Black fingers, new Les Paul.

[DirtySteve]

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

I've been watching this thread and it all seems very strange. I just can't imagine Gibson would use dyes and I didn't have any ideas that weren't already mentioned. I sincerely hope you can get it sorted out.

 

[StrummerJoe]

Lemon oil is just plain Mineral Oil with color and scent added. Save yourself some money.


I would wipe down with Naphtha first, then condition the board.

Naphtha is just Zippo lighter fluid.

 

[giblesp]

What I'm concerned with is how to fretboard is going to look, if the dye continues to come off.

This really shouldn't be a concern with a Gibson guitar. Or any guitar at this price point.

Soap and water alone doesn't get the dye off my fingers, and I don't want to stain my other guitars.

 

[fitz]

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.

So..., not from the strings?
You're still getting black fingers from just the fretboard?

I would wipe down with Naphtha first, then condition the board.

Naphtha is just Zippo lighter fluid.

^^^ This. ^^^

What I'm concerned with is how to fretboard is going to look, if the dye continues to come off.

If some kind of coloration is coming off, they may have just used too much.
Clean it with a mild solvent so it stops staining your fingers, then put some conditioner on and let it rest for a day - It'll look fine.

 

[giblesp]

Definitely not the strings.

I'll wait to hear back from Gibson, and post here what they say.

Will try Zippo fluid, followed by conditioner. Cheers.

 

[StrummerJoe]

What I'm concerned with is how to fretboard is going to look, if the dye continues to come off.

This really shouldn't be a concern with a Gibson guitar. Or any guitar at this price point.

Soap and water alone doesn't get the dye off my fingers, and I don't want to stain my other guitars.

Clean your fingers with naphtha or alcohol.

I prefer Everclear or Clear Springs 190 or 191 proof. Works great for dissolving shellac, that's *why* I have some around. Some people use denatured alcohol, but you can't drink that.

 

[anitoli]

Just played a nylon string flanenco ax for a bit. Strings were gummy so i cleaned them with dunlop string conditioner and my fingies are black. The FB on this ax isnt dyed.

 

[DirtySteve]

If it was mine I might would even go as far as scraping the fretboard, steel wool, then reoil. But that's me and I've scraped several FBs over the years so I'm not scared of it.

 

[jeffb]

I wipe my strings down every time I play- doesn't matter if I use cleaners or micro fiber cloths: my fingers still turn black after I play.

If it was a dye, the fingerboard would show the results-is it getting lighter and streaky? Especially in areas of higher use? There cannot be enough dye soaked into the wood to still appear dry and continue to tarnish your fingers time after time.

get a clean cloth and wipe your strings down in the pickup/bridge area only, after you play and see what happens.

 

[giblesp]

I wipe my strings down every time I play- doesn't matter if I use cleaners or micro fiber cloths: my fingers still turn black after I play.

If it was a dye, the fingerboard would show the results-is it getting lighter and streaky? Especially in areas of higher use? There cannot be enough dye soaked into the wood to still appear dry and continue to tarnish your fingers time after time.

get a clean cloth and wipe your strings down in the pickup/bridge area only, after you play and see what happens.

Hardly been played in yet. Being a bit paranoid, but what I don't want is dodgy looking streaks a few years later, with Gibson customer service claiming 'its just the fretboard wearing in like the nitro,' or some nonsense.

 

[Edgar Frog]

I wouldn't be doing anymore fretboard conditioning. IMHO you're just going to over saturate the board, let it breath and break in naturally for awhile. All I'd be doing at this point for probably 6 months at least or even a year is what I'd do, is dry rub it with a cloth during string changes. I wouldn't be going overboard with it and possibly causing other issues. I only condition my boards once a year, IMHO there's no reason to do it anymore than that. I don't use any string conditioners or anything else that would get wet or oily crap on the board either.

 

[kysrsoze]

I really don’t think you have to worry about the fretboard losing all its color. I have an ‘09 LP Studio with an ebony fretboard. I got black fingers on and off for months - probably due to humidity differences and sweating. To this day, the fretboard is still solidly black.

 

[aikiguy]

I’ve had several of my guitars give me black fingers.I’ve always assumed it was a result of any “machining” process that may have been used in the construction of the instrument. I had never considered dye or oils on the fretboard, but that does make sense. Coincidentally, I hate the look of a maple fretboard so I only use dark wood fretboards, Rosewood, Jatoba, etc.

My experience however is that I just wash my hands, and eventually the problem goes away. Maybe a string change will help. I’m not a guy that worries about keeping my guitars clean and shiny, but I’ve never ruined the finish of another guitar as a result of this.

 

[anitoli]

The answer to this question is staring you guys in the face. While nickel will oxidize in high humidity silver will oxidize in regular humidity levels. It reacts with o2 and creates a black compound called silver sulfide. Both of these metals will stain your fingers. You sweat is slightly acidic and act as a solvent to remove these particles from the nickel outer wrap and if equipped the nickel silver frets. Its not the finger board doing this. The guitars i have that do this the least are the ones with stainless steel frets.......

 

[giblesp]

Update; seems to be a lot less now. 2hr session last night, very minimal black on fingers.

Guitar still smells like it's just been made, not nitro but a factory smell.

Maybe residue from manufacturing. Cleaned her thoroughly, vacuumed the case.

Rocking on.

 

[anitoli]

My LP trad is the biggest offender for black finger. Every string change i clean and condition the fret board with Dunlop Fingerboard Prep and conditioner, fit a new set of Dunlop Nickel wound strings and my fingers will be black. Every single time. Guitars with stainless frets the strings still do it some what but not as much as the ones with the nickel silver frets. Now i am assuming there must be different mixture ratios for the silver and nickel in the fret wire. This may be why my LP trad gets my fingers more black than my LPC.

 

[Edgar Frog]

My LP trad is the biggest offender for black finger. Every string change i clean and condition the fret board with Dunlop Fingerboard Prep and conditioner, fit a new set of Dunlop Nickel wound strings and my fingers will be black. Every single time. Guitars with stainless frets the strings still do it some what but not as much as the ones with the nickel silver frets. Now i am assuming there must be different mixture ratios for the silver and nickel in the fret wire. This may be why my LP trad gets my fingers more black than my LPC.

I've never had my fingers turn black from nickel/silver frets or nickel strings. Only on brand new guitars with grungy factory strings and dirty boards. Once the board is cleaned/conditioned and frets wiped down good and a new set of EB Slinky's, no more black fingers ever after that.

 

[giblesp]

I've never had my fingers turn black from nickel/silver frets or nickel strings. Only on brand new guitars with grungy factory strings and dirty boards. Once the board is cleaned/conditioned and frets wiped down good and a new set of EB Slinky's, no more black fingers ever after that.

Yeah, that seems to apply to me also. Still slight black residue, but loads less.

Looks like the board wasn't cleaned before the factory, and/or an excess amount of dye was coming off.

Get the impression Gibson employees, are under pressure to work as quickly as possible.

 

[Dogs of Doom]

my fingers turn orange when I eat Cheetos™... ...

 

[giblesp]

Got a reply from Gibson...

"Very strange situation. Normally, this could be caused because of the original strings ( factory fitted) because they have a kind of ant-oxidation oil protection. But normally after a while this is disappeared"

I've asked if dye is used on the fretboard, be interesting to know.