Linseed oil for necks? Will this work?

[MartinBarre]

Dan Erelwine recommends using raw linseed oil to lube necks, but the local craft shop I tried had no idea what the right kind would be. Actually, they looked at me as if I was a lunatic.
So, trusty eBay to the rescue. Will this stuff work alright? I'm a bit worried it will be slightly the wrong type and the neck will disintegrate or explode or something utterly crazy like that.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/LARGE-RUSTINS-...QQcmdZViewItem

[Bengal65]

Yep, but you got to have a Cricket Bat! It will work fine, although I prefer Gunstock Oil.

Cheers!

[MartinBarre]

Thanks mate. I thought it would work but it's a bit scary trying something like that on something you love.
I'll try it first on the really cheap bass I got recently. That thing has an unbelievable dry neck anyway so it could do with it.

[missionguitars1]

I assume this is on an unfinished, all-maple neck, not just a rosewood fretboard?

If so, gunstock oil (aka "Tru Oil") is great, but it will fill pores and leave you with a slick, almost lacquer finish. If you like the "au naturel" fell of the wood, I have used something slightly different than linseed oil (Watco Danish Oil - natural) on raw maple necks with good results...

[dg]

Are you referring to the fretboard or the back of an unfinished neck? I'm guessing you mean fretboard. Erlewine recommends raw linseed oil for fretboards in his book, but strangely enough he used Stewmac fretboard conditioner in his video. Most people avoid raw linseed oil, because it can get gummy & sticky over time if you aren't really careful with it. Erlewine is a guru, but not too many other people recommend raw linseed oil for use on guitars. It's mainly used to keep paint brushes soft, and sometimes used on outdoor wood (like chopping blocks or fence posts) to keep it from drying & cracking. Some people use boiled linseed oil, but there are better options. More info on linseed oil:

http://www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/infxtra/inflin.html

For fretboards (rosewood & ebony, not maple), most people use lemon oil or fretboard conditioners made by a few different companies. Lately a lot of people rave about Fret Doctor, which is a bore oil originally used on clarinets & other woodwind instruments. They found out it works great on fretboards & now sell it for that purpose:

http://www.beafifer.com/boredoctor.htm

[MartinBarre]

yeah I was meaning the fretboard, which on all my guitars is rosewood.
I ordered that linseed oil, I'll give it a go, using it sparingly!

[Dreamland_Rebel]

you're better off with Boiled Linseed oil. not raw. and you only want to let it sit for 5 mins then wipe it off and buff out. this keeps it from getting gunky.

i like it better than danish oil because it has vitually no tint to it and doesn't take all night to dry. and most danish oils have some kind of dyes or tinting agents and i prefer a more natural looking maple neck.

Tru Oil or gunstock oil is a better protectant or harder finish, but also has more of a laquor feel to it. (only use gunstock oil on all maple necks - not recommended for rosewood.)

the nice thing about boiled linseed oil is that its cheap, and works great on both raw maple, rosewood, and ebony. just remember on for 5 mins and wipe right off. protects the back of the neck great, and conditions the fretboard just right.

i've also heard great things about Bore-oil. but never used it myself.

[MartinBarre]

Dan Erlewine says NOT to use boiled linseed oil in his book. I suppose there's no "right and wrong" here, everyone has their own favourite way. The main thing is, as long as it doesn't actually do any damage, I should just try different things and find my own favourite.
I'll give this stuff a go first and see how it is.

[nhspike]

+1 on boiled linseed oil for years and years on rosewood/ebony
back of maple necks too
lemon oil to clean

[straycat]

Tru-oil is all I'll use.Great results.

[DonP]

http://www.beafifer.com/boredoctor.htm

This is the only stuff I use.

I've had Dan work on a couple of my guitars, but the general concensous on the Les Paul forum is that raw linseed might rot or get moldy. Go very easy if you do use it.

[sully]

gunstock oil on the back, boiled linseed on the fretboards. lemon oil on fretboards if i don't feel like getting linseed oil. i view lemon oil as okay in a pinch, but not something i'd use all the time. as far as the lacquer like feel of gunstock oil, you can knock the sheen off of it with some steel wool. that stuff feels great.

sully

[Shotgun]

I use lemon oil on ebony/rosewood fretboards, and linseed on raw maple. Have to look at the can, don't remember if it is boiled or raw. Raw, I think. Might just be the can I got, but that stuff stinks something awful to me (the linseed).

Keith

[JACKSONFREAK]

I use furniture grade lemon oil on the raw necks. and on the unfinished maple and rosewood, ebony boards. No problems. The Warwick bees wax is good too.doesnt linseed oil get tacky? My dad put some on the front door of the house and it got all sticky and tacky and yucky. still is a bit tacky too after 30 years. Maybe it was just a bad batch or something. My dad was a carpenter for over 50 years and knew how to do this stuff. So i guess im just curious.
Gil

[SeventhSon]

Are you referring to the fretboard or the back of an unfinished neck? I'm guessing you mean fretboard. Erlewine recommends raw linseed oil for fretboards in his book, but strangely enough he used Stewmac fretboard conditioner in his video. Most people avoid raw linseed oil, because it can get gummy & sticky over time if you aren't really careful with it. Erlewine is a guru, but not too many other people recommend raw linseed oil for use on guitars. It's mainly used to keep paint brushes soft, and sometimes used on outdoor wood (like chopping blocks or fence posts) to keep it from drying & cracking. Some people use boiled linseed oil, but there are better options. More info on linseed oil:

http://www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/infxtra/inflin.html

For fretboards (rosewood & ebony, not maple), most people use lemon oil or fretboard conditioners made by a few different companies. Lately a lot of people rave about Fret Doctor, which is a bore oil originally used on clarinets & other woodwind instruments. They found out it works great on fretboards & now sell it for that purpose:

http://www.beafifer.com/boredoctor.htm

Fret Doctor is indeed awesome...