Chat about Equipment Info
 #76211  by JonnyBoy
 
Hey Ya'll,

I wanted to be sure my guitar didn't have any adverse affects from using this, and it doesn't, but seeing as Fret Ease and Fast Fret are expensive and usually a trip to the music store, I found that baby oil, pure Non toxic mineral oil, works extremely well as a substitute and a huge bottle is 89 cents generic at the dollar general. The only thing , your hands and guitar have a hint smell of a baby's diaper. Before it's shit in at least. I have heard people say they use WD-40, :shock: but I know that stuff has got to be bad for you. If you can put baby oil on a baby, it should be safe to put on our hands. I find dampening a rag to apply and rub a drop or two on the fret fingers works as well, if not better. Thought I would pass on some money saving ideas during this economic crunch. :peas: Jboy
 #76217  by JonnyBoy
 
move faster . I see a difference in having less drag/friction. I did think that all this oil and such can act against you in a way by getting the strings magnetic to gunk. I do see some dirt come off when using the rag, but that may be metal oxidation? I dunno, I assumed that spray to be mineral oil anyway for too much money.
 #76218  by strumminsix
 
My tech says to use it by spraying it only on a rack and then lightly wipe the top of the strings.

He says it can damage the fingerboard but in reality many folks have used it for 30 years w/o ill effect.

There is another trick to revive old strings:
1 - cover your pickups and fingerboard (I used waxed paper)
2 - use a scotchbrite green kitchen and go over the strings a few times
3 - use 0000 quality steel wool to buff up the strings

I'm telling ya, I did that and WOW world of difference and the strings lasted forever...
 #76227  by mijknahs
 
I use Finger-Ease spray and it is not an oil. I believe it is silicon based. It evaporates dry - not oily. I like it when my stirngs feel grippy. I don't like oil on the strings. I think Fast-Fret is oil based.

Jim
Last edited by mijknahs on Mon Mar 22, 2010 1:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
 #76234  by JonnyBoy
 
4 ought steel wool, now that's a good idea. That wool is super soft and will take paint off of glass, buff like sand paper and super brighten any metal. I would probably get steel shavings all over my pickups, but I am sure it does a fine job if your careful. Good idea. I was reading some product blog about fret sprays in general, It seemed to boil down into personal preference, ie not liking an oily finish, or prefer the extra slick. He said the alcohol/silicone stuff cleaned the best overall for grime removal and string preservation. I've seen a few videos of Jerry and Bob using a spray of some sort, Radio City comes to mind with bob on his acoustic. On You tube the Rockaplast video of Althea in the 80's there is a can (of fret ease?) clearly sitting on top of Jerry's rig. Cool idea's.
 #76236  by strumminsix
 
JonnyBoy wrote: I would probably get steel shavings all over my pickups, but I am sure it does a fine job if your careful. Good idea.
Not my idea but happy to share it! Grab a roll of waxed paper from the grocery store and unroll about 3 feet, slide it between the strings and the fingerboard & pickups! No little shavings going anywhere but on top of the waxed paper (fingerboard) or huddled up on top of the waxed paper above the pickups! Easy peazy!
 #76238  by strumminsix
 
jdsmodulus wrote:Or you could buy new stings! :lol:
Asked that and he said just to move faster! Didn't the boys basically slight heavily finger-ease drenched guitars? Or was it just Bobby?
 #76262  by jeffm725
 
mijknahs wrote:I use Finger-Ease spray and it is not an oil. I believe it is silicon based. It evaporates dry - not oily. I like it when my stirngs feel grippy. I don't like oil on the strings. I think Fast-Fret is oil based.

Jim
+1 I have been using Finger Ease since 1983 ever since I saw both Jerry and Bobby with their own cans on top of their rigs...

I have heard that Fast fret can actually damage your fret board but that may just be urban myth