For the most part, fretboards of electric guitars are made of maple wood. Additional dirt, oil, and filth is transmitted from palms to the frets when the guitars are played more frequently. The entire audio quality of the chords might be affected by a filthy fretboard. Let’s talk about how to safely clean your guitar’s maple fretboard in this guide to extending the life of your instrument.
If we have any queries regarding how to clean maple fretboard, depending on whether the maple fretboard has a raw or shiny finish, there are many cleaning techniques that can be used.
Fretboards made on raw or unprocessed maple
Unfinished wood is used in the construction of raw maple fretboards, which need to be cleaned and conditioned with an oil-based cleanser. Since this style of fretboard often has an oil finish, any non-abrasive treatment suitable for the fretboard should be effective. Here are some simple instructions for how to clean maple fretboard made of raw maple.
- Apply dabs of any suitable oil-based cleaning immediately between the frets.
- To clean the area around both spaces, use a lint-free cloth.
- Given that the cleaning ingredient permeates into the maple, you may well not notice an immediate sheen.
- After cleaning the maple of all the debris for 2 to 10 minutes, wipe off any excess oil with a dry cloth.
- Discard both of the garments after you have finished washing the fretboard.
This will hopefully resolve any kind of issues on how to clean maple fretboard of raw and unfinished kind
Fretboards made of finished or glossy maple
These fretboards are simple to clean thanks to their finish. Any common cleaner made for finished woods can be used to clean finished maple fretboards. Avoid using abrasives that could harm the finish and only use lint-free fabric, such as microfiber. In order to prevent buildup, be careful to wipe the guitar’s neck and fretboard after each usage and to take out any moisture.
To know thoroughly about how to clean maple fretboard made out of glossy or polished maple,follow these procedures.
- To make access easier, cut or loosen the strings.
- If your fretboard is cracked, the cleaner could seep into the wood and ruin it.
- Pick up a bottle of fretboard cleaning and mist it onto the cloth you’re using rather than directly on the fretboard.
- Clean the guitar’s neck from the bottom up with the cloth.
- If necessary, flip the cloth, reapply the spray, and make a second pass.
- Once finished, throw away the cloth.
This will hopefully resolve any kind of issues arising on how to clean maple fretboard of polished or finished kind.
How to clean maple fretboard?
You may want to remove the strings for a thorough cleaning if the maple fretboard is very dusty. Bass strings can be relaxed by turning the keys counterclockwise, but treble keys can be relaxed by rotating the keys clockwise. Starting with the thickest string, go all the way down to the thinnest. With a tool, you can quickly remove the bridge pins, after which you can simply draw the strings from their apertures.
Additionally, take the guitar neck off and put it someplace secure outside the cleaning area. Applying a thin sheet of vegetable oil detergent will clean the fretboard. Consider spreading it uniformly from the base towards the 22nd fret with a clean towel or other material, starting at the nut. Use fine steel wool to clean in small circles right after applying the soap. Avoid cleaning against the grain; this will just force dirt further down the fretboard and harm the wood. To get rid of the soap and then all the leftovers, use paper towels.
Best maple fretboard cleaners
In this article on how to clean maple fretboard, mention of some artificial cleaners are noteworthy.
Relative to ebony and rosewood fretboards, a maple fretboard is much more prone to grime and blemishes. Additionally, specific cleaning and conditioning treatments are needed. Glossy fretboards should only be wiped with a dry or moist cloth while unfinished fretboards can be cleaned with ultra-fine steel wool. Avoid using home cleaning agents, steel wool, or lemon oil as these can quickly dull polish and remove its lustre.
Here are a few items that are used to know how to clean maple fretboard.
Fretboard oil cleaner and conditioner, MusicNomad F-One
Even though I truly enjoy using essential oils on my fretboards, this is by far my preferred fretboard oil cleaner when washing a maple fretboard. It’s quite simple to use, and the excellent quality makes the cost worthwhile (which primely depends upon the longevity of one bottle). You can purchase this from Amazon or any other music retailer.
Superior Guitar Detailer in Matt and Gloss Finishes, MusicNomad MN152
The MusicNormand detailer is another another fantastic maintenance tool on maple fretboards as well as frets that will restore your instrument’s original appearance. Fretboards can be thoroughly cleaned of gunk with a pump polish. However, don’t use it to finishes with cracks. It is available here on Amazon or at any music retailer.
How to Maintain a Maple Fretboard and Maple Neck
The polished maple fretboard and neck are low maintenance and require little upkeep. The finish protects the timber and lasts a long time with little maintenance. By washing your hands before to playing, you can keep their lustre and appearance. When changing strings, wipe the fretboard and neck of the guitar with a clean, dry cotton cloth to remove dirt and debris.
For the fretboard and neck, use a microfiber cloth and mineral oil or distillate solvent to remove obstinate oils and grime. The collar and fretboard polish can be rubbed down to a smooth finish with a guitar polish. To make the surface bright and clean, spray an appropriate oil-based cleaning onto a towel and polish the neck. Applying a thin coating of oil straight to the surface of an unpolished maple fretboard and buffing with a paper towel can polish it.
Conclusion
Maintaining a maple neck or fretboard is simple; all it takes is a few precautions to maintain your guitar looking like new with little work. Avoid cleaning a maple fretboard with water or dish soap. Also, each time you clean it, use a fresh lint-free cloth. This article is intended to help you maintain and clean your wood fretboard without harming your instrument.Hopefully you will find this article on how to clean maple fretboard useful.
