Why does my fretboard look like this?

fronobulax

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"Gorgomyte" raises it's ugly head again. I use it now, but still would like more information on it. It really does a good job on the frets and board.

Ralph

I didn't understand your question and why you thought to ask it here. So the Snark won and I started searching. But the Snark loses because what I found is that a) No one really knows the ingredients except that coconut oil was added "recently" (as of 2010) and b) Some people think it is a re-branded version of some other product of which I think "Miracle Cloth" was mentioned most often. The fact that I could not find ingredients on http://www.gorgomyte.com/ lends some credence to the possibility it is a re-branding.
 

F312

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I didn't understand your question and why you thought to ask it here. So the Snark won and I started searching. But the Snark loses because what I found is that a) No one really knows the ingredients except that coconut oil was added "recently" (as of 2010) and b) Some people think it is a re-branded version of some other product of which I think "Miracle Cloth" was mentioned most often. The fact that I could not find ingredients on http://www.gorgomyte.com/ lends some credence to the possibility it is a re-branding.

That is all I know about it as well, mentioned in past threads. I must say, I would look into this product, unless you are the skeptical/oldway type.

Ralph
 

Antney

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Thanks for your input. So my questions become:

how could this be wear? The discoloration is right up against the nut and fret...the string doesn’t come in contact with that area? Could it be a chemical reaction? If so why only on the first 5 frets, I play all over the fretboard?

the bridge is ebony, or so I think. I thought these d50s were specced with matching wood for the bridge and fretboard? Did guild stain other woods to appear to be ebony? Could this be at all related to coated strings?
5281E5D7-A76D-4C70-B741-CE9620FEF48A.jpeg
 

Stuball48

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Could be coated strings and their closeness to fretboard - vibration rub?
And are the nut slits on that particular guitar cut a little deep?
 

Antney

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I don’t know if the nut is cut too deep. As far as I know it’s the original nut from 1993. The guitar plays fine and the action is spot on
 

GAD

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I’ve used Elixer Nanoweb coated strings for 12+ years and never had an issue.

If they were causing damage it would be widespread common knowledge.
 

GAD

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How have you stored the guitar? Do you treat the freyboard?
 

Velvet Phelts

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Just curious, what kind of care has been taken? Has this guitar ever seen a case? Regular cleaning, stringing, and fretboard conditioning?
 

davismanLV

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First thing I'd do is run some 0000 steel wool over it up and down and get it good with that, then wipe it down with a damp cotton cloth and get the dust and debris off and dry it. See what it looks like, and then put some type of conditioner on it (I use Bore Oil) sparingly, let it sit for a few minutes, and then buff it with a dry cloth. THEN, I'd see what it looks like. At that point it may look way better and you'll forget there was a problem. It needs cleaning and conditioning anyway, so let that happen and be a kind of diagnostic tool as well. Could you try that and take another photo?
 

DThomasC

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Are you sure the lighter brown isn't the original color while the black is the color attained after years of playing? The sweat from my fingers causes some woods to turn black... Honestly, that fingerboard doesn't look like ebony to me. It's not the color that makes me think that, but the visible grain.

I would do as others have suggested: clean it well with 0000 steel wool. You might add a small amount of oil, but I'm not convinced that oil is good for fretboards.
 

kakerlak

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This is definitely not wearing through a dye, or the colors would be opposite. All the finger-touching spots are dark, so whatever's happening is causing darkening, not lightening. Could, I suppose, be finger oils keeping the board from drying where they touch while the untouched areas lighten up. But yeah, give it a light rub down with 0000 and throw some oil on it next string change and see what happens.
 

davismanLV

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Hey bro!!! I think I solved the mystery!! I hobbled with my boot out to the living room and grabbed my Washburn a/e and brought it in cuz it's in a really super LOW tuning (joni) and as I was looking at it..... I thought "Holy crap!! This looks like Antney's board!! Maybe not as severe. But the rosewood (the only guitar I have with rosewood board and bridge) looked like what you're talking about. It gets really dark and then these light bits show up and not exactly where I play at all!! So look at this.....
Rosewood board.jpg

And then THIS!!
:sneaky:
rosewood board2.JPG


So what i think is that you've got a rosewood board that's just gotten old like mine and it's lightened up in spots a bit. i'm gonna change the strings on this old favorite and when I do I always enjoy the rosewood bridge and fretboard flare up with beautiful grain!! It's so pretty. No it's not ebony..... but you've got a rosewood board that's gotten old and needs a bit of attention. What do you think?? Maybe it's just OLD ROSEWOOD!!! Or I'm old Sylvia and need to get on to the home or such...... :sneaky:
 

beecee

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Well, I guess it depends on your definition of "high end". There are some crazy expensive sets out there, but I wanted a nice one and of course that turned into an adventure. From the early days of my blogging (2010) when I couldn't decide what to write about: https://www.gad.net/Blog/2010/06/20/house-of-staunton-collector-series-luxury-chess-set/

All three of these pieces are ebony:

B0Z0061_800.jpg


That's also when I discovered that all of their "high end" chess sets are mass-produced in India, have no real constancy between sets, and like most "luxury" goods these days are really nothing of the sort. In the end I still like the set, but I had to fight a bit to get what I paid for.
I read that a while back. Got me looking for a set for camp. Ended up with a nice Lardy set...not top end but nicely weighted and around 40 years old.
 
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