Official Luthiers Forum! :: View topic - How I Clean A Very Dirty Fretboard

ARRRGH!!!!!!!! I HATE STEEL WOOL.

It's of the devil. It rusts, it breaks down into little crumbs that contaminate the bench, the instrument, and eventually the shop, it conducts electricity, and it's magnetic. For God's sake - use Scotchbrite, PLEASE!
Maroon or light gray is fine. The dark gray and green are too burly for this job, but I keep it in stock for other jobs.

If you use steel wool in luthiery, I disown you.

Second on the Scotchbrite! The white is the finest (IIRC) if you want to buff out the board (Steel wool works too -just a bit more messy).
Rounding the ends of the razor blade on a piece of sandpaper can help eliminate chipping and scratches from the ends digging in. It only takes a couple of swipes to break the edge.
It looks like you did a little divot removal on that board. Nice finish!

Hesh, I've calmed down a bit - but not much! I am semi-legendary on certain guitar-oriented forums for preaching against the evils of steel wool. I HATE IT.

However, that fingerboard doesn't come close to the nastiest fingerboard I ever cleaned. Back in the 80's, one of my clients who did a one man band thing in his own club brought in his Aria Pro II copy of an ES-175. His complaint was that it was fretting out.

Once I opened the case I found a fretboard caked with blackened finger funk so thick it was HIGHER than the frets! This was from the nut up to the 22nd fret, mind you. I had to soak the dried sewage to soften it for removal using the end of a 6" scale, and then finishing up with maroon scotchbright soaked in lemon oil. Finally buffed out the frets to a high shine, restrung it (the strings were nearly as filthy), and cleaned the whole guitar up.

When Bob came back a couple days later, I chewed him out royally. He was dismayed at my invective, to say the least. The guitar apparently never left the stage for 10 years. Between gigs Bob leaned it against his Fender Twin and headed home, never looking back or giving it a thought. I warned him if it ever came to my bench in the same condition, I would keep it and not give it back. He promised it would be taken care of, and to this day I have not seen that Aria Pro II. I heard he traded it for a 335...

"I had to soak the dried sewage to soften it"

Hahahahah! OMG!

You can always refuse the work

Well, Bob was a good customer for the store my shop was in. He owned a couple bars and strip clubs in town. Bought PA & band gear for all his places and performers - musical and otherwise. For awhile he even had a topless car wash.... The city fathers pulled the plug. I liked Bob's money, his musicianship - but not his sleazy ways.

Sounds like that guy was quite the entrepreneur. Topless car wash eh? I’ve never understood why my idea for a topless guitar repair workshop never took off, despite careful planning.

I’m not that bad looking!

Hesh,

I looked up that wax you use. It appears to be very close to Tried & True Bees Wax (https://www.woodworkingshop.com/product ... gLKlPD_BwE). I have been using that on fretboards and bridges for a while. I apply it, rub it in. Let set a bit, wipe down, and scotch brite after (I don't like shiny wood). Nice stuff. I see Stew Mac sells it too.

Edit: Its not quite the same thing. Tried and True contains no wax. Does have linseed.

Many people use Howard's restore -a- finish to clean old grunge off wood work. It contains some solvents (acetone, xylene, alcohol) in it that make it work quicker than the feed and wax. The feed and wax contains orange oil so it does clean fairly well.
After cleaning fingerboards with solvents I use this product if I want to add some wax to the board:
https://www.lehmans.com/product/old-tim ... re-polish/
It is basically mineral oil with fragrance added and some bees wax mixed in. Not being a repair shop the bottle has lasted for years.

Author:	Hesh [ Fri Oct 28, 2022 8:26 am ]
Post subject:	How I Clean A Very Dirty Fretboard
Just got home from working all night in the shop and took some pics of how I clean a fretboard and thought that this may be helpful to some here. I hope so. Step one if there are any pick-ups completely tape them off with masking tape since we will be using steel wool. A word on steel wool use around pick-ups we've done as you will see here nearly every guitar that ever came into our current shop this way and never had any issues from the steel wool. So I say again BE SURE to tape off any magnetic pups and be doubly sure to have a good clean-up protocol where you vacuum up all the steel wool debris and Bob's your uncle. Step two if the dirt is minor is OOOO steel wool. I go in both directions finishing up moving with the grain. Step two point one.... If it's really filthy a double edge razor blade used as a scraper. I go in both directions from right to left and then one more time from left to right and all the gunk is gone. If there is pearl on the board it can chip the razor's edge then pitch it and get a new one so it does not leave marks. Also hold the blade firmly and you will learn that you can eliminate any resulting chatter. The razor blade use is also helpful on fret work where you want to remove marks already on the instrument from abuse, etc. Once scraped I do the steel wool. Final step is Howard feed-n-wax that Dave introduced to this forum back in 2007 with wax on and wax off being sure to wipe any wax that will wipe off off. You can see the results.

Author:	Chris Pile [ Fri Oct 28, 2022 10:02 am ]
Post subject:	Re: How I Clean A Very Dirty Fretboard
ARRRGH!!!!!!!! I HATE STEEL WOOL. It's of the devil. It rusts, it breaks down into little crumbs that contaminate the bench, the instrument, and eventually the shop, it conducts electricity, and it's magnetic. For God's sake - use Scotchbrite, PLEASE! Maroon or light gray is fine. The dark gray and green are too burly for this job, but I keep it in stock for other jobs. If you use steel wool in luthiery, I disown you.

Author:	SteveSmith [ Fri Oct 28, 2022 10:07 am ]
Post subject:	Re: How I Clean A Very Dirty Fretboard
Yep, Scotchbrite here too! I quit using steel wool years ago but if it makes you happy??!! Fretboard does look good, I like clean fretboards.

Author:	Hesh [ Fri Oct 28, 2022 10:10 am ]
Post subject:	Re: How I Clean A Very Dirty Fretboard
Chris Pile wrote: ARRRGH!!!!!!!! I HATE STEEL WOOL. It's of the devil. It rusts, it breaks down into little crumbs that contaminate the bench, the instrument, and eventually the shop, it conducts electricity, and it's magnetic. For God's sake - use Scotchbrite, PLEASE! Maroon or light gray is fine. The dark gray and green are too burly for this job, but I keep it in stock for other jobs. If you use steel wool in luthiery, I disown you. Did you read my post Chris??? I went to great lengths to qualify its use, safely and said how to do that. I also indicated that we've never had any issues with thousands of guitars. So please don't disown me my friend we just disagree here. You know we crossed that 10,000 guitar mark this year and every single one of them had steel wool safely used on them. PS: I vacuum my bench top frequently and at least partially after every guitar, next

Author:	Clay S. [ Fri Oct 28, 2022 10:51 am ]
Post subject:	Re: How I Clean A Very Dirty Fretboard
Second on the Scotchbrite! The white is the finest (IIRC) if you want to buff out the board (Steel wool works too -just a bit more messy). Rounding the ends of the razor blade on a piece of sandpaper can help eliminate chipping and scratches from the ends digging in. It only takes a couple of swipes to break the edge. It looks like you did a little divot removal on that board. Nice finish!

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Author:	Hesh [ Fri Oct 28, 2022 11:16 am ]
Post subject:	Re: How I Clean A Very Dirty Fretboard
Clay S. wrote: Second on the Scotchbrite! The white is the finest (IIRC) if you want to buff out the board (Steel wool works too -just a bit more messy). Rounding the ends of the razor blade on a piece of sandpaper can help eliminate chipping and scratches from the ends digging in. It only takes a couple of swipes to break the edge. It looks like you did a little divot removal on that board. Nice finish! We prefer to use the blades as is and are sure to source the thicker ones, there are two thicknesses available these days. The thick ones when well held don't chatter like the thin ones. Clay we did try the holder but prefer to be closer to the work piece and the edge tool. Holders also don't grip the blade as firmly and that encourages chatter. To each their own if it works for you I'm not going to tell you that I'm disowning you. The safed corners would be a good idea for someone who does not do this 4 - 6 times a day and is working on a valuable piece. For me it's old hat, I lock the neck in my leg vice and have two different standing positions that get me where I want to go. We are putting around 125 guitars though our shop monthly at times and scotchbrite is also much more expensive. We think that steel wool works better and can get closer to the crud since we can shape it easily. I'm a tired guy the month is nearly over and it's been a very big month for us glad to see it ending so the clock can start all over again.

Author:	jfmckenna [ Fri Oct 28, 2022 2:04 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: How I Clean A Very Dirty Fretboard
I still use steel wool too I make sure to hold the neck of the guitar over the side of the bench hovering over the shop floor which eventually gets vacuumed. I have the Scotch Brite pads but I just don't like them.

Author:	wbergman [ Fri Oct 28, 2022 4:41 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: How I Clean A Very Dirty Fretboard
I have heard that some stainless steel is not magnetic. I do not know if the type of stainless used for stainless steel wool is magnetic or not. It might be worth investigating.

Author:	Chris Pile [ Fri Oct 28, 2022 7:43 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: How I Clean A Very Dirty Fretboard
Hesh, I've calmed down a bit - but not much! I am semi-legendary on certain guitar-oriented forums for preaching against the evils of steel wool. I HATE IT. However, that fingerboard doesn't come close to the nastiest fingerboard I ever cleaned. Back in the 80's, one of my clients who did a one man band thing in his own club brought in his Aria Pro II copy of an ES-175. His complaint was that it was fretting out. Once I opened the case I found a fretboard caked with blackened finger funk so thick it was HIGHER than the frets! This was from the nut up to the 22nd fret, mind you. I had to soak the dried sewage to soften it for removal using the end of a 6" scale, and then finishing up with maroon scotchbright soaked in lemon oil. Finally buffed out the frets to a high shine, restrung it (the strings were nearly as filthy), and cleaned the whole guitar up. When Bob came back a couple days later, I chewed him out royally. He was dismayed at my invective, to say the least. The guitar apparently never left the stage for 10 years. Between gigs Bob leaned it against his Fender Twin and headed home, never looking back or giving it a thought. I warned him if it ever came to my bench in the same condition, I would keep it and not give it back. He promised it would be taken care of, and to this day I have not seen that Aria Pro II. I heard he traded it for a 335...

Author:	Hesh [ Fri Oct 28, 2022 8:05 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: How I Clean A Very Dirty Fretboard
Chris Pile wrote: Hesh, I've calmed down a bit - but not much! I am semi-legendary on certain guitar-oriented forums for preaching against the evils of steel wool. I HATE IT. However, that fingerboard doesn't come close to the nastiest fingerboard I ever cleaned. Back in the 80's, one of my clients who did a one man band thing in his own club brought in his Aria Pro II copy of an ES-175. His complaint was that it was fretting out. Once I opened the case I found a fretboard caked with blackened finger funk so thick it was HIGHER than the frets! This was from the nut up to the 22nd fret, mind you. I had to soak the dried sewage to soften it for removal using the end of a 6" scale, and then finishing up with maroon scotchbright soaked in lemon oil. Finally buffed out the frets to a high shine, restrung it (the strings were nearly as filthy), and cleaned the whole guitar up. When Bob came back a couple days later, I chewed him out royally. He was dismayed at my invective, to say the least. The guitar apparently never left the stage for 10 years. Between gigs Bob leaned it against his Fender Twin and headed home, never looking back or giving it a thought. I warned him if it ever came to my bench in the same condition, I would keep it and not give it back. He promised it would be taken care of, and to this day I have not seen that Aria Pro II. I heard he traded it for a 335... Now that's a gunky fretboard wow!!! No problem I'll avoid mentioning steel wool here in the future We got in trouble around ten years ago with an A-list regular who we cleaned his guitar the night before a picture shoot for his new album. He was pissed.... I personally don't get the relic or dirt thing and never will. I like clean guitars.

Author:	Clay S. [ Fri Oct 28, 2022 9:55 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: How I Clean A Very Dirty Fretboard
Hesh wrote: "We got in trouble around ten years ago with an A-list regular who we cleaned his guitar the night before a picture shoot for his new album. He was pissed.... I personally don't get the relic or dirt thing and never will. I like clean guitars. " It's what you might call "Crud Cred" P.S. - that razor blade is the one I clean the smooth top stove with. The holder keeps my fingers off the burners.

Author:	jfmckenna [ Fri Oct 28, 2022 11:42 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: How I Clean A Very Dirty Fretboard
"I had to soak the dried sewage to soften it" Hahahahah! OMG! You can always refuse the work

Author:	Chris Pile [ Sat Oct 29, 2022 12:24 am ]
Post subject:	Re: How I Clean A Very Dirty Fretboard
Well, Bob was a good customer for the store my shop was in. He owned a couple bars and strip clubs in town. Bought PA & band gear for all his places and performers - musical and otherwise. For awhile he even had a topless car wash.... The city fathers pulled the plug. I liked Bob's money, his musicianship - but not his sleazy ways.

Author:	Hesh [ Sat Oct 29, 2022 3:22 am ]
Post subject:	Re: How I Clean A Very Dirty Fretboard
jfmckenna wrote: "I had to soak the dried sewage to soften it" Hahahahah! OMG! You can always refuse the work Dave completely enjoys calling me up every day to tell me what is awaiting me at the shop that night. He loves to tell me how bad they are and how cruddy, etc. It's become a tradition for us... I really don't mind and I love work where we can see my progress and this is an example of that. We've learned to make money on stuff that some would not want to work on and to avoid stuff that will put folks out of business if you attempt to do enough of it. I move though them so fast too no time to dwell and be grossed out, next

Author:	Woodie G [ Sun Oct 30, 2022 7:37 am ]
Post subject:	Re: How I Clean A Very Dirty Fretboard
So a few comments: 1. We used stainless steel wool in 0000 de-oiled grade (not inexpensive, with the US-made wool near triple the cheaper, poorly made Chinese material) for this sort of work (Rogue River Brand). As mentioned, plain steel wool is an issue primarily if you are sloppy around pickups or fail to properly clean up the bench (leaving particles that might get on bare wood and cause rust spots under/in waterbased finishes OR water-loving finishes such as shellac). One pound roll: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06ZZTGQ1N/ 8 Pad package: https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Steel- ... 01NCQCPOI/ 2. 20-pad boxes of Scotchbrite maroon or white (0000 and the finer equivalent) can be had for about $20 each in 2 or 3 box purchases. It seems like Mr. Stock is ordering them in 5 box lots, given how quickly they are used on his other projects (airplane, etc.), so I have to admit that he keeps me stocked up with a few pads each time I am over for a reduced price. Otherwise about $25/box from Amazon. 3. Razor blades work perfectly for the job of cleaning common fretboards with minimal fancy work, but we used plastic single-edged or double-edges razor blades where we had significant shell, inlayed metals, or stone work and particularly for incised ink-filled or tinted wax-filled work... much less opportunity for those harsh metal edges to chip out or otherwise damage the shell or the incised work. Although we went through more blades on a given cleanup job, the alternative was time spent on repairing preventable damage. Amazon carries 100 packs of the plastic blades for about what our local paint store was running for 100 packs of .012" HD single-edged carbon steel North American-made blades. These are the double-edged blades which should be used in a holder or with A3 or A4 cut-proof gloves (another boon to shop safety and cuticles). https://www.amazon.com/FOSHIO-Scrapers- ... 076BBW1WM/ https://www.amazon.com/TCP-Global-Plast ... 082MNPYDB/ 4. Howard's has the correct mix of wax and solvents for the job... most of the mix is mineral oil, which is a nice carrier and evaporates within a few hours. The naphtha and orange oil provide both cleaning solvent and something in which to dissolve the waxes. The orange oil and naphtha flash off once the coating is thinned, but stick around long enough to loosen stubborn dirt. We never considered using linseed or other drying oils as they are far less effective per mil of film thickness of wax at excluding sweat, and the mess that they make after a few applications when stripped is a pain, as areas that have dried oil remaining look different than those with fresh oil applied. Howard's does not build other than a minimal but effective film thickness, is self-cleaning (removes previous wax film and leaves a refreshed wax film behind), does a better job of wicking into the area between fret crown and board, and lasts through several string changes worth of sweat and grime. Yes - it looks pretty for a bit as well, but that was never why we used the stuff. Cleaning and protection is the goal... the pretty part is more a function of timber choice and the degree to which the surface is polished.

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Author:	Hesh [ Sat Oct 29, 2022 3:24 am ]
Post subject:	Re: How I Clean A Very Dirty Fretboard
Chris Pile wrote: Well, Bob was a good customer for the store my shop was in. He owned a couple bars and strip clubs in town. Bought PA & band gear for all his places and performers - musical and otherwise. For awhile he even had a topless car wash.... The city fathers pulled the plug. I liked Bob's money, his musicianship - but not his sleazy ways. So did you deliver? I might have Hell I might have worked on his stuff for free

Author:	joshnothing [ Sat Oct 29, 2022 5:15 am ]
Post subject:	Re: How I Clean A Very Dirty Fretboard
Sounds like that guy was quite the entrepreneur. Topless car wash eh? I’ve never understood why my idea for a topless guitar repair workshop never took off, despite careful planning. I’m not that bad looking!

Author:	Hesh [ Sat Oct 29, 2022 6:52 am ]
Post subject:	Re: How I Clean A Very Dirty Fretboard
joshnothing wrote: Sounds like that guy was quite the entrepreneur. Topless car wash eh? I’ve never understood why my idea for a topless guitar repair workshop never took off, despite careful planning. I’m not that bad looking!

Author:	Mike OMelia [ Sat Oct 29, 2022 8:18 am ]
Post subject:	Re: How I Clean A Very Dirty Fretboard
Hesh, I looked up that wax you use. It appears to be very close to Tried & True Bees Wax (https://www.woodworkingshop.com/product ... gLKlPD_BwE). I have been using that on fretboards and bridges for a while. I apply it, rub it in. Let set a bit, wipe down, and scotch brite after (I don't like shiny wood). Nice stuff. I see Stew Mac sells it too. Edit: Its not quite the same thing. Tried and True contains no wax. Does have linseed.

Author:	Clay S. [ Sat Oct 29, 2022 9:04 am ]
Post subject:	Re: How I Clean A Very Dirty Fretboard
Many people use Howard's restore -a- finish to clean old grunge off wood work. It contains some solvents (acetone, xylene, alcohol) in it that make it work quicker than the feed and wax. The feed and wax contains orange oil so it does clean fairly well. After cleaning fingerboards with solvents I use this product if I want to add some wax to the board: https://www.lehmans.com/product/old-tim ... re-polish/ It is basically mineral oil with fragrance added and some bees wax mixed in. Not being a repair shop the bottle has lasted for years.

Author:	Hesh [ Sat Oct 29, 2022 11:38 am ]
Post subject:	Re: How I Clean A Very Dirty Fretboard
Mike OMelia wrote: Hesh, I looked up that wax you use. It appears to be very close to Tried & True Bees Wax (https://www.woodworkingshop.com/product ... gLKlPD_BwE). I have been using that on fretboards and bridges for a while. I apply it, rub it in. Let set a bit, wipe down, and scotch brite after (I don't like shiny wood). Nice stuff. I see Stew Mac sells it too. Edit: Its not quite the same thing. Tried and True contains no wax. Does have linseed. Mike that looks like good stuff too. For me I like Howards because I can squirt it on. I have to get through four guitars or so pretty quickly so fast is better and locally available is key to us too. I use about 6 - 8 bottles of Howards annual just myself. But tried and true looks excellent too, would love to try it some day and thanks for the idea!!!

Author:	Hesh [ Sat Oct 29, 2022 11:40 am ]
Post subject:	Re: How I Clean A Very Dirty Fretboard
Clay S. wrote: Many people use Howard's restore -a- finish to clean old grunge off wood work. It contains some solvents (acetone, xylene, alcohol) in it that make it work quicker than the feed and wax. The feed and wax contains orange oil so it does clean fairly well. After cleaning fingerboards with solvents I use this product if I want to add some wax to the board: https://www.lehmans.com/product/old-tim ... re-polish/ It is basically mineral oil with fragrance added and some bees wax mixed in. Not being a repair shop the bottle has lasted for years. I like the second one but Howard's restore I would be concerned about finish damage, remember I have a $5K completely finished guitar on my bench and solvents are a no no.

Author:	RusRob [ Sat Oct 29, 2022 11:54 am ]
Post subject:	Re: How I Clean A Very Dirty Fretboard
Im in the NO STEEL WOOL camp. I found out years ago it isn't anything that should be used on guitars. When I get a guitar in for fret work the first thing I do is soak it down with Lemon oil. A couple of applications in about 10 minutes. I wipe it down and get anything that the oil loosened up and re-apply lemon oil. Next I take a single edge razor blade and scrape the gunk off. Finally I do the fretwork that is needed. and the last thing I do is wipe down the board with Lemon oil. I let it soak in and if any dry spots show, I re-apply the lemon oil then I buff the fretboard with a soft rag until I don't see any wet spots. Been doing it this way for many years now. Steel wool sucks for almost anything except pots and pans... Just my 3cents. Cheers, Bob

Author:	Hesh [ Sun Oct 30, 2022 2:30 am ]
Post subject:	Re: How I Clean A Very Dirty Fretboard
https://tonetopics.com/is-lemon-oil-safe-for-cleaning-my-guitar-fretboard/ We won't use or recommend lemon oil and there has been debate about it for years. Above is one of may articles you will find if you google it. This one seemed well written and reasoned. Our use of Howards is to condition a board and the bridge too at times and not as a cleaner. Lemon oil is very acidic and that can be problematic on guitars and finishes and should be avoided. You also want no more than 2% lemon oil in a product which starts to make this complicated and you have to have faith in the manufacturer. It also builds up over time and can in time have an unnatural, very dark look to it. So we've never used it, won't recommend it, many others don't use it or recommend it either and that should be understood here. Do whatever you want, that's my plan, I'm on my way in this Sunday morning at 3:00 AM to do some more walking the walk...... This will be my 50th repaired guitar this month and I only work part time now that I'm 66 and a moldy oldie. Big check this month now if I can stay away from the vintage section at Elderly I'll be OK. I'll be driving twice right next to Michigan Stadium where Michigan beat MSU last night. They should have the lights on as the clean-up crews do their thing. This is one of the largest out door stadiums in the world and really something to see when it's all lit up. If it is I may stop for some pics before continuing on to my beloved steel wool, Howards and our shop.

Author:	Hesh [ Sun Oct 30, 2022 8:24 am ]
Post subject:	Re: How I Clean A Very Dirty Fretboard
Thanks Woodie great post and I'm going to talk to Dave about switching to the steel wool you fine folks use, that's a great idea!! Just got back from actually walking the walk and got four more done this AM. I billed $600ish and am always proud of being productive. It's what drives me and will likely kill me too. Oh well. When I was building I produced two a month for the first year.... Some interesting ones this AM including a very nice Ibanez law suit guitar. Very well made, plays and sounds great when I was done with it. It was also heavy as a brick so I took a pic of my hernia belt that I have to put on for Les Pauls and other heavy things. I thought our friend Terry Kennedy, Dr. Kennedy would get a kick out of old Hesh here with his hernia belt The Gretch was a common mission, make it easy to play for a little girl. So I did. Went from action of 5.5 and 8 to 3.5 and 4.5. This is 64th of an inch measured at the 12th AFTER nut slots have been cut and with a properly adjusted rod. Also switched her down to custom lights and figure it's about 40 - 50% easier to play now. It was well made too surprisingly for a cheap guitar and reminds me of my first Silvertone guitar when I was nine years old. Memories of Stellas from this one too.... Couple of others including a Breed which I never see the attraction to. Thick finishes, bridge doctors... which we don't like, no thank you. Stopped in front of the stadium but the cops asked me to move along so I only got one pic of the stadium. Oh and I used steel wool, STEEL WOOL, STEEL WOOL on all four of these guitars and some of them I did twice just to be the putz that I am. No offense Chris my friend this is not directed at you. I'm on my way to a new friend's home who was also a client. He has a new 339 that he had on order for many months that he wants me to check out and take with me to do his set-up if I think it's a keeper. Guitar Sunday for me just the way I like it. Hope everything has a great day, well almost everyone.