How to Treat Your Guitar Fretboard & Make It Look Amazing!
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- čas přidán 21. 08. 2024
- As I am coming to the end of a bass guitar build, I was not happy with the rosewood fretboard on the neck. It just didn't pop the way I wanted it too. I have seen guitar necks look amazing before and did some research. This is what I came up with this way to treat a fret board and keep it looking good with Howard Feed n Wax. The best part is I didn't have to order it because it is available from Home Depot. I put it on two guitar necks and am very happy with the results. I cant wait to put it on my les paul, strat and Godin XTSA too.
I would love to here what method to care for your guitar necks too.
I just get a bucket of Kentucky fried chicken and play while I eat after finishing off the chicken it looks good my whole fretboard shines
Does that work?
Of course, I tried it and it works wonderful! Remember - you have to play guitar after you eat KFC chicken, it does not work that well after you eat McDonald's chicken bro
Neil Schon eats salami before playing his guitars.
Only if you wear the bucket on your head after.
@@adriandonal has to be kfc though, like to apply a little rub on jack daniels as well
Darker the better for rosewood. I love the ritual of changing strings and cleaning the fretboard. Ya I'm weird I kno
Wade Wilson yup yup. Any time I change the strings, the fretboard and the body get a good cleaning. Love how it looks when it's all cleaned up.
Wade Wilson
I know what you mean.
Guess I'm weird too.☺
I find changing my guitar strings and cleaning the fretboard as a cathartic exercise.
no... not weird... your normal I'm afraid...
u wouldn't like it if it were a floyd rose
Weed-n-feed: 3
Feed-n-wax: 0
For several years, I've used a light treatment of the oil used for kitchen cutting boards and it works great. I got it at Ikea.
I'm talking your advice, bought a bottle of it yesterday and I'm going to try it and see what the results are, I'm trying it out on one of my cheap guitars, so hey what do I have to lose!
Sneed and feed
Wheat’nFeet
I like this video, even the weed ‘n’ feed reference...lol....I just use 0000 steel wool, then apply mineral oil very sparingly with lint-free cloth, then wipe dry a few minutes later with dry lint-free cloth. Once a year during one of my quarterly string changes. (Just a hobbyist player now, the R’n’R dream died a long time ago), but this keeps the neck real friendly and the mineral oil is clog-free and odor-free. The really important thing is to wipe down the strings ( over and under) with a clean lint-free cloth after every use. Better sound for longer time, and your guitar will be a pleasure to play for a lifetime.
To whom it may concern: you might want to think twice before using much of this on a fretboard... this stuff penetrates very deep into the wood and could cause your fretboard to come loose from the glue holding it to the neck. USE A VERY LIGHT COAT AND WIPE IT OFF RIGHT AWAY, DON'T LEAVE IT ON THERE TO SOAK IN!!. i tested this on some hard rosewood and it penetrated 3/4"... that makes me a little nervous with my nice guitars.
Stay away from anything with wax in it also.
Yes! exactly what I was looking for. My fret board looks so dry, I've wiped it down with wood oil before and it looks good for about 5 minutes and then it's back to looking dried out. Thanks for creating this video!
Weed n Feed sounds like a good name for a coffee shop in Amsterdam
We can only hope that the presenter is deliberately, deliberately confusing this excellent product with a lawn care product. Weed'n'Feed is by the way also a real good thing. I have used them both. As to Feed'n'Wax, I love it. You know, I bo't some Tru Oil, the genuine stuff, from Cabellas. Tru oil works very well but i quit with that stuff the 1st time I tried it. On a guitar neck. I found it impossible to apply Tru Oil without getting lint in it.
I have used weed n feed on my lawn(s) over the years. It actually works to take out the dandelions but it takes repetitive applications on the lawn. One hit puts the dandelion on its knees but if you want to kill it, you have to
You have to hit those dandelions with repeatedly to lay them right down for good.
Weed n Feed is the brand of edible he ate prior to shooting this.
Good stuff! My experience: I rubbed 10 coats Tru Oil on a maple neck. NOT the fret board though! Small square of t shirt cotton to apply. It was IMPOSSIBLE to not get small lint particles in the finish. Tried the bare finger application but "ridging" was a worse problem. Steel wooled the whole thing down to matte. Apply 1 coat Howard's Feed'n'wax and bingo. No lint, high shine, 1 coat, not sticky (fast neck). ONE COAT HOWARD'S INSTEAD OF 10 TRU OIL. Same results. Plus! I did the fretboard with Howard's too and I am satisfied that it is a positive treatment to protect the rosewood.
This is what I have been using for years on my fretboards. Love it. It’s not weed and feed though.
I've used this stuff on a solid rosewood neck. I'm not a fan of the beeswax part of it. It definitely makes the wood look amazing but if you play a lot you will certainly feel the wax coming out and gumming up the strings. I ended up using blue dawn diluted with distilled vinegar to pull out the wax. Worked really well. I just reconditioned the neck with bore oil now it's perfect. Looks and feels great!
Your surname is Santana...so I'm gonna go with your tip.
@@AnthonyMonaghan Yeah, putting wax on a fretboard seems like a great way to make strings go dead. I just use Jim Dunlop lemon oil that is intended for fretboards. Why use something that wasn't designed for fretboards at all when current products work perfectly ? Makes no sense to me. Trust me, the Dunlop is good stuff and a bottle lasts a lifetime pretty much. They come with a dabber applicator on the end of the bottle that works very well.
Kennis - I use "Dr.Ducks Axe Wax" only if a fretboard is very very dry. I apply only a little bit onto a cotton cloth - rub it in - then within 2 minutes - rub it off with a dry clean cloth. You gotta watch what oils you use!
I agree with Dave Monty, I use Dunlop 65 I've had the same bottle for 15 years you can get it at any music store. I would never put wax on my fretboard.
Exactly. Avoid oils. If you must use fret doctor or Ducks like you say. Pretty and dark does not mean it's good for the wood. Govahead, let it sit and raise your frets!! Geez
Dr. Ducks did a really nice job on my fretboard and being able to use it on every part on the guitar is a bonus.
@@yoshshmenge294 Dr. Ducks is awesome stuff. Absolutely love it!
Exactly what I use on all my guitars. Great stuff!
Another option: I use Gerlitz Guitar Honey Fingerboard Conditioner, which I bought at my local Guitar Center. It costs about $8 for a 2 oz. spray bottle, which is pricey, but in my experience it works much better than two other products I have used in the past. And a little goes a long way, so I would not worry about the ounces. It makes my rosewood and ebony fingerboards look fantastic. I'm sold on it.
I've always read or been told by guitar techs to avoid any fingerboard conditioners with wax in them, which can build up into a gunk. For example, you can use wax free furniture lemon oil like Old English, but skip the spray on polishes with wax such as Pledge. But, I'm really sold on the Gerlitz Honey Oil. It's a light spray and really works. My fingerboards glisten and look nice and dark. It seems to last longer and shine darker than the other two conditioners that I used in the last two decades.
I just use white mineral oil. Wipe strings with rubbing alcohol, make sure strings stay clean, it dries quick. Then just rub it down with regular white mineral oil strings and all. Strings last a long time, nice and buttery, and the fretboard stays hydrated and slick. A little goes a long way. A jug lasts years.
I finish a lot of wood work as a painting contractor and chose feed and wax for my Bass VI, been debating using hard wax sticks for the capillaries, grain pitting, picking a median tone of the wood and using nail shot hard wax finishing sticks when i change my strings. Have a bunch of mods lined up so I'll probably give it a try to see. The feed and wax really made the cheap stuff look more like the good stuff on my Squier classic vibe Bass VI.
I'll either do that and retreat then buff or acetone wipe, flush fill grain with pigmented wood fiber fine ground resinous filler then fine sand buff it back before re waxing. Wax sticks will be faster and should stay put if I use my hard mohawks.
Will be a lot of hard scribbling. When I waxed the squire it looked great but I think it showed me they sanded up to about 320, or half way through a cycle or 2.
Weed n feed?! You fertilize your guitar neck? How much grass grows out? Do you have to water often? LMAO!
DiMo28 Yes and you need a mower
Weed n' feed your guitar. Strings growing out of control? Intonation out of wack? Tuning issues? Neck looking dull? Don't be that guy!!
WEED N' FEED!!!
LMAO
Weed n Feed, that sounds like a good night.
Please somebody...weed n feed me.
its great stuff ,but i leave the oil on for 30 mins to absorb,then wipe excess off with rags .leave for a couple of hours,fretboard loves it !
Finally, a solution to my fretboard's dandilion and crabgrass problem!
I've been using Howard Feed-N-Wax on fretboards for years. One time, I left it on my Yamaha Pacifica's fretboard for almost 2 full days to darken it. Despite all the Chicken Little (more like Parrot Little) squawking, I've never had an issue. It works great and smells wonderful.
I went to my local Home Depot looking for the Wax and Feed. No one knew what I was talking about, and it was not in the furniture polish area. Finally found it in the paint section with the wood finish products. First use was on my Conn acoustic. Looks great. Then went to my Gibson LP Goth. Looks and feels fantastic! Next restring , the LP Standard gets it. Thanks for the recommendation.
Thank you for the before and after. I don't expect audio as it is unlikely to sound any different before and after. I gave you a thumbs up.
Orange oil is a solvent. Wax is sticky to touch.
The simplest solution for dark fretboards is lemon or orange oil to clean and refined linseed oil from the fine arts supply store. Apply the linseed oil to a typically bone dry fretboard on a factory delivered (or neglected) instrument multiple times until all dry patches disappear. Your fingerboard is going to need to be cleaned with lighter fluid or naptha to pull the wax out.
Haven't seen a single pesky weed growing out of my fretboard since I switched to this product. Thanks, Kennis! ;>D
I got so much wax buildup i added wicks and now use it as a candle.
Hey Kennis I haven’t seen you for quite some time now. It’s great to see you again. Look forward to seeing more videos from you.
I absolutely destroyed a rosewood board farting around with goodge. Nasty. Dry buff your frets and fret board on a buffing wheel. Go from center to edge, turn the neck over and buff center to edge making sure you dont catch the edge on top or it can throw the neck. Also, you NEVER HAVE TO PUT SLOP ON AN EBONY FRETBOARD, real ebony is full of natural waxes and oils, thats why its the best sounding wood fretboard, again buff on a wheel when changing strings. I also buff my Moses graphite neck when i change strings. It is glossy and shiny as fcuk, and looks and feels amazing.
You should apply the (this or whatever you're using) on to the cloth and not directly on to the fretboard. This seems to be the consensus answer according to all of the articles I've ever read on the subject. When you think about it, it seems to be logical to do it this way but to each his own.
Thanks for the video mate, good info! :-)
Best solution for fretboard weeds EVER
I use 0000 steel wool first to clean the neckboard and then I treat it. Works great and comes out like new
Put the oil on a rag, don't float a layer, it will pop the finish off the ends of the frets. Esp on a les Paul. Fender does not glue frets down. Oil will do things.
Holy smokes!!! This worked GREAT!!! Thank you sir!!!
Those fret wires look so good 🤩
Awesome, I will try this. I have feed and wax for my antique sewing machines, so I'll try it on my vintage guitars. Howard makes fantastic products.
Great video! Gonna pick up some of that Feed N Wax and give it a try!
I use Feed 'N Wax and I saturate the fingerboard and let it sit for 20 minutes then polish it. I then repeat this process. It works very well.
I use lemon oil on my rosewood fretboard. Works great.
Thanks. I saw your cheap tool's for setting action video Awesome by the way. I got sick of looking for Gun & Lemon Oil. I just bought this for my unfinished Maple & Rosewood front & Back. I went looking for this Exact Video. Yours is the only video on useing this stuff on Guitar Fretboard & Exactly the one I wanted to see. Great Job Tanx Pal. Jimbo from Burbank Ca.
Kenny OR Dennis, not both
weed n feed...
Sneed
I agree, this stuff is amazing! I cleaned my 25 year old Ibanez rosewood fretboard with lighter fluid first, Then I used one tiny drop of feed-n-wax for each fret and rubbed it in. However, the instructions on my bottle says to let it sit for 20 mins. before polishing. I let it sit for 30 mins. and the fretboard looks awesome. Full color, and shiny like new!
James Edward Ford your guitar isn’t furniture and you shouldn’t leave any product on it that long before wiping it off. What is wrong with you ppl
@@cured_bacon647 anyway, the directions on the bottle say 20 minutes. The point is, this stuff was amazing for my Ibanez fretboard that I bought almost 30 years ago........
James Edward Ford they may have said that for furniture or something but not a guitar. Great way to clog the pores in the wood. Keep your 30 year old BS to yourself.
@@cured_bacon647 Dont be a rude fktard ,you sound foolish
Paul you sir are the FUCKTARD!
02:11 "weed and feed"...that's what I use on my lawn from Scott's. LOL!!! I'm always hearing about orange and lemon. To use it...not to use it. Other say use tung oil only...now I see this as I am searching around. I've used Lizard Spit for a few decades. But this seems like it might be better.
Boiled Linseed Oil is what High End Builders and Manufacturers use.
Aboit the same $$$.
Boiled linseed oil will polymerize.
True high end Builders use non-polymerizing Walnut oil. As the name says, it does not polymerize, it is thin and goes fairly deep into the wood, and when wiped off, leaves nothing behind. no polymerized residues, no beeswax, nothing. You don't want anything left behind, either; over time it will build up a layer of gunk on the fret board as the oils and skin cells from your hands combine with the residues. You can get it at any wood working supply place. I got mine at Lee Valley tools.
@@kostaskritsilas2681 they don’t use walnut oil on rosewood fretboards name me a builder who does that
This looks like really good stuff. If the board is dirty, i would advise using 0000 steel wool first. Its extra fine so won't damage the rosewood. Then use the "Weed n Feed" lol.
The idea behind this exact product is it's a finishing polish. You need to apply friction and it will shine even further simply because it's wax. Pro tip: apply it to the back of the neck too.
Would it become sticky if applied to raw maple neck?
@@destianpatrianagara1119 I imagine it wouldn't be sticky if you buff it out with enough friction. But as an only finishing product, I'd be reluctant to suggest that as a good idea particularly for a guitar. The thing is that it will wear off quite easily and you will need to reapply it frequently. Keep in mind you would have better luck keeping the neck in good condition/not warping if you seal it and use lacquer or poly and finish to a satin texture.
All my necks get a sealer/lacquer finish followed by this product and I've never once had a sticky neck. The one variable I don't know that counts for almost everything is the sweat from your hand.
I'd like to know the long term results of putting all that wax on the fretboard. I know furniture gets really sticky.
The wax disappears in around a month.
Polymerized linseed oil/beewax.sand out those ruff splits on the fretboard.
Great tip. I have seen the product at Home Depot and had thought of using it but was afraid of ruining the fretboard.
Kennis Russell yep that's why I was afraid to use it.
Used artist's refined linseed oil until I discovered Howard's Feed n' Wax. Actually didn't discover it as I had a bottle of it on my basement shelf for quite a few years for use on furniture until I realized it's use on fret boards. Haven't gone back to linseed oil since.
By the way, I have a 1964 Blackface Fender Champ that had faded, grayed, sad Tolex. Nothing I used could make it look good. Tried different things for years and it always faded back to it's worn look....until I tried Feed n' Wax. Brought it back to a deep glossy, black lustrous look. And it stayed that way. I give it occasional reapplications and it looks new. I use it now on other amps as well.
Absolutely this was the first time I've seen your video and it was amazing I am pretty sure that I'm going to get some of that and you did say I'm going to look back on the video I thought you said you got it at Home Depot
Use a lot less than shown. Put a small dab on the rag instead of putting it directly on the fretboard.
It's way too much and it will just end up on the rag. The bottle will last for several years. You just have to shake it up. Great stuff.
Thank You Kennis... Great tip for my rebuild project.
could you get it even more shiny? almost reflective?
I have heard that ebony fingerboards are a totally different animal? Been playing for a long time, but surprisingly never owned an ebony board… now I have 3….any issues with this on an ebony board?
Mink oil works great too. But you are wiping it off way too fast. You need to let it soak in overnight. Then apply again, wait another night. Wipe off the excess.
Good stuff. Will Gelvin turned me onto that stuff a few years ago too
I can just imagine some of that thick goop getting down into the fret slots each time its used, and building up in there for years. Maybe putting a little on a cloth to wipe on would be a better method of application. And it is a wax, so does it build up in the wood grain ?
Thanks for the tip. Gonna grab some.
Just myself, I always sand the back of the neck from a lacquer coat. Wax is not tolerable for myself. This slows down or works against speed, sliding, bends, it's like sneakers on a basketball court. I even 000 steel wool my fretboard, I did this to my flame maple neck. play's so much smoother. Like K.Richards asked Fender back in the day to make a guitar that looks, and feel used. It plays better. That's one way that relic guitars came from. Just sharing a view. if it stays on the wall, well, looks are beneficial. peace.
Kennis, How do you like that mighty mite neck?
I would just use fret condition, their are many brand names out their. I also heard lemon oil is not good for a fretboard.
Hi Kennis! Thanks as always for sharing great tips. I recently followed Wills Easy Guitar method of applying Naphtha and then Burts Beeswax on my guitar's fretboard and I've gotten great results.
I just purchased a Stingray short-scale Bass. The neck is a little Dry Feeling. I love smooth, slippery Satin Feeling necks. Is there Anything I can Apply (without sanding or removing the neck) to make it feel more Smooth and Less-Dry . . . without having that Sticky Lacquer feel ? > Update: Tru Oil is the Answer.
Great vids Kennys, keep em coming man...
I laugh. I like the way he keeps calling the stuff 'weed and feed' instead of Feed-n-Wax.
This stuff is crazy. You need tiny drops and it comes in a giant bottle that will last forever. 😊
Made in Tamworth in Australia so it's pretty easy to get here.
pEpul Etrz.
1 second ago
yeh to much of this stuff will destroy the glue of frets and once you adjust the truss ...pop goes the frets.stick to light applications of a non sealing lemon oil..but if you are hanging it on a wall ..go rite ahead wax it up..go easy.
I only use musicnomad F one oil and my rosewood looks dark for like over 6 months
Thanks for this just bought some!
Looks great! How do you feel about it after a while? I heard others say that too much oil can saturate fretboards and cause frets to become uneven because they cannot grab on to the fretboard as well as they could. Any issues with frets becoming uneven? Really eager to try this, but I got to make sure :)
yeh to much of this stuff will destroy the glue of frets and once you adjust the truss ...pop goes the frets.stick to light applications of a non sealing lemon oil..but if you are hanging it on a wall ..go rite ahead wax it up..
but.... does it help your peppers grow faster?
You can always count on will!
Well you purchased this in the right place all right Amazon $26.20 include tax in the UK good vid thanks
Not sure if you heard of Johnny Hiland he uses stuff by Lizard spit which looks like this but in white.
Thanks for the video, I'm gonna give it a try!
Thanks I'm going to try it. Friend of mine uses mink oil 🤔
Feed n Wax,my fretboard and other places go to,even tho it's £16.99 here.But as you say,it goes a loooong way
Thanks man for the tip , this really works
These types of finishes such as linseed oil, beeswax, etc., do not leave residues in the hands or clothing when you play the instrument?
He does know it's NOT called "WEED and feed" right? lol
FUNERAL BILL II I don’t know he never caught it
I got a bottle of that 'cause of +WillsEasyGuitar, too - works nicely on all my rosewood fretboards!
Does it clean the stucky stuff
i will buy today. i will apply to my schecter guitar. how the feedback sir kent?
I cannot get rid of the garlic (BAD) smell on my rosewood fretboard. I went a year without changing strings although I did wipe the guitar down after I played. Tried vinegar twice and dawn. Stayed the same or possibly even got worse. Any solution you know of?
What about wax buildup? Just use a fretboard conditioner sparingly every string change or two unless it gets dry.
i thought i was the only one who used this
Weed & Feed?
It’s actually called Feed and Wax! It’s says right there in the bottle .
I Noticed You Cleaned A Bass But It Works On Guitar As Well
So after 4 years of use, how's this holding up? Any ill effects?
Just watched a video using expensive specialty fretboard dressings and lemon oil. This result is by far the best. I'm going to Lowes. Or to KFC. MotoMark is a riot.
What’s hiding underneath the blue tape?
Weed-n-feed, not once, not twice, but three times 😂🤣😐😭
You need to lay of the Weed-n-Weed bro.
the neck does not bend when removing all the strings?
Scotts weed and feed work the best.
I want to do that to my guitar, but it doesn't have binding on the edges to stop the dye from seeping in. Any ideas? Will taping WORK to create a define line that looks professional. ?
Dave Saenz his guitar didn’t have binding either
Never use citrus oil of any sort on rose wood bad idea it will dry out wood in the long run and cause the frets to loosen from the board
Does it affect bending? Some products I used over the year can make bending feel a tad sticky
Very good many thanks. 😎
I have a new guitar with Blackwood . Can I use let n oil on the Blackwood fretboard ? Thank you
Dr.Ducks AxWax and string lube
Ironically I use feed-n-wax to kill weeds in my yard.