Baby Oil Fretboard!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Nico
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Nico

Nico

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Just cleaned the fretboard of my first guitar an old Ibanez with baby oil. Must say it looks really nice.
Has anybody tried it? I recommend it!

It was filthy and its not a valuable guitar, I don't know if I would do it to one of the good ones. Although I heard and read that its basically the same as Lemon Oil
 
I've been using Fret Doctor for years, and it's the only stuff I will use on my fretboards at this point. I've seen it actually bring a board back to life on a friends guitar. The wood literally came back up to the frets where it had started to pull away from about 30 years of sitting in a closet.

That said, he has some strong opinions about different products people use to condition and clean their boards. I'm not sure how much is marketing, but I've seen the results of his product with my own eyes.
http://www.beafifer.com/boredoctor.htm
 
i use butcher block oil its a wood conitioner for cutting boards really soakes in the grain works awsome
 
You should not be using anything that has petroleum distillates in it, and that includes baby oil.

I only use Fret Doctor.

We just had a thread on this topic, no?
 
Ayrton":3todq85s said:
You should not be using anything that has petroleum distillates in it, and that includes baby oil.

I only use Fret Doctor.

We just had a thread on this topic, no?
Click to expand...

there have been many, many threads about this topic. i can think of 4 i have replied in, at least.

so i give up :D
 
Ayrton":9tx5lunr said:
You should not be using anything that has petroleum distillates in it, and that includes baby oil.

I only use Fret Doctor.

We just had a thread on this topic, no?
Click to expand...
First part = true.

Second part = true.

FWIW, I'm a lemon oil kinda guy. Fret Doctor's great stuff as well.

Peace,
V.
 
Fret Doctor here too, love the stuff. Lemon Oil/Baby Oil/Whatever Oil that has petroleum in it is ok for cleaning but not for conditioning.
 
Valtiel":21zldmed said:
Fret Doctor here too, love the stuff. Lemon Oil/Baby Oil/Whatever Oil that has petroleum in it is ok for cleaning but not for conditioning.
Click to expand...

That fret doctor seems popular!
I thought lemon oil was good for a dried out fretboard, as advertised by Dunlop and others... And for that matter yes its a mineral oil...
 
I use Dr. Ducks. Works great for me. I wonder how close the Duck is to Fret Doctor?
 
Ventura":oklvb4jm said:
Ayrton":oklvb4jm said:
You should not be using anything that has petroleum distillates in it, and that includes baby oil.

I only use Fret Doctor.

We just had a thread on this topic, no?
Click to expand...
First part = true.

Second part = true.

FWIW, I'm a lemon oil kinda guy. Fret Doctor's great stuff as well.

Peace,
V.
Click to expand...
1st part is mostly true...mineral oil (including baby oil and most lemon oils) doesn't contain petrolium distillates but its still not good for fretboards. It will make the board look nice but won't penetrate and condition properly.

Lemon oil (the real stuff) is a good cleaner but you still want to use a conditioning oil like Fret Doctor.
 
There is always a lot of talk about use this but don't use that on a fretboard. Has anyone ever actually seen one that is messed up from using the "wrong" oil on it? The biggest problems I have heard of is over-oiling, causing the frets to come loose.

Dunlop and Planet Waves really make stuff that is not good for your instrument ? Seems to me if they did get complaints of it ruining necks they would pull it off the market.
 
Stew-Mac for rosewood. Soap and water for maple. Don't like the oily oils myself, not even linseed so much. Like dry shiny hard fretboard.
 
snowdog":2lpbmj19 said:
There is always a lot of talk about use this but don't use that on a fretboard. Has anyone ever actually seen one that is messed up from using the "wrong" oil on it? The biggest problems I have heard of is over-oiling, causing the frets to come loose.

Dunlop and Planet Waves really make stuff that is not good for your instrument ? Seems to me if they did get complaints of it ruining necks they would pull it off the market.
Click to expand...
Oil doesn't loosen frets, the shit in it does (petroleum distillates). Over oiling with those types of oils can dissolve glues.

You're not going to physically harm a fretboard by using the wrong oils...you are making it more susceptible to future issues from drying.
 
Mineral oil has water in it, which will actually dry out your board, you want Fret Doctor.
 
Erock":3o2qjd0e said:
I've been using Fret Doctor for years, and it's the only stuff I will use on my fretboards at this point. I've seen it actually bring a board back to life on a friends guitar. The wood literally came back up to the frets where it had started to pull away from about 30 years of sitting in a closet.

That said, he has some strong opinions about different products people use to condition and clean their boards. I'm not sure how much is marketing, but I've seen the results of his product with my own eyes.
http://www.beafifer.com/boredoctor.htm
Click to expand...
+1 on the Fret Doctor. Amazing stuff. It's the only thing I use.
 
I went to a Taylor guitar clinic a couple years ago. They showed us how to properly change strings. Also showed us to clean fretboard with steel wool and then use a small amount of lemon oil on it. Do not over-do it with the oil or do it too often. I've always done it this way anyway. Sometimes just use guitar polish too. I personally wouldn't use baby oil.
 
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