Black fingers, new Les Paul.

[Michael Roe]

This seems strange for a Gibson. I have had this happen with cheap guitars like Epiphones and others. I wasn't exactly sure what caused it. I think maybe it was the strings or it was a poor job from the factory at removing the grime after the frets were polished. I remember solving the issue by removing the factory strings, cleaning the fret board and replacing the strings with some good NYXL D'Addario's.

 

[V-man]

Nope, just guessing at possibilities based on a lifetime of woodworking experience.
Never even heard of fretboards bleeding color when played, have you?
Also never had garlic strings stain my fingers either, so I bow to your expertise on this matter.

I actually responded to you (as did mickey) that we used dye before and that‘s never happened to me/us.

I neither have something as cool as a lifetime of woodworking experience, or as random as a “lifetime of reactive strings,” but I have certainly experienced it, as has half the planet (as the internet makes it appear)



Sometimes it’s not about the degrees and expertise but simple practical experience.

Maybe it is some exotic “other,” but since nobody has suffered a dye issue and everybody (according to internet packaging) has suffered this fate from strings, I am going with Ocam and his razor.

 

[jeffb]

All of this points to reactivity to the strings. I have had black stains from strings before, usually the reaction w sweat and newer string giving off a faint “garlic” smell.

This.

Some strings are worse than others, but nearly every string type and brand I've tried (dozens) does this to me (or rather, I do it to the strings).

Though I've not experienced that particular odor, except when I make a pot of sauce and meatballs.

 

[Resident 217]

If its not steel string oxidation then that company has gone for shite?
Perhaps an ambitious store tech was trying to make it look better.
Good companies do not dye the ebony anymore but leave it natural.
I wouldn't buy one if makes the fingers black. That's just not right.

 

[NumbSkull]

My worst episode of blackfinger was when using a carbon fibre pick,
it took me a few days to realise it was the pick not the new strings.

 

[V-man]

My worst episode of blackfinger was when using a carbon fibre pick,
it took me a few days to realise it was the pick not the new strings.

Umm… Are you Michael Angelo Batio, perchance?

Usually [always] my picking hand is on the right and the one that interacts w the strings is my fretting hand on the left. Unless you fingerpick in and out with using a pick I would thing this mystery might have been solved a little quicker.

 

[V-man]

Though I've not experienced that particular odor, except when I make a pot of sauce and meatballs.

Clearly you need to step up your cooking game… and what else do you do between stirring for hours but pick up a finger-blackening guitar!

 

[NumbSkull]

Umm… Are you Michael Angelo Batio, perchance?

Usually [always] my picking hand is on the right and the one that interacts w the strings is my fretting hand on the left. Unless you fingerpick in and out with using a pick I would thing this mystery might have been solved a little quicker.

I thought it was the pick wearing off the coating on the strings, but the black dust was coming from the pick, not the strings.

 

[TXOldRedRocker]

You said "new", but not sure if a NEW guitar, or new to you? Even if new, could have been on display and played by others. I learned early on that dirt/dust and oily fingers embed some nasty stuff in the fretboard grain. Putting something like lemon oil on the board will loosen that stuff and it will come off on your fingers. When I receive a guitar, I'll oil the fretboard, with the strings off, and I use a toothbrush to get all that gunk up to the surface, and then scrub the fretboard with a lint-free clean cloth. Using lots of elbow grease.

 

[speyfly]

Nickel Silver will react to many things usually turning dark or even black.

"Sweat, sickness or a boozy weekend can all change your body chemistry causing silver to turn black"

I really don't think it's a dye problem, as mentioned earlier in this thread, remove the strings, use a good cleaner (I like Xenit) on the fb. If it's dye that's coming off you will know right away in the cleaning process.

 

[anitoli]

Nickel Silver will react to many things usually turning dark or even black.

"Sweat, sickness or a boozy weekend can all change your body chemistry causing silver to turn black"

I really don't think it a dye problem, as mentioned earlier in this thread, remove the strings, use a good cleaner (I like Xenit) on the fb. If it's dye that's coming off you will know right away in the cleaning process.

Bingo it's the nickel that is reacting to the higher pH levels in sweat, solvents, lubricants, finger board oils, ect.

 

[Edgar Frog]

I would avoid more oil since you've already oiled it. IMHO you just need to give the fretboard and frets a good buffing/wipe down with a nice dry rag (microfiber, terrycloth or the inside of a sock are my favorites) and do a restring with some brand new strings. Even though I never have an issue with the brand of strings I use turning my fingers black or even dirty at all I always do a quick dry wipe on them as well to get off any leftover oils/residue that may be on them anyways. I just pinch each string in the cloth and run it up and down once. Most all factory strings on new guitars are filthy for some reason, even if they are name brand. It makes me wonder where the hell they get them or store them.

 

[V-man]

”New” guitars get a light coat of oil on the board

Newly-acquired used guitars get a lighter fluid scrub, fret polish and oil.

 

[JeffMcLeod]

So far it sounds like you only half assed it.

lmao!

 

[giblesp]

It's open box old stock, '20. Very light signs of play. As in, could have been tried and sent back. Maybe because of the lower frets, which I actually really like.

The strings look like they've been barely touched, and sound super new BUT now I think of it, the case stank of metal strings. (If that makes sense)

Possibly, it's been sitting in a warehouse for a few years. Am going to try another clean of the fretboard, and put on new strings. Will check back in.

Thanks all.

 

[Kinkless Tetrode]

I'm with the others who say restring it and clean and oil it while the strings are off.

To clean it, put a little lighter fluid on a rag and wipe it down good. Just a little.

Or spray a little WD40 on a rag. Don't laugh, it is an excellent cleaning solution and it won't dry out the wood. It's not like your spraying it directly on. Just a little on a rag.

Follow that up with a regular fret board lemon oil and restring.

If you can't get the staining off your fingers, try hair shampoo. An ex GF who was a hair dresser said they use VO5 to remove excess hair dye. I have used it to clean my hands after a day working on a car. Washing your hair is a good way to get the grime out from under your fingernails after after a day in garage.

 

[Kinkless Tetrode]

And I have gotten grime off brand new strings before too. Sometimes a spot of rubbing alcohol on a cloth and wiping the length of each string is a good idea. The cloth will probably show grimed lines afterward.

 

[giblesp]

So took off the old strings, rubbed down the fretboard with D'arddio Lemon Oil and a microfibre cloth. Fresh strings.

Unfortunately, I'm still getting stained fingers. Less of it, but still an issue.

Guess they used dye on the fretboard. Another quirk of an otherwise superb instrument. Other issue is that the pickguard is bow shaped and loose.

Very surprising; my third Les Paul and have never seen nor heard of a dyed fretboard.

Plays and sounds amazing though. Really top notch guitar.

I'll write to Gibson, see what they have to say.

 

[DirtySteve]

I'll write to Gibson, see what they have to say.

That's probably the best idea.

 

[giblesp]

That's probably the best idea.

Gibson Europe can be a strange lot, not always very forthcoming!