[Max Dread]

Hi all

I've been reading up about Bore oil and have decided it is definitely the way to go for treating a rosewood fingerboard. However, this has lead me to a few new points to consider:

1. Up until now I have been using Pure Raw Linseed Oil. Now that I will be using Bore Oil, should I think about trying to get rid of any Linseed Oil left in the neck? If so, what is the best way of doing it?

2. I know a lot of people speak very highly about Fret Doctor from Beafifer. But others seem to think there is little difference between this and much cheaper Bore Oil (Le Blanc, Selmar, etc.). Any views on this would be great.

3. I have a guitar with a maple neck. It is usually said that these only need treatment once the lacquer coat has worn off. My fretboard definitely has a worn look, but I don't know if it is bad enough to warrant treatment. I'm only interested in treating it from a preservation/maintenance point of view - NOT cosmetic. In fact, I'm quite keen on the worn look! I can't post links to pics until I have 20+ posts.....so I will add pics then.

Any advice would be really great.

Cheers

Max

 

[GuitarBizarre]

Hi all

I've been reading up about Bore oil and have decided it is definitely the way to go for treating a rosewood fingerboard. However, this has lead me to a few new points to consider:

1. Up until now I have been using Pure Raw Linseed Oil. Now that I will be using Bore Oil, should I think about trying to get rid of any Linseed Oil left in the neck? If so, what is the best way of doing it?

2. I know a lot of people speak very highly about Fret Doctor from Beafifer. But others seem to think there is little difference between this and much cheaper Bore Oil (Le Blanc, Selmar, etc.). Any views on this would be great.

3. I have a guitar with a maple neck. It is usually said that these only need treatment once the lacquer coat has worn off. My fretboard definitely has a worn look, but I don't know if it is bad enough to warrant treatment. I'm only interested in treating it from a preservation/maintenance point of view - NOT cosmetic. In fact, I'm quite keen on the worn look! I can't post links to pics until I have 20+ posts.....so I will add pics then.

Any advice would be really great.

Cheers

Max

Fretdoctor is fantastic stuff. I reccomend it, and its certainly a damn sight better, and lasts much longer than any other oil I've used on any of my guitars.

As for removing linseed oil, I don't know 100%, but I always clean my fretboards with rubbing alcohol to remove any dirt and contaminants from the grain. It dries out the wood, but the fret doctor puts that moisture straight back. I did this to my s2170fw and the fretboard actually looks better than it did new now, and thats over a month later with heavy playing.

 

[Ayrton]

I clean my boards with alcohol as well (usually just the first time), and then condition with Fret Doctor.

Fret Doctor is basically bore oil, so if you can buy bore oil cheaper/faster than Fret Doctor, just use that.

 

[Max Dread]

Well being in the UK, Fret Doctor is going to cost me around £20, whereas I can get Bore oil for about £2! SO yes, that's a fair bit cheaper, and it doesn't have to travel across the pond to get here!

You see, I thought Fret Doctor might have that special something that Bore Oil doesn't have. So if not, the I'll definitely just get the straight foreward Bore Oil. I seem to remember reading that some are better than others. Can you recommend any makes/brands?

Thanks for all the help.

Max.

 

[JohnnyRG1527]

I cant remember the brand of mine as it's worn off the bottle but i got my bore oil off the bay for about 2 quid and its the best £2 i've ever spent! i polished the frets first and then cleaned the board and rubbed the bore oil in and now all my necks look brand new

 

[S-man]

I use bore oil myself and like the results. Lasts plenty long enough for me.

 

[GLG421]

LeBlanc Bore oil has been fine for me.

 

[GuitarBizarre]

Well being in the UK, Fret Doctor is going to cost me around £20, whereas I can get Bore oil for about £2! SO yes, that's a fair bit cheaper, and it doesn't have to travel across the pond to get here!

You see, I thought Fret Doctor might have that special something that Bore Oil doesn't have. So if not, the I'll definitely just get the straight foreward Bore Oil. I seem to remember reading that some are better than others. Can you recommend any makes/brands?

Thanks for all the help.

Max.

Bear in mind thats for the largest bottle, which will last literally years... a bottle of bore oil might contain only 7ml (going on a quick google search for bore oil) compared to that 60ml you get from beafifer. You're really only saving about £1 or 2 in total, and the fret doctor is imo a little better and you won't have to replace the bottle as often. (Yes, I did the math...depending on the conversion rate the Fret doctor 60ml bottle might end up cheaper.)

In fact, doing the sums with the exchange rate: 60ml of Fret doctor costs £12.82 without shipping. The same physical volume of Bore oil, at £2 per 7ml bottle, is £17.14 without any shipping charges. with shipping, Fret doctor is 17.9200542 British pounds as of today. (Thanks google calculator!)

So really you're saving less than £1. As for travelling across the pond...my 60ml bottle arrived packaged in a sturdy cardboard box, double bagged, surrounded by packing peanuts...I really wouldn't worry too much about it.

BTW, I know I'm pushing the fret doctor, but the reasoningis that I know bore doctor is fantastic. Bore oils can vary and marketing though it may be, beafifer offer some compelling reasons why theirs is better.

 

[GLG421]

How much Fret Doctor stock do you own?

 

[toneboy]

Bore oil works great, it's inexpensive and easy to find (look for stores that sells brass and woodwind instruments).

Don't by the hype of Fret Doctor. Bore oil has been used for a long, long time on wooden instruments like clarinets (made from ebony). Consider that a clarinet is made from wood and it gets saliva in it. The treatment and care of that instrument is critical.

 

[Rich]

I've been using Fret Dr. only because everybody is so gaga about it. On the other hand, it does smell nice, I do believe it penetrates a little deeper, and it doesn't leach as much after wiping as typical bore oil. But if I run out or spill a bottle I have no problem using bore oil from the local store.

 

[Max Dread]

Thanks for all the helpful replies.

GuitarBizarre....Cheers for all that. Great way of looking at it, and I had not realised the Bore Oil bottles were so small. So that pretty much convinced me to give Fret Doctor my money. But then on closer inspection.....Selmer Bore Oil - which I believe Rich was using at one point - can be had for around £2.50 for 1.5oz, which is around 45ml. Suddenly Fret Doctor looks a bit expensive again!

 

[Crazy_Guitar]

Bore oil for me!
If I have none left, lemon oil also gets the job done (though it doesn't hydrate the fingerboard as well as bore oil).

 

[Max Dread]

If anyone has more tips on what I should do with the necks that I've treated in the past with Linseed oil, that would be great.

Also, here are the pics of the maple board I mentioned in the original post:

Does it look worn enough to need treatment or is it ok?

Cheers

Max

 

[GuitarBizarre]

How much Fret Doctor stock do you own?

None, its just like I said, I'm reccomending because its the best I've used. I haven't tried everything but I'm certainly going to reccomend a good product when i see it...

 

[plugger]

Don't apply bore oil to maple necks! It's for rosewood and ebony fretboards.

 

[GLG421]

None, its just like I said, I'm reccomending because its the best I've used. I haven't tried everything but I'm certainly going to reccomend a good product when i see it...

I'm just giving you some guff. The recommendations of fellow Jemsiters has lead me to greater knowledge and better decisions, I actually ordered a bottle of Fret Doctor today, as my Bore Oil is low.

 

[GuitarBizarre]

I figured as much man, don't worry about it.

 

[Max Dread]

I see another similar thread has popped up about necks. So just to add this one back into the mix......do people think my maple fretboard is worn enough to need treatment???

Cheers

Max