Dry Fingerboards on J customs

C.Thep · #1 12-01-2007, 01:18 AM

Anyone noticing it?

I know it is not big deal, just put some lemon oil on it, but I've been seeing alot of Jcustoms lately with really pale fingerbards, my 8470 came with a really bad one, even after the second application of oil, it still doesn't look as good as it should. A few more times between string changes should be better though. I can't dye it because it has maple binding and inlays.

Being a J custom and everything, this is really wierd, I don't really see this with other prestiges.

eviltwin · #2 12-01-2007, 06:28 AM

ebony or rosewood?

**jemaholic** · #3 12-01-2007, 06:50 AM

I discovered a product years ago called "Guitar Honey" for rosewood boards.
I think for a time it was very hard to locate, but lately I've seen it around the internet.
In my circles up here in the Tri-state NY/NJ/CT area, this stuff has been the Holy Grail of conditioners for fingerboards forever.
It might be worth checking out if you haven't heard of it....

http://www.surfguitar101.com/modules...rticle&sid=143
Half-way down this next link under "Conditioning The Fretboard"...
http://mysite.verizon.net/jazz.guitar/guitarsetup.htm
Sorry UK'rs - I can't locate a dealer over there for you.

-jemaholic

GAZ · #4 12-02-2007, 11:54 AM

They do vary considerably in the colour of the rosewood, and it's not just the JC's. My 8270 is virtually black, the 8470 and 8570 are very dark brown and the 2620 is medium brown. The JC's have a 'tighter' grain than the Prestige fretboard too.I have seen some very light boarded 8470s, and it's not much to do with dryness, it's the natural colour of the rosewood. You should see it before you buy if possible.

TheOrangeChannel · #5 12-02-2007, 01:21 PM

http://www.gerlitzusa.com/prd_honey.html

There your guitar honey. Honestly if this is a case of needing some moisture and you just recieved your J Custom, think about the change in climate from where it was shipped from. Same thing happens with anything rosewood that I've had shipped from the West Coast to Long Island where I live, my Suhrs are built in So-Cal where it's dry and barely rains, whereas here the climactic conditions are really rough on guitars...just a thought.

C.Thep · #6 12-02-2007, 03:32 PM

ya, i figured that, it was traveling from japan to texas, but still, i don't think it is the reason to be that bad. It's unacceptable for the Jcustom to have a dry board like mine. And No, it wasn't the natural color of the rosewood, it was just dry.

Actually, I've never had more problems on a new guitar than with my Jcustom.
Sometimes i think someone at Ikebe tampered with it, because there were alot of things that were wrong, all of which are easily fixable, but this these are freaking Jcustoms.

casper777 · #7 12-03-2007, 05:04 AM

I also have noticed that they usually put darker fretboards on guitars with BX finish and lighter ones with FE finish....

Or maybe it's coincidence.....

Batchimp RG · #8 12-03-2007, 05:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by C.Thep

Being a J custom and everything, this is really wierd, I don't really see this with other prestiges.

My Prestige came with a very dry board too. I eventually got fed up and rubbed a little olive oil into it. Seems fine now. I'll buy proper stuff eventually.

TheOrangeChannel · #9 12-03-2007, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by C.Thep

ya, i figured that, it was traveling from japan to texas, but still, i don't think it is the reason to be that bad. It's unacceptable for the Jcustom to have a dry board like mine. And No, it wasn't the natural color of the rosewood, it was just dry.

There you go. It travelled from Japan to Texas...thats the key dude, shipping can be brutal on guitars, cargo holds in a plane, for the most part are not climate controlled, so you're getting high altitude and cold forced on it as well which will suck the moisture right out of the wood. I'd pretty much reckon that all your issues are coming from shipping, and maybe the factor that if they had the JC in a store hanging on a wall, it was not conditioned properly either...so it stands to reason with all the travel involved and unknowns that it's not necessarily the company's issue with your "unacceptible dry fretboard" but the fact that your stuff went from an island, to a high altitude with cold that robs moisture, to a dry climate which also robs moisture. Get some lemon oil, and condition it...you're going to need to do that anyway from time to time especially in drier climates. Jeez.

screamndemon69 · #10 12-03-2007, 10:41 AM

I would guess they don't go out dry but maybe they sit for awhile before they are sold which may dry them out a bit.

I was told NOT to use lemon oil as it is bad for the frets. I use bore oil (usually used for clarinets and oboes but seems to do fine for fingerboards too).

JJEMMER777 · #11 12-03-2007, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by screamndemon69

I was told NOT to use lemon oil as it is bad for the frets. I use bore oil (usually used for clarinets and oboes but seems to do fine for fingerboards too).

Damn straight Bones

!! The acidic properties in Lemon Oil will corrode the frets over time. Bore oil is the way to go and is much easier on the wood as well

I love Bore doctor!
http://www.beafifer.com/boredoctor.htm

~ROCK~

GAZ · #12 12-03-2007, 01:58 PM

There will be lighter and darker rosewood fretboards when they are dry and when they are oiled. It's down to the type of rosewood used and the natural variation within that type of rosewood. It's hit and miss with Ibanez unfortunately, the body colour is irrelevant, and the fretboard shouldn't be dry at all on a new guitar anyway especially when stored in the case. They need to get their act together and sort out their QC procedures asap.

Rich · #13 12-03-2007, 02:06 PM

This is all pretty funny!

If you think the boards are conditioned at any step during manufature and assembly, you're wrong. In fact a wipe down after they arbor buff the fretwork on the raw wood [which is why the wood surface is mildly shiny because it's buff burnt] is about it. They're all dry, JC's Prestige, all. It has nothing to do with shipping or anything else, as if 5 hours in a cargo hold would have any effect!

GAZ · #14 12-03-2007, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich

This is all pretty funny!

If you think the boards are conditioned at any step during manufature and assembly, you're wrong. In fact a wipe down after they arbor buff the fretwork on the raw wood [which is why the wood surface is mildly shiny because it's buff burnt] is about it. They're all dry, JC's Prestige, all. It has nothing to do with shipping or anything else, as if 5 hours in a cargo hold would have any effect!

I agree, but some are so 'dry' looking that oiling makes them darker which people seem to prefer. Some appear drier after manufacture because of the variation in the rosewood itself obviously. If some appear very pale, you'd think a quick wipe over with an oily rag (steady !) at the factory would help cosmetically. Luckily none of mine have this 'dry' fretboard problem, in fact the Prestige one which is medium brown hardly darkens when oiled either !

Rich · #15 12-03-2007, 02:43 PM

Light boards aren't any drier than dark boards, they're just lighter wood. Conditioning will darken a bit but it's never going to make light wood dark.