oil on a uke

hi

i recently ( today) recieved an anuenue papa ll ce uke. it has a matt open pore finish.

I will be putting on new strings soon and plan on cleaning and oiling the fretboard with lemon oil as per the suggestion on the kala website.

would it hurt the ukes finish to use lemon oil on the rest of the uke as well.


thx eor

I've been a wood worker both trade and hobby for 30+ years. Lemon oil won't harm the surface of an existing finish. I use orange oil all the time on my fretboards and bridges. There have been statements made here that over oiling will cause fretboards to swell up and explode- hogwash! Put some lemon oil on, let it soak in for 15 minutes then wipe off the excess, absolutely no problems.

Mya-Moe Resonator came with a bottle of lemon oil. Use sparingly it attracts dust.

You really don't need to clean or polish the body, often (if at all). But cleaning with lemon oil shouldn't hurt. I use Howards Feed & Wax (orange oil, bees wax, carnuba wax combo) on the frets to clean and occassionally on the body. Lemon oil is a cleaner/conditioner to remove grease, wax, dirt from unfinshed wood, not finished wood.

Doc_J said:

You really don't need to clean or polish the body, often (if at all).

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This depends on how much you play and under what conditions you play. I have to clean my uke after almost each time I perform in a live situation. Especially if the stage has lights. My forearm gets really sweaty and I smudge the heck out of the area of the soundboard that comes in contact with it. In most cases I can wipe it down without use of any cleaning solution but I don't think lemon oil will hurt in this case.

It really depends on the oil, and the finish. Volitile oils can scuff some finishes, just like high proof alcohol.

We use lemon oil as a cleaner for unfinished woods such as fretboards, but never over the finish.

Why don't you just get yourself a bottle of 65 or some other guitar cleaner/polish. A five dollar bottle will last you a long, long time.

hi folks

thanks for the replies

i chose lemon oil because i have a tin of it on hand.

i didnt think guitar polish would be very good for a matt finish.

I live about a couple hundred yards from the atlantic ocean and temps go from the low minus 30s in the winter and very dry (+ wood heat) to the high thirties and very humid in summer.

figured the oil might help condition the wood

I make wildwood snath for my scythes( a la peter vido) and oil them and tool handles in general.


the matt fin on the uke looks like it will take the oil..

trhanks eor

Dunlop and many other guitar or guitar-accessory companies offer two different types of cleaners, one for fretboards, the other for the finished part of the guitar. Fretboard cleaners usually contain oils (lemon is popular for its cleaning ability) to replenish those lost from the unfinished wood. You can use these materials on bridges and other unfinished surfaces. Most urethane finishes tolerate lemon oil, but some other finishes may dull over time. Urethane doesn't absorb the oil, so it sits on the surface and is a chore to fully remove - it will get sticky and attract dust as it dries.

Cleaners usually don't have oil, and are usually water-based. Don't use them on unfinished wood or surfaces with cracks or damage. The wood will absorb the water. Some cleaners are called "polishes" but have no polishing components (such as abrasives), merely cleaning components. Read the label - many are safe on matte finishes. If I recall correctly, the Martin "polish" is really just a cleaner.

Other wood or furniture oils like teak oil are generally safe, but again have to be fully wiped off the surface to avoid getting messy later. I like to use a wood oil on older ukes and guitars because it will soak into any breaks or cracks in the finish and get into the wood below, to help protect it. Newer ukes are unlikely to have that sort of surface damage.

Best to use cleaners made for guitar bodies, since they are generally safe. Windex and other commercial or household cleaners contain ammonia or alcohol, so they will also dull the surface (as well as damage the unfinished wood).

hey thanks

my kala uke is gloss finish so it is easy to clean.

the anue nue( its the one i won in manitoba hals contest ) is a matte finish mahogany with apparent open pores.. so i thought i would ask around



thx

woodwind bore oil. it's all I use.

eor said:

hey thanks

my kala uke is gloss finish so it is easy to clean.

the anue nue( its the one i won in manitoba hals contest ) is a matte finish mahogany with apparent open pores.. so i thought i would ask around



thx

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I doubt the pores are really open. It's just that the finish has soaked down into the holes and sealed them just like it was meant to do. I'm of the belief that oil on finishes really doesn't do much but to attract dirt. If it's a good finish it won't allow the oil to penetrate anyway. Some "lemon oils" are solvent based and can do more harm than good. I try to keep the oils limited to only the fretboard and bridge.

Some "left brain luthiers" who analyze these things to death feel that oil can soak into the cells (not just pores)of the wood and dampen the sound of the instrument. Instead of having a nice solid wood top, instead you have a sponge made up of a hybrid of hardened oil and varnish products.

Another issue to think about is the presence of Silicones in the oil or cleaner. Once you apply Silicone to wood you have limited and greatly complicated re-finishing the wood should you need to do that in the future. Lacquers dont finish smooth when sprayed over Silicones and exhibit a condition called "Fish Eye". Most guitar polishes, household furniture polish, Oils (ie: "Liquid Gold"), Store brand Lemon Oils, auto waxes and cleaner/polishes have Silicones in them.
On my guitar bodies I use a slightly damp (just water) 30+ y/o cotton baby diaper (belonged to my daughter...that's how I know) followed by buffing with a microfiber cloth. When I notice gradue accumulating on the fretboard (~ every third restringing), I use an old tooth brush dipped in mineral spirits followed by #0000 steel wool dipped Mineral Spirits and lightly scrub it. Wipe it down with a paper towel and be amazed at how much crap can wear off your finger tips in a short time and how much better it looks clean. I use plain 'ole mineral oil on my fingerboards to keep my steel strings lubricated. Nothing on my classical nylon. My uke has a plastic fretboard so it's fine. Ebony or Rosewood don't really need any supplemental oil. It comes inside the wood at no extra charge. Just playing it will bring out the oil from the wood.

DaveVisi said:

Some "left brain luthiers" who analyze these things to death feel that oil can soak into the cells (not just pores)of the wood and dampen the sound of the instrument. Instead of having a nice solid wood top, instead you have a sponge made up of a hybrid of hardened oil and varnish products.

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I've always kinda thought that about oil finishes (with nothing to back it up...).