D'Addario Lemon Oil

A simple, silicone-free way to clean and condition rosewood and ebony fretboards.

A dry, grimy fretboard is one of those things you don’t really notice until you clean one up and feel the difference under your fingers. D’Addario’s Lemon Oil is an easy way to get there. It’s a silicone-free cleaner and conditioner for unfinished fretboards, made at D’Addario’s facility in New York, and it does two jobs at once: it lifts off the dirt, grease, and gunk that build up between frets, and it conditions the wood so it doesn’t dry out.

That second part matters more than most players think, especially here in New England, where a dry winter can pull moisture out of a rosewood or ebony board faster than you’d expect. A board that’s been looked after tends to feel smoother, look richer, and stay healthier over the long haul, and this is one of the simplest ways to make that part of your regular string-change routine.

Just keep in mind that it’s meant for dark, unfinished woods like rosewood and ebony. It will darken lighter woods, so leave it off maple fretboards and anything with a finish on it.