Treatments for maple fingerboards?

[Jodizzle]

What's up guys.
There are a couple threads already about the WW. But hopefully your questions are being answered. And for those of you who have the Wipes ... congrats, sure you'll enjoy
The Fretboard Conditioner is a blend of natural mineral oils including: Linseed, orange, and Jojoba! MMmmm my favorite. Brian actually did extensive research for this product and found that, over time, Orange oil is much better than Lemon oil.
Just a quick wipe-down and a brief wait (eat a hotpocket while waiting), and your neck should be cleaned, revitalized, and nourished!
Keep the feedback coming

 

[candid_x]

I can say with certainty, the effect of WWs lasts a whole lot longer than lemon oil, on rosewood and maple. I'm beginning to question whether another Birchwood Casey treatment will ever be needed again.

 

[Astrofreq]

Miracle Whip

 

[Jodizzle]

MMmm Miracle Whip might provide a little too much acidity

 

[NorM]

What's up guys.
There are a couple threads already about the WW. But hopefully your questions are being answered. And for those of you who have the Wipes ... congrats, sure you'll enjoy
The Fretboard Conditioner is a blend of natural mineral oils including: Linseed, orange, and Jojoba! MMmmm my favorite. Brian actually did extensive research for this product and found that, over time, Orange oil is much better than Lemon oil.
Just a quick wipe-down and a brief wait (eat a hotpocket while waiting), and your neck should be cleaned, revitalized, and nourished!
Keep the feedback coming

I was really hoping that an EBMM person would respond to this thread so thank you! Just to make sure, The Fretboard conditioner is good for maple boards too?

I love seeing how much dirt I can get off of my fretboards. I've got polish cloths that I have had to throw away cause they got so dirty. I'm really looking forward to throwing away well used WWs

Miracle Whip

MMmm Miracle Whip might provide a little too much acidity

I think he might have meant on the hotpocket. I'm a Lea & Perrins man myself.

 

[philiprst]

I can't comment on the wipes because I have never used them but they seem like a good way to keep everything clean. Personally, I would never apply any sort of oil to the neck or fretboard. Wood is dead cellulose and doesn't need to be "nourished". Oil finishes, like tung oil, don't just soak into the wood. They soak in and then harden over a long period of time to produce a durable finish.

If you apply more oil you will either just wipe it right back off again or risk raising the grain. I don't know the exact process by which EBMM finishes the necks but I assume they apply several coats of oil and then sand in between to remove any raised grain and get a smooth finish.

That's just my take based on my experience of wood finishing. I would love to hear EBMMs take on this.

 

[candid_x]

Wipes work on maple necks, front and back. The difference is, you don't let it sit as long on maple. You're merely wiping (or rubbing/cleaning) it down and wiping it off. WWs clean, not just condition.

 

[candid_x]

I can't comment on the wipes because I have never used them but they seem like a good way to keep everything clean. Personally, I would never apply any sort of oil to the neck or fretboard. Wood is dead cellulose and doesn't need to be "nourished". Oil finishes, like tung oil, don't just soak into the wood. They soak in and then harden over a long period of time to produce a durable finish.

If you apply more oil you will either just wipe it right back off again or risk raising the grain. I don't know the exact process by which EBMM finishes the necks but I assume they apply several coats of oil and then sand in between to remove any raised grain and get a smooth finish.

That's just my take based on my experience of wood finishing. I would love to hear EBMMs take on this.

'Fraid I don't agree. I've also worked professionally on wood finishes, especially oil finishes, before. Wood which is exposed to the elements, not to mention oily, flaky skin and acid, does need to be protected/sealed. If it isn't, the likeliness of warpage is increased, and the wood gets grungy with body oil and dirt.

The process used on EB necks, according to what they publish to us knuckleheads, is quick and simple. This same process can be used again by us owners, should the neck require it after some time and use. (and after time and use, it will) The difference between this process and something like Wonder Wipes is that the original Birchwood Casey finishing oil hardens in the outer wood layer, forming a durable shield, whereas WW's oil isn't a hard drying product inside the wood, and to some degree is water soluble. So it will wear off faster, and it can be reapplied as needed.

There are other such products as Birchwood Casey's, as you must know, which work similarly, but why not go with what has been tried and tested for years in the field?

Unless one is a purest to the degree of SRV, with hardly any finish left on his main axes, finishing wood with a quality oil won't negatively affect the tone. But it will make the guitar last longer, and looking better.

 

[philiprst]

Thanks candid, that's really interesting. Although I probably overstated my point, what concerns me is that some people regularly apply oils to the neck and fingerboard thinking that because the original finish an oil it must "dry out" or evaporate over time. As you said, oil hardens in the wood and is a durable finish. You really need to replace it only if there is significant wear to the outer surfaces of the wood. In that case, what you suggest (using the original oil product) is great.

 

[candid_x]

Yes, I share your concern about overdoing it. There's such a thing as too much of a good thing.

 

[greenwizard]

What's up guys.
There are a couple threads already about the WW. But hopefully your questions are being answered. And for those of you who have the Wipes ... congrats, sure you'll enjoy
The Fretboard Conditioner is a blend of natural mineral oils including: Linseed, orange, and Jojoba! MMmmm my favorite. Brian actually did extensive research for this product and found that, over time, Orange oil is much better than Lemon oil.
Just a quick wipe-down and a brief wait (eat a hotpocket while waiting), and your neck should be cleaned, revitalized, and nourished!
Keep the feedback coming

Do Wonder Wipes come with Hotpockets???

 

[Jodizzle]

Candid .. thanks for chiming in and helping out!
NorM, no prob. Sorry we didn't slip in here earlier. There are quite a few threads running now about the WW's. Great comments/questions though.


Now, as for the Miracle Whip & Hot Pocket insight. As of right now, the WW's do not come with them. I'm afraid we wouldn't be able to narrow down the flavor/style of Hot Pocket to come with the WW's. And personally, I'm more partial to regular ol' Kraft Mayo. Like I said .. MW just has too much tang and acidity taste for me.

Maples, rosewods, and ebonys oh my! These WW's would do well in the Wizard of Oz forest ...

 

[The Musicman]

so is one minute long enough to let the WW soak on a maple board ?

 

[candid_x]

so is one minute long enough to let the WW soak on a maple board ?

If you're cleaning the neck, it takes at least that long to finish rubbing etc. the entire neck. I do mine quickly because I don't want the oil on the maple long. It won't "soak in" deeper by leaving it on longer (maple is hard with tight pores), as with rosewood (which is more porous and absorbent), but I don't want it to dry on the maple, so I wipe it off quickly, then give it a good buffing.

 

[Alz®]

Couldn't you use neat lemon juice for cleaning a grubby neck? Not that I've tried this!

 

[candid_x]

Never tried lemon juice. It would probably clean well, but it wouldn't seal the wood, might even dry it out. Pure lemon oil works well, though. Big difference between lemon juice and lemon oil.

Since this thread has been resurrected, I'll add a comment.

I've found that while WW's work great on rosewood, it can be a bit much (for me anyway) on maple, which requires much less than the rosewood. Fortunately, the oils/minerals used in WW's are water soluble, so if I overdo it on the maple, it's easy to bring it back to the natural wood feel, with just the wipe of a slightly damp cloth.