Using steel wool to clean up a rosewood board. What grade?

[Pierre]

000 or 0000? I'm not too sure. I can't find either in Edinburgh so I'll buy it here in the 'Dam.
I don't have my books and notes here with me... Should I apply the oil then use the steel wool, or wool first to clean up all the gunk then just condition it with the oil?

I used the oil as a cleaner before I must admit, but I didn't just apply it and left it there, I used a rag until there was no gunk left at all, then conditioned it lightly.

[Robert Delahunt]

000 or 0000? I'm not too sure. I can't find either in Edinburgh so I'll buy it here in the 'Dam.
I don't have my books and notes here with me... Should I apply the oil then use the steel wool, or wool first to clean up all the gunk then just condition it with the oil?

I used the oil as a cleaner before I must admit, but I didn't just apply it and left it there, I used a rag until there was no gunk left at all, then conditioned it lightly.

My opinion: use the 0000 (finest grain) and apply oil to fretboard.

[Tor]

Steel wool sounds brutal..... I can cope with an old credit card.

[bungalowbill]

4-0 and use it lightly with a little lemon oil.

[big_black]

Steel wool sounds brutal..... I can cope with an old credit card.

#0000 will actually make rosewood smooth as glass. It works really well.

[SeraphimTN]

I've used steel wool forever, works amazing with rubbing alchohol or lemon oil!

[Pierre]

Thanks guys. I wanted to use it years ago when I first started but I NEVER found 0000 grade in ANY tool shop be it in Edinburgh or Amsterdam. I just got back from looking today and came back with a soldering iron, some chocolate bars and a 12AX7 but didn't find no steel wool <_<

[Zerberus]

0000. Wool dry, naphtha swipes afterwards, then oil for conditioning. Much like hair actually, first wool + naphtha (shampoo), then Oil (conditioner)

Many hardware and paint supply stores in my area don´t stock it as well, but they can all special order it. In a pinch I´ll use 000 or it absolutely necessary 00, both are stocked by almost all the shops in my area.

The same applies to all unfinished fretboard woods, btw

[Pierre]

Dankesheoen my friend.

[Kivitel]

STEEL WOOL WILL LEAVE TINY PARTICLES OF STEEL ON YOUR GUITAR WHICH WILL MIGRATE ONTO THE POLES OF YOUR PICKUPS AND INTO YOUR POTS AND SCREW UP YOUR STUFF BELIEVE ME IT HAS HAPPENED.

[big_black]

STEEL WOOL WILL LEAVE TINY PARTICLES OF STEEL ON YOUR GUITAR WHICH WILL MIGRATE ONTO THE POLES OF YOUR PICKUPS AND INTO YOUR POTS AND SCREW UP YOUR STUFF BELIEVE ME IT HAS HAPPENED.

That's why we tape them off.

[Pierre]

I'm aware hehe... I had to point it out to a guitar shop in Paris yesterday. I'd put some masking tape on the pickups and over any holes.

[open]

[QUOTE=Zerberus;1317023]0000. Wool dry, naphtha swipes afterwards, then oil for conditioning. Much like hair actually, first wool + naphtha (shampoo), then Oil (conditioner)
QUOTE]

Ah!Ah!Ah! you crack me up,I hate to see your hair.
Anyway it was fun.


Like everybody said 0000 is a good choice.

Also tapping the pick-ups while cleaning the board will prevent you
to have to blow'em with compresed air.Which can damage the pick-up.

[shredaholic]

You shouldn't need to use an abrasive like steel wool anyway - a clean cloth and some FretDoctor or pure lemon oil should do the job completely adequately.

[Pierre]

It does so far. But with steel wool I'd also do the frets they're in need of some lovin' too.

[stratomaster]

0000 works real well, I've done it to all of mine. Its the first thing I do when I buy a used guitar.

[Tom M]

A big +1 to everything Zerb said. I've always found 0000 steel wool at Home Depot. I don't know if there's anything similar in Europe, though.

[ArtieToo]

Most importantly - buy a pair of those cheap latex/plastic dish-washing gloves. The first time I did this, I didn't, and ended up with a bunch of those microscopic metal splinters in my hand. You know, the kind where you bump your arm against something and it feels like someone jabbed you with a hot needle, but you need a magnifying glass to see the splinter.

[Pierre]

Wouldn't have thought of that :O You da man Art! Thanks a lot

[big_black]

If you have MANHANDS, you won't have to worry about those splinters.