Montys "ageing wax" snake oil? or good ?

merlin

JerkMoans said:

merlin said:

JerkMoans said:

Cripes: came here looking for endorsements of the Monty's product, stayed for a load of kinky shit involving leather goods.  

You love it. 

Ah man.  Can't stop myself.  Have already acquired a wallet.  And a key fob.

Calling Dr Heistercamp! 

edenfield99

stonevibe said:

Surely dirt from just playing it would have darkened it more?

Aging a guitar by playing it?!? How dare you sir, I think you need to get your coat!

markslade07

Following an Instagram story they reposted which showed a neck really dark (though I think it was a shop so not sure where their pic came from), I’ve dropped Montys a message with my pics...will report back. 

koneguitarist

I used some cooking oil mixed with some boot polish on a Strat I did a few years back. 

Did the same to the body of my telecaster.

mark123

Sorry but to me it's the "emperors new clothes "....

It just looks like fretboard oil in snake oil packaging, darkens when you first apply it ,wake up the next morning same as before maybe 5% darker tops.

Look back on this thread to the Feibings black leather dye and tru oil to seal method..... job done.

SteveRobinson

It's more like furniture wax I think.

I sometimes use the colourless one on rosewood fretboards after cleaning, it buffs up to a nice shine.

photek

markslade07 said:

In case anyone was in the slightest bit interested...

Sanded back to bare wood:

After (I think) 7 coats:

These pics are on Montys Facebook now

xscaramanga

JerkMoans said:

So the Monty's product promises much but delivers little, it seems. 

Did we ever get to a definitive product that actually does work for darkening paler fretboards, without leaving boot polish all over your hands?  @WezV 's suggestion of Feibings leather oil dye seems most interesting to me, but all suggestions gratefully received as I ponder going at the board on my currently in bits Electric XII.

I saw that StewMac has stopped selling Fiebings for ebonising because they'd had a batch that was turning blue rather than black. They recommended India ink, so I found the same stuff on Amazon UK and got someone to do that for me (I am extremely clumsy and would've dyed everything within a two foot blast radius).

It didn't work as an eboniser, exactly, but my Strat fingerboard has gone from an orangey rosewood to a dark brown that I think is pretty attractive. Before I had the treatment, I was looking at my Tokai and wishing the Strat could be as dark. Now I look at the Tokai and wonder whether I should get that darkened too as it looks a touch pale beside the Strat! 

markslade07

photek said:

markslade07 said:

In case anyone was in the slightest bit interested...

Sanded back to bare wood:

After (I think) 7 coats:

These pics are on Montys Facebook now

Yep, he messaged me back this morning asking how long I was leaving it, to which I said 20+ hours each coat. I suggested that it may be to do with the grain of wood and he agreed that as all wood isn't created equal, you'll get different results (which is fair I think). He asked if he could use my pics on their social media and I agreed, so I can only imagine that they are content that these are the sorts of results you get. At the end of the day, its made a bit of a difference and it looks fine, if not as dark as I was expecting/ hoping so I'm fine with it. I may revisit it again in the future and try a few more coats, but for now I'm leaving it so I can play the damned thing!

P.S Monty's instrument food (not this ageing wax) smells lovely!

rayttk

I bought a Les Paul Modern last August, its become my number one guitar.

I have played a Fender Rory Gallagher strat for the what seems like forever, the worn feel on the neck is just so good that I decided to do a similar job on the Les Paul.

I bought some Montys pickups to go in the Gibson and they sent me a free tin of there Instrument food, on the Monty's website there is instructions for sanding and sealing with Montypresso and Instrument food.

I sanded with 180 through to 800 grit then started adding montypresso, left it overnight sanded with 1000 left it overnight, sanded off with 1500 etc till I got to 2500 then plastered it with montpresso and left it for three days, finally I was happy with the color.

I then plastered the neck in the instument food and left that on overnight then buffed it off and I love the results.

 

 

 

Sassafras

I've achieved excellent results with a blowtorch.
Gives wood a lovely carbonised appearance.

thermionic

A Facebook ad for StewMac showed that they’re selling bottles of Indian Ink as a dye for ebony fretboards. Presumably it’s far too black for rosewood or its recent substitutes.

JerkMoans

Not being man enough to experiment with wire wool, Indian inks and similar arcana, I thought I'd start easy with a bit of the Montypresso notwithstanding the somewhat less than whelmed reviews from some of our contributors.

@MikeS was good enough to send me his pot, and I finally sat down and got at it yesterday.  Read the instructions on the website carefully, cleaned the board with lighter fluid (naphtha) and then got to rubbing the thick waxy stuff on.  Left each coat 2-3 hours before buffing off, then re-applying.

The pictures below show a before and after for my Electric XII neck, from a somewhat anaemic looking bit of Pau Ferro to, well, see for yourselves.  This is after its 4th coat of Monty's that I've just applied, and I am really rather pleased with the results.  I think I'll give it at least another 2 today.

Teyeplayer

JerkMoans said:

Not being man enough to experiment with wire wool, Indian inks and similar arcana, I thought I'd start easy with a bit of the Montypresso notwithstanding the somewhat less than whelmed reviews from some of our contributors.

@MikeS was good enough to send me his pot, and I finally sat down and got at it yesterday.  Read the instructions on the website carefully, cleaned the board with lighter fluid (naphtha) and then got to rubbing the thick waxy stuff on.  Left each coat 2-3 hours before buffing off, then re-applying.

The pictures below show a before and after for my Electric XII neck, from a somewhat anaemic looking bit of Pau Ferro to, well, see for yourselves.  This is after its 4th coat of Monty's that I've just applied, and I am really rather pleased with the results.  I think I'll give it at least another 2 today.

Looks good, you’ve convinced me.

JerkMoans

Teyeplayer said:

Looks good, you’ve convinced me.

Guess my only advice would be not to expect instant results.  Take it slow, and multiple applications.  

MikeS

Ooh, there’s no denying, that looks fantastic, the difference is amazing. 

Ossyrocks

I bought some of this a while back but I’ve only just got around to trying it this week on my Les Paul. I stopped at 5 applications and it has definitely darkened the board, but also it has brought out the grain very nicely. I’m converted.

Alex2678

If anyone fancies selling on what’s left of their tub I’d be interested, I’ve only got the one guitar and can’t bring myself to spend £16 + £4 postage just to have loads left over

JerkMoans

Bringing this up to speed, this is the state after dose no. 7.  This hasn't yet been buffed, but suffice to say I'm a convert.

markslade07

Hmmm, that is pretty decent. Will probably try again at some point on my Epi 335 fretboard…must buy some naptha first though as I think that’s where I went wrong before.