Cleaning a maple fretboard

[Krazy Kalle]

Hey guys,

I have a huge problem! I wanted to clean the fretboard of my Jackson DKA7 SW with D'Andrea Lemon Oil, but it failed (or i did it wrong?)!

I applied it, waited a few minutes and tried to polish it clean, but the dirt you can see in the picture below remained.

Do you have any recommandations?

 

[Alex Kenivel]

Picture? Try applying more pressure.

 

[Krazy Kalle]

Picture? Try applying more pressure.

Isn't it displayed for you?

I tried way more pressure, but it didn't help.

I read that lemon oil isn't that good for maple boards, so I ordered Ernie Ball wonder wipes.


EDIT:

okay I made the album public, hope it works now!

 

[EmaDaCuz]

Lemon oil can actually damage maple fretboards.
For maple fretboards, I use a scourer, then a slightly humid cloth, and that's it. Finish it off with some Fast Fret, and I am ready to go. As an alternative, I spray some Dunlop 65, the same that I use to clean guitar bodies. Not my favourite solution, though, as it makes the fretboard slightly sticky.

 

[Killemall1983]

It looks like that spot wore through the finish. Not much you can do about that.

 

[Rusti]

I never used lemon oil before and i may be wrong but i believe its purpose is to protect the fretboard rather then cleaning it, therefore you should first clean it with alcohol or 0000 steel wool. If you use steel wool, stroke in the same direction as the wood grain, and protect the frets before so you don't scratch them. Once the fretboard is actually clean you can apply the lemon oil.

 

[Krazy Kalle]

First of all thank you all for your help!

Lemon oil can actually damage maple fretboards.
For maple fretboards, I use a scourer, then a slightly humid cloth, and that's it. Finish it off with some Fast Fret, and I am ready to go. As an alternative, I spray some Dunlop 65, the same that I use to clean guitar bodies. Not my favourite solution, though, as it makes the fretboard slightly sticky.

Damage how? I already applied it, because I did not suppose it to be bad
Is it important of which material the clotch is made of?
I'll give it a try!

It looks like that spot wore through the finish. Not much you can do about that.

Now that's some bad news... Is it possible to kinda sand it off?
I only own this guitar for about two months, this would be very annoying! :/

I never used lemon oil before and i may be wrong but i believe its purpose is to protect the fretboard rather then cleaning it, therefore you should first clean it with alcohol or 0000 steel wool. If you use steel wool, stroke in the same direction as the wood grain, and protect the frets before so you don't scratch them. Once the fretboard is actually clean you can apply the lemon oil.

I should really learn how to maintain and clean a guitar correctly.
You think it's still possible to get this stuff out with the steelwool or the alcohol? And can you go confirm with EmaDaCuz about the damage? Thanks for the advice!

 

[Manton Customs]

It's not so bad if you have worn through the finish with honest playing wear in those spots. It won't be from the Lemon Oil though. I can't tell for certain that you have worn through or not, if you mean you've had it from new for 2 months, I'm sure you won't have worn through in that time and it's likely just suborn grime!

Don't use steel wool on a finished Maple board though, it's not necessary, all you'll do is remove finish a long with the grime.

Lemon oil is not meant for Maple boards as they are finished, so oiling it won't do any good. Clean it as you would the rest of the neck and body....a mildly damp cloth will do the trick, avoid anything with Silicone in it (like Dunlop 65) but other polishes are safe such as Gibson Pump Polish. If you have some really suborn grime, Naphtha is also safe.

 

[karnivorus]

I personally never use any products to clean or condition maple boards. Its to risky. A damp CLEAN microfiber tower and a bit of elbow grease does the job.

In your case for really stubborn grime I would use 800 grit paper on a small sanding block and gently sand away the dirt. Finish off with 1200 and 2000 paper for a super smooth board!

Its very important to sand along the board and not across!

 

[Killemall1983]

I never used lemon oil before and i may be wrong but i believe its purpose is to protect the fretboard rather then cleaning it, therefore you should first clean it with alcohol or 0000 steel wool. If you use steel wool, stroke in the same direction as the wood grain, and protect the frets before so you don't scratch them. Once the fretboard is actually clean you can apply the lemon oil.

This is the exact opposite. Lemon oil is a cleaner, not a finish or protector.

 

[Alex Kenivel]

From what I can see, and it may be because of the angle, and I could be wrong, but that looks like little trenches dug into your fretboard by your strings. I've had guitars do that back when I played constantly. If this is the case, there's not really a whole lot you can do about it.

But don't feel bummed, it's a sign of practice and it's got mojo...hey it's like youre on your way to having a scalloped fretboard. Bends and vibrato can easily be more expressive this way.

Or, you know, I could be wrong.

 

[Aymara]

It looks as if this dirt was already soaked into the wood, so you can't get rid of it.

But be warned, that standard lemon oil can make things worse, because it can turn the snow white binding yellowish!

So make sure to use colorless oils like Duesenberg Fretboard Lotion for example.

 

[Rusti]

Both D'andrea and Dunlop lemon oils are meant to clean and protect your fretboard, but Dunlop's also states that its not to be used on maple fretboards.. i guess its due to its lemon color that may stain the wood a little with time.
Dirt can stain the wood a little bit, and both stain and heat are the only things i can think of that could damage maple. And by "damage" i mean something that you can't just undo; you will have to remove material in order to take away the damage.
Since most of maple fretboard are almost unprotected and you failed to clean it with the oil, i'd go with the steel wool like stated earlier. Then you apply enough oil\tungoil to build a protective layer over the fretboard, where dirt will seat, and you will clean it again before you wear out the protection. This way the dirt won't get in direct contact with the bare fretboard again.

 

[Levi79]

Both D'andrea and Dunlop lemon oils are meant to clean and protect your fretboard, but Dunlop's also states that its not to be used on maple fretboards.. i guess its due to its lemon color that may stain the wood a little with time.
Dirt can stain the wood a little bit, and both stain and heat are the only things i can think of that could damage maple. And by "damage" i mean something that you can't just undo; you will have to remove material in order to take away the damage.
Since most of maple fretboard are almost unprotected and you failed to clean it with the oil, i'd go with the steel wool like stated earlier. Then you apply enough oil\tungoil to build a protective layer over the fretboard, where dirt will seat, and you will clean it again before you wear out the protection. This way the dirt won't get in direct contact with the bare fretboard again.

I would agree with this mostly. Dunlop Lemon oil is very similar to boiled linseed oil just with a lemon scent and a few additives so it's literally penetrating the wood fibers not really making much of a protection layer. It's not really cleaning the board either unless you get the bulk of the dirt off first. If you try to rub off the dirt with lemon oil on a cloth, some of that dirt is going to penetrate with the oil.

I think that the main reason it's said to not use lemon oil on maple boards is because there is a lot of people who won't realize oil is not suitable to for their lacquered maple necks haha. It's only in the past 10 or 20 years that maple boards without lacquer have become a normal option from what I can tell. I suppose some people may be pretty ticked if their unfinished fretboard changed colour when they thought they were just cleaning it.

I've made two guitars with birdseye maple boards, one finished with linseed oil and one with a linseed/poly blend. I like how the poly blend kept a bit lighter color than the straight oil, added a small layer of protection but doesn't feel or look like lacquer at all. With the blend finish I would recommend dry cleaning every setup then a deep clean/finish touch up every year or so to keep it looking brand new. Not that this is relevant to your Jackson fretboard haha.

 

[Ulvhedin]

Use something like Fret Doctor Mineral Oil on maple. Lemon oil can give these ugly yellow tinged spots on maple if you're really unlucky.

You can choose to either be really sad about it, or you can feel pride in playing through your fretboard-finish as if it were a good ol' tele.

 

[guidothepimmp]

Try naptha for cleaning. Lemon oil is not typically recommended on maple necks.

My 2c though, some folks pay good money for that kind of wear. Let the guit wear it with pride. It shows you have a player on your hands.

I wouldnt call that dirt so much as wear