Lemon Oil

[Rista]

I got one of these: http://www.drhauschka.co.uk/productinfo.php?product=59

Can I use it to oil rosewood fingerboards? Or are there different types of Lemon Oil that are suitable for that? Thanks.

[low end fuzz]

tell me you didnt originally buy it for your cellulite problem?

something tells me it might work; but id be worried about this fragerance they talk about; if its potent enough to smell like lemons on your skin, imagine on wood;

'golden rule'- try it on some scraps

[Rista]

Hehe, no. I bought it for fingerboards because this is the only lemon oil that I could find here. Just tried it on some scrap and it seems good I guess. It does smell like lemon but the smell is very mild. I can only smell it if I stick my nose up close to wood.

[redwhiteandthemaple]

usually rosewoods really don't need more oil.. I'd leave it unfinished and maybe years later if the oil on the fingerboard runs out, or dries out, as it tends to, you can apply it from there.

unless of course, this is for a used guitar which you find the fingerboard sticky.

if you could get your hands on tung oil, I'd recomment that over lemon oils..

[low end fuzz]

its true that for the most part rosewood dosent need oil; but it makes a good lubricant if your getting out scratches from fret dresses or any other random scratches;

i wouldnt advise tung oil though; its a personal preference but tung oil builds a finish which means although it IS soaked in the wood it also sits on the wood which i hate; which is also why i'll never play a maple board; .............even though i made one

[unclej]

when i receive a shipment of new guitars quite often the fretoards will be dry and dull looking..especially the cheaper ones made overseas that have been shipped to my distributors. i condition them with plain old everyday mineral oil. it can be found in almost any grocery store and is actually sold as a laxative..there's probably a good joke there somewhere but i can't think of one i'd post here.

anyway, mineral oil is cheap..i've been using the same 16oz bottle for probably four years and it's still 3/4 full. and i've treated every fretboard on every guitar that i've bought or worked on. it's an fda approved salad bowl finish, doesn't gum up, has a great shelf life and really makes a fretboard look good. just rub a little on with your fingers or a rag, let it soak for just a minute and then wipe it off.

'course if you really like that fruity smell you can always stick a small wedge of lemmon up your nose after you've treated your fretboard with mineral oil.

[leo222]

use dr ducks axwax and string lube thats good for frets

[GarageRocker]

No, don't use that stuff. It's not for guitar use. What you've bought has got non-drying peanut and citrus oils. They will eventually go rancid. Well, not if you use it for skin care, assuming you bathe but it's not something you want to put on a fingerboard.

The "lemon oils" you see for guitar use are actually petroleum based cleaners and conditioners with lemongrass oil added for scent.

[oz tradie]

I hear lemon oil also works well when squeezed over fish.

I do know Tommy Imanuelle uses 'Mr Sheen' on all his fretboards.

He's pretty particular about that one.

Clean, wax and polish as you dust!!

[leo222]

lol who told u that nonsens i use it and its perfect no rancid ness and u only need a drop and then u buff it off

seems ok to me and its from a pro who has bourt steve vai,s guitar

[al heeley]

Hmm, I'd not put any skin care product on my fretboard, no matter whose guitar the pro has bought

Lemon oil is based on lighter fluid (naphtha, a cut of petroleum distillate) which makes it an effective degreaser, skin care oil is more likely to be an emoillent which puts grease on.

If you only put on a drop then buff it off you have to question what it is achieving. Dan Erlwine uses a bit of spit and a rag and some elbow grease 95% of the time.

[GregSP]

Hehe, no. I bought it for fingerboards because this is the only lemon oil that I could find here. Just tried it on some scrap and it seems good I guess. It does smell like lemon but the smell is very mild. I can only smell it if I stick my nose up close to wood.

You don't need lemon oil. They put the lemon scent in to make it appeal to housewives. Nothing wrong with that, but it is has no special wood treating properties.

Fretboards sometimes need cleaning, but they seldom need oiling. Regular mineral oil they sell at the grocery store for cutting boards is fine for that. You'll need a tiny amount every few years, if that often.

[hotgoalie11565]

I've used linseed oil on my fretboard and it does darken the wood nicely. If you do use it, a little does go a long way. I try to use it every few months to keep the wood from drying out too much.

[GarageRocker]

lol who told u that nonsens i use it and its perfect no rancid ness and u only need a drop and then u buff it off

seems ok to me and its from a pro who has bourt steve vai,s guitar

How about going back and rereading what I said and what the original poster asked? Or is your reading comprehension at the same level as your spelling and grammar?

The lemon oil that Rista asked about is a skin care lotion that has nothing to do with lemon oil for guitars. Its first ingredient is peanut oil, which is a non-drying plant oil that contains fats. It will eventually go rancid.

Lemon oil sold for guitar use is fine when used as directed. It's a petroleum based cleaner. And you'll need more than "a drop" if you expect it to do anything.