Cleaning the fretboard on my acoustic

thecornflake · #1 07-25-2013, 04:06 PM

Hi,

I have a cheap acoustic guitar I bought at a boot fair a few weeks ago, I used to play a bit when I was younger and decided I'd like to start playing again.

Its in pretty good condition but needs strings changing and the frets and board are quite dirty. The fretboard has a matt black finish to it, I'm not sure if this is painted or some sort of coating? I ordered some new strings and wondering what the best way is to clean it up. I've seen lemon oil recommended but only on unfinished wood it seems and I'm not sure what my finish is. And 0000 grade steel wool for cleaning the actual frets?
The guitar is a Herald mg104n if that helps at all (commonly sold in the UK in Argos stores).

Ned Milburn · #2 07-25-2013, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thecornflake

Hi,

I have a cheap acoustic guitar I bought at a boot fair a few weeks ago, I used to play a bit when I was younger and decided I'd like to start playing again.

Its in pretty good condition but needs strings changing and the frets and board are quite dirty. The fretboard has a matt black finish to it, I'm not sure if this is painted or some sort of coating? I ordered some new strings and wondering what the best way is to clean it up. I've seen lemon oil recommended but only on unfinished wood it seems and I'm not sure what my finish is. And 0000 grade steel wool for cleaning the actual frets?
The guitar is a Herald mg104n if that helps at all (commonly sold in the UK in Argos stores).

Lemon oil and cotton balls. Put one drop of dish soap in a bowl of warm water and use this with cotton balls before the lemon oil if there is a bunch of terrible finger gunk stuck on the f.board.

The lemon oil should be fine even on a coated fingerboard. Just don't use lemon oil on maple fingerboards.

AcornHouse · #3 07-25-2013, 06:03 PM

I would give it a good going over with the 0000, then hit it with the lemon oil ( or my favorite, orange oil.) That will take care of much of the DNA that has accumulated over the years as well as freshen the frets. It might also give you some insight on what the black coating is, whether it "sanded off" or not.

Just my thoughts.

Scootch · #4 07-25-2013, 06:06 PM

Awesome that you want to start playing again. What's a boot fair ?

naccoachbob · #5 07-25-2013, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scootch

Awesome that you want to start playing again. What's a boot fair ?

Just a guess, but in Great Britain they call a trunk a boot. So like a yard sale or selling out of a trunk.
Another case of "two peoples separated by a common language".

runamuck · #6 07-25-2013, 08:16 PM

On cheap guitars you'll usually find that the fretboard is painted black.
If you take steelwool to it or abrade it much at all the paint's coming off.

Jim McCarthy

murrmac123 · #7 07-26-2013, 02:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by naccoachbob

Just a guess, but in Great Britain they call a trunk a boot. So like a yard sale or selling out of a trunk.
Another case of "two peoples separated by a common language".

Absolutely correct ...although I haven't heard the term "boot fair" before, up here we call it a "boot sale" .

The fretboard on that guitar is almost certainly plywood, so go easy on the abrasion, or you will cut through the top layer of wood.

Celtic12and6 · #8 07-26-2013, 03:13 AM

Doesn't bear thinking about what could be lurking in the grain of a fretboard-other folks bacteria-think I'm gonna change my strings today, a friend was playing my guitar last night..........

dhalbert · #9 07-26-2013, 06:14 AM

A razor blade scraper works well to remove thick gunk, assuming you aren't going to end up scraping paint. It will get right up to the edge of each fret.

murrmac123 · #10 07-26-2013, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Celtic12and6

Doesn't bear thinking about what could be lurking in the grain of a fretboard-other folks bacteria-think I'm gonna change my strings today, a friend was playing my guitar last night..........

yes indeed ...just because you are paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you ...

thecornflake · #11 07-26-2013, 05:43 PM

Thanks for all the helpful replies.

A boot fair is where lots of people park their cars in a big field and set up stalls next to them to sell stuff. So like yard sales but a lots of people at once

fumblefinger · #12 07-27-2013, 07:40 AM

Check out what dhalbert said. A blade from a linoleum knife placed at the edge of one fret and drug to the next does a great job of removing unwanted gunk. If you get an indication that the FB is a good wood, a little more pressure will take it to clean wood.

Next mask off the wood and polish the frets. A nail sponge from a nail salon is a good starting point, then the 0000 steel wool, then a piece of leather to finish the polishing job.

Then treat it with lemon oil or your favorite FB restorer. You'll be amazed how good it looks and plays.