Official Luthiers Forum!

This is the second time I used this product. The first I used it in my Gibson almost one year ago. At that time, I also had the same problem, the "thing" seemed very difficult to dry. But I haven't noticed any fret problem like that you've mentioned (not that it won't happen in the future, obviously), fortunately.

As far as I'm aware, lemmon oil is not usual to find around here. In stores they always recommend products like these.

Can you recommend some product that meets the specs you've mentioned? I mean, some thing that is usual to find worldwide in music instruments stores.

I get mine from ebay. It's a locally made brand here in Australia but there are many brands of lemon oil available around the word. I don't know what it is like for you in Portugal, but for me, I could buy lemon oil in from anywhere on the planet and 'with shipping' would still pay not much more than half of what my local guitar shop would want to charge me...no wonder they struggle these days...they want 100% mark up + on everything they sell, yet have the gall to then come to me complaining they can't find anyone "good at repairs" to do their work, then in the same breath offer just $30 as a flat rate to reglue a snapped neck..I told him if he wanted all the profit from a job he had best learn to do the work himself because I was not interested in working for free.

Anyhow, check ebay Portugal, there surely must be a vendor there selling lemon oil, if not, try google.

Cheers

Kim

Around here, lemon oil is mineral oil with a little lemon scent added.

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Mike Lindstrom

I've found this here: Dunlop 6554.

I think this is what we are talking about. It costs here € 6,5 (84,75 USD).

I'm a big fan of "Fret Doctor" from this site.

http://beafifer.com/

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Jim Hansen

....back to the thesis statement, i think if you don't need to clean the fretboard or do any other maintenance, it can not be a bad idea(notice, i didn't say it is a GOOD idea) to change one string at a time. i have almost always done it this way "intuitively", understanding that a normally tensioned six string axe has 150-200 lbs of longitudinal force on it at all times, and not wanting to introduce unnecessary shock and flex. to me it is just as easy to do one at a time, especially on tremelo guitars.
but the real threat i think lies in acoustic intruments, where the body deforms under tension. its not the neck so much you are concerned with, rather the body, i.e. bracing and top/bottom/neck junction joints.
i just acquired a 40+ year old Ibanez classical today, and i am amazed at how light and thin it is, and how fragile it appears...like an egg shell....i think i will use the "one at a time" method for sure on this one...i have some stuff to post about it later.
bottom line is, i feel like "sure you can get away with it, but what is the advantage?"...