• From: Lancashire
  • Registered: 2008-02-26
  • Posts: 700

Topic: Maple Necks / Fret Boards care

Hey, I recently saw a discussion about this on a forum.
http://ultimate-guitar.com/forum/showth … p?t=810818

Can any1 here shed some light? ive always pretty much used it (albeit very lightly) to clean the grease etc your fingers leave. I did a bit more research and something about maple boards being laquered, which i get cuz the oil wont soak in to the wood but Ive never noticed any adverse effects on the neck it always feels more comfortable and fast to play the next time you use the guitar after a bit of lem oil :x

  • mitch
  • mitch
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  • From: Swindon, UK
  • Registered: 2006-04-22
  • Posts: 92

Re: Maple Necks / Fret Boards care

Lemon Oil has a lot of neat alcohol in it which can remove the lacquer from a maple board- I use a SMALL amount of silicon based cleaner- the type you use to clean the vinyl/plastic in your car upholstery - to clean up maple boards- Lemon Oil is really to seal and clean rosewood necks...

hope this helps...

Mitch

This don't look like no express way to me...

3 Reply by NPB_EST.1979 (edited by NPB_EST.1979 2008-03-14 07:39:58)

  • From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2006-06-02
  • Posts: 5,807

Re: Maple Necks / Fret Boards care

The maple neck & fretboard on my strat is lacquered all the way around. Whenever I change strings, I just take my guitar polish spray to the entire guitar...including the fretboard. Lem oil protects raw wood and treats it - so if it's varnished or laquered putting lem oil on it is not needed... and the finish respond well to your favorite guitar cleaner/polish -

Lem oil is good for rosewood or ebony fretboards when they appear dry or start to lose their deep dark color.

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
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  • From: UK
  • Registered: 2006-09-27
  • Posts: 176

Re: Maple Necks / Fret Boards care

agreed, plain old furnature polish on my strat/tele and Lemon oil on the others.

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  • From: Lancashire
  • Registered: 2008-02-26
  • Posts: 700

Re: Maple Necks / Fret Boards care

Cheers guys, thats cleared it up smile only got the 1 guitar with a single piece maple neck and ive just done the same thing I do to all my guitars (which are mainly Rosewood boards) hate to wreck the neck on it I love the soft feeling of a maple board :X

  • From: UK
  • Registered: 2006-09-27
  • Posts: 176

Re: Maple Necks / Fret Boards care

its weird ... i used to dislike Maple necks till I met my current strat ... its now my main axe and I even went an purchased a telecaster with a maple neck soon after ....  strange.

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  • gsj
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Re: Maple Necks / Fret Boards care

Try Dunlop 02 on rosewood boards. Not as tacky as lemon oil and darkens the wood slightly.

never give up, never slow down
never grow old, never ever die young
  • From: Upper Yukon, Alaska
  • Registered: 2006-12-05
  • Posts: 128

Re: Maple Necks / Fret Boards care

I change strings maybe every 1 1/2-2 weeks when I play everyday, use SOB's, could go for a month but luv that sweet sound too much.  I'll have some pick marks up high on the neck, darkens the maple neck.  I hit the dark spots with super fine steel wool & lighter fluid.  I use fast fret and that's about it, works for me. 

Actually, I just luv picking up friend's old tele's & strats whose necks are weathered after decades of playing.

  • From: Harrison, Arkansas
  • Registered: 2006-04-21
  • Posts: 3,155

Re: Maple Necks / Fret Boards care

No finish on my Strat maple neck, just sealed it with tung oil, and use lemon oil to clean it. Love the feel. They get smoother as time goes on because of the wear and oil from hands.

"And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make"

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  • From: Gnashville, TN
  • Registered: 2007-02-14
  • Posts: 198

Re: Maple Necks / Fret Boards care

I found out about this stuff on a guitar forum and it works great for cleaining all kinds of necks and polishing up your frets. It's basically a guitar cloth soaked in a solution....you cut a small square of it and rub it over the entire neck and then buff it off with an old t-shirt and it's really amazing how well it works getting the grime off and bringing a luster to the frets.

and I'm not and endorsee or tied to the company in any way....just wanted to pass along something that actually works!

http://www.gorgomyte.com/

"why isn't the number "11" pronounced "onety one"???....S. Wright.

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  • From: Lancashire
  • Registered: 2008-02-26
  • Posts: 700

Re: Maple Necks / Fret Boards care

Guitgator wrote:

I found out about this stuff on a guitar forum and it works great for cleaining all kinds of necks and polishing up your frets. It's basically a guitar cloth soaked in a solution....you cut a small square of it and rub it over the entire neck and then buff it off with an old t-shirt and it's really amazing how well it works getting the grime off and bringing a luster to the frets.

and I'm not and endorsee or tied to the company in any way....just wanted to pass along something that actually works!

http://www.gorgomyte.com/

From the description it sounds like a cloth with lemon oil? shame its american id order some to try otherwise :s

12 Reply by gsj

  • gsj
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Re: Maple Necks / Fret Boards care

Dunlop has recently brought out a series of cloths and wipes for guitar necks and bodies....I've tried a couple and they're worth checking out.

JohnTB wrote:
Guitgator wrote:

I found out about this stuff on a guitar forum and it works great for cleaining all kinds of necks and polishing up your frets. It's basically a guitar cloth soaked in a solution....you cut a small square of it and rub it over the entire neck and then buff it off with an old t-shirt and it's really amazing how well it works getting the grime off and bringing a luster to the frets.

and I'm not and endorsee or tied to the company in any way....just wanted to pass along something that actually works!

http://www.gorgomyte.com/

From the description it sounds like a cloth with lemon oil? shame its american id order some to try otherwise :s

never give up, never slow down
never grow old, never ever die young
  • From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2006-06-02
  • Posts: 5,807

Re: Maple Necks / Fret Boards care

Nightfly wrote:

agreed, plain old furnature polish on my strat/tele and Lemon oil on the others.

***Make sure you don't use Pledge....Pledge has wax in it.

There was this old guitar I heard about where the person used nothing but Pledge on his guitar for 20 years, and you could scrape the wax buildup off with our fingernail - gross.

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping. cool

14 Reply by gsj

  • gsj
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Re: Maple Necks / Fret Boards care

I should've said Ernie Ball, not Dunlop.

gsj wrote:

Dunlop has recently brought out a series of cloths and wipes for guitar necks and bodies....I've tried a couple and they're worth checking out.

JohnTB wrote:
Guitgator wrote:

I found out about this stuff on a guitar forum and it works great for cleaining all kinds of necks and polishing up your frets. It's basically a guitar cloth soaked in a solution....you cut a small square of it and rub it over the entire neck and then buff it off with an old t-shirt and it's really amazing how well it works getting the grime off and bringing a luster to the frets.

and I'm not and endorsee or tied to the company in any way....just wanted to pass along something that actually works!

http://www.gorgomyte.com/

From the description it sounds like a cloth with lemon oil? shame its american id order some to try otherwise :s

never give up, never slow down
never grow old, never ever die young

15 Reply by Nightfly (edited by Nightfly 2008-03-17 05:55:31)

  • From: UK
  • Registered: 2006-09-27
  • Posts: 176

Re: Maple Necks / Fret Boards care

NPB_EST.1979 wrote:
Nightfly wrote:

agreed, plain old furnature polish on my strat/tele and Lemon oil on the others.

***Make sure you don't use Pledge....Pledge has wax in it.

There was this old guitar I heard about where the person used nothing but Pledge on his guitar for 20 years, and you could scrape the wax buildup off with our fingernail - gross.

lol ! luckily i dont do it very often tongue

Does anyone use 'FastFingers' ?

I think it works quite well so long as you don't use too much. I have heard some guitarists like to have it dripping off the string! John Petruci ? keeps the strings clean if applied after a gig.

Nightfly's Website

  • From: Lancashire
  • Registered: 2008-02-26
  • Posts: 700

Re: Maple Necks / Fret Boards care

Nightfly wrote:
NPB_EST.1979 wrote:
Nightfly wrote:

agreed, plain old furnature polish on my strat/tele and Lemon oil on the others.

***Make sure you don't use Pledge....Pledge has wax in it.

There was this old guitar I heard about where the person used nothing but Pledge on his guitar for 20 years, and you could scrape the wax buildup off with our fingernail - gross.

lol ! luckily i dont do it very often tongue

Does anyone use 'FastFingers' ?

I think it works quite well so long as you don't use too much. I have heard some guitarists like to have it dripping off the string! John Petruci ? keeps the strings clean if applied after a gig.

Not tried that but I popped in shop on saturday to advertise for a bassist, got talking about maple necks n stuff he said to try this "Kyser String Cleaner and Lubricant" so I bought some and well my acoustic sounds like the strings are brand new :x i was about to re-string it too. He said it should help keep the neck clean till a restring. It really did brighten things up was pleasantly suprised cost about £4. Ill keep a look out for Ernie ball cloths gsj.

  • From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2006-06-02
  • Posts: 5,807

Re: Maple Necks / Fret Boards care

Nightfly wrote:
NPB_EST.1979 wrote:
Nightfly wrote:

agreed, plain old furnature polish on my strat/tele and Lemon oil on the others.

***Make sure you don't use Pledge....Pledge has wax in it.

There was this old guitar I heard about where the person used nothing but Pledge on his guitar for 20 years, and you could scrape the wax buildup off with our fingernail - gross.

lol ! luckily i dont do it very often tongue

Does anyone use 'FastFingers' ?
.

I've used "FastFret" - its a wooden handled piece with a soaked gauze on the end that you rub all over your strings and fretboard. I used it for finger fatigue and so the strings would last longer. If you stay on top of wiping the excess off before AND after playing, it can make strings last longer and the fretboard looking nice. I didn't like the 'slippery' feeling of it though... also I like the sight and feeling of new strings on my guitars.

I know lots of bass players that use fastfret because then the strings dont dig in the fingers as much when sliding.

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping. cool

18 Reply by gsj

  • gsj
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Re: Maple Necks / Fret Boards care

Try Elixir strings. they cost more but last longer. Have to say I only like 'em on acoustic guitars.....not on electrics....but each to their own.

Geoff

never give up, never slow down
never grow old, never ever die young