Fretboard Oil Comparison and Test 

This is for Brad and everyone out there in RU-vid Land. I've been a Professional Painter/Restorer since 1980 (Age 17. I skipped 8th & 9th grades and graduated at age 16). I've worked on Guitars since age 15. 99% of the "Lemon Oil" on the market is nothing more than Lemon Scented Mineral Oil. If it smells like Solvent (a lot do) it's probably Napthia which allows you to clean your Fretboard and oil it at the same time with the same product. You rub down your Fretboard cleaning it and leave the "Lemon Oil" on top. The solvent allows the "Lemon Oil" penetrate better then evaporates leaving the "Lemon Oil" behind. Real "Lemon Oil" is very expensive (it's sold as an "Essential Oil") highly Acidic, Corrosive. and and wouldn't be good for your Fretboard. Oils that dry like the "Behlen Fretboard Oil" (and Stew Mac's) are a "Polymerized Linseed Oil" similar to Birchwood Casey's "Tru-Oil" (a Gunstock Finish). The problem with these types of "Fretboard Oils" is Mineral Oil clogs the pores and doesn't allow the Wood to "Breathe." Linseed Oil dries and seals the wood which also doesn't allow the wood to "Breathe" either. The "Crimson Guitars "Fretboard Oil" is a natural plant based oil(s) (hence the pleasant smell) and far better than the others in your video. The best "Fretboard Oil" (IMHHO) is "Bore Doctor" or "Fret Doctor" (same product with 2 different names) from Doctor's Products. It's a blend of "Tropical Hardwood Oils" originally designed to oil the bore of a Clarinet which are made of Grenadilla Wood. Bore Doctor will replenish the Natural Oils in woods such as Ebony, Rosewood and other Tropical Hardwoods without clogging their pores. Which allows them to "Breathe" and still be to able to absorb & release moisture. This is extremely important on "Grenadilla Wood" Clarinets because you're constantly "Breathing" your hot moisture laden breath into them while you're playing. Bore Doctor was designed by Doctor Lloyd Henderson (A great guy. Shoot him and email and he'll email you back with any questions you have. He emailed me back within minutes.) His friend, a Guitarist saw how well it worked and asked for some to use on his Fretboards. So Dr. Henderson started labeling some "Fret Doctor" for Guitarists. You probably wouldn't think to use a product named "Bore Doctor" on your Fretboard. I wouldn't. I completely restored & refinished an Ibanez for a friend I removed the Floyd Rose Lock Nut, replaced with it with a Graphtech Black Tusq XL Nut (that matched the Ibanez's 16" radius) and Locking Tuners. Much easier than unlocking the Nut everytime the Guitar goes outta tune. Fretboard looked like it had never been oiled on the 20 year old Ibanez. When I removed the Floyd Locking Nut the cut edge (endgrain) of the Fretboard was completely dry and had never been oiled. it was a much lighter colour the top of the Fretboard. I oiled the entire Fretboard with "Bore Doctor" letting the Oil pond on top of every Fret being extremely careful not to let any of the "Bore Doctor" run over the cut edge of the Fretboard. I kept the Oil standing on top of the Fretboard in a puddle on each Fret for 3 or 4 hours and I gradually watched the "Bore/Fret Doctor penetrate all the way through the Fretboard to the Neck. You could see a dark line all the way across the cut edge. I watched it go farther and farther down on the exposed cut edge. You could actually see the Oil as it penetrated deeper and deeper until it reached the Neck. Amazing. I've never seen anything like it in all my 40 years messing with Guitars and finishes. This is completely off topic, but I refinished the Ibanez Neck with 8 coats of Birchwood Casey's Tru-Oil and 44 coats of their Gunstock Wax then hand buffed everything including the unfinished Rosewood Fretboard to a Mirror Gloss with 3M Polishing Paper (another great product). I buffed the Neck after applying the Tru-Oil (after in cured 1 week) and again after applying the Gunstock Wax (after it cured 24 hours). It's so slick a Fly can't even land on it. I refinished the Body with 4 coats of Rustoleum Black Hammered Metal (they have a bunch of colours) a really great thick super durable finish.that doesn't need buffing. Just spray and sand between coats with 600 grit then 800 grit wet/dry autobody sandpaper. It's like a sore peter, you can't beat it. I also replaced the Tremolo Unit with Gotoh's 1996T High Stability Tremolo System, the best Floyd Style Trem on the market, even better than the expensive ($260) German Floyd. It's a hardened steel Japanese made Trem with Locking Studs which give the Unit Zero Play. It was $95 bucks brand new from Philadelphia Luthier Tools with free shipping. I'm sorry for being so long winded, but I hope this helps You and everyone else out there in RU-vid Land!! Best Wishes & God Bless, Jimmy in NC...

It would be cool to see the fretboards the next day...

Hi Brad, been building and repairing guitars for 15+ years and still have my first bottle of Stew Mac fret board finishing oil. Really like the way it works. Just made up my own brew of FBO 3 parts boiled linseed oil to 1 part mineral spirits. Lots of folks use straight linseed oil but I wanted it thinner to soak in a bit. Lemon oil treatments are mostly mineral oil with lemon smell. The other part of the equation here is application, 1 good coat left to soak for a few minutes then wiped off well. And then another light coat that gets buffed dry. Never leave it wet to dry on the surface it give you those shiny spots. It's cool Behlens gave you all those products to demo, they make great stuff I've been using there lacquers and solvents from the beginning.

I use crimson guitars oil on my strat and les paul, works a treat and one bottle lasts ages

Hi Brad, I am finishing guitars in shellac like they did furniture in the 16th to 17th. century. After applying shellac you have to polish it with a special polish for shellac. i use this polish for the rosewood necks and it is the best result I ever had. By the way, the quality of the neck finish shows over the time when it not goes sticky or ugly. So you only can compare neck oils after 6 months. Greetings from Munich

Hi Brad. Right now I'm staining a rosewood neck black with india ink. It looks good, but I feel as though I want to protect it and maybe make it shine a little more. Should I use true oil and gunstock wax like I did on the back of the neck? Or should i varnish it? Should I compound and polish it out, being mindful of the frets of course? Or something else...? I guess the question is will oil have a solvent or diluting effect on the ink? Thanks.

Hi Brad - I’ve been a hobby level woodworker off and on for over 40 years, but only in "non-musical instrument" applications. I am new to working on guitars, but I figure; wood is wood. I just received a 10-year-old Yamaha F310, given as a gift to me by a friend who overheard me say I wanted to take guitar lessons. The guitar has been hanging on the wall as a decoration since new. After watching a dozen or so RU-vid videos, I tuned it and checked for fret buzz or any blatant issues... Seems to be in excellent condition. I then took off the strings and cleaned the entire guitar. It was just dust, but it was all over. From my very limited experience, I have determined that the neck is straight and true, the finish is in great shape. Overall the guitar is in great shape. Two things though... The Spruce top has a blemish in the finish about 2" square. It does not look like it was caused by trauma. To me, it looks like it sort-of "orange-peeled in the clear topcoat (maybe from direct sunlight). The second issue is the Rosewood fretboard is very dried out. I cleaned the Rosewood with a damp microfiber cloth have looked into the pores of the fretboard with a magnifying loop to verify that dust was the only cleaning issue. I have both Naptha and Tung Oil on hand and wondered which would be the best conditioner/finisher. I have used Tung Oil many times and know what it does, will the Tung Oil do the trick? As for the orange-peel on the top, I am tempted to just leave it. I'm smart enough to know that I could make it look worse in the blink of an eye. But if you have any non-invasive ideas for the top that would be great.

Thanks for the test Brad, and your time.

I'd be curious to see what it looks after a longer period of time.

Could you make a video about how to smooth out (roll) the edges of a fingerboard? I'm getting an unfinished neck that i'm going to do that with as well as add a finish to it

I've been using the dunlop stuff on and off for years but honestly I think it feels sticky and kind of gunks up afterwards. Anyone else have similar experience with this?

If Martin and Taylor (and Collings guitars?) are using Boiled Linseed Oil, as I read in the comments, this would suggest to me that this is a good product/practice. No?

Scott's Liquid Gold wood care. We used it all the time in the guitar shop I worked in to clean and oil the fingerboards...

What about orange oil? kyser makes some I heard it works good.

Very informative thanks👍🏻 Is there any particular reason why people don’t use lemon oil on guitar bodies or on the back of necks ?

I've been using Tung Oil. Works great. Also used Music Nomad F One oil.

I've used jojoba oil with good success, it's not greasy or anything. Soaks in nicely. I ordered some dunlop lemon oil to try that. I'm also considering applying a light coat of johnson's wax after I oil it, to give some shine and protection.

Hey Brad, I have a question on worn fingerboard. My fingerboard is a bit worn and the wood (rosewood fingerboard) is not that smooth. Can I use sanding paper to smoothen it out? Won't I scratch the wood then? Could you help please?

Does anyone know if dunlop lemon oil can be used on "Oiled ebonized Poplar laminate" fretboards?

On some advice I got from "Steve from Boston" (a.k.a. Pixxy Lixxx), I tried using basic cutting board oil. I got mine from Ikea (Skydd). It's non-toxic, food-grade oil that doesn't putrefy as organic-based oils can. It's basically refined mineral oil. I tested this out on my MIJ Squier Strat and it's been wonderful. Now I use it on all my rosewood fretboards and it has been great. One quart currently runs about $6. It's applied and after 5 min., wipe off any excess. Sometimes it's worth paying a bit extra for a brand name and other times not. From the ones you used here, I think the Crimson one looks best.

i have minwax antique oil finish .. could i put that all over my rosewood fretboard? thank you for the videos and tips!!!

Thank you for the experiment!

Good shit dude... ty glad to find your channel... like your no nonsense approach

I use Music Nomad f one oil. Great stuff. Never let me down.

I just got a unfinished telecaster kit., with a maple on maple neck. Wondering what I can use for finish after sanding it. I dont want glossy finish on it, so I was thinking about mineral oil. That works?

Hi so I'm wondering do you know what oil is best for feet board screeching? That is the only way I can describe it. You know when you get a screeching sound from pressing down the strings and moving to a different chord. Do you know what oils best for stopping that screeching?

Slightly off topic: what about string lubricants? Have you used Finger-ease, Fast Fret or Dunlop XLR8 ? Anything to minimize string squeak?

Been using dunlop lemon oil for 10 years works great & easy to obtain & it's not overpriced.

Hey Brad, great instructional video. I have been playing guitar for 50+ years, annually I clean the fretboard on my rosewood or ebony boards with woodwind bore oil - it is made for fine ebony, rosewood, and similar hard wood instruments.(clarinet, oboe, bassoon, recorder, etc) Before the advent of fingerboard oil brands you show here, that was my goto oil, and it still is. I just now have used the last few drops from the tiny bottle of Selmer brand woodwind bore oil I bought in 1978. You need very little oil. P.S. there is no smell to the oil.

I have Old English with lemon oil. Can that be used ? My gosh it's recommended for all woods on furniture throughout the house. I don't see why not ! Sure it doesn't have some guitar co. name on it and cost a bundle.. My Mom had used it on her fine kitchen cabinets etc for years..My guitar neck is Ebony. Any thoughts ?

Hi , I have been using Howard's feed n wax for many years. I leave in on for 20 minutes then rub it in. I also use it on acoustic bridges. I apply it once a year and so far have not had any excess drying or cracking on the fret board. I use this on all my customers acoustic guitars. It is the best I have found but am open to suggestions that's why I checked your video. I think you should have waited then rubbed in each of the products To show the finished results. Thank you for posting the video kenny

PRS goes through all this trouble extracting moisture and there we go putting it back in.

What should I do after I put the oil on my pickups he didn’t say anything about it on this video.

Now after watching this video, I went to the building supply store to look for some "normal lemon oil" like as a furniture oil... I got the weirdest looks ever asking for it 😂 They all said they had never heard of that and asked me what it was for. One woman wanted to sell me lamp oil, the other one said I might could get some similar weird stuff in the pharmacy. I waited and lent some dunlop oil from a friend 😂

Thanks Brad! This is a really good test, especially on virgin rosewood. What do you think of Dr. Duck's Axe Wax for use on a new DIY guitar rosewood fretboard like you used in the video? The product needs to be buffed out to get rid of the oily feel, but in my experience with store-purchased guitars it keeps a nice gloss. What do you think, Brad. Thank you!!

Thank you for another pleasant video. 😎

is Parker & Bailey Lemon oil ok for use?

Awesomeness brother.

Hon sir, I have cort Af510m op guitar. All mahogany body. &... Which have Merbau wood Freat board and mahogany neck.. Which type of Oil i should be using to clean and maintain these woods..? Kindly Guide.

What you recomend for laurel indian?

my conditioner of choice is a mix of 4oz of Jojoba oil and 6oz of bees wax. Put the oil in a double boiler and add the wax, when it's liquid pour it into a container with a clean cloth. This will give you years worth of fret board conditioner. Jojoba is a liquid wax and from my experience this combo works wonderful

I had from a local luthier that they do not use lemon oil anymore because it is just scented mineral oil like you are guessing.

just come across this (i know 7 years on.....)...but how did the fretboards come up after a little polish and removal of excess oil...and how did that feel...dry or "sticky"....?? cheers....

i just lemon oiled my acoustic with dunlop and had no problem getting in next to the frets.

I find it interesting that the "Dunlop 6500 System 65 Guitar Maintenance Kit" has the 01 Fingerboard Cleaner and Prep, and the 02 Fingerboard Deep Conditioner, but not the 65 Lemon Oil. I'm curious how the 01/02 system compares. From this video, it probably works much better than the 65 Lemon Oil

Could someone please tell me the brand and model of that gorgeous green guitar? I don't much care for greens but that finish is VERY nice.

Hi, can you please do an updated comparison / test? The popular one's now seem to be: Gibson's Choice fretboard conditioner, Planet Waves lemon oil, Rotosound lemon oil, Kyser lemon oil, MusicNomad F-One fretboard conditioner, Planet Waves hydrate conditioner and Gerlitz "Guitar Honey".

Is it good to use hair oil?

I use Gerlitz Guitar Honey Fingerboard Conditioner. Seems to really work well

Been using "Lemon oil" or just plain food grade mineral oil for over 30 years on my rosewood necks with no no issues. A little goes a long way and only needs it about 2 times a year. It just work for me.

I recently got a guitar kit with a maple neck and fretboard. I've found your videos quite useful in deciding what to do with the body. But I'm not sure what to use on the neck and fretboard. What do you suggest?

Can u use baby oil as an alternative

How about Taylor lemon oil vs. Dunlop 65 oil? Which is much better for ebony finger board?

First of all, thank you for your videos, I love 'em! Slightly off-topic question: what's the inlays on that cyan LP? Man, they look SO gorgeous. Are they actual inlays or stickers? I'm assuming they are stickers due to complex shape, if that so - how they hold up and affect playing? Link where to get them would be much appreciated :3 I want to replace stock "pearl" dots like on that bottom squier neck of yours. Thx in advance, have a good one!

I used lemon oil. It looks like an older can and does have a solvent smell. I hated it. My fingers are "catching ", not sure of the proper term, on the fretboard. What should I do?

I use cleaner first zep quick clean is great and actually shines the metal frets also then I use formula 1 spray cleaner wax to polish the wood ,works awesome and doesn't fade when dry , I also buff the frets with this and get super smooth bends problem being its 20 bucks a can.

I've been using tung oil for a good while....any thoughts ??

Anything special for guitar fret inlays??

Can I use jojoba oil on an indian laurel fretboard

Naphtha (zippo lighter fluid) to clean the finger funk off of the fretboard, then boiled linseed oil. Apply, let it soak in a few minutes, wipe the excess. You’ll see where it soaks in- it’ll look dry in spots. Keep doing that until the sheen evens out after you wipe it. Also- make sure it’s not charcoal grill lighter fluid. It’s got extras in it. You want pure naphtha. It evaporates very quickly and doesn’t leave a residue. Just don’t smoke while you’re doing it, and don’t leave the linseed rags in the trash can or balled up in a pile

very nice test.

I've been using Mobil 1 synthetic 0w on my fretboards for many years, they look new? Is this a mistake, signed novice

I hope after the comparison you finished oiling both of them.

The Crimson bottle is aluminum, not stainless steel.

Hey brad love ur videos hope u show how to replace a fretboard cause i painted over mine and did not like the end result. Im sure all the luthiers are going to distroy me but i want to fix my mess up, agian thanks love ur videos.

For the last 15 years I've been cleaning/treating my fretboards with a homemade mixture of lemon juice and olive oil. 1 part of lemon juice for 2.5 parts olive oil. Always had mirror like super clean and smooth fretboards. If you try it don't go lower than 1/2.5 ratio and make sure to wipe down thoroughly after application. 2 coats every 8 months would be plenty.

Do you think Teak Oil is good for the fretboard?

Hi Brad, I really like your lessons. I think of you more as a wood finishing expert and your showing how that applies to guitar. This is a very useful video since everyone needs to care for their fretboard even if they are not into building or finishing guitars. I would like to have seen you use Linseed oil that Dave from Daves world of fun stuff swears by. He does make very cogent arguements why that works best. I think part two of this video could cover maple necks

Quick question. Why don't people use a typical finishing oil like Danish Oil, Linseed Oil, Tung Oil etc. on your neck's fretboard to nourish BUT it's all OK to use Lemon Oil which is basically lemon scented Mineral Oil? Why is there a fear on using anything but Lemon Oil on a guitar's fretboard? Thoughts anyone?

I use a couple drops johnsons baby oil on a rag and smear on rosewood fretboard with strings(steel nickel) on, metal parts too, and on body(poly finish) to cut gunk. Wipe body with super soft old cotton washcloth

I use tru-oil and have really good results with it especially on older fretboards

Rawlings Glovolium has worked great for me over the past 40 years.

I really don't know if the Dunlop oil you used has the same components where you live.......but I apply mine on newly made fretboards, and no way they dry in 5 minutes. I apply 1 coat, spread it and wipe the excess, and I have to wait an hour minimum to fully dry, and STILL you have deposits on the surface (which after I polish with some cloth, gives the fret an extra shine to it). As someone mentioned before, lemon oil is nothing more than some natural oil with some lemon peels put inside to "flavour it".....same with orange, or whatever you want it to taste like. The only differences in between some is they add solvents to make the oil run faster and deeper into the wood, and that's it (therefore the funny smells, which later dissappear and leave the original scent)...........I don't think they affect too much, because I clean and treat my fretboards very often, every 2 or 3 months, so it makes no difference which oil to use.........guess I use the one that smells the nicest for me.......PLUS the one which is less toxic.

hey bro, can u suggest me what should i use to clean/polish maplewood bass guitar fretboard?

My brother and I used boiled linseed oil on guitar boards in his Tallahassee music store, back in the EARLY '70s. Worked quite well and we never had any problems with it. I generally just use Four ZERO steel wood to clean frets and board at the same time (masking tape over the pickups). Wipe it off well. Apply oil.

can i use olivian oil on my banjo neck

Half of my guitars have maple fretboards, will these same products work on them?

i use old car oil from the last oil change i did on my new fender limited edition lake placid blue strat. Not a fan of having to rub it in so i usually just dunk the neck into the bucket and it works like a charm

Thanks a lot for your presentation. Why do certain fretboards absorb rapidly in less than one day while others remain wet for many days. When I put conditioner on most rosewood necks they are dry the next day or the day afterwards whereas with my Paul Reed Smith which I read has a lower water content than other guitar brands because of their special drying process remains wet for days. Any insight would be appreciated. Maybe one is not supposed to leave the fretboard conditionner on without then using a rag as you showed in this demonstration...I thought that one should leave the conditonner on until it is absorbed so as to restore the humidity in the wood to avoid shrinking of the neck and the frets sticking out on the side (which can happen when the wood retracts) Thanks a lot!

What do you think about using mineral oil??

All you need is some Naphtha or lighter fluid for cleaning it. It will not harm the wood or the finish of your guitar. You should be very careful aroufd any Nitro finish though because I am not sure on that.

Great video. Thanks fir the insights about the different oils.

What about waterlox ...that sound will not yes or no

What about tung oil / linseed oil?

Jeez. Crimson sent you that 3 yrs ago? Wow. I figured this was recent. Then I checked the date lol. Regular lemon oil is fine for fretboards. It's use is to condition and clean wood and fretboards are wood so.... 🤷‍♂️😉

I use hemp oil since it's natural and also good for skin, hair and stuff, and it works very well !

You can't judge after 5 minutes of applying fretboard oils. The best looking ones were applied last and had less time to dry. I think this test means next to nothing about which product is better. Mt opinion.

The only stuff I use now is a little Murphy's Oil Soap on a damp cloth.

This might come as a suprice but i use "hair/beard oil" much cheaper and it works just fine it as equally as good as any of the expensive "guitar oils" i have bought over the years. Same goes for polishing i use furniture polish instead of dedicated guitar polish and i havent notice any difference it works equally good.

I know it's an old video brad but I was watching something last night and it was a tour of Martin Guitars and they use Boiled Linseed oil on there rosewood or ebony Fretboards... They also dont recomend lemmon oil as it can break down Nitro finishes... also Collings guitars only use Linseed... it's very very small amounts also then buffed off..

I used Scott's Liquid Gold twice over 2 cleanings this week. Used it to clean the crud on a 14+ year old guitar as a recent purchase. I didn't leave it on long enough to soak into the wood or pores and used it sparingly so it wouldn't absorb thru the thickness of the Rosewood anyway. Compared results with a new Rosewood fretboard and the old guitar fretboard looks as nice as the new one that was showroom condition from the factory. I think when a product says to not use with laminates, they know the chemicals breakdown the glue. And that's why I figure I'm better off just cleaning the fretboard and then removing the oil almost immediately. If the wood was dry & cracking, it wouldn't even be worth applying the oil. When the guitar is indoors & air conditioned environment, the crud buildup from body/hand oils actually protects the wood from drying out with that layer of gummy filth ? The old guitar that I cleaned was almost indistinguishable with a brand new guitar that had whatever treatment they did at the factory.

Was kind of hoping for a comparison of the COMMONLY used oils (linseed, f-one, fret doctor, guitar honey, planet waves, etc). Basically, the list you get when you go into ANY forum and ask for recommendations. Instead it's 2 kinds of lemon oil and lesser known products sent for free specifically to get their name out. At least I only watched to 1:46. Could have been an awesome and informative video.........

You can also just use straight mineral oil from the pharmacy. It's petroleum based so will never rot or decay over the life of the guitar.

Behlens Fingerboard oil isn't just a regular oil. The description says it dries hard so it probably lasts a long time. "Fingerboard Oil is ideal for preserving the feel and appearance of woods such as rosewood, ebony and similar woods used on stringed instrument fingerboards. Penetrates unfinished wood and dries hard. Does not become tacky when exposed to heat. As the original application wears, it can easily be repaired with additional applications of the oil."

Bore oil is what ive used on my ebony boards for 30 years.

Moroccan hair oil! Smell GREAT, & doesn't go rancid. I've had some bad experience rubbing too much oil into the fretboard of a '79 gibson explorer "E2" - a luthier told me that the oil might dissolve fret glue & make the frets "rise" from the board. So be careful.

After seasoning a butcher block bench recently with Liquid Paraffin. Just chucked together a partscaster with a new raw neck (flamed maple and Rockwood) and am surprised at how silky it comes up with the neck wiped down all sides with the same . Doesn't seem to be oily at all and has a really transparent sheen (if that makes sense). Seems to almost have lubed the frets also. ps, this stuff has Laxative properties, so wash your hands after the application process ;) you'd actually have to ingest it to get that butt...... ;p

what if I applied a drop of lemon oil from every fret ? what will happen? not 100% lemon oil tho

I was taught to use mineral oil, because vegetable oils can go rancid. I've always used just plain old baby oil straight from the drug store. What's your opinion on that point?

"To test awt" Just joking great guide bro