Treating a Rosewood Fingerboard

Hey there,

I'm currently building a neck and my rosewood fingerboard is really a dull gray. After wiping it with mineral spirits after sanding it is very pretty though. I've read many times not to treat a rosewood fingerboard, but can I please? :razz:

Seriously though, any advice on a thin finish (tung oil, tru oil etc) just to give it that wet look.

Thanks in advance,

Lemon oil is what I've always used on rosewood boards. The rosewood soaks it up, give it a good rub dry and repeat as necessary. It's always worked for me and turned the most dry boards into a nice brown lustre with very little effort.

+1 on lemon oil. Buy it at a hardware store, not a guitar shop. Save $.

+2 for lemon oil. I treat mine about every 6 months, wipe it on with a cotton bud (Q-tip) & let it soak for a while, wipe off any excess & polish with a soft, lint free cloth.

I find gently "scrubbing" the board lifts any crud onto the bud too.

Linseed oil also works but it doesn't smell as good as lemon oil.

Linseed oil. Finally. I actually have some of that. No specialty shopping necessary. Thank You Bud.

Lemon oil for sure. My Strat neck looked like this after sitting in a case for 10 years

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d79/orange01z28/stratneck.jpg

Looks better than new while keeping the wear (which is cool)

And the frets cleaned right up with Brasso. I taped over the fretboard first with blue painter's tape. Thanks to TDPRI for teaching me

I always give my RW fret boards a good coat of teak oil or tung oil on new construction necks. Then after that dries or starts to wear through, I use mineral oil or lemon oil. Lemon oil is just lemon scented mineral. There is also another type of oil extruded from lemon that is faily gnarly stuff, don't use that.

Woodwind bore oil. Works really well and is incredibly cheap--a few dollars a bottle which goes a long way.

Thanks everybody,

I got a small scrap piece I'll test on and then take a before and after shot of the fingerboard on another thread in the near future.

Had the same question. Good information

Clean it with Naptha then sweat on it a lot.:lol:

I've used this and it is good:
http://www.beafifer.com/

Also used lemon oil.

+1 on on naptha & Lemon oil... Although I wouldn't use naptha on a neck that has binding.