Cleaning Tokais

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ganzua

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How do you clean your Tokai guitar? Which products do you use for body, fretboard and brass parts?
 
Gibson polish for the body & neck, elbow grease for the fretboard (and, once a year, lemon oil).

I use a clean yellow duster cloth for most cleaning, and an old toothbrush for scrubbing around the frets. The hardware gets at most a quick rub over with a cloth.
 
Hey! Paladin;

Is there any substitute for lemon oil? In my country there is no such product.

I have two other guitars with ebony freatboards (my new tokai will be rosewood) and I was advised not to use any product, just breath and a duster.

The toothbrush for scrubbing around the frets seems to be a good idea :D .
 
Ask for D'andrea Lemon Oil in any musicstore,I bougt mine there....
I oiled the LS150 when it came meanwhile changing strings,very easy.
 
I'm told that raw linseed oil is a good substitute for lem oil.

Who told you not to use product on ebony? Did they give an explanation? I've been using lem oil on my ebony boards for a few years and you've started to worry me... :(
 
I live in portugal right next to spain, paladin sugestion towards lemon oil subtitute are good, however I was told by three different luthiers to use it in very little amounts (like two drops) once a year, and most of them agreed that if possible, avoid using at all... the explanation had something to do with the oil impregnating the wood, which is more resonant when dry (old wood sounds better) oil goes against that in some way... I was recomended a new tooth brush for the guitar to remove dirt (new because old ones always have residues of fluoride which is abrasive), a lightly moistured 100% cotton cloth, and if there is too much dirt around the fret a light wooden scrapper (light as pine for example, so it doesn't scratch the fretboard) or a 000 steel wool, if necessary... no more than this
 
Ask for D'andrea Lemon Oil in any musicstore

I asked sometime ago in my local musicstore but they had no idea of what I was asking. I was offered a fret conditioner (I don't remember the brand).

Who told you not to use product on ebony?

Well, I've followed threads like this one in other forums, there are always people against and for lemon oil or other products.

Did they give an explanation? I've been using lem oil on my ebony boards for a few years and you've started to worry me...

Yep, the explanation I was given is this one; ebony wood is a kind of oily wood, so, using any chemical products or any other kind of oil might alter the natural oil level of this wood. One risk of changing this natural level is the wood to get dry.

I never used any product on my other guitars' freatboards (a martin and a gretsch) and I really don't know if there is any risk. I don't think you have too worry about because there are a plenty of guys using lemon oil out there. It is just an opinion that you can came across.

In the gretsch forums I was advised to use Gin to clean brasses and just breath to clean freatboards (they didn't specify if breath after or before Gin :D ).
 
Lemon oil on the fretboard works miracles - I had a jackson with some pretty faded patches on the board - just cleaning it with oil really brought it back to life.

Also Ernie Ball makes a guitar polishing cloth - it's really soft and but really lifts the play marks off without any solvents - I normally give the body and neck a quick polish after extended use - should help protect the finish.
 
Dr Duck's Axe wax is what I use myself, it's non abrasive and works on everything from frets and hardwear to neck the main body and fretboard. It has to be used in very small quantities and can be used as a string lubricant also.
I was told by a guitar maker also that lemon oil to be used like once a year, and may be that I didn't even need to use any because the polish probably moistened things enough.
 
I generally use Gibson polish, and Dunlop 65 for the bodies of my guitars.

I also use fast fret on on some of my guitars, but I have yet to use it on my tokai. What do people think in general of fast fret? I have yet to use it on my tokai.
 
Snake said:
I also use fast fret on on some of my guitars, but I have yet to use it on my tokai. What do people think in general of fast fret?

My experience with Fast Fret or Finger Ease products is that over time with multiple applications, they will leave a residue and actually speed the process of gumming up both your strings and fretboard.

If you wipe down your neck, fingerboard and strings after each practice session or gig, you'll find that it's pretty slick the next time you pick it up.
 
marcusnieman said:
Snake said:
I also use fast fret on on some of my guitars, but I have yet to use it on my tokai. What do people think in general of fast fret?

My experience with Fast Fret or Finger Ease products is that over time with multiple applications, they will leave a residue and actually speed the process of gumming up both your strings and fretboard.

If you wipe down your neck, fingerboard and strings after each practice session or gig, you'll find that it's pretty slick the next time you pick it up.

absolutly right, it's more than enough, no need for oils, if you want the guitar to have the right moisture content, you keep it somewhere in which you can control that when you're not playing... I seriously believe the aplication of oils is not very good for the guitar IMHO
 
Fast fret can build up a waxy residue on your fretboard over time, but routine cleaning will get rid of it. The slickness and long life it gives your strings - and arguably your fretboard, protected by that layer - is well worth it.

I've heard of people smearing it all over their neck and fretboard, but that sounds crazy to me.
 
I am using Dunlop 02, deep fretboard conditioner for the fretboard (every 2-3 months).

And ofcourse fast fret. But the whole idea with the fast fret is to apply on the strings , and then rub it off them with a cloth. Basically by using fast fret, i help dirt to get detached from the strings. Without fast fret, the dirt doesnt go away with a simple wipe.

Having a polyurethane finish i end up using no cleaners on the body apart from a dunlop polishing cloth.

Lemon oil is accussed by some people due to the fact that it contains some cleaning agents.
 
From what I can tell, the main problem people have with Lemon Oil, is the fact that it's a mineral based oil which just smells a bit lemony. Because of this, the oil is not absorbed as well as a natural wood oil, and therefore dries out more quickly, leading to drying and possible cracking of the wood. I still use some, but sparingly and infrequently.

Polish wise, I have some D'addario polish at the moment which is pretty good.
 
There is a trick to oil a fretboard: just take a walnut friut(the inside ) and cut in small pieces.Then pass it over the finguerboard.You'll notice it's leaving some natural oil,no solvents or chemical agents at all.....
 
Skybone said:
From what I can tell, the main problem people have with Lemon Oil, is the fact that it's a mineral based oil which just smells a bit lemony. Because of this, the oil is not absorbed as well as a natural wood oil, and therefore dries out more quickly, leading to drying and possible cracking of the wood.

That's what I mean.
 
math2014 said:
But the whole idea with the fast fret is to apply on the strings , and then rub it off them with a cloth. Basically by using fast fret, i help dirt to get detached from the strings. Without fast fret, the dirt doesnt go away with a simple wipe.

The argument here is that you are putting another layer on top of the natural oxidation occuring on your strings and gradual buildup on the fingerboard. It's not wiping away, you're just making it slick until it gets to that you have to change strings or clean the fingerboard.

Dan Erlewine - who is one of the most knowledgeable guitar technicians around - says you should only clean your strings and finger board a few frets at a time with the moisture and heat of your breath on the area and a good rubbing with a soft cotton cloth. Try it some time and look at what comes of on the cloth.....probably a lot of that Fast Fret.
 
marcusnieman said:
math2014 said:
But the whole idea with the fast fret is to apply on the strings , and then rub it off them with a cloth. Basically by using fast fret, i help dirt to get detached from the strings. Without fast fret, the dirt doesnt go away with a simple wipe.

The argument here is that you are putting another layer on top of the natural oxidation occuring on your strings and gradual buildup on the fingerboard. It's not wiping away, you're just making it slick until it gets to that you have to change strings or clean the fingerboard.

Dan Erlewine - who is one of the most knowledgeable guitar technicians around - says you should only clean your strings and finger board a few frets at a time with the moisture and heat of your breath on the area and a good rubbing with a soft cotton cloth. Try it some time and look at what comes of on the cloth.....probably a lot of that Fast Fret.

I disagree, i am actually using fast fret as a solvent in order to make the dirt get off the strings. I am not using fast fret in order to slicken the strings.
 
I have the Fender guitar care system wich is made by Miguiar's. It has everything tou need to care for your axe. It's called THE ULTMATE GUITAR CARE COLLECTION. You can buy on line from just about anyone.
I also change strings every 3 days when I'm playing alot.

Mark
 

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