Daft Question Alert! Masking Frets.

Bellycaster · November 2013

Like the title says. You can tell I've never polished my frets before, I left that to a tech with my Wolfgang whilst other work was done, but my newest guitar (VSOP) will want a spruce up during the Xmas holidays. I'll do both guitars FWIW.

So, you use Masking Tape on the Frets? to guard the wood. Do any of you also use one of those Fretboard Guard/Protector Stencil thingy's? Is one of these a necessity?

My main concern is, masking tape will leave behind an adhesive residue on the fretboard which is obviously why it is a good idea to do frets first then F.B after. But what product can get the sticky stuff off without being too harsh on the F.B wood?

I was going to use Gorgomyte for the frets only(whilst board is masked) and even though it is marketed as an all in one application cleaner and conditioner, I don't want to wipe crap onto the wood that has come off the frets. I've seen demos of the Gorgomyte cloth turning black after wiping frets, that's not going on my board.

For the oiling I am going to use Musicnomad F-One Oil which is supposed to clean and condition, it is just tree and seed oils though, with no solvents or additives, so I am dubious at best to it's Cleaning prowess, just being an oil n'all.

It is however, an ideal oil as it does ALL unfinished woods including Unfinished Maple for the Wolfgang. Most importantly it contains no Silicone.

Any good recommendations on a FB cleaner? or any of the above procedure?

Cheers.

fretfinder · November 2013

http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j359/Fretfinder/28A808F5-62EA-4574-8272-FF217D7C7BC0-346-0000002C142BEFA0_zps3f52e8bc.jpg

Bellycaster · November 2013

@fretfinder

Cheers FF. I'm familiar with the product. What I wondered was if it is a necessity as opposed to just masking your frets with tape.

Do I NEED one?

meltedbuzzbox · November 2013

Personally I would say no. Masking tape is enough. If you stick it to a worktop first then peel it off and stick it to the neck you should be fine (ebony, rw or maple).

I use Gerlitz for my fret board cleaning

http://www.poshguitars.com/gerlitz/

Stew Mac do a handy book for fret polishing and what not

Bellycaster · November 2013

@meltedbuzzbox

Ta very much!

Misterg · November 2013

I use 3M blue masking tape on the fretboard and 'Duraglit Silvo' to polish the frets (either polish by hand or use a dremmel type thing to save time).

http://www.robertdyas.co.uk/sites/rdmainv4.57/productimages/500x500f/121341.jpg

I don't find that the masking tape leaves any residue. It's a bit of a faff to slit it down to get a tight fit against the frets, though (I use two overlapping pieces, rather than trying to cut it to the exact width between the frets). I clean the fretboard with Kyser Lem-Oil anyway (because I have a bottle).

http://www.soundland.de/catalog/images/products/tn/25/250235-643x850.jpg

The Duraglit exudes black juice when you use it which looks alarming, but has always cleaned up OK (so far!).

ThePrettyDamned · November 2013

Lem-oil for the board if rosewood. Mine is so old, the spray doesn't spray, it shoots a concentrated stream of oily death. So I shoot it onto a cloth and polish from that.

I polish my frets with 0000 grade wire wool. Just be very very gentle and they come up smoother than glass! On maple boarded or very closed grain, super smooth rosewood I don't even bother masking, I just use the wire wool and make sure I don't scrape the wood (easy with tall frets). Otherwise, best masking tape I've used is that frog tape stuff.

ICBM · November 2013

I've masked hundreds of fingerboard with tape, and can't ever remember sticky residue being left. Even if it did, you should follow fret polishing with fingerboard cleaning (not the other way round) so it would come off anyway.

If you're going to do the whole board at once, start at the body end - you can use the bits you cut off from the narrow gaps to do the ones where a single piece of tape isn't wide enough lower down

. Or you can use two pieces of tape and just move them from fret to fret to do each one at a time, although it will usually lose its stick or wear through before you do the whole board. I tend to do the second way if it's just a quick polish and the first for a full fret dress.

fretfinder · November 2013

Bellycaster said:

@fretfinder
Cheers FF. I'm familiar with the product. What I wondered was if it is a necessity as opposed to just masking your frets with tape.
Do I NEED one?

I use the steel guard because it makes the job quick and easy, but I wouldn't say it's a necessity. In fact with tape you can get a tighter fit against the frets. With the guard, unless the frets are super jumbo size then your polishing product can get in the gap and can leave a slight residue on the board, although as I always clean the board after the frets that isn't a big problem. The guard is very handy if you're using fine wire wool for a quick fret clean, takes no time at all compared with taping up the whole board.

gusman2x · November 2013

Masking tape's fine. Make sure you mask off the pickups! Bits of wire wool on your pole peices is not great fun!

daveyh · November 2013

ThePrettyDamned said:

Lem-oil for the board if rosewood.

I use half a walnut, it's a glorious result.

fretfinder · November 2013

daveyh said: I use half a walnut, it's a glorious result.

Do please tell us more about this technique...

daveyh · November 2013

fretfinder said:

daveyh said: I use half a walnut, it's a glorious result.

Do please tell us more about this technique...

Nothing esoteric. After I've cleaned the frets I get a walnut, snap it in half and rub the exposed flesh onto the fingerboard, quite forcibly so that it penetrates. Then just wipe off the excess fragments. Oils, cleans, lubricates and also darkens the wood a little, makes it look healthy tbh.

grungebob · November 2013

I use electrical tape to mask, never left residue yet.

DartmoorHedgehog · November 2013

I use a piece of flat plastic cut from a bit of packaging from something or other, with a fret-width slot cut in it. Just like that tool fretfinder posted above. Makes it easy to polish the frets with wire wool without rubbing the fingerboard (after masking pickups with tape) - I reckon it's quicker than taping up the whole board.

Bellycaster · November 2013

DartmoorHedgehog said:

I use a piece of flat plastic cut from a bit of packaging from something or other, with a fret-width slot cut in it. Just like that tool fretfinder posted above. Makes it easy to polish the frets with wire wool without rubbing the fingerboard (after masking pickups with tape) - I reckon it's quicker than taping up the whole board.

Thanks @DartmoorHedgehog, but there really is no call for calling @fretfinder a Tool

DartmoorHedgehog · November 2013

Bellycaster said:
Thanks @DartmoorHedgehog, but there really is no call for calling @fretfinder a Tool

Oops - should have read that back more carefully before posting

)

Bellycaster · November 2013

Thanks guys, looks like I'll be all set to give my Boards a good once over.

Fez · November 2013

Masking tape is made for er masking so it is fine for use on your fretboard. However the adhesive does go off (hardens) after a few days so don't leave it stuck to your guitar.

I like that make your own plastic guard thingy idea.

Bellycaster · November 2013

@Fez

It is a good idea that about the guard. I have to ask these questions (re the masking) if you knew me better, you'd know how anal I get about things concerning guitars and gear.

fretfinder · November 2013

Bellycaster said:

DartmoorHedgehog said:

I use a piece of flat plastic cut from a bit of packaging from something or other, with a fret-width slot cut in it. Just like that tool fretfinder posted above. Makes it easy to polish the frets with wire wool without rubbing the fingerboard (after masking pickups with tape) - I reckon it's quicker than taping up the whole board.

Thanks @DartmoorHedgehog, but there really is no call for calling @fretfinder a Tool

Lol - no offence taken!

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Daft Question Alert! Masking Frets.

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