditioning wipe and there was black on the wipe. Now obviously I hadn't been playing it before hand so where did the black come from?- as I say, is it a characteristic of Rosewood that you will always get this?

 

[jamminjim]

If you're gonna use steel wool, it would be wise to cover the pickups until you get the steel wool remains cleaned up.

 

[whitestrat]

If you're gonna use steel wool, it would be wise to cover the pickups until you get the steel wool remains cleaned up.

Great point!