So I need help with cleaning my fret board

[that short guy]

Pretty self explanitory... my fret board is starting to get this gunk on it and I'm not sure what the best way to clean it is... if my guitar didn't have a floyd I'd just take all of the strings off and but it has a floyd and I really don't want to deal with the pain of recalibrating the bridge tension.

So my question is simple what would be the best way to clean the ebony fret board?

 

[TheDepthsWillRise]

You could try sliding some playing cards under the bridge, so it doesn't bottom out when you release the tension of the strings. Then as long as you are restringing with the same gauge, you can take them off, clean with some 0000 steel wool and linseed oil and restring it back up. Getting it level again should only take a few minutes.

 

[theo]

This might be useful: IBANEZ RULES Clean and Setup

 

[cGoEcYk]

If you are getting that gunky, it's probably time to change strings anyway. I use some basic Dunlop cleaner from Guitar Center and a microfiber cloth. A few drops of fretboard oil 1-2 times a year.

 

[craigny]

Dr ducks ax wax. You can even use it on your strings. It's a all in one plus string lube. Works awesome on fretboards.

 

[UV7BK4LIFE]

So my question is simple what would be the best way to clean the ebony fret board?

Ask mom.

 

[HOKENSTYFE]

Lemon Oil works. Ronson Lighter Fluid.

 

[JohnnyClaiborne]

Or if you don't wanna take the strings off you can use a nomad tool.

Music Nomad All in 1 String, Surface and Hardware Cleaning Tool | GuitarCenter

 

[Manurack]

Oh yeah. a Guitar Tech salesman at Axe Music in Edmonton suggested this for my Gibson Explorer and it worked great!

 

[Stricken]

I tend to use lemon oil and a toothbrush (not one that a person has ever used) to get my fretboard when it gets dirty. If that doesn't work, I'd move to the microfiber cloth or steel wool. Just make sure you know which way the wood grain goes

 

[sear]

Toothbrush works fine. Use lemon oil (which is just mineral oil, at least when you buy it as a guitar cleaning product), lighter fluid, or, if you have any and want to "deep clean" things, natural biodegradable cleaning products like Simple Green/Green Works/etc. (no bleach, no Windex, etc.).

Personally I think guitarists are generally a bit too wary of what cleaning products to use. It's unfinished wood, so simply avoid anything that leaves a residue, don't let it sink into the grain, and you should be fine.

And no, you don't "clean" a fretboard by pouring a bunch of overpriced lemon oil on it and letting it sink in. You want to clean it, you need to scrub a bit. No, it won't hurt your guitar unless you're some kind of klutz or decide to use CLR or some other crap on it.