Check out the newest news, views, lessons and more for Fender lovers -- FenderRocks.com

appar111 · February 18th, 2012, 09:34 PM

How would I go about getting that nice, dark, oily/shiny look on a rosewood fretboard? I'm going to be getting a new neck soon and want to get that sort of shiny/waxy look on the board.

flyingbanana · February 18th, 2012, 09:46 PM

Black grease? But seriously, an old timer once told me that back in the day, he used to rub cold cuts of meat all over his guitar necks, and that they would play super fast.

Not sure of the lingering smells though.

If you want a dark rosewood neck, pick a neck with dark Brazillian rosewood. Then get some Fret Doctor oil. That's the best stuff, and after applying it a couple of times, the wood will get a little darker.

TeleTim911 · February 18th, 2012, 10:10 PM

Just try some mineral oil on neck, wipe on, let sit a short while, wipe off. See if that helps some, and it's pretty cheap.

paratus · February 18th, 2012, 10:27 PM

+1 on the mineral oil, it never gets rancid, but just use a small amount. Only a few drops are needed.

SixShooter · February 19th, 2012, 08:18 AM

+2 on mineral oil. But if you want it dark it needs to start dark.

ponticat · February 19th, 2012, 08:59 AM

+3

eflamberson · February 19th, 2012, 10:03 AM

Gorgomyte. It's a cloth that cleans the board & the frets. It made the rosewood board on my strat look fantastic. GHS distributes it.

brookdalebill · February 19th, 2012, 10:12 AM

Lemon oil, orange oil, just a little will do it.

SackvilleDan · February 19th, 2012, 10:14 AM

I use lemon oil... makes them nice and dark!

Old Bill · February 19th, 2012, 10:18 AM

Oil it VERY SPARINGLY with linseed oil, leave it overnight and gently polish it. If that's not enough for you, take some of your linseed oil,say a couple of teaspoonfuls and dissolve some black or brown shoe polish in it and try that. Be sure that is the colour you want by testing on a piece of wood first because once done, you can't make it lighter. This does work, I've tried it.Good luck.

SixShooter · February 19th, 2012, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brookdalebill

Lemon oil, orange oil, just a little will do it.

If I am not mistaken, those are pretty much mineral oil.

rolling56 · February 19th, 2012, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flyingbanana

Black grease? But seriously, an old timer once told me that back in the day, he used to rub cold cuts of meat all over his guitar necks, and that they would play super fast.

Not sure of the lingering smells though.

If you want a dark rosewood neck, pick a neck with dark Brazillian rosewood. Then get some Fret Doctor oil. That's the best stuff, and after applying it a couple of times, the wood will get a little darker.

This is what i use also.

Here is a before and after search i just looked at http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/cust...-pictures.html sorry i don't have any pics for you of my own guitars.

nadzab · February 19th, 2012, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SixShooter

+2 on mineral oil. But if you want it dark it needs to start dark.

Very true.

HardlyDangerous · February 20th, 2012, 12:44 AM

Mineral oil

jipp · February 20th, 2012, 06:56 AM

that board was in need of some too.. looks pretty dry. rose wood can be pretty.
chris.

reddirtmedic · February 20th, 2012, 11:52 PM

Blood from your fingertips LOL no just mineral oil. Used to have a buddy used vasoline although I wouldn't advise it. He did have a fast fretboard though

phblues · February 25th, 2012, 11:35 PM

Fretdoctor all the way, really great product!

Keyser Soze · February 27th, 2012, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SixShooter

If I am not mistaken, those are pretty much mineral oil.

Depends. The stuff you see on the grocery store shelf, labelled as furniture polish is nothing more than mineral oil and some added citrus scent.

The stuff you see at the health food store (or new age aromatherapy place) especially if it is in the fridge is real essential citrus oil.

You do not want that stuff, at least not for your guitar. It is fairly caustic, flammable, and also perishable (goes rancid.) It can also damage finishes and adhesives.

For oiling fretboards I prefer plain linseed oil.

Rosewood naturally darkens with age and exposure to light. Many of those old, super dark fretboards you see started out their guitar life looking much like the new ones you see today.

Ethical · February 27th, 2012, 04:46 PM

Boiled Linseed Oil.

><

rokdog49 · March 1st, 2012, 10:40 AM

Old EnglishScratch Cover I have a bottle at home that I've used for years. Darkens the wood beautifully. USE SPARINGLY
http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=...%3AOld+English

February 18th, 2012, 09:34 PM	#1 (permalink)
appar111 Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Ohio Age: 37 Posts: 2,703	how to get that dark, oily look on a rosewood fretboard? How would I go about getting that nice, dark, oily/shiny look on a rosewood fretboard? I'm going to be getting a new neck soon and want to get that sort of shiny/waxy look on the board.

February 18th, 2012, 10:10 PM	#3 (permalink)
TeleTim911 Friend of Leo's Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Calera, Alabama Age: 60 Posts: 3,932	Just try some mineral oil on neck, wipe on, let sit a short while, wipe off. See if that helps some, and it's pretty cheap. __________________ "Just once I'd like to hear you scream in pain" "Play some RAP music"

February 18th, 2012, 10:27 PM	#4 (permalink)
paratus Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,046	+1 on the mineral oil, it never gets rancid, but just use a small amount. Only a few drops are needed. __________________ Semper Paratus

February 19th, 2012, 08:18 AM	#5 (permalink)
SixShooter Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Cincinnati Age: 46 Posts: 1,859 2 Photos	+2 on mineral oil. But if you want it dark it needs to start dark. __________________ . "Something entirely new in the electric Spanish guitar field..."

February 19th, 2012, 10:14 AM	#9 (permalink)
SackvilleDan Tele-Holic Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Sackville Posts: 827 2 Photos	I use lemon oil... makes them nice and dark! __________________ Tele/Les Pauls/Strats->Diamond Compressor->Pitchblack->Diamond Phase->'86 BF Rat->TIM->Analogman TS9/808->Ibanez SC-10->Diamond Tremolo->Eventide TimeFactor->DIY SHO w/ Master Volume->Vox AC15C1 or Marshall 1962 RI w/ KT66s

Sponsored Ads	#
Forum Sponsor Sponsored posting Join Date: March, 2003 Location: Forum HQ Age: Posts: N/A	Sponsored by...

February 18th, 2012, 09:46 PM	#2 (permalink)
flyingbanana Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Southern, California Posts: 5,115	Black grease? But seriously, an old timer once told me that back in the day, he used to rub cold cuts of meat all over his guitar necks, and that they would play super fast. Not sure of the lingering smells though. If you want a dark rosewood neck, pick a neck with dark Brazillian rosewood. Then get some Fret Doctor oil. That's the best stuff, and after applying it a couple of times, the wood will get a little darker.

February 19th, 2012, 08:59 AM	#6 (permalink)
ponticat Tele-Meister Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Alexandria, Virginia Age: 67 Posts: 190	+3

February 19th, 2012, 10:03 AM	#7 (permalink)
eflamberson Tele-Meister Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: new jersey Posts: 163	Gorgomyte. It's a cloth that cleans the board & the frets. It made the rosewood board on my strat look fantastic. GHS distributes it.

February 19th, 2012, 10:12 AM	#8 (permalink)
brookdalebill Friend of Leo's Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Austin, Tx Age: 55 Posts: 4,409	Lemon oil, orange oil, just a little will do it.

February 19th, 2012, 10:18 AM	#10 (permalink)
Old Bill Tele-Meister Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Hartlepool, UK. Age: 67 Posts: 189	Oil it VERY SPARINGLY with linseed oil, leave it overnight and gently polish it. If that's not enough for you, take some of your linseed oil,say a couple of teaspoonfuls and dissolve some black or brown shoe polish in it and try that. Be sure that is the colour you want by testing on a piece of wood first because once done, you can't make it lighter. This does work, I've tried it.Good luck.

February 20th, 2012, 12:44 AM	#14 (permalink)
HardlyDangerous Tele-Holic Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Niagara Canada Posts: 534	Mineral oil

February 20th, 2012, 06:56 AM	#15 (permalink)
jipp Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: apache junction az Posts: 1,096	that board was in need of some too.. looks pretty dry. rose wood can be pretty. chris.

February 20th, 2012, 11:52 PM	#16 (permalink)
reddirtmedic Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: ardmore Oklahoma Posts: 137	Blood from your fingertips LOL no just mineral oil. Used to have a buddy used vasoline although I wouldn't advise it. He did have a fast fretboard though __________________ *All bleeding stops eventually*

February 25th, 2012, 11:35 PM	#17 (permalink)
phblues TDPRI Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 42	Fretdoctor all the way, really great product!

February 27th, 2012, 04:46 PM	#19 (permalink)
Ethical Tele-Holic Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Norfolk, UK Age: 57 Posts: 630 2 Photos	Boiled Linseed Oil. >< __________________ If it wasn't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all

March 1st, 2012, 10:40 AM	#20 (permalink)
rokdog49 Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Ohio Age: 63 Posts: 1,287 2 Photos	Old EnglishScratch Cover I have a bottle at home that I've used for years. Darkens the wood beautifully. USE SPARINGLY http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=...%3AOld+English __________________ "Plunk your magic twanger Froggy!"

Check out the newest news, views, lessons and more for Fender lovers -- FenderRocks.com

IMPORTANT:Treat everyone here with respect, no matter how difficult! No sex, drug, political, religion or hate discussion permitted here.