Why not oil and wax blend on maple fretboard?

[Bass Case]

If it is alright to use an oil and wax blend on a maple neck,should'nt it be o.k to use on a maple fretboard also?

 

[tkarter]

Nope

tk

 

[Old_Guy]

-> I'm an idiot did it. Turned into a mess; thankfully it's wearing off (a string change later).

 

[Basspro]

You should be able to cut up the E string and use it as candles.

 

[Powman]

This is good that i saw this thread. I ordered some gun stcok oil and wax from Cabela's for the neck. So what do we do we the fretboard?

 

[Basspro]

Here you go,

http://www.ernieball.com/forums/music-man-guitars/15765-lemon-oil-maple-fretboard.html

 

[spideyjg]

What kind of "mess" did you guys have?

I picked up a beat to snot maple neck 7ender that the finish was flaking off like potato chips from the neck.

Chipped, sanded, and cleaned with Murphys all that old poly off the front and back of the neck then did 2 coats of oil, per the bottle instructions, on the back and 1 coat on the fretboard, avoiding the frets of course, then followed up with wax.

Turned out sweet.

I could post pictures if that is kosher.

Jim

 

[Old_Guy]

Laughing..well no, not the refinishing problem you had of course. Maple's pretty dense and really won't absorb much of anything, so it's best just to occasionally use food grade lemon oil (or Wonder Wipes). What I did one night (obviously just not thinking) was continue the gunstock oil/wax treatment from the back of the Sterling neck around to the fretboard. It's a small mess really, and after having gotten the wax away from the frets, no worries. Heck, it's just wax (carnuba). I used to whine about the maintenance required on the Sterling's neck, but actually it forces me to give the instrument a good inspection.

 

[Powman]

So, if I read the Lemon Oil thread correctly, the answer is , YES, you can use a bit of lemon oil on this unfinished maple fretboard to clean it. Did I read it correctly?

 

[Old_Guy]

Yessir. Unlike a rosewood board, you're not 'feeding the wood' - really you're just getting your finger oils and whatever stuff that was on your fingers off the maple.

 

[mynan]

So, if I read the Lemon Oil thread correctly, the answer is , YES, you can use a bit of lemon oil on this unfinished maple fretboard to clean it. Did I read it correctly?

Yes, just wipe off the excess. It doesn't get absorbed into the maple like it does with rosewood.

 

[parker1963]

Saw this post and thought i would tell you about some stuff i used last night to get finger oil dirt and shadow residue off my unfinished maple AAA Axis.The Stuff is called "Jam Juice" and is made by the people at Campbell American guitars.Man it is the best stuff i have ever used on any frett board to get is clean without damaging it.Other than using a razor blade to clean. stuff just works awesome!.

here is the link

Jam Juice: Fretboard Cleaner/Conditioner | Campbell American Guitars

Parker

 

[Basspro]

An unfinished maple board is a different story, and bet that "juice" worked great.
I use howards oil on my finished maple fretboard during a string change
and have never had a problem,it's just to clean the board.

 

[Powman]

I received my gunstock oil from Cabela's. I think I smeared on a bit too much at the back of my neck (nothing on the fretboard!!)...Its a bit sticky. Follow the directions given on the MM FAQ section...it is correct. Just use a very small amount, and only wait 5 minutes. Then rub witha paper towel.

The instructions on the bottle suggests using more and waiting 2 hours before rubbing off the excess...that's too much IMO...Just a small amount is all that is needed

 

[DrGonzo5150]

Wipe on. Wipe off.
Too much/too long and it's a sticky mess.

 

[Basspro]

The instructions on the bottle suggests using more and waiting 2 hours before rubbing off the excess...that's too much IMO...Just a small amount is all that is needed

Remember,this is directions for gunstocks not necks.A little go's a long way.

 

[GGK]

I've used the wonder wipes fretboard conditioner for the last 18+ months and it works great, front and back. I also thought I read somewhere that orange oil is best for unfinished maple necks.

 

[Basspro]

I do use a orange oil/wax combo for the unfinished necks rather than lemon oil.

 

[glensterr]

The best stuff to use (believe it or not) is Naptha which you can find in your local hardware store under Colemans camping fuel (WITHOUT THE RUST ADDITIVE!!).

Apply a small amount to a rag and rub into maple fretboard. It will clean all the dirt and muck off of the maple and dissolves so no residue and no harm done to maple.

Again only use if your maple fretboard is really yucky! lol