Poll: Cleaning Maple Fretboards
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mrmorrison
Tele-Afflicted
Never. Let the dirt and grease build up until it's barely playable. Then you can sell it as a relic for $10,000. 
IdahoPicker
Tele-Afflicted
No, but I probably should. It might prolong the life of the strings, gettin' that finger-poop offa there.....
I like to use some Meguiar's Scratch X if I have time when I'm changing the strings. I believe that if I can keep polishing on the frets and not let any divots in the wire get started I can get better bending and prolong the life of the frets. The board gets polished in the process because it is easier just to do both. This is "the prize" or one of them, for choosing a maple playing surface and having to trouble to get it finished right. IMO rosewood boards make finishing a neck painless, but maintenance is more of a hassle.
Chimp #6
Tele-Meister
I clean mine every string change with Dunlop Formula 65 Polish & Cleaner.
Ringo
Poster Extraordinaire
Naptha works well ...
Naptha aka lighter fluid is a good cleaner , safe for guitar finishes.
Heck I've cleand maple fretboards with a soapy rag too.
And I have used the Scratch X stuff and or 3M Finesse It ll to polish the fretboard and frets.
Naptha aka lighter fluid is a good cleaner , safe for guitar finishes.
Heck I've cleand maple fretboards with a soapy rag too.
And I have used the Scratch X stuff and or 3M Finesse It ll to polish the fretboard and frets.
I don't currently own a maple fretboard, but when i did, i would wipe it down but not scour the places where natural wear had occurred. I like the looks of a fretboard that's been honestly played in.
Alexandre
Tele-Holic
Always clean it when changing strings. For rosewood, I clean and oil it everytime I change strings...
Thin69
Friend of Leo's
I just don't seem to have the build up problem. I use household spray wax to wipe down strings/fingerboard before playing and to clean my finger tips. Crud does build up on my finger tips and strings as I play so I wipe fingers and strings/fingerboard during playing. After playing I make sure everything is clean.
I find keeping things clean helps the playing action, saves my fingers and greatly extends string life.
I find keeping things clean helps the playing action, saves my fingers and greatly extends string life.
XKnight
Tele-Afflicted
I breathe on it and then wipe it down with a soft cloth. Works wonders.
TubeCreamer
Tele-Meister
Only when I change my strings (only when they break - If I was a gigger I'd change em more often). I use Gibson Pump polish which seems to work fine, I've noticed that cleaning the neck definitely prolongs string life, which may sound obvious but with an uncleaned neck my strings get tarnished within hours, cleaned its more like weeks.
I clean mine when I change the strings with whatever brand guitar cleaner I happen to have at the time. Right now its something that says Martin on the label.
First, keep in mind there's a difference between DIRT & WEAR. You're not cleaning the WEAR off a maple board by cleaning it. The "relicing" is still gonna' happen.
Secondly, I do clean my maple board HOWEVER it still has it's finish. If it were wearing down to the bare wood I'd be very careful indeed. Bare wood is a whole 'nuther set of problems when cleaning. Technically, water is never supposed to touch bare wood. Short of using something Like Murphy's Oil Soap occasionally, I have no idea what to clean raw wood with??
Secondly, I do clean my maple board HOWEVER it still has it's finish. If it were wearing down to the bare wood I'd be very careful indeed. Bare wood is a whole 'nuther set of problems when cleaning. Technically, water is never supposed to touch bare wood. Short of using something Like Murphy's Oil Soap occasionally, I have no idea what to clean raw wood with??
Fatmanstratman
Poster Extraordinaire
It is advisable to keep ALL parts of your guitars as clean as possible - just consider it "routine maintenance".
When you change your strings, dip a cotton bud in some alchohol based - or fast evaporating - cleaning fluid (Isopropyl, or "IPA", is good - Methylated Spirit is good, or even Naptha). Try to avoid anything oil based (such as white spirit), then rub gently along each edge of each fret (that's where the dirt builds up).
When you've done that, you can dip a piece of lint-free cloth (an old tee shirt is useful!) into the spirit and wipe the entire fingerboard and rear of the neck.
Some folks like to then polish the neck and fingerboard with things like Meguiars or Dunlop 65, but in all honesty that is a bit of a labour of love! The maple is very hard, so once you've cleaned it and given it a polish with a clean cloth (I like the microfibre cloths which you can get at any supermarket - the smoother ones, like "Spontex", are the best) you're good to go.
Some folks mistakenly use Lemon Oil on their maple fretboards. It doesn't do it any harm, but you'll only be wiping it on then wiping it all off again!...
When you change your strings, dip a cotton bud in some alchohol based - or fast evaporating - cleaning fluid (Isopropyl, or "IPA", is good - Methylated Spirit is good, or even Naptha). Try to avoid anything oil based (such as white spirit), then rub gently along each edge of each fret (that's where the dirt builds up).
When you've done that, you can dip a piece of lint-free cloth (an old tee shirt is useful!) into the spirit and wipe the entire fingerboard and rear of the neck.
Some folks like to then polish the neck and fingerboard with things like Meguiars or Dunlop 65, but in all honesty that is a bit of a labour of love! The maple is very hard, so once you've cleaned it and given it a polish with a clean cloth (I like the microfibre cloths which you can get at any supermarket - the smoother ones, like "Spontex", are the best) you're good to go.
Some folks mistakenly use Lemon Oil on their maple fretboards. It doesn't do it any harm, but you'll only be wiping it on then wiping it all off again!...
I use the same polish, but more frequently since I don't change my strings very often.
david_lewis93
Tele-Holic
One of them "SHAM-POW" rags werks goot too with agoot dose of pledge with lemon oil,
wish they would male one with lime.take me back to the good ile HAI KARATE days of yore.
bend em tight and let er scream
wish they would male one with lime.take me back to the good ile HAI KARATE days of yore.
bend em tight and let er scream
I use either Gorgomyte or Guitar Honey, used by guitar techs I've worked with...
RJ
RJ
bingy
Friend of Leo's
I use the same thing I clean the strings with...WD40.
pontmercy
Tele-Holic
I use Meguiers as well for my maple necks with a orbital buffer. If the frets need some dressing, I'll tape off (using delicate 3m tape) and use 0000 steel wool, then buff/wax.
I made the mistake on one of my maple necks years ago when I was more of a novice and used regular masking tape that removed my poly finish on the neck in spots. I've thought about buying that StewMac vinyl mask if I end up doing more tech work for local guitarists as well. The little steel shield they sell also works well.
I made the mistake on one of my maple necks years ago when I was more of a novice and used regular masking tape that removed my poly finish on the neck in spots. I've thought about buying that StewMac vinyl mask if I end up doing more tech work for local guitarists as well. The little steel shield they sell also works well.
