Author Topic: Lemon Oil (Read 1641 times)

kayo · « **Reply #15 on:** December 10, 2003, 11:09:48 AM »

Bob:

This is the response I received from a Stewart Representative to that very question:

-----Original Message-----
From: Stewart-MacDonald Advice [mailto:info@stewmac.com]
Sent: Wednesday, December 10, 2003 6:53 AM
To: oscarurcuyo@dochs.org
Subject: Re: Stewart-MacDonald: Inquiry (Thread:9642)

Oscar,
Thank you for your email.
There is no warranty with the fretboard finishing oil. If it is applied improperly, we are not responsible.
Complete instructions are on the container.
If you have concerns about using the product, we suggest taking the guitar to a reputable repair person in your area to have them apply it.
The oil is primarily Teak oil with petroleum distillates.
You may consider trying the oil out on some scrap to help determine if you will get the desired results.

Best Regards,

Erick Coleman

Technical Department

Stewart-MacDonald

1-800-848-2273

www.stewmac.com

__________________________
RE: Your Fretboard Finishing Oil..... is there any warranties associated with this product - as in - if it damages my fretboard will you pay for it? What are the ingredients?

kmh364 · « **Reply #16 on:** December 10, 2003, 11:33:09 AM »

Mica, since you're a staunch 100% Natural Lemon Oil advocate, have you considered carrying some for retail sale in the Alembic Store? It seems like it would end of a lot of confusion over which products to use on an unfinished Alembic fingerboard if customers could buy a recommended product directly from you.

eastcoastepic · « **Reply #17 on:** December 10, 2003, 01:07:58 PM »

I picked up some Lemon Oil at the Sam Ash website to clean up my recently purchased used Epic, and it worked rather well. Apply lightly and wipe off excess from board & frets...I've been told by my local luthier that frequent applications may soften the fretboard and loosen the frets, so I treat mine only once a year.

[edited to condense URL]

dnburgess · « **Reply #18 on:** December 10, 2003, 02:09:50 PM »

Mica - would pure essential oil be ok?

Is there anything special to use for cleaning frets?

What about brass work - I presume Brasso is ok?

David Houck · « **Reply #19 on:** December 10, 2003, 05:22:39 PM »

Bob;
For contents, all the label says is petroleum distillates. The label also says that it penetrates the wood and dries hard, unlike linseed or other oil finishes which may become sticky when warm. It will not harm frets or inlays. Not for use on finished maple fretboards.

David;
Here's what I use for brass:
http://store.yahoo.com/alembic/flitmetpol.html

Jan R · « **Reply #20 on:** December 11, 2003, 01:44:33 AM »

I think kmh364 makes a very good suggestion.
I am getting more and more confused about which oil I should buy. I have to admit that I have never oiled my fretboard in 13 years, but no problems so far.

Alembic already offers a product to clean the body, so why not for the fretboard ?

Cheers
Jan

Manfred · « **Reply #21 on:** December 11, 2003, 06:14:35 AM »

Hi everybody in Belgium and Holland.
I'm waiting for a e-mail message from Oil & Vinegar. They have all kinds of exclusive oils and vinegar with all kinds of flavours. I've asked for the pure Lemon Oil and will let you know. Check the website for their locations: http://www.oilvinegar.com/ or http://www.oilvinegar.nl/

Manfred

s_wood · « **Reply #22 on:** December 11, 2003, 06:23:07 AM »

Heres' another vote for the Stewart-MacDonald's Fretboard Finishing Oil. I've been using it on my fignerboards for several years, and I like it a lot.

Tung oil and linseed oil are way too tacky...they leave a sticky residue on the fingerboard which is death to roundwound strings. Lemon oil, which I used to use a lot, seems to dry out the fingerboard.

The Stew-Mac stuff, whatever it is, is perfect. I like to put it on when I 'm ready to change strings. With the old strings still on, I apply the oil and let it soak in for no more than 20 minutes before I wipe up the residue. Then, I wait a day and change the strings.

Works great.

mica · « **Reply #23 on:** December 11, 2003, 06:24:14 AM »

David - pure essential lemon oil is the lemon oil I'm talking about. Just a few drops along the board works great.

Brasso should work fine, but the stuff I'm familiar with is in powder form, so it's a little hard to control. The Flitz Dave refers to is a paste and easy to keep off the intonation screws. It's abrasive enough to clean but it doesn't scratch. Any cleaner specifically for brass is appropriate, just be aware that some brass cleaners for very tough jobs may leave scratches that need to be buffed out. These cleaners should never be used on plated hardware or tuning keys.

Lemon oil in the online store is in the works. I suspect it will be available during the beginning of next year.

Jan R · « **Reply #24 on:** December 11, 2003, 06:33:57 AM »

Thanks Manfred ! I saw that Oil & Vinegar have shops in Belgium (Mechelen and Leuven), so that is good news for me and Paul TBO. Let us know if you receive some more information, that would be great.

Steve, Stewart-MacDonald's is not an option for us in Europe, as they won't ship outside the US (Flammable! Cannot ship by air or outside the USA.)

Mica, thanks for taking action to get this online at the Alembic e-store. Great intiative !

Cheers
Jan

Manfred · « **Reply #25 on:** December 11, 2003, 07:10:12 AM »

Well, here's the disappointment. They have everything except Lemon Oil only the olive oil version with lemon. Yamaha and Dunlop seem to have it, so I'll continue my mission here. Sorry.

Manfred

palembic · « **Reply #26 on:** December 11, 2003, 07:18:54 AM »

And Antwerp!!
But ...Leuven?

??

PTBO

Jan R · « **Reply #27 on:** December 11, 2003, 07:26:01 AM »

Leuven is on http://www.oilvinegar.nl/ but not on http://www.oilvinegar.com/ :-)
But I guess I'll wait until Mica gets it online.

palembic · « **Reply #28 on:** December 11, 2003, 07:35:18 AM »

Halleluia...this gets messy.
I want to take some conclusions and PLEASE correct them:
1: Oil feeds. I mean ...the physical characteristics of oil are feeding wood and protects again drying out with f.i. loosening frets as a consequence.
2. there are different sources of oil vegetal and a petroleum distillates
3. Lemon oil is confusing: is it an vegetable oil (olive, corn, ....) where a lemon aspect is added to, or is it an oil taken from lemons (seeds, wood, grapes ...)

4. Mica explained that for ebony fingerboard the lemon aspect replaces some by time disappearing characterisctics from the wood.
5. There are brands using the name lemon-oil but I can't figure out yet what the brass-instruments are doing in these threats excpet of being a lubricant for slide trombones for instance.

PLEASE conclude with me.

Paul the bad one

PS: story. You all remember me achieving this Fender Squire JB?

It was not played on for 6 years. The fingerboard (rosewood) had a kind of hardboard feel atlhough still nice in figures. I used the olive-oil and it REALLY feeds. Okay ...after a 6 years rest yoghourt could be as good but ...it seems about feeding and about cleaning here.

Manfred · « **Reply #29 on:** December 11, 2003, 07:57:32 AM »

http://www.thehouseofmusic.nl/accesoires.htm

try this, it's at the bottom of the page. About 6 euro.

Manfred