Steel wool on the maple fingerboard?

[SamBooka]

I have an early 80s fender neck (one piece maple)

I have heard of people taking steel wool to give the back of the neck a satin finish. Anyone do it on the fingerboard?

I find bending on the neck would be smoother with either a less tacky finish or larger frets...

just wondering.

[GA20T]

or 2000+ grit automotive paper, or:

[walterw]

this is an early '80s USA neck?

If so, don't wreck it with steel wool! Larger frets is the real answer.

[mc5nrg]

Do it to all my maple board guitars.

[filtersweep]

How long have you owned the guitar? I had an early 80s Strat, and the neck finish wore off in just a few years-- mostly on the right edge. I sold it a few years ago- it looked reliced at the time. I guess my question is why you are digging into the fretboard so much when you are bending? I just don't see how anyone can get any decent vibrato on a bend if they are into the wood, but maybe that is just me....

I don't recall the frets being that low on that guitar. I used fast fret on it at the time.

[Rockledge]

I do it to mine, I 0000 all of my guitars in order to keep the fingerboard clean and keep the frets from grooving, I do the whole thing frets and all.
But I am not a collector and I am concerned about how they play and keeping them maintained for performance purposes, I have no concern about their future value.
Their entire value to me is as tools.

One thing... keep your fingernails trimmed. Fingernails ruin fretboards.

[Chris Scott]

Originally Posted by walterw

this is an early '80s USA neck?

If so, don't wreck it with steel wool! Larger frets is the real answer.

Agree.

Steel wool isn't the answer, elevating your fingertips is.

Especially on the fingerboard.

[SamBooka]

Yeah.. it is an 81 neck.. (fender lead I.. )

Fingerease just doesnt cut it.

I can put new frets in ..but not right away ($$$)

If I dont like the steel wool effect why cant I just buff it out?

[Old Tele man]

...steel wool "sheds" which get attracted/stuck to the pickups' pole magnets = NO! NO!

[jefesq]

use bronze wool instead to avoid this ^

[Rockledge]

Originally Posted by Old Tele man

...steel wool "sheds" which get attracted/stuck to the pickups' pole magnets = NO! NO!

That is no problem. You just cover them up.
I have been steel wooling fretboards for decades and not once have had it be a problem with pickups.
Not a big deal to shove a shop cloth between the strings and pickups.
It is worth it to me to have nice smooth frets all the time, and my frets never groove. I think that is mostly because the frets are so polished all the time that a groove never gets a good start.

[bluesjunior]

Originally Posted by Rockledge

That is no problem. You just cover them up.
I have been steel wooling fretboards for decades and not once have had it be a problem with pickups.
Not a big deal to shove a shop cloth between the strings and pickups.
It is worth it to me to have nice smooth frets all the time, and my frets never groove. I think that is mostly because the frets are so polished all the time that a groove never gets a good start.

Even better if you wrap a small magnet inside the cloth, ensures that any steel dust stays in the cloth until after it is removed.

[Rob Sharer]

Originally Posted by Rockledge

I do it to mine, I 0000 all of my guitars in order to keep the fingerboard clean and keep the frets from grooving, I do the whole thing frets and all.

Okay, I'll bite....

How exactly does steel wool keep the frets from acquiring grooves?



Rob

[m-m-m]

Keel?

keel1    [keel]
noun
1.Nautical . a central fore-and-aft structural member in the bottom of a hull, extending from the stem to the sternpost and having the floors or frames attached to it, usually at right angles: sometimes projecting from the bottom of the hull to provide stability.
2.Literary . a ship or boat.
3.a part corresponding to a ship's keel in some other structure, as in a dirigible balloon.
4.( initial capital letter ) Astronomy . the constellation Carina.
5.Botany, Zoology . a longitudinal ridge, as on a leaf or bone; a carina.

ohhh ... further down the page ....

verb (used with object), verb (used without object)
7.to turn or upset so as to bring the wrong side or part uppermost.

Umm ... I guess that's what you mean .... I'm a product of Indiana public schools, so you'll have to keep the speach a bit more common, Shakespaere!


I love the bonk

I use steel wool from time to time on my frets - if I'm doing a maple board I tend to tape off the neck. The steel wool will polish them, and remove the gunk, tarnish and give 'em a nice shine. Sometimes after polishing some pitted frets it will appear that the frets are more even .... but it could just be an illusion. IOW, the tarnish could have been highlighting the valleys in the frets. I'd love to see somebody make a strong case, either way, about this. I've always wondered if it helps ...

[Rockledge]

Originally Posted by Rob Sharer

Okay, I'll bite....

How exactly does steel wool keel the frets from acquiring grooves?



Rob

I think it keeps them smoothe. Keeps them very polished and slick so the strings are less likely to dig in.
Once you get the very small beginnings of a groove the string will gravitate to that groove. If you keep them polished even if you don't polish the groove out you knock the edges of it down and the string slides in and out of it rather than staying in it and grinding it down even more.
At least I believe that is why it is. I know that I have little problems with grooves. I have an acoustic I have had since 1979 that was over 10 years old when I got it, and I haven't had to refret it yet.
Granted I have a very light touch and always have had, but I play my guitars a great deal, I gig a lot and at times spend a lot of time in the studio.

Also, even if polishing the frets didn't help with grooving I would still do it, because it keeps the fretboard nice and clean as well as keeping the frets from discoloring and keeps them feeling new.
On laquored fretboards I don't bear down on the fretboard with the steel wool, but then again you don't really need to to clean them. Any accumulating gunk normally comes off of them far easier than on unfinished boards.


Also, I like guitars that look and feel new. I try very hard to keep my instruments clean and upkept looking ( as opposed to the whole "roadworn" fad).
Not that mine show no wear, as I say I gig a lot and they get their share of whacks in them. But I touch them up and do things like clean the bridges and tailpieces and all that when I do routine maintanance on them.