What’s this green stuff on the fretwire

[ogradyboy]

On my Collings OM2H-T I just noticed a green discoloration on the side of the frets where the fret is embedded in the neck (both sides) free of the body. It does NOT extend to the frets across the soundboard.

Is this grease, grime, dirt, wear from my hands and playing it so much? A brief attempt at scraping it from one side of one fret caused a small amount of finish to lift off.

Can it be cleaned? Easily repaired? Prevented from getting worse? Or leave it as just one more battle scar on a loved and regularly played guitar?





Thanks

[Kittoon]

Some sort of oxidation. 0000 steel-wool has been known to help remove it if it’s just a light “coating”

[ogradyboy]

Can the 0000 steel wool remove the finish? I see this where the fret is embedded into the wood, not on the playing surface. Thanks.

[Kittoon]

Hmmm. That’s a slightly different “kettle of fish” isn’t it? Somebody on this forum will have the proper answer!..

[3notes]

I see no issue at all.?? Green.?? I don't see it.

[Steve DeRosa]

[ogradyboy]

Hmm. Not sure how Gorilla Snot is helpful?

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by Kittoon

Some sort of oxidation. 0000 steel-wool has been known to help remove it if it’s just a light “coating”

That's my guess as well. I've seen this before on a Les Paul copy that had been locked away for close to 20 years.

Is it only on the fret ends?

[JayBee1404]

Verdigris (oxidation) of the copper in the frets, visible on the fret ends. Perfectly normal. Stop looking at it and play yer guitar.

The usual disclaimers apply......IMHO, YMMV etc.

[ogradyboy]

Yup. Only on the ends of the reachable frets.

[ogradyboy]

Originally Posted by JayBee1404

Verdigris (oxidation) on the fret ends. Perfectly normal. Stop looking at it and play yer guitar.

The usual disclaimers apply......IMHO, YMMV etc.

[emoji846]

[NotALuth]

Corrosion products from the nickel in the fret wire and salt in sweat forming green nickel chloride mixed in with general grime and grease.

[why2]

Originally Posted by NotALuth

Corrosion products from the nickel in the fret wire and salt in sweat forming green nickel chloride mixed in with general grime and grease.

I love science.

why2

[ogradyboy]

Originally Posted by NotALuth

Corrosion products from the nickel in the fret wire and salt in sweat forming green nickel chloride mixed in with general grime and grease.

Okay, got it. More frequent cleaning should prevent it from getting worse. Now, how to remove the existing?

[NotALuth]

Originally Posted by ogradyboy

Okay, got it. More frequent cleaning should prevent it from getting worse. Now, how to remove the existing?

Well, I can tell you how I’ve got rid of it on a couple of used guitars I’ve bought, but you might not want to try this on your Collings!

Using the very tip of an x-acto blade (and viewing under an 8x or 10x magnifying lens) I gently scrape the offending muck away! It takes quite a while to do a whole fretboard. So, it depends on how steady your hand (and nerves) are.

Hopefully, someone will volunteer an easier and safer method, and we can both learn something useful.

Regards,
Clive.