Lemon Oil Use – Advice Please

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stringstrummer

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Hi all

I have a Kala Solid Acacia Tenor

I am going to swap my strings for Worth Browns and thought while the strings were off I may as well oil the fingerboard.

Having never oiled before (or re-stringed for that matter!) does anybody have any advice or anything I should be careful about.

I guess I only use a drop or two of oil, and need to make sure I rub off well.

Many thanks.
 
Once the strings are off you will use that old flannel shirt tail. Apply a drop of oil to the cloth and rub the fingerboard starting at the headstock. Do 5 frets and dry off then another 5 frets and dry off, the secret is not to apply too much. Why?
Because you don't want any seepage of oil going into the fret grooves. An old tooth brush is a nice addition to your toolkit. Use it to rub the frets and fingerboard and also around the bridge. Now is the time to also put a straight edge to the fingerboard and dress any frets that are prominent. Good luck.
 
Don't use too much. Put a few drops on the cloth and wipe the cloth over the fret board. A few drops should get a fair amount of the fret board done.
 
Re fretboards - they really don't need a lot of work, and over oiling can damage them.

For mine, they only get a dose when they look dry and certainly once a year maximum.

Also - I would personally avoid lemon oil altogether unless you can be sure it is 100% real lemon oil - they are synthetic and not particularly good for the fingerboard.

What I WOULD recommend is something called Bore Oil such as that sold by Fret Doctor - its a natural mineral oil, and is used regularly by woodwind and bagpipe players for the insides of their pipes - perfect stuff in my opinion.

Oh, and you need the tiniest amount only
 
I just tried Dr. Duck's Ax Wax and String Lube for the first time a few months ago. It contains no wax, abrasives, silicone, synthetics or acids. My Pono ebony fingerboard needed attention. Dirty! I started with some 0000 Steel Wool to get the gunk off and then a few drops of Dr. Duck's and some rubbing and the results were excellent. I would not apply it regularly. It is very slick and takes some time to buff off. When they say use only a few drops they mean it.
 
I'm not sure that wood needs to be conditioned if it's kept properly humidified. I wouldn't want to put anything on the fretboard that would build up over time.
 
Karen110 said:
I'm not sure that wood needs to be conditioned if it's kept properly humidified. I wouldn't want to put anything on the fretboard that would build up over time.
Click to expand...

I use LoPrinzi fretboard conditioner sparingly when I change my strings, and I take pains to wipe it all off, especially around the frets. I'm not necessarily concerned about "conditioning," but it definitely removes gunk--even when I don't think my fretboard is particularly gunky, the rag turns grey and the frets shine up.
 
Doesn't citrus oils get rancid in time...mineral oil is better??? actually the oils in my fingers is enough for me..
 
Exactly stan. Wouldn't put any synthetic oil on my ukes, no matter what brand name. Mineral bore oil has been used by woodwind players for donkeys years.
 
cantsing said:
I use LoPrinzi fretboard conditioner sparingly when I change my strings, and I take pains to wipe it all off, especially around the frets. I'm not necessarily concerned about "conditioning," but it definitely removes gunk--even when I don't think my fretboard is particularly gunky, the rag turns grey and the frets shine up.
Click to expand...

Me too, only at string changes, just to get the dirt off. I'm a nurse, and I don't like dirt... unless I'm planting something in it.
 
Hi all

Many thanks for your comments.

I did the clean and string swap. at the weekend.

I used Planet Waves lemon oil. I used literally one drop for 2 or 3 frets at the nut end and one drop for 3 or 4 frets at the bridge end. I rubbed very well with a clean part of the cloth to buff.

I can't say I noticed any real difference, but there was some black on the cloth so I guess it did clean some rubbish off. Having said that the ukulele is only 5 or 6 weeks old so I wouldn't expect a great deal.

It was the first time I had ever swapped strings on a ukulele and it was a bit tricky as the bridge has two holes for each string.

I was very pleased with myself! (Having said that I did take about 20 photos of each end before I started in case I got stuck!)
 
Karen110 said:
A pure essential oil doesn't ever go rancid.
Click to expand...

You are right Karen, but there lies the problem. Many years ago you could easily get pure lemon oil. These days most bottles branded lemon oil are synthetic oils scented with lemon. If you can find real lemon oil you are good to go ( but I've struggled to find any)
 
@stringstrummer - the point of using fretboard oil isn't really to clean, it's to feed the wood. Sorry but can't really imagine a uke 5 weeks old needed the treatment.

I'd advise you won't need to do it again for a long while!
 
Bazmaz, I just recently got some pure lemon essential oil for aromatherapy purposes, not realizing that I would be using it for something equally as important! If you look online at good quality aromatherapy products, you'll find pure essential oils. They're not cheap! But lemon oil is so wonderful, uplifts the spirit, very therapeutic :). I got mine from DoTerra.com.

Edited to add: I should add that not all oils made for aromatherapy are 100% pure. Many of the cheaper ones aren't. But it's more likely to find 100% pure essentials oils marketed that way.
 
Last edited:
bazmaz said:
You are right Karen, but there lies the problem. Many years ago you could easily get pure lemon oil. These days most bottles branded lemon oil are synthetic oils scented with lemon. If you can find real lemon oil you are good to go ( but I've struggled to find any)
Click to expand...
Hello bazmaz,
Because I use it so sparingly I have had (what I hope to be pure) my bottle of "Hawes" lemon oil since the '60's.
It is in a 12 fluid ounces glass bottle. And after all these years it is still 3/4 full. It still has the nice smell or aroma of lemons. I use it only about once every two years on my various fretted thingamajiggies. HaHa!!
Regards
1931jim
 
The main thing to remember is to go lightly with whatever you use. You want to avoid getting the oil under the frets where it can soak into the end grain. This will soften the wood and potentially cause the frets to come loose.

Along with steel wool (careful not to get metal fragments embedded in the fretboard) you can use a toothbrush dampened with Witch Hazel to clean the crud from around the frets. Allow to dry completely, then do the oil thing.
 
DaveVisi said:
The main thing to remember is to go lightly with whatever you use. You want to avoid getting the oil under the frets where it can soak into the end grain. This will soften the wood and potentially cause the frets to come loose.

Along with steel wool (careful not to get metal fragments embedded in the fretboard) you can use a toothbrush dampened with Witch Hazel to clean the crud from around the frets. Allow to dry completely, then do the oil thing.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the Witch Hazel/toothbrush tip.
 
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