# Fret board oil?



## JordanSG (11 mo ago)

What are some good fret board oils? Mineral based or non mineral based?

D'addario Lemon oil
Music Nomad F-One
Dunlop ultimate lemon oil
Other?


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

Dr Fret bore oil


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## gretsch4me (Jun 2, 2018)

I've had great results with Dr Ducks Axe Wax. A little goes a long way. I've got some Music Nomad F-One oil to try out next as well. 

I wouldn't use anything that says "lemon oil" as it contains petroleum distillates as found in the likes of the Dunlop product. Petroleum distillates can potentially dissolve the glue used for seating frets, neck binding, and fretboard inlays.


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## JordanSG (11 mo ago)

knight_yyz said:


> Dr Fret bore oil


Hmmm never heard of it. Mineral oil?


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

gretsch4me said:


> I've had great results with Dr Ducks Axe Wax. A little goes a long way. I've got some Music Nomad F-One oil to try out next as well.
> 
> I wouldn't use anything that says "lemon oil" as it contains petroleum distillates as found in the likes of the Dunlop product. Petroleum distillates can potentially dissolve the glue used for seating frets, neck binding, and fretboard inlays.


Hm that's what I've got (and a rack full of not-cheap guitars). Guess I'll swap it out.


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## terminalvertigo (Jun 12, 2010)

JordanSG said:


> Hmmm never heard of it. Mineral oil?








LMGTFY - Let Me Google That For You


For all those people who find it more convenient to bother you with their question rather than to Google it for themselves.




bfy.tw


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

Bore Oil. Buy from any music store that sells woodwind instruments. It’s meant to protect wooden instruments like clarinets from moisture changes.


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## FatStrat2 (Apr 7, 2021)

There are probably a few dozen threads on this - and just as many opinions.

I use a [barely] damp cloth to clean it once in a while - I'm lucky that I have semi-dry hands (which is why I love gloss necks). Then I apply that Dunlop 65 stuff but mostly for cosmetic reasons: to darken the fretboard. And I use that oil only annually, and just a very little. It's really not needed IMO, unless you live in the Gobi.

My ex-guitar tech swore by boiled Linseed oil, but it stunk up the joint.


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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

terminalvertigo said:


> LMGTFY - Let Me Google That For You
> 
> 
> For all those people who find it more convenient to bother you with their question rather than to Google it for themselves.
> ...


That made me laugh, this has been a very good day for laughs around here!


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## JordanSG (11 mo ago)

terminalvertigo said:


> LMGTFY - Let Me Google That For You
> 
> 
> For all those people who find it more convenient to bother you with their question rather than to Google it for themselves.
> ...


Google is easy, getting first hand account and response from others ie leaves no residue, goes a long way etc... Is why we post here🤔😉😉


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## Canadianbass (Feb 24, 2021)

Music Nomad F-One oil for me these days.


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## JordanSG (11 mo ago)

Canadianbass said:


> Music Nomad F-One oil for me these days.


Have looked at that, apparently not a mineral oil like Dr.Frets bore oil. So your happy with it? Did you use a mineral based product before it? If so, your thoughts between them?


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## zztomato (Nov 19, 2010)

I bought a bottle of Terra Nova NaturOil 12 years ago and it's still got a quarter left.
I have a rag on my bench that gets a quick dab every few days. It works like a charm. Never had a complaint and it's completely non toxic. It's used on salad bowls and cutting boards. It's 8 bucks for a quarter litre.


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## JordanSG (11 mo ago)

Thanks everyone I appreciate your help


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

I don't generally apply anything but many moons ago I was advised to use clarinet bore oil (maybe I'm screwing up the description a bit). I was told it doesn't leave deposits.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

There's a nut oil that was recommended to me. I forget... walnut oil?


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## JordanSG (11 mo ago)

Milkman said:


> I don't generally apply anything but many moons ago I was advised to use clarinet bore oil (maybe I'm screwing up the description a bit). I was told it doesn't leave deposits.


I am intrigued buy what I read about bore oil on the web. Makes me also wonder about other non mineral based products like Music nomad products.


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## TheGASisReal (Mar 2, 2020)

Roche Thomas Finger Oil : Amazon.ca: Everything Else


Roche Thomas Finger Oil : Amazon.ca: Everything Else



www.amazon.ca





*Roche Thomas Finger Oil*
This is the best stuff I've found. Recommend by a luthier.


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## NashvilleDeluxe (Feb 7, 2018)

JordanSG said:


> What are some good fret board oils? Mineral based or non mineral based?
> 
> D'addario Lemon oil
> Music Nomad F-One
> ...


Of the ones listed, the F-One conditioner is best. I use it after fretwork (level, crown, polish) on rosewood/ebony fretboards and saddles. Apply, leave it for 10 minutes, rub it in again, and then wipe down. Will, from La Grange Guitar Workshop.


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## Paul Running (Apr 12, 2020)

Mineral oil works well for many applications and it's non-toxic...great for keeping you regular too.


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## Granny Gremlin (Jun 3, 2016)

JordanSG said:


> What are some good fret board oils? Mineral based or non mineral based?
> 
> D'addario Lemon oil
> Music Nomad F-One
> ...



None of the above - all are petroleum based and overpriced. For the 1/3rd the price you can get a 4x bigger bottle of linseed or tung oil; actual wood oil is what wood wants. Petroleum will work, but actual wood oils work better (e.g. no need to wait 10 minutes - absorbs right away) AND cheaper. And useful for other things.

PS 12th Fret uses Tung oil on every setup (or at least they did last I checked... about 20 years ago; I've been using it ever since)


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Welcome to the twice a year fretboard oil/treatment/conditioner thread. 

I vote for organic coconut oil.


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## dwagar (Mar 6, 2006)

I've been using Fret Doctor for years. A small bottle lasts a very long time.


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## JordanSG (11 mo ago)

Granny Gremlin said:


> None of the above - all are petroleum based and overpriced. For the 1/3rd the price you can get a 4x bigger bottle of linseed or tung oil; actual wood oil is what wood wants. Petroleum will work, but actual wood oils work better (e.g. no need to wait 10 minutes - absorbs right away) AND cheaper. And useful for other things.
> 
> PS 12th Fret uses Tung oil on every setup (or at least they did last I checked... about 20 years ago; I've been using it ever since)


Music nomad isn


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## JordanSG (11 mo ago)

JordanSG said:


> Music nomad isn


Music nomad is a seed oil not petroleum based oil


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## Granny Gremlin (Jun 3, 2016)

OK fine, one of the lot (TBH I'm glad someone's doing it finally). But the point is if you buy it at a guitar shop it'll be $20 for 4 oz. At Home Despot it's 7.99 a litre.


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## JordanSG (11 mo ago)

Granny Gremlin said:


> OK fine, one of the lot (TBH I'm glad someone's doing it finally). But the point is if you buy it at a guitar shop it'll be $20 for 4 oz. At Home Despot it's 7.99 a litre.


That's a huge difference. Thanks for the tip, appreciated.


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## Granny Gremlin (Jun 3, 2016)

I wanted to be sure I wasn't exaggerating too badly so I looked it up. It's 12.50 for 2oz at L&M so the first half was surprisingly dead on; understatement even.









Music Nomad - Fretboard F-ONE Oil Cleaner and Conditioner


Music Nomad - Fretboard F-ONE Oil Cleaner and Conditioner




www.long-mcquade.com





They no longer carry the brand I use at Home Despot (I have only had to buy 2 cans of the stuff in 20+ years; just got the second can a few years ago and I coulda swore it was still under $10 at the time) and the price has now gone up to $22 - still a much better deal, if not as much so. FYI what I have been using is Circa 1850 (Home Hardware carries it still, and those are mostly local owned), but any brand is fine. Price for either brand at HD or HH is the same.






Circa 1850 Tung Oil | Home Hardware


Get the CIRCA 1850 Tung Oil Wood Finish - 1 L at your local Home Hardware store. Buy online and get Free Shipping to any Home location!




www.homehardware.ca





Linseed oil is cheaper and also a good choice (never used it for fretboards personally) - $13 per litre



https://www.homedepot.ca/product/solvable-professional-grade-boiled-linseed-oil-946-ml/1000130983


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## Jim DaddyO (Mar 20, 2009)

Most BLO and polymerized tung oils have metalic dryers in them. Not good for skin contact until they are cured. There are natural ones available, just google it for brands and where to get them.

Also: BLO and tung oil create heat when curing and the balled up rag used to apply can spontaniously combust. Put it in some water, in the fireplace/woodstove, or lay it flat on a concrete block or cement sidewalk or something.


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## Swervin55 (Oct 30, 2009)

dwagar said:


> I've been using Fret Doctor for years. A small bottle lasts a very long time.


^^^^ this


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## MarkM (May 23, 2019)

zztomato said:


> I bought a bottle of Terra Nova NaturOil 12 years ago and it's still got a quarter left.
> I have a rag on my bench that gets a quick dab every few days. It works like a charm. Never had a complaint and it's completely non toxic. It's used on salad bowls and cutting boards. It's 8 bucks for a quarter litre.


I just picked some up at Home Hardware, it’s up to $10 now!


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## Canadianbass (Feb 24, 2021)

JordanSG said:


> Have looked at that, apparently not a mineral oil like Dr.Frets bore oil. So your happy with it? Did you use a mineral based product before it? If so, your thoughts between them?


I’ve been very happy with the F-One oil. I also know a repairman that I respect immensely who uses it as well these days. 

I previously used Tung oil that I purchased from Lee Valley Tools. I don’t see myself going back to it. If I recall, the container I had lasted so long that the oil started smelling skanky despite having the lid on tightly so I tossed a good portion of it away. I was always told to avoid the mineral and lemon oils for the reasons that have already been discussed.


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## Mikev7305 (Jan 6, 2020)

I went on a deep dive to try and find evidence that lemon oil will mess with the glue that holds in frets or possibly do other damage, and I have yet to hear of any person saying some thing like "I lemon oiled my fretboard, and frets started lifting". It seems to still be the most popular thing to use on rosewood boards, good or bad. I used it on my last neck reluctantly but only because in my small town on a holiday weekend I couldnt get a hold of mineral oil. It turned out incredible looking and left no sticky feeling, and so far my frets have not lifted out of place. Take that info as you wish


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## Granny Gremlin (Jun 3, 2016)

Jim DaddyO said:


> Most BLO and polymerized tung oils have metalic dryers in them. Not good for skin contact until they are cured. There are natural ones available, just google it for brands and where to get them.
> 
> Also: BLO and tung oil create heat when curing and the balled up rag used to apply can spontaniously combust. Put it in some water, in the fireplace/woodstove, or lay it flat on a concrete block or cement sidewalk or something.


The spontaneous combustion thing is overblown. The rag has to be large (absorbs more oil) and soaked and really balled up to minimise air contact; hard to do on purpose never mind accident. Also easily avoided by using smaller rages (not folded over too many times - that just wastes oil on being absorbed into the rag anyway) and leaving it out flat to dry out before tossing into the trash.

The metalic dryers thing is also a nonissue - an uniinished fretboard in Canada will suck up all the oil you can slather on it in a single coat, sometimes 2. And considering you still have to restring and do the rest of the setup - you're not going to be playing it till it cures anyway.

There are also different levels of polynerisation. It can varry for different bnrands but anything called Tung oil will be less, and then Teak Oil is more and sometimes there's a 3rd level.


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## Jim DaddyO (Mar 20, 2009)

Granny Gremlin said:


> The spontaneous combustion thing is overblown. The rag has to be large (absorbs more oil) and soaked and really balled up to minimise air contact; hard to do on purpose never mind accident. Also easily avoided by using smaller rages (not folded over too many times - that just wastes oil on being absorbed into the rag anyway) and leaving it out flat to dry out before tossing into the trash.


Let's just hope no one finds out where that border line is crossed. Stay safe!


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## Zeegler (Jan 2, 2006)

I've been using Old English lemon oil for 35 years. It's cheap and it keeps my fretboards in good shape. I expect someone will pipe up and tell me it's bad for the wood or some other BS. I'll say again, I've been using it for 35 years. My Yamaha Weddington is 32 years old and has been treated with lemon oil once or twice a year for that entire time, and it looks and feels as nice as any rosewood fretboard I've ever seen with no negative effects whatsoever.


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## Jim DaddyO (Mar 20, 2009)

Personally, I use mineral oil. Cheap and available at the pharmacy.

Lemon oil doesn't come from lemons. It's mineral oil with a scent. An extract from actual lemons would be a citrus cleaner and would actually dry the fretboard further.


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## zztomato (Nov 19, 2010)

Fretboard oil is mainly just cosmetic. There's not a real _need _ for it. I use it after setups and cleaning a fretboard as a way to put a nice shine back on the board. It's a very small amount that goes on though and I wipe it off quickly with a dry cloth.
It's funny, I've got a 1950 j45 in the shop now that lived its life mostly neglected but the rosewood board looks rich and oily and nobody has maintained it in decades.


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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

My fingers are so oily, I naturally condition boards.


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## Zeegler (Jan 2, 2006)

Jim DaddyO said:


> Lemon oil doesn't come from lemons. It's mineral oil with a scent. An extract from actual lemons would be a citrus cleaner and would actually dry the fretboard further.



Did someone say that it did?


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## Jim DaddyO (Mar 20, 2009)

Zeegler said:


> Did someone say that it did?


Did I say someone said it did?


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## JBFairthorne (Oct 11, 2014)

Yeah, well my Dad can beat up your Dad!


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)




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## MarkM (May 23, 2019)

Zeegler said:


> I've been using Old English lemon oil for 35 years. It's cheap and it keeps my fretboards in good shape. I expect someone will pipe up and tell me it's bad for the wood or some other BS. I'll say again, I've been using it for 35 years. My Yamaha Weddington is 32 years old and has been treated with lemon oil once or twice a year for that entire time, and it looks and feels as nice as any rosewood fretboard I've ever seen with no negative effects whatsoever.


I have been using this for that long as well, I‘m sure that I read that in a Guitar Player magazine or something?


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