Anyone here use Fast Fret?

[SoCalSteve]

Does it help with a seemingly dry rosewood fretboard? When I bend strings on one my guitars it's like the strings don't want to move up and down, sort of like they stick. Any recommendations?

Thanks,
Steve

[MrHeavyMetal]

It's cool to use on the strings which it's basically designed to be applied to rather than the frets.

[casblah]

Personally I don't advise using it.Now unless they have changed their formula I remember reading something by Dan Erlewine or someone of that caliber who mentioned that something in it isn't good for the wood.
From my experience it creates build-up a lot quicker,for dry fretboards,(IMO),lemon oil is the best thing.

+1. I heard the same thing... Definately some lemon oil for a dry fretboard as John said..

[BlueSnMettle]

Yep, Lemon oil. If you have some build up, don't be afraid of getting some Qtips or cotton rag & putting some real elbow grease into it(strings off, of course), wipe off the excess & yer ready to go.

Peace,

Darrin

[LesStrat]

I use FastFret frequently.

[Grandor]

I find lubricants of that type shorten string life considerably and are ok for the first gig, but after that you need to change...

[MrHeavyMetal]

my hand sweat is highly corrosive. I usually destroy a set of strings after a couple days. Anybody else have this problem ?

[CronoDL]

My hands/fingers sweat a lot as well. After an hour or two, the most played parts of my strings will lose sound dull and look dull too. It was a *****. But I didn't have money to go change strings everyday, and I checked out GHS Fast-Fret on recommendation. I use it before and after everytime I play for an extended amount of time. It keeps the strings from getting sticky and nasty from sweat, and it keeps them sounding good too. I did have a problem when I first started using it, cause it made the strings slippery, but I quickly got used to it, and I haven't changed the strings on my Tele since the summer.

[dani]

i have real acidic body fluids. of the strings i've tried, my chemical make up tend to favor dr's over ghs, dean markley, ernie ball, d'addario, fender, plus a few others. i will normally wipe the strings down with naphta after playing followed by dr stringlife. before that, i simply used lemon oil.

[59paul]

I guess this is semi-related to this thread.
Anyway, here's an old school method I've used for years to remove build-up from Rosewood fretboards:

1st > Tape off your pickups with masking tape.
2nd > remove the strings from the Guitar.
3rd > Use some 0000 ( make sure it's 0000 !!!! ) steel wool, and briskly ( not harshly ) run it up and down the fretboard. ......wipe away the excess with a soft cloth.
4 > clean the fretboard with some regular Guitar cleaner.
5 > Use Pure Lemon oil on the fretboard. It won't require a lot. Just put some lemon oil on the fretboard, and work it in a bit with your finger. Be sure to hit every fret. ...Let it sit a short while, so the board can absorb the oil.
6 > Wipe away the excess with a CLEAN soft cloth.
7> take the tape off the pickups.
8 > re-string the Guitar.
**** You will now have a nice, clean fretboard, freshly replenished by the lemon oil, and the frets will be nicely shined. The tape will keep any fragments from the steel wool from sticking to or getting into your pickups.

I do this occassionally, depending on how heavily the Guitar has been used.
Every so often, when the fretboard is looking a little dry, I'll just lemon oil it, to keep it properly maintained. I also periodically check the set-up on the Instrument. .........................

[Imp]

i only clean the undersides of the strings with fast fret... i *sometimes* (4 times a year or whatever) use watered down vinegar on a dusting cloth (just so it feels damp to the touch, not sodden) and rub the fretboard. then, get some silicon-free furniture polish and put moisture back into the wood that way..

of course, maple fretboards need no such fanciness just clean the actual strings whenever they look dirty

[milkbone]

I have the same can(stick) of fast fret that I've been using for over 10 years! I don't use it all of the time but I do like the way it lubes up the strings. I also use lemon oil on the fretboard(ebony) everytime I change strings. As for the string bending, I like to use scotchbrite on my frets. Every so often when I change strings, I'll CAREFULLY!!!! take a small piece(Scotchbrite) and sqeeze it between my index finger and thumb and rub gently on each fret. If you don't feel comfortable, like your going to scratch your fret board, tape off each side of all of the frets. It'll shine up your frets and remove any gunk thats accumulated. This has always made string bending feel much easier!

[casblah]

I use FastFret frequently.

Try saying that 10x, real fast...

[rinse_master]

I have the same can(stick) of fast fret that I've been using for over 10 years!

Wow, from reading this thread I was wondering if mine is still ok, I've only had it a couple of years, plenty of life left yet!!!

I only use it on the strings, to try and get rid of the grime when I've been playing alot, for the fry fingerboard I use Lemon Oil.

[JammerMatt]

my hand sweat is highly corrosive. I usually destroy a set of strings after a couple days. Anybody else have this problem ?

Yes, and that's why I use the fast-fret or the related products. It extends the string life beyond one playing.

Also, and this is going to sound weird, I noticed that when I cut back on my coffee intake (especially espressos), it really seemed to help. Perhaps caffiene exacerbates the acidity problem. Just a thought. I'm no chemist.

[gordon_39422]

I use FastFret for my strings. It helps keep squeaking down and prolongs the life of the strings. Not to mention it keeps the strings from gunking up which slow down movement. For the fretboard, I use lemon oil and 0000 steel wool as most others have suggested, but i havent done it in a bout a year.

[Skarekrough]

I use Fast Fret on pretty much all my guitars, and do so pretty often. I've found contrary to others experiences that it actually lengthens the life of my strings. but then again I'm also one of those guys that wipe down their strings after each time I play. That'll help alot.

As far as fretboards go...I went through this a long while ago. Lemon Oil never really seemed to do anything all that worthwhile for the long-term; it'd get in there and dry up very quickly. I never saw why folks would even recommend it. Tried Linseed Oil with mostly the same results except that it smelled funny and I couldn't smoke cigarettes when I was using the stuff.

Years ago I picked up this stuff called Gurian Fingerboard Oil which was great. I had it forever until a move where it fell over in a box and got knocked around. After that I found this stuff called Guitar Honey what has been my go-to stuff for fretboards ever since. The stuff just imbeds itself in the wood and stays there. No muss, no mess and no funny smells.

Dunno about Dan Erlewine and his disdain for Fast Fret. I've heard the rumor of that before but never had it substantiated. I have a tendency to think that if there was a problem with the stuff then one of those Cretins with an actual 59' Les Paul would of sued Fat Fret out of existence by now for gunking up their Holy Grail.

But my kingdom for a thing of Fast fret in the old metal can. The plastic ones always seem to crack and fall apart in guitar cases.

[brownsound]

I clean my strings with isopropyl alchohol after playing. Put a small amount on a cotton rag and pinch the string with it. Run the rag like this the full length of the string. This cleans them nicely and avoids getting harsh drying agents on the fretboard.

[Zerberus]

Personally I don't advise using it.Now unless they have changed their formula I remember reading something by Dan Erlewine or someone of that caliber who mentioned that something in it isn't good for the wood.
From my experience it creates build-up a lot quicker,for dry fretboards,(IMO),lemon oil is the best thing.

I used to use it on my strings (not the board, lemon oil there), but Dan´s comment is the reason I stopped

[Stringer]

my hand sweat is highly corrosive. I usually destroy a set of strings after a couple days. Anybody else have this problem ?

Yep, I too eat strings. I try to wipe the strings down with a clean towel or t-shirt after/during every playing session, and keep one on my mic stand to wipe down during gigs and practices. Stretches useable life to a couple of weeks, but they'll still go dead, and I can't stand the feel or sound of dead strings (plus they don't intonate worth a damn). I've just resigned myself to changing strings regularly. My sweat also creates a funky residue on the back of the neck... I have to wipe it down all the time.

As for the lemon oil, it's good stuff, but like some have said, YOU DO NOT NEED THAT MUCH. Plus, your hand secretions have plenty of oil in them to help treat the wood, provided you are playing the instrument regularly.