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jefrs · March 28th, 2008, 06:09 AM

Do not use mineral oil, nasty stufff that's only for metal.

Rosewood, like ebony and teak, is a very hard 'oily' wood. They don't take varnish or paint at all well. They are usually lightly oiled as they age to preserve them.

Try the lemon oil first. If it is still dry or starting to crack, the wood needs feeding...

First clean it, take the strings off and clean the frets with something that won't stain the board. GHS Fret Fast does the job well, it appears to be a metal polish wadding on a stick.

Then clean the fretboard, I've been known to attack it with powdered pummice, rag and a toothbrush, this cleans the frets too. Lemon oil is a degreasant, it will clean the board but it is not a very good wood treatment oil for dry bits. Good for routine cleaning though.

For a dry board, a very light application of wood finishing oil - 'finishing'; danish; tung; teak; etc, even raw linseed - depending on what you've got or can obtain. These oils treat the wood but air-harden, so once it's soaked in a bit, wipe it off, unless you want a shiny fretboard. Do not use too much oil and do not do this at all often, no more than every five to ten years.
I've been doing this to one guitar for over forty years and the board is like new.

March 28th, 2008, 06:09 AM	#8 (permalink)
jefrs Tele-Meister Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Newbury, England Age: 53 Posts: 325	Do not use mineral oil, nasty stufff that's only for metal. Rosewood, like ebony and teak, is a very hard 'oily' wood. They don't take varnish or paint at all well. They are usually lightly oiled as they age to preserve them. Try the lemon oil first. If it is still dry or starting to crack, the wood needs feeding... First clean it, take the strings off and clean the frets with something that won't stain the board. GHS Fret Fast does the job well, it appears to be a metal polish wadding on a stick. Then clean the fretboard, I've been known to attack it with powdered pummice, rag and a toothbrush, this cleans the frets too. Lemon oil is a degreasant, it will clean the board but it is not a very good wood treatment oil for dry bits. Good for routine cleaning though. For a dry board, a very light application of wood finishing oil - 'finishing'; danish; tung; teak; etc, even raw linseed - depending on what you've got or can obtain. These oils treat the wood but air-harden, so once it's soaked in a bit, wipe it off, unless you want a shiny fretboard. Do not use too much oil and do not do this at all often, no more than every five to ten years. I've been doing this to one guitar for over forty years and the board is like new.