Is Finger Ease bad for your guitar?

[scatman]

I tried some finger ease that a friend had on my fretboard and I hate it.

I am not sure if it is bad for the fretboard and wondered what everyone on here thought about it.

[AllroyPA]

I dont like it. Any thing oily on the frets just changes the feel for me. I know it's silicone, but oils are bad and can work against fret compression, so prob not a great product. Also IMO a bit unnecessary.

[marvar]

I dont like it. Any thing oily on the frets just changes the feel for me. I know it's silicone, but oils are bad and can work against fret compression, so prob not a great product. Also IMO a bit unnecessary.

+1 I don't believe it's necessary
I tried it a few times, and used it to clean my strings when I couldn't afford a new set, but I don't care for any "conditioner". Since those days, I have conditioned myself, to be able to play just about any guitar, no matter if it's set up to my preferences or not, as long as it will stay it tune.
I used know a guy that practically refused to play if he didn't have any to goop on his strings, and blamed any mistakes he made if he didn't have any!
If my fretboard becomes dried out (rarely) then I put a little mineral oil on the fretboard, letting it soak in a bit, and then vigorously rub it off.

[AllroyPA]

Oiling the board is another whole debate ... some swear never do it, some do it periodically.

[GoDrex]

I used it 25 years ago. Never noticed any ill effects.

[DLT]

I used it 25 years ago. Never noticed any ill effects.

Same here. That was the old formula (yellow can) and I still have 1/3 can of it left!

Finger Ease changed the formula and I could tell it was not quite as good as the old. I wrote to them about it and they said they changed it because of environmental issues.

The old stuff did not hurt my 77 Les Paul, the only guitar I owned at the time, one bit. We played places where fans would blow toward the stage and dry the neck sweat out making the strings drag. So all of us in the band used Finger Ease. If I gigged regularly again, I would probably use the new stuff.

Note: The trick is to use it sparingly and wipe a little off with a rag, spreading it out evenly.

[DankStar]

Same here. That was the old formula (yellow can) and I still have 1/3 can of it left!

Finger Ease changed the formula and I could tell it was not quite as good as the old. I wrote to them about it and they said they changed it because of environmental issues.

The old stuff did not hurt my 77 Les Paul, the only guitar I owned at the time, one bit. We played places where fans would blow toward the stage and dry the neck sweat out making the strings drag. So all of us in the band used Finger Ease. If I gigged regularly again, I would probably use the new stuff.

Note: The trick is to use it sparingly and wipe a little off with a rag, spreading it out evenly.

makes me wonder - do they still make the fast fret with the wooden handle and the carcinogen-soaked sponge on the end? that stuff was super slick, but smelled like tumors. if you didn't wipe it off with that little rag, it would eat away your callouses.

[beandip]

makes me wonder - do they still make the fast fret with the wooden handle and the carcinogen-soaked sponge on the end? that stuff was super slick, but smelled like tumors.

Yup, sure do. I know a couple of old school 'grassers that swear by it.

[Lazarus1140]

I doubt it, but it sure makes food taste bad.

[ErikH]

If I need to lube my strings during a show, I just wipe my forehead with my hand. Does the trick just perfectly.

I'll oil rosewood fretboards with some lemon oil if the guitars aren't played very often but maple I never oil, no need to even if it is unfinished or lightly finished.

[DLT]

If I need to lube my strings during a show, I just wipe my forehead with my hand. Does the trick just perfectly.

I'll oil rosewood fretboards with some lemon oil if the guitars aren't played very often but maple I never oil, no need to even if it is unfinished or lightly finished.

An old bluesman trick is touch you finger tips to the sides of your nose. Good place for body oil.

[ErikH]

An old bluesman trick is touch you finger tips to the sides of your nose. Good place for body oil.

Yes, another good place for umm, natural lubrication.....LOL.

I got the "wipe your brow" trick from Neal Schon. He talked about it in a guitar mag interview.

[super rad stuff]

Yes, another good place for umm, natural lubrication.....LOL.

I got the "wipe your brow" trick from Neal Schon. He talked about it in a guitar mag interview.

that, and he wipes his boards up with salami

[Zerberus]

Anything containing silicone has no business being used on or for that matter anywhere near a guitar. This includes Finger Ease, Armor-all, Lemon Pledge, and many other products.

[Boogie Bill]

I don't use Finger-Ease--tried it once back in the '60s, I think.

I DO use Dunlop 65 String Cleaner. Takes the dirt and corrosion off the strings, and leaves a light coating to further protect the strings.

I apply it to an old t-shirt rag, and then to the strings; wiping up any excess left on the fingerboard.

Good stuff!

Bill

[Empty Pockets]

i don't dig finger ease but i am frickin addicted to lemon oil

all of my rosewood necks look like ebony ever since i found out about lemon oil.

[astrozombie]

i don't dig finger ease but i am frickin addicted to lemon oil

all of my rosewood necks look like ebony ever since i found out about lemon oil.

biiiiiig +1

[DLT]

i don't dig finger ease but i am frickin addicted to lemon oil

all of my rosewood necks look like ebony ever since i found out about lemon oil.

EP,
I was criticized for using lemon oil on my fretboard.

They say Dunlop has a better fretboard dressing. Might be an additive in there to make it penetrate the wood better?

I have used Lemon Pledge on my 77 Les Paul to keep the fretboard clean and lubricated for years. Then about 8 years ago, I started using lemon oil in between string changes. No harm done to the fretboard.

[Zerberus]

EP,
I was criticized for using lemon oil on my fretboard.

By whom and why did you listen to him?

Luthiers have been using and recommending Lemon oil and Bore oil for hundreds of years now for good reasons. One of them being it´s stellar track record, another being because they´re much cheaper than alternatives that do the same thing (rosewood oil for example)... Why so many guitarists constantly feel the need for Home Depot luthierie or second guessing more experience than they could ever accumulate themselves will likely always be beyond my understanding. Most "fretboard cleaners" are nothing more than relabeled lemon or bore oil in a spritz bottle sold for 4x as much anyway... I`ve seen Vegetable oil, Vaseline, chapstick, and all sorts of other crap used... as well as the damage caused by them

I have used Lemon Pledge on my 77 Les Paul to keep the fretboard clean and lubricated for years. Then about 8 years ago, I started using lemon oil in between string changes. No harm done to the fretboard.

Lemon Pledge on a fretboard however is just asking for the next refret to cost 3-4x as much because it´s impossible to glue frets into slots that are saturated with silicone. This often results in a refret necessitating a fretboard and binding replacement as well as a refinishing of the neck to cover the fix up... after about 25 years, I would be prepared for any work on the neck to be expensive, though you may be one of the lucky ones

[AllroyPA]

EP,
I was criticized for using lemon oil on my fretboard.

They say Dunlop has a better fretboard dressing. Might be an additive in there to make it penetrate the wood better?

I have used Lemon Pledge on my 77 Les Paul to keep the fretboard clean and lubricated for years. Then about 8 years ago, I started using lemon oil in between string changes. No harm done to the fretboard.

Pledge is bad, and there's many resources you can search as to why ..
The wood wil absorb what it will absorb, no additive is going to make a difference.
It's IMPORTANT to keep oils out of the fret slots, so very light application (repeat if necessary).. you can ruin the compression that holds your frets in, that should be enough to convince you to be careful. Lemon oil should be applied wearing latex-gloves, I've heard it's bad if you ingest it, especially you nail biters !