Fret and fretboard Cleaning

[Lfalex v1.1]

Just looked at a pair of Ibanez hanging on my wall. One has had its frets professionally cleaned after some minor repair work on the fretboard. They're super sparkly. 

The other's frets are dull, and I've other basses that could do with a spruce-up, including a Warwick. 

 

So,  the question is; What products do you use to clean your frets and boards and what techniques do you employ?

Is it worth investing in a "professional" kit with templates? Are there any products to definitely avoid?

Wish me luck,  when I've settled on something I've got a lot of frets to clean!

Thanks in advance, Alex.

[Delberthot]

If the frets are tarnished then I usually tape off the fretboard with Frog Tape (not made from actual frogs) as it comes off easy without leaving a residue. I then lightly use 000 grade steel wool to go over the frets and shine them up.

Make sure that you either cover the magnets for the pickups or stay well away from them with the steel wool otherwise they'll end up covered in the little metal filings from the steel wool.

Alternatively you can buy a little template that goes over each individual fret but I prefer to do the whole fretboard at the same time

Edited July 19, 2021 by Delberthot

[PaulThePlug]

^

You can get a fret foil - credit card with a slot in... or cut an old reward / loyalty card in half and tape together a fret width apart! 😉

But i tend to masking tape the whole fretboard, (hint... run a length down each edge of the neck, then go across the fretboard on to these runs... whole lot easier when it comes to removing... pull of two strips and all the across strips come off!) Then Duraglit wadding or 0000 wire wool the frets... as mentioned mask the pickup magnets... If realy tarnished i apply a thin smear wipe of Autosol chrome cleaner (halfords) this dry's blackened... them 'mop off" with a dremel, or buff of with a micro fiber... honestly, old socks! great as you can get ya hand in... Then remove the tape then lemon oil if rose wood.

So Ibanez are like sheep? not Ibanezes or Ibanezez or Ibani...

Edited July 19, 2021 by PaulThePlug