| Author | Message | ||
| lowlife
Junior Username: lowlife Post Number: 22 Registered: 12-2003 |
A few of the local (Montreal) guitar repair shops recomend the use of Tung Oil as a conditioner for the fret board. On numerous threads, I've seen both Mica and users recomend the use of Lemon oil. Will Tung Oil harm the woods used on an Alembic? Is Lemon Oil superior in it's conditioning properties? Looking for some feedback. Thanks. Ellery | ||
| adriaan
Intermediate Member Username: adriaan Post Number: 156 Registered: 6-2002 |
Have you tried the Search option? It's in the top right corner on each page you see on this site. Try 'lemon oil' and you'll find plenty of discussions. | ||
| lowlife
Junior Username: lowlife Post Number: 23 Registered: 12-2003 |
Adriaan, thanks for the 'SEARCH' tip. Apparently there are a few Alembic users that use Tung oil. So my question was answered. Ellery | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 1512 Registered: 6-2000 |
The lemon oil I like not only for its wonderful aroma, but because I haven't found anything else the Ebony "drinks" as readily, with as little oil. The boards look dead black after a fresh oiling, just beautiful. I find that pure tung oil can leave a slightly tacky feel. If you've got someone servicing your Alembic that has experience with tung oil, it's probably best to have them use what they are accustomed to. | ||
| alemboid
Member Username: alemboid Post Number: 51 Registered: 5-2003 |
Along with Mica's thoughts (hi Mica!), I used to use boiled linseed oil when I worked at Sadowsky Guitars. As you can see, there are a few options. The boiled linseed oil worked very well, as it too was readily absorbed by ebony, pau ferro & rosewood. One thing to keep in mind- some oils contain additives that may leave a buildup that may cloud the appearance of wood grain/ or seem waxy to touch when dry. Some oils contain driers that can cause this. So, read the label, as all oils are not created equally. Boiled linseed oil, for one, is "clean". Bryant | ||
| bob
Intermediate Member Username: bob Post Number: 165 Registered: 11-2002 |
Somewhere around here I have a draft of a response I almost posted to one of the other discussions on lemon oil, though I decided I'd already said enough on the subject. Nevertheless, since it's come up again... the key difference to me is whether you want to 'finish' or 'condition'. The definitions here are perhaps subjective, but Alembic finger/fretboards come 'unfinished' - just raw, sanded ebony (beautiful stuff). To my way of thinking, if you want to maintain that, then you use something like pure, essential, lemon oil. On the other hand, you may choose to 'apply a finish' such as tung oil, linseed oil, or various other things - but once you do, you then have a 'finished' piece of ebony. There's nothing wrong with that, but it is fundamentally different. Tung oil leaves a deposit of material that bonds to itself, to form a harder surface (though not a vapor barrier seal). The polymerized versions of tung oil do the same thing, only a little better and in a way that is easier to work with. In contrast, lemon oil just leaves some oils, that help replenish the wood and keep it from drying out, becoming brittle, and cracking or something. Unless you drown the thing, it's hard to mess up with pure lemon oil. But you can most definitely end up with a sticky/gummy surface if you don't have much experience with tung oil. So as Mica suggests, if you have someone do it for you, and you trust their ability, let them use what they prefer. But personally, I'm very happy to have a nice bottle of pure lemon oil on hand. -Bob | ||
| keavin
Member Username: keavin Post Number: 96 Registered: 12-2002 |
"and just think all this time ive been using bacon grease!" | ||
| lowlife
Junior Username: lowlife Post Number: 24 Registered: 12-2003 |
My Jazz Basses have been conditioned with Tung oil since I bought them, and it has been done by me, not a Luthier. I've never used Lemon oil. The original recomendation that I got was to use Tung oil, and I've stayed with it since. It's only through this discussion board that I've heard about Lemon oil, it's benefits and it's ability to replenish part of the molecular structure of the wood used on the fretboard (thanks Mica). So since I haven't yet corrupted or violated either of my two Alembics, Lemon oil sounds like a plan. Keavin: Bacon grease only works if you're licking the fingerboard. My thanks to all who have offered feedback. Ellery | ||
| dadabass2001
Member Username: dadabass2001 Post Number: 92 Registered: 6-2002 |
I bet bacon grease adds to the funk. Play On! Mike | ||
| jazzyvee
Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 94 Registered: 6-2002 |
Well I have read that Jaco used to keep a greasy chicken bone in a tissue in his pocket and rubbed the tips of his fingers on it before playing for lubrication. I can't imagine that being any good for the fingerboard, but i guess it would give an addition to the tone with the grease clogged strings. | ||
| jazzyvee
Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 95 Registered: 6-2002 |
There is a band here in the UK called the Hamsters who are a fantastic Blues, Hendrix, ZZtop covers band that I have seen a few times. On all of the gigs I went to the guitarist, (Snails Pace Slim) a few times during the set sprayed his fretboard with WD40....!!! yes that stuff you put on rusty bolts. I imagine it enables him to slide along the strings well but I can't help wondering what that stuff does to the fretboard....!!!! Fantastic guitarist though.... | ||
| jet_powers
Intermediate Member Username: jet_powers Post Number: 158 Registered: 2-2003 |
This might be a silly question but... Where does one typically procure pure lemon oil? | ||
| mint_bass
Member Username: mint_bass Post Number: 81 Registered: 1-2004 |
i use jim dunlops lemon oil i used it for the first time the other day as that was the first time i had changed the srtings on jazzmine my epic and it seems to have worked well the fingerboard looks realy good i cant tell if there is any tonal difference as the strings still have that really new sound so i will let you all no in a while has anyone else used dunlop lemon oil | ||
| lowlife
Junior Username: lowlife Post Number: 25 Registered: 12-2003 |
Yesterday, after deciding to use the pure lemon oil, I went over to the local health food store. The lemon oil from pure organic sources that was in the food section is, in reality, a generic oil base, perfumed with lemon extract; not what I was looking for. But in the aromatherepy section, there was a 1 ounce bottle of 100% lemon oil, extracted in a cold-press from only the peel (rind) of the lemon. This is what I was looking for, and yes, Mica described the bouquet perfectly, there's nothing quite like the aroma of lemons. My "pau ferro" is indeed greatful. Ellery | ||
| poor_nigel
Intermediate Member Username: poor_nigel Post Number: 109 Registered: 7-2003 |
Hey Boyz! All ya had to do was ask yer wives to buy ya some lemon oil, and for $4 or $5 they would have gone to the cleaning section of the supermarket and grabbed a bottle of 100% 'pure' lemon oil in an 8+ ounce bottle. You can buy it here, or you can buy it there, but 100% lemon oil is 100% lemon oil. My $4 bottle will last years and works just fine. Funny, it looks, smells, and feels just like the stuff in the $20 container in the local health food store. Go figure. | ||
| lowlife
Junior Username: lowlife Post Number: 26 Registered: 12-2003 |
The cost wasn't that high, about $5.00 U.S., and asking my wife about it would have gotten me a response like 'What's lemon oil?'. Senior Management (in my house) is lovingly known as a Domestic Goddess, and the only cleaning that gets done is by the housekeeper. Ellery | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 1520 Registered: 6-2000 |
Watch out for "pure" lemon oil. The ones in our supermarket are mineral oil with pure lemon oil added for the scent. Not all oils that say "100% pure" actually are, many of them mean that they contain 100% pure lemon oil. | ||
| elzie
Advanced Member Username: elzie Post Number: 298 Registered: 8-2002 |
Hey Jet, I got mine at Wal-Mart of all places. They were the only place I could find that had the good unadulterated stuff. Local hardware stores didn't even carry it. As for the Tung oil. I have always used Tung oil for refinishing wood, such as a night table, my Fender, etc,... Tung oil is tacky and hardens into a nice finish. After reading this thread, I am a bit confused, though. I thought all Tung oil hardened. Is there some that don't? Is it just by pure luck that I've always purchased the ones that do harden? Paul TGO | ||
| palembic
Senior Member Username: palembic Post Number: 1203 Registered: 9-2002 |
Mica ...that's the Alembic story all over again ...you have Alembics and some they SAY they are Alembic ...no??? Paul the bad one PS: we have also that moron that ads a "p" before alembic ...HA!!!!! |
