Author Topic: Owners Manual; lemon oil (Read 586 times)

mgirouard3 · « **on:** February 13, 2005, 10:30:21 PM »

Thanks Mica and Dave for posting those FAQ'S. I was just reading the owners manual which stated: You will need to oil your fingerboard at least twice a year. We recommend using Jasco brand lemon oil, but any transparent lemon oil will do nicely. Avoid brands that are cloudy, their high wax content only leaves your fingerboard dirty and all that wax makes your strings go dead more quickly.
I have been using boiled linseed oil. Is this OK or would I be better off using the lemon oil?
Max

bsee · « **Reply #1 on:** February 13, 2005, 11:13:12 PM »

Well, it appears from their website that the Jasco Lemon Oil Treatment that is recommended isn't really lemon oil, or at least not pure lemon oil. I wonder how cooking-quality lemon oil would do?

mikedm · « **Reply #2 on:** February 14, 2005, 05:13:57 AM »

An option to consider when looking for lemon oil - Health food stores, or shops that cater to massage therapists. 1 oz. bottle of 100% pure lemon oil for about $6. Easy to apply, no residue and smells great.

bsee · « **Reply #3 on:** February 14, 2005, 06:34:29 AM »

That's why I was asking - I am seeing various health and cooking websites that are offering pure lemon oil for less than that, at least until the shipping charges kick in.

mica · « **Reply #4 on:** February 14, 2005, 07:41:56 AM »

The Jasco brand used to be a widely available brand of oil. We've been using pure lemon oil (you'll see that in many search results) for some time at the factory.

Be aware that many oils that claim to be 100% pure contain pure lemon oil, along with other ingredients, so read the label carefully.

Usually aromatheraphy oils are pure essential oils without additives, and talk about a great smell.

The linseed oil will condition the board, but I find that it remains a little tacky to the touch for my personal taste. Lemon oil contains heavy turpines, large molecules which evaporate slowly from the wood.

adriaan · « **Reply #5 on:** February 14, 2005, 07:51:11 AM »

The idea is not to use lemon-scented oil: it has to be essential lemon oil, which is a purified extract of lemon skins. I got funny looks in stores when I said it was for oiling wood - people heat it to scent a room. It is supposed to put you at ease, but I know my wife hates the smell and I can't say I disagree completely.

I found that there are hip New Age brands costing easily 5 times as much as the boring homeopathic brands, but you're probably looking at 6 USD for a small bottle.

Brother Paul the Gourmet One uses extra virgin olive oil with good results.

grateful · « **Reply #6 on:** February 14, 2005, 08:35:40 AM »

Has any one tried hemp oil?

dadabass2001 · « **Reply #7 on:** February 14, 2005, 10:23:31 AM »

This will b e a GREAT gig! And after the show, we'll smoke your guitar neck! LOL

Mike

bsee · « **Reply #8 on:** February 14, 2005, 10:43:34 AM »

Thanks for the info. Can't I just buy a lemon and rub the peel up and down the guitar neck?

elzie · « **Reply #9 on:** February 14, 2005, 07:55:44 PM »

MMMMmm, smoked guitar neck.... Thanks Mike, now I'm hungry!

Years ago, before I could find lemon oil, I used a light vegetable oil on my guitar necks. I thought about just going for broke and using Italian dressing, but the little bits of garlic would get stuck to the strings.

But seriously, I did have a hard time finding lemon oil, and an even harder time trying to explain what I was using it for!. I tried a lot of specialty stores before I found it at a Wal-Mart superstore. Go figure......

Paul the now hungry one

palembic · « **Reply #10 on:** February 14, 2005, 09:09:15 PM »

Like my hungry and good brother I use Olive oil ...no kidding ...for 8 years.
A brother in the club send me a couple of months ago a small bottle of Guitar Honey which I use now.
And now breakfast.

Paul the bad one

Ta-ta-ta-taaaaaa-ta-ta-ta (hum the Indiana Jones team) the return of the Pauls!!!!

ajdover · « **Reply #11 on:** February 15, 2005, 01:11:01 AM »

I've been able to purchase Lemon Oil at Whole Foods markets here in the states. It works well, and as far as I can tell it is pure. Whole foods does not sell anything that is processed, so my guess is that their lemon oil is pure as well. I bought several bottles, and they last a good while.

Alan

adriaan · « **Reply #12 on:** February 15, 2005, 01:37:54 AM »

Depends on what you call 'processed': there is no magical way of turning lemon peel into lemon oil without a physical process. But I'll accept that the process can be done without additives, and that that makes a difference. Then again I'm still amazed at the different grades they offer for homeopathic stuff - I thought the whole idea was to use infinitely diluted substances?

About the additives ... I use essential lemon oil from an old-fashioned homeopathic brand, and there are no additives listed on the label. What I understood was that sometimes they put some wax in lemon oil, and the wax leaves white marks on the wood. So when I oiled the fingerboards on my pre-owned Spoiler and my very own Epic I was a little surprised that white marks came up on the Spoiler but not on the Epic.

Does anyone know if a new dose of oil can bring out old residue?

goatfoot · « **Reply #13 on:** February 15, 2005, 06:22:19 AM »

Does anyone know whether Alembic recommends the use of lemon oil on the bodies of the Brown Bass model?

I tried it the last time I oiled my fretboard and I thought the results were better than when I used the guitar polish I use on my glossy finished bass.

Kevin

adriaan · « **Reply #14 on:** February 15, 2005, 07:03:39 AM »

Kevin,
I believe the regular guitar polishes are for wood with a lacquer finish (gloss or satin). Not sure if they do any harm to wood with an oil finish. And you haven't tried lemon oil on the glossy finished bass, have you?