It is currently Tue Mar 17, 2020 12:19 am

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 15 posts ] 
Author Message
Post subject: Oil on strings
Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2014 4:00 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Sat Aug 23, 2014 8:21 pm
Posts: 31
I tried a sliver of olive oil on my strings - what a difference it makes. What do you think - is it OK - or should I go buy some standard guitar string wax stuff?


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: Oil on strings
Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2014 5:51 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Sun Jul 29, 2007 6:33 am
Posts: 83
Location: Western Massachusetts, USA
SKcoppertele wrote:
Outing oil on your string is exactly opposite of what Id think anyone would want. I try to get the oil off my strings. :shock:


Agreed. It might "feel" better under your fingers, but it will sound much darker. The oil will want to fill in the tiny spaces between the windings on wound strings and dampen vibration.

There are lubricants available, like Fast Fret, but I've always prefered "clean" strings.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Oil on strings
Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2014 8:15 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Sat Aug 23, 2014 8:21 pm
Posts: 31
I just like the way I can slide along the strings with my fingers as I play. I guess I am more worried if it would damage the wood or something.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Oil on strings
Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2014 9:50 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Sun Jul 29, 2007 6:33 am
Posts: 83
Location: Western Massachusetts, USA
It's common to treat porous fingerboard materials with citrus oils, such as lemon oil. That would probably be safe. Olive oil seems pretty heavy to me, but if you dig it... slide on!


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Oil on strings
Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2014 9:59 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:53 am
Posts: 4242
Don't worry about harming the wood.
If you have a rosewood fretboard, it should occasionally be oil treated anyway.
If you have a maple fretboard, it's lacquered and oil will not penetrate through the lacquer. Someday, if you play enough, the lacquer will eventually wear through - then you may consider relacquering the fretboard (which is usually also done when refretting).

So if you enjoy the lubed strings, feel free to do so.
On commercial products, GHS Fast Fret is mineral oil in a convenient package, Tone Finger-Ease is silicone spray.

Myself, I lube every string/other contact point, but keep the strings clean.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Oil on strings
Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2014 3:48 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Sat Aug 23, 2014 8:21 pm
Posts: 31
Thanks for the info - I bought some lemon oil and it said not to use on Maple - mine is maple. Anyway - I only use the tiniest bit.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Oil on strings
Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2014 8:56 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 9:44 am
Posts: 7282
Location: Washington
That so-called lemon oil is most likely mineral oil (with a little bit of artificial lemon scent).

Actual citric acids would not be good to use on a guitar.

_________________
Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

Image


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Oil on strings
Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2014 10:13 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Sun Sep 08, 2013 8:50 pm
Posts: 4602
Location: ˚ɷ˚
orvilleowner wrote:
That so-called lemon oil is most likely mineral oil (with a little bit of artificial lemon scent).

Actual citric acids would not be good to use on a guitar.


Real lemon oil doesn't contain citric acid (vitamin C), but is D-limonene, a terpene like turpentine. You still don't want it anywhere near a guitar, as it's a strong solvent and also dissolves oil, so you'd dry out your fretboard by applying it - the exact opposite of what you want.

What's sold as "Lemon Oil" for furniture and guitars is, as you say, a mineral oil with lemon scent. It isn't made from lemons any more than baby oil is made from babies.

Olive oil should be relatively safe on strings, but I'd go for the sexually experienced yellow kind, not the greenish EVOO which has far more stuff in it that may attract all sorts of bacteria and fungi.
But if the goal is slicker strings, why not get flatwound coated strings?


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Oil on strings
Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2014 11:55 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Wed Oct 01, 2014 3:59 pm
Posts: 19
I never liked putting any goop on my stings, but I love coated strings. You can still get Elixir Polyweb strings and the coating just lets your fingers glide and slide with ease. Even the plain steel strings in those sets stay slippery for longer.

_________________
1976 Fender Mustang
Fender Classic 60's Strat / Warmoth SRV Neck / SD SSD-1s
1956 Martin 0-15


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Oil on strings
Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2014 12:40 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:53 am
Posts: 4242
lose311 wrote:
I never liked putting any goop on my stings, but I love coated strings.

Have you tried your ordinary household teflon spray on your ordinary Elixirs..? :wink:


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Oil on strings
Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 7:41 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Sat Jul 05, 2014 8:00 am
Posts: 25
Wood naturally has oils in it. As a lifetime woodworker and working as a cabinet maker and also worked 30 years as a carpenter, I believe I know a little about woods. I agree about no oil on a maple fretboard though, however, on rosewood, I recommend it and use it on my instruments. It helps protect your frets from loosening because of lack of humidity.
I bought a used acoustic that had a slight string buzz. I used lemon oil on the fretboard and it sucked it right up so I applied a little more. I wiped it all down and the next time I played it, the buzz was actually gone.
Now, I know I get it all over my strings but always wipe it off with a dry cloth after applying it and haven't noticed anything happening to the strings because of it.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Oil on strings
Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 7:54 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2008 8:47 am
Posts: 2967
Location: Westchester County, NY
I've been putting olive oil lightly on fretboards for many years too, although I was originally wary about acidity level it's never harmed the wood or the frets, I keep strings dry.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Oil on strings
Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 11:43 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jun 07, 2010 9:25 pm
Posts: 1162
Location: In a house....unless I'm at work....then I'm in a shop.
Oil on most types of electric guitar strings will deaden them, and gum them up, attracting dirt and skin into the wound strings.

Olive oil, being a Vegetable oil (Okay, technically it is a fruit oil) it will turn rancid.
Lemon oils made for wood are really mineral oils with lemon scent added, so they do not turn rancid.

Edward Van Halen used to say he would boil his guitar strings to get the dirt out of them, so he could reuse them. (Before he hit the big time, of course).
I usually will use a guitar cleaner like Dunlop 65, I thread a cloth between the fretboard and the strings, then spray some on, this way I can clean the top and bottom of the strings at the same time.

It also could be the strings you are using corrode too fast. This could be from not wiping them down enough to your body sweat being highly acidic.
There are strings that are made of stainless steel or plated string (I use gold strings) or the elixirs that are seal types.
Anyways, try cleaning first, then try different strings.

_________________
Marriage is like playing cards...

At first all you want are Hearts and Diamonds.

But in the end, all you really want is a Club and a Spade.

Image


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Oil on strings
Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 12:02 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Wed Oct 01, 2014 3:59 pm
Posts: 19
+1 on boiling old strings..never did it myself ($10 for Elixirs..no need), but I knew some bass guitarists and upright bassists that did it. Apparently it works..kind of.. assuming they aren't rusted yet, just dirty.

_________________
1976 Fender Mustang
Fender Classic 60's Strat / Warmoth SRV Neck / SD SSD-1s
1956 Martin 0-15


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Oil on strings
Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 6:12 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Wed Apr 18, 2012 10:47 am
Posts: 1256
hey if you don't like the string squeaks from your fingers,,, (which is just PART of the territory) you could try flat-wound strings.....

they will not have the same tone, but you'll loose those finger squeaks...


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 15 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: