Just wondering if using Old English lemon oil on my ebony fretboard is OK when I

clean my neck and change the strings this week. I do this about once a year on

my Taylor (twice if I in Utah where it is a lot drier).



MikeY

Mike,

I have heard that this is not necessarily a good thing (lemon oil), but I am no

expert when it comes to wood finishing and treatment.  It's just something that

I picked up from someone on the Martin Forum (i.e., it may be questionable).



Tom



--- In ParagonGuitars@yahoogroups.com, mike fred <thevernorsguy@...> wrote:

>

>

> Just wondering if using Old English lemon oil on my ebony fretboard is OK when

I clean my neck and change the strings this week. I do this about once a year on

my Taylor (twice if I in Utah where it is a lot drier).

>

> MikeY

>

Mike,

Here is what I found as the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS):

http://www2.itap.purdue.edu/msds/docs/9971.pdf



And here is a MSDS from the manufacturer that says a MSDS is not available (but

then goes on to say what a MSDS usually says)(???):

http://www.gjfood.com/pdf/msds/119_821570.pdf



And here is a link to other opinion (Ernie Ball Forum?):

http://www.ernieball.com/forums/music-man-guitars/7982-lemon-oil-neck-cleaning.h\

tml



Good luck in your decision,

Tom



--- In ParagonGuitars@yahoogroups.com, mike fred <thevernorsguy@...> wrote:

>

>

> Just wondering if using Old English lemon oil on my ebony fretboard is OK when

I clean my neck and change the strings this week. I do this about once a year on

my Taylor (twice if I in Utah where it is a lot drier).

>

> MikeY

>

Tom;



> And here is a link to other opinion (Ernie Ball Forum?):

>

http://www.ernieball.com/forums/music-man-guitars/7982-lemon-oil-neck-cleaning.h\

tml

>

> Good luck in your decision,

> Tom



Thanks for the info! Hopefully Rob will poke his head in here soon and give me

"smore" info. I want to start recording this weekend and want to change strings

probabaly Thursday night.



MikeY

Hey Mike. I've tried a bunch of stuff for fingerboard oil, and this has been my

fave

http://www.lmii.com/CartTwo/thirdproducts.asp?CategoryName=Finishes&NameProdHead\

er=Fingerboard+Oil



On new guitars, I first wipe down the fretboard with mineral spirits--takes any

gunk from masking tape off and really cleans it well. Then, apply this oil very

sparingly. It's synthetic so it doesn't go rancid and doesn't build up too much,

too. I used to use boiled linseed oil, but there's a big diff. I used lemon oil

for a while, because I liked the smell, but it leaves the fretboard looking a

little strange, the way it takes to the wood. It's actually not real lemon oil,

but just made to smell like that. There was a really good post on "The Canadian

Guitar Forum" about oils, and there are as many opinions as members there, just

about. Bottom line is that this LMI stuff works better than anything I've tried

in the past. I apply the oil across the grain, btw and make sure to get right up

to the frets. Disposable shop towels work better than regular paper towel.

Rember to really work it in and wipe off the excess till the towel is not really

looking dirty anymore. And get it off the frets too. Hope some of that helps. I

have no experience with lemon pledge, but if it has wax in it, you will

eventually build up a gunk on your fretboard. The natural oils in the Ebony are

very good, by themselves, and you don't want to over maintain the fretboard

unless it really gets dry a lot. John Cooley has a pretty good program for

maintaining his fretboards. Maybe he'll chime in.



Rob







--- In ParagonGuitars@yahoogroups.com, mike fred <thevernorsguy@...> wrote:

>

>

> Tom;

>

> > And here is a link to other opinion (Ernie Ball Forum?):

> >

http://www.ernieball.com/forums/music-man-guitars/7982-lemon-oil-neck-cleaning.h\

tml

> >

> > Good luck in your decision,

> > Tom

>

> Thanks for the info! Hopefully Rob will poke his head in here soon and give me

"smore" info. I want to start recording this weekend and want to change strings

probabaly Thursday night.

>

> MikeY

>

Hey Mike,I wipe the fretboards with mineral spirits first to get the gunk off,

and then I apply a moderate amount of this synthetic oil

http://www.lmii.com/CartTwo/thirdproducts.asp?CategoryName=Finishes&NameProdHead\

er=Fingerboard+Oil



Less is more with Ebony and you should avoid anything with wax in it, as it will

build up a coating. Never used Pledge before, but it may contain wax. I've used

several different types of oil (lemon, boiled linseed, and a few I can't

remember) but this one works the best out the ones I've tried. I use the

stronger shop towels instead of plain paper towels and work across the grain,

making sure to get right up to the frets. If you put too much oil, it will seep

out from under the frets. Do a thorough cleaning off after letting it soak in

for a few minutes, and get it all off the frets too. Then I use eyeglass cleaner

to get the excess off the side off the fingerboard binding.



You might find that you need to use steel wool before oiling, but I buff polish

the frets here at the shop, and the steel wool will dull them slightly, so I'd

try and avoid that. If you do steel wool, make sure you get rid of all the

leftover fibers, as cross rubbing the oil may leave scratches. You shouldn't

have to oil an Ebony board too often unless it's drying out a lot. The natural

oil in the wood maintains it. Some guys don't oil at all, but I like to use a

touch just to bring out the luster.



Rob





--- In ParagonGuitars@yahoogroups.com, mike fred <thevernorsguy@...> wrote:

>

>

> Tom;

>

> > And here is a link to other opinion (Ernie Ball Forum?):

> >

http://www.ernieball.com/forums/music-man-guitars/7982-lemon-oil-neck-cleaning.h\

tml

> >

> > Good luck in your decision,

> > Tom

>

> Thanks for the info! Hopefully Rob will poke his head in here soon and give me

"smore" info. I want to start recording this weekend and want to change strings

probabaly Thursday night.

>

> MikeY

>

Well, now that you mention it...............

 

Actually, I have a regular annual routine for all my guitars. I take off the

strings (duh), and then clean the fretboard with 0000 steel wool. Go across the

grain like Rob described, and don't be afraid to polish the frets.........it

makes them shiny. Then I clean the body with generic glass cleaner from Wal-Mart

(a luthier trick I learned somewhere.........LOL). After that, it's a light coat

of Virtuoso polish on the shiny parts, and Ken Smith's Pro Formula on the satin

neck. Between body oil from playing and the Ken Smith's, the neck takes on more

of a gunstock finish. As for oil, I just use Dunlop Fretboard Oil. But

seriously, you have to really wipe it down afterward, and once a year is enough

in my humble opinion. Then I snug up any screws or nuts, but a little candle wax

on my bridge pins, and string them back up. Oh, and I always put a little oil on

the bridge too, as it's unfinished ebony as well. To do my five guitars takes a

full day, but

  it's a labor of love.

 

John

--- On Wed, 6/3/09, robustos11 <rob.paragon@...> wrote:





From: robustos11 <rob.paragon@...>

Subject: [ParagonGuitars] Re: LEMON OIL ON THE NECK?

To: ParagonGuitars@yahoogroups.com

Date: Wednesday, June 3, 2009, 12:25 PM

















Hey Mike. I've tried a bunch of stuff for fingerboard oil, and this has been my

fave

http://www.lmii. com/CartTwo/ thirdproducts. asp?CategoryName =Finishes&

NameProdHeader= Fingerboard+ Oil



On new guitars, I first wipe down the fretboard with mineral spirits--takes any

gunk from masking tape off and really cleans it well. Then, apply this oil very

sparingly. It's synthetic so it doesn't go rancid and doesn't build up too much,

too. I used to use boiled linseed oil, but there's a big diff. I used lemon oil

for a while, because I liked the smell, but it leaves the fretboard looking a

little strange, the way it takes to the wood. It's actually not real lemon oil,

but just made to smell like that. There was a really good post on "The Canadian

Guitar Forum" about oils, and there are as many opinions as members there, just

about. Bottom line is that this LMI stuff works better than anything I've tried

in the past. I apply the oil across the grain, btw and make sure to get right up

to the frets. Disposable shop towels work better than regular paper towel.

Rember to really work it in and wipe off the excess till the towel is not really

looking

  dirty anymore. And get it off the frets too. Hope some of that helps. I have no

experience with lemon pledge, but if it has wax in it, you will eventually build

up a gunk on your fretboard. The natural oils in the Ebony are very good, by

themselves, and you don't want to over maintain the fretboard unless it really

gets dry a lot. John Cooley has a pretty good program for maintaining his

fretboards. Maybe he'll chime in.



Rob



--- In ParagonGuitars@ yahoogroups. com, mike fred <thevernorsguy@ ...> wrote:

>

>

> Tom;

>

> > And here is a link to other opinion (Ernie Ball Forum?):

> > http://www.erniebal l.com/forums/ music-man- guitars/7982- lemon-oil-

neck-cleaning. html

> >

> > Good luck in your decision,

> > Tom

>

> Thanks for the info! Hopefully Rob will poke his head in here soon and give me

"smore" info. I want to start recording this weekend and want to change strings

probabaly Thursday night.

>

> MikeY

>

































[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hmmm... Have I ever noticed this name before???



John Cooley, hmmm...  You sure you're not John Dooley?  :)



Hang down your head John Dooley, poor boy your gonna die...



I should learn that song, it's got to be fairly simple.



To: ParagonGuitars@yahoogroups.com

From: jwcooley@...

Date: Wed, 3 Jun 2009 14:23:48 -0700

Subject: Re: [ParagonGuitars] Re: LEMON OIL ON THE NECK?





















































       Well, now that you mention it...............







Actually, I have a regular annual routine for all my guitars. I take off the

strings (duh), and then clean the fretboard with 0000 steel wool. Go across the

grain like Rob described, and don't be afraid to polish the frets.........it

makes them shiny. Then I clean the body with generic glass cleaner from Wal-Mart

(a luthier trick I learned somewhere.........LOL). After that, it's a light coat

of Virtuoso polish on the shiny parts, and Ken Smith's Pro Formula on the satin

neck. Between body oil from playing and the Ken Smith's, the neck takes on more

of a gunstock finish. As for oil, I just use Dunlop Fretboard Oil. But

seriously, you have to really wipe it down afterward, and once a year is enough

in my humble opinion. Then I snug up any screws or nuts, but a little candle wax

on my bridge pins, and string them back up. Oh, and I always put a little oil on

the bridge too, as it's unfinished ebony as well. To do my five guitars takes a

full day, but



  it's a labor of love.







John



--- On Wed, 6/3/09, robustos11 <rob.paragon@...> wrote:







From: robustos11 <rob.paragon@...>



Subject: [ParagonGuitars] Re: LEMON OIL ON THE NECK?



To: ParagonGuitars@yahoogroups.com



Date: Wednesday, June 3, 2009, 12:25 PM







Hey Mike. I've tried a bunch of stuff for fingerboard oil, and this has been my

fave



http://www.lmii. com/CartTwo/ thirdproducts. asp?CategoryName =Finishes&

NameProdHeader= Fingerboard+ Oil







On new guitars, I first wipe down the fretboard with mineral spirits--takes any

gunk from masking tape off and really cleans it well. Then, apply this oil very

sparingly. It's synthetic so it doesn't go rancid and doesn't build up too much,

too. I used to use boiled linseed oil, but there's a big diff. I used lemon oil

for a while, because I liked the smell, but it leaves the fretboard looking a

little strange, the way it takes to the wood. It's actually not real lemon oil,

but just made to smell like that. There was a really good post on "The Canadian

Guitar Forum" about oils, and there are as many opinions as members there, just

about. Bottom line is that this LMI stuff works better than anything I've tried

in the past. I apply the oil across the grain, btw and make sure to get right up

to the frets. Disposable shop towels work better than regular paper towel.

Rember to really work it in and wipe off the excess till the towel is not really

looking



  dirty anymore. And get it off the frets too. Hope some of that helps. I have no

experience with lemon pledge, but if it has wax in it, you will eventually build

up a gunk on your fretboard. The natural oils in the Ebony are very good, by

themselves, and you don't want to over maintain the fretboard unless it really

gets dry a lot. John Cooley has a pretty good program for maintaining his

fretboards. Maybe he'll chime in.







Rob







--- In ParagonGuitars@ yahoogroups. com, mike fred <thevernorsguy@ ...> wrote:



>



>



> Tom;



>



> > And here is a link to other opinion (Ernie Ball Forum?):



> > http://www.erniebal l.com/forums/ music-man- guitars/7982- lemon-oil-

neck-cleaning. html



> >



> > Good luck in your decision,



> > Tom



>



> Thanks for the info! Hopefully Rob will poke his head in here soon and give me

"smore" info. I want to start recording this weekend and want to change strings

probabaly Thursday night.



>



> MikeY



>







[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]















































[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Thanks for the lesson in babe care John! I only have 3 guitars (only one Paragon

so far) and all 3 have ebony fretboards. I only do the necks once a year as

well, unless I am in Utah for an extended period of time then I may do it twice.

I am still leary about using steel wool on the guitar though but I have heard

the same thing from a lot of fellow players here as well.



Mike



>  

> Actually, I have a regular annual routine for all my

> guitars. I take off the strings (duh), and then clean the

> fretboard with 0000 steel wool. Go across the grain like Rob

> described, and don't be afraid to polish the

> frets.........it makes them shiny. Then I clean the body

> with generic glass cleaner from Wal-Mart (a luthier trick I

> learned somewhere.........LOL). After that, it's a light

> coat of Virtuoso polish on the shiny parts, and Ken Smith's

> Pro Formula on the satin neck. Between body oil from

> playing and the Ken Smith's, the neck takes on more of a

> gunstock finish. As for oil, I just use Dunlop Fretboard

> Oil. But seriously, you have to really wipe it down

> afterward, and once a year is enough in my humble opinion.

> Then I snug up any screws or nuts, but a little candle wax

> on my bridge pins, and string them back up. Oh, and I always

> put a little oil on the bridge too, as it's unfinished ebony

> as well. To do my five guitars takes a full day, but

>  it's a labor of love.

>  

> John

> --- On Wed, 6/3/09, robustos11 <rob.paragon@...>

> wrote:

>

>

> From: robustos11 <rob.paragon@...>

> Subject: [ParagonGuitars] Re: LEMON OIL ON THE NECK?

> To: ParagonGuitars@yahoogroups.com

> Date: Wednesday, June 3, 2009, 12:25 PM

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Hey Mike. I've tried a bunch of stuff for fingerboard oil,

> and this has been my fave

> http://www.lmii. com/CartTwo/ thirdproducts.

> asp?CategoryName =Finishes& NameProdHeader= Fingerboard+

> Oil

>

> On new guitars, I first wipe down the fretboard with

> mineral spirits--takes any gunk from masking tape off and

> really cleans it well. Then, apply this oil very sparingly.

> It's synthetic so it doesn't go rancid and doesn't build up

> too much, too. I used to use boiled linseed oil, but there's

> a big diff. I used lemon oil for a while, because I liked

> the smell, but it leaves the fretboard looking a little

> strange, the way it takes to the wood. It's actually not

> real lemon oil, but just made to smell like that. There was

> a really good post on "The Canadian Guitar Forum" about

> oils, and there are as many opinions as members there, just

> about. Bottom line is that this LMI stuff works better than

> anything I've tried in the past. I apply the oil across the

> grain, btw and make sure to get right up to the frets.

> Disposable shop towels work better than regular paper towel.

> Rember to really work it in and wipe off the excess till the

> towel is not really looking

>  dirty anymore. And get it off the frets too. Hope some of

> that helps. I have no experience with lemon pledge, but if

> it has wax in it, you will eventually build up a gunk on

> your fretboard. The natural oils in the Ebony are very good,

> by themselves, and you don't want to over maintain the

> fretboard unless it really gets dry a lot. John Cooley has a

> pretty good program for maintaining his fretboards. Maybe

> he'll chime in.

>

> Rob

>

> --- In ParagonGuitars@ yahoogroups. com, mike fred

> <thevernorsguy@ ...> wrote:

> >

> >

> > Tom;

> >

> > > And here is a link to other opinion (Ernie Ball

> Forum?):

> > > http://www.erniebal l.com/forums/ music-man-

> guitars/7982- lemon-oil- neck-cleaning. html

> > >

> > > Good luck in your decision,

> > > Tom

> >

> > Thanks for the info! Hopefully Rob will poke his head

> in here soon and give me "smore" info. I want to start

> recording this weekend and want to change strings probabaly

> Thursday night.

> >

> > MikeY

> >

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

>

>

>

> ------------------------------------

>

> SAFTEY ALERT!

>

> Do not give personal information on this or any other

> internet forum, email, or media! It can be used to identify

> you or access other online or web site accounts!Yahoo!

> Groups Links

>

>

>     mailto:ParagonGuitars-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com

>

>

>

I don't like steel wool as the little slivers get into my pore little

fingers !!  I use the scotch bright that body and fender people use. It

comes in different grits. Glue a piece about 3x4 inches on to a board and

really bear down and polish those little frets and cleans the fingerboard.



Robro Ron

----- Original Message -----

From: "mike fred" <thevernorsguy@...>

To: <ParagonGuitars@yahoogroups.com>

Sent: Thursday, June 04, 2009 2:42 AM

Subject: Re: [ParagonGuitars] Re: LEMON OIL ON THE NECK?







Thanks for the lesson in babe care John! I only have 3 guitars (only one

Paragon so far) and all 3 have ebony fretboards. I only do the necks once a

year as well, unless I am in Utah for an extended period of time then I may

do it twice. I am still leary about using steel wool on the guitar though

but I have heard the same thing from a lot of fellow players here as well.



Mike



>

> Actually, I have a regular annual routine for all my

> guitars. I take off the strings (duh), and then clean the

> fretboard with 0000 steel wool. Go across the grain like Rob

> described, and don't be afraid to polish the

> frets.........it makes them shiny. Then I clean the body

> with generic glass cleaner from Wal-Mart (a luthier trick I

> learned somewhere.........LOL). After that, it's a light

> coat of Virtuoso polish on the shiny parts, and Ken Smith's

> Pro Formula on the satin neck. Between body oil from

> playing and the Ken Smith's, the neck takes on more of a

> gunstock finish. As for oil, I just use Dunlop Fretboard

> Oil. But seriously, you have to really wipe it down

> afterward, and once a year is enough in my humble opinion.

> Then I snug up any screws or nuts, but a little candle wax

> on my bridge pins, and string them back up. Oh, and I always

> put a little oil on the bridge too, as it's unfinished ebony

> as well. To do my five guitars takes a full day, but

>  it's a labor of love.

>

> John

> --- On Wed, 6/3/09, robustos11 <rob.paragon@...>

> wrote:

>

>

> From: robustos11 <rob.paragon@...>

> Subject: [ParagonGuitars] Re: LEMON OIL ON THE NECK?

> To: ParagonGuitars@yahoogroups.com

> Date: Wednesday, June 3, 2009, 12:25 PM

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Hey Mike. I've tried a bunch of stuff for fingerboard oil,

> and this has been my fave

> http://www.lmii. com/CartTwo/ thirdproducts.

> asp?CategoryName =Finishes& NameProdHeader= Fingerboard+

> Oil

>

> On new guitars, I first wipe down the fretboard with

> mineral spirits--takes any gunk from masking tape off and

> really cleans it well. Then, apply this oil very sparingly.

> It's synthetic so it doesn't go rancid and doesn't build up

> too much, too. I used to use boiled linseed oil, but there's

> a big diff. I used lemon oil for a while, because I liked

> the smell, but it leaves the fretboard looking a little

> strange, the way it takes to the wood. It's actually not

> real lemon oil, but just made to smell like that. There was

> a really good post on "The Canadian Guitar Forum" about

> oils, and there are as many opinions as members there, just

> about. Bottom line is that this LMI stuff works better than

> anything I've tried in the past. I apply the oil across the

> grain, btw and make sure to get right up to the frets.

> Disposable shop towels work better than regular paper towel.

> Rember to really work it in and wipe off the excess till the

> towel is not really looking

>  dirty anymore. And get it off the frets too. Hope some of

> that helps. I have no experience with lemon pledge, but if

> it has wax in it, you will eventually build up a gunk on

> your fretboard. The natural oils in the Ebony are very good,

> by themselves, and you don't want to over maintain the

> fretboard unless it really gets dry a lot. John Cooley has a

> pretty good program for maintaining his fretboards. Maybe

> he'll chime in.

>

> Rob

>

> --- In ParagonGuitars@ yahoogroups. com, mike fred

> <thevernorsguy@ ...> wrote:

> >

> >

> > Tom;

> >

> > > And here is a link to other opinion (Ernie Ball

> Forum?):

> > > http://www.erniebal l.com/forums/ music-man-

> guitars/7982- lemon-oil- neck-cleaning. html

> > >

> > > Good luck in your decision,

> > > Tom

> >

> > Thanks for the info! Hopefully Rob will poke his head

> in here soon and give me "smore" info. I want to start

> recording this weekend and want to change strings probabaly

> Thursday night.

> >

> > MikeY

> >

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

>

>

>

> ------------------------------------

>

> SAFTEY ALERT!

>

> Do not give personal information on this or any other

> internet forum, email, or media! It can be used to identify

> you or access other online or web site accounts!Yahoo!

> Groups Links

>

>

> mailto:ParagonGuitars-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com

>

>

>