Author Topic: Oiling an ebony board (Read 562 times)

lozbass · « **on:** July 29, 2008, 05:02:08 PM »

Hi all, I hope I'm posting this is in the right place. I recently acquired a Series II custom shortscale with an ebony board. The bass needs a re-string and set-up (it's around a year old) and I'd like to know if you have any tips on oiling the board. The fretboard is ebony with abalone oval inlays and blue laser LEDs - are there any precautions that should be taken when oiling a board of this type and specification? Thanks very much in advance of your help! Cheers, Lozbass

lbpesq · « **Reply #1 on:** July 29, 2008, 06:19:09 PM »

Alembic advises using pure lemon oil. Be sure to get pure oil and nothing else, no waxes, fillers, fragrances, NOT lemon pledge. I got mine from a health food company on the net. Rub a small (couple of drops) amount into the neck, let stand for at least 15 minutes, then wipe off. I'd recommend putting the old strings back on for a few days as the oil seems to come off on the strings right after oiling. Do this about every six months or so.

Bill, the guitar one

willie · « **Reply #2 on:** July 29, 2008, 10:31:09 PM »

Lozbass
I second Bill. I picked up a bottle of 100% pure lemon oil in a health food type store. I do it not only to my Alembics but also my other basses that that have Rosewood fingerboards. I also put the old strings back on for a little while so the oil doesn't get on a new set. Not only goog for the wood of the fingerboard but it also makes it look good. And congrats on getting what is obviously a nice bass so lets see some pictures.
Willie

lozbass · « **Reply #3 on:** July 30, 2008, 08:43:41 AM »

Hi and thanks for the advice - I have some pure lemon oil and will pass this on to the tech (though I suppose he'll have his own). I think that replacing the old strings for a couple of days is a really good idea - I suspect that oil on new strings makes them sound dead very rapidly. I'll certainly post some photographs as soon as the bass has been re-strung. Cheers, Lozbass

the_mule · « **Reply #4 on:** August 01, 2008, 05:14:29 AM »

I've always used Dunlop fretboard oil on my Alembics' ebony fretboard.
Works perfectly also, if you can't find pure lemon oil.

Wilfred

lozbass · « **Reply #5 on:** August 03, 2008, 04:10:33 AM »

Hi all, great advice - the bass is now with a local luthier (a fantastic builder in his own right). He's going to oil the board carefully, then clean it and leave it a day or two before re-stringing. I'll keep you informed of the results. Cheers, Lozbass

funkyjazzjunky · « **Reply #6 on:** August 04, 2008, 09:51:00 AM »

I also have a luthier handle my fretboard

new2alembic · « **Reply #7 on:** September 22, 2008, 03:21:26 PM »

Hello everyone.
I have a rosewood fretboard. I found a store that sells rosewood essential oil for $19.50 per half ounce bottle. Should I stick to the lemon oil at $10.00 or go for the rosewood oil? The citrus oils have gone up because of the crop crisis I was told.
Carl

tdukes · « **Reply #8 on:** September 23, 2008, 07:59:23 AM »

I am using Planet Waves Lemon Oil. I don't know how big the bottle is. I would guess 2oz. I paid about $5 for it. I have used it on rosewood and ebony fretboards. It doesn't seem very waxy to me.

Todd.

pacificshine · « **Reply #9 on:** September 23, 2008, 10:23:31 AM »

We use Boyajian Pure Lemon Oil (1-800-965-0665). Comes in a 5 fl. oz. bottle and is not too expensive. Seems to work fine and one bottle will last a very long time.

new2alembic · « **Reply #10 on:** September 23, 2008, 12:24:27 PM »

Thank you both for the posts. Alan I called the 800 number and they are out of stock until the first of the year...she said they would be lucky if they get it then. She also said that there will be a big price increase. By the way, I have found some lemon oil essentials; the price is just 20x higher than earlier in the year.

Carl

pacificshine · « **Reply #11 on:** September 23, 2008, 04:26:27 PM »

Good thing I bought that 5 oz bottle. At that quantity it looks like it will last at least until 2012!

LMiwa · « **Reply #12 on:** November 20, 2008, 09:04:37 AM »

Started with the lemon oil on my Rogue 6. The fretboard seemed REALLY dry before I started. The wood seems to have shrunk to the point where the fret wires were sticking out past the edge of the neck. Below is a picture of the fretboard with freshly applied lemon oil on the left side and the dry fretboard on the right. So here are some questions...

1. What is the white stuff on the right and what do I do about it? They look kind of like salt stains.
2. How fast should the lemon oil soak into the fretboard? Dry at the first fret before I get half way down the fretboard?
3. How much should I apply at once?
4. How many coats should I apply and how long between them?
5. Is it possible to apply too much too fast and risk cracking the ebony?
6. What else have I not thought about?

All help appreciated!

Loch

adriaan · « **Reply #13 on:** November 20, 2008, 09:41:40 AM »

The white stuff on the right is finger grease mixed up with dust and perhaps even some metal shavings from the strings. The lemon oil will wash it off (to a degree) - but it may take a couple of washing cycles.

It looks to me like a rather substantial dose of lemon oil; I've been much less generous than that. It should soak in pretty quickly - you don't say how long after applying the oil you took the picture, so hard to say if it's really an overdose.

LMiwa · « **Reply #14 on:** November 20, 2008, 09:54:59 AM »

Lemon oil application (using my finger, not a rag) to picture time was less than a minute for the 12 fret and less than 2 minutes for the left most fret visible. The first few frets were already completely absorbed.

Any way to scrub the gunk off?