Does GHS Fastfret do anything good/bad to the fretboard?

msplines

msplines

New member
I've got my eye on a LP studio with a rosewood fingerboard, but the guy who has it says he uses GHS fastfret religiously (no smutty jokes perleese!).
I've never used it myself - does it feed the wood like bore or lemon oil or can it cause harm or is it not an issue, it's supposed to make the strings last longer and the fingerboard "faster" = greasier perhaps??
Any direct experience with this would be welcome.
Ta
 
Re: Does GHS Fastfret do anything good/bad to the fretboard?

i personally didn't like it..made the strings more slippery but it got stickier as time passed...didn't like the feel at ALL...and the lint free cloth that came with it wasn't even lint free :rolleyes:

benji
 
Re: Does GHS Fastfret do anything good/bad to the fretboard?

i never liked it. again it made everything feel way too slick. I have been using something very cheap ... it's called NOSE GREASE. just run your fingers on the side of your nose and it'll lube your fingers just enough so it's not too slippery. i got this out of guitar world so i know it works. and it's free!!!
 
Re: Does GHS Fastfret do anything good/bad to the fretboard?

I like Fast Fret, but you can't leave it on there long. Just clean the strings and wipe it off. I wipe the fretboard with a clean cloth to make sure nothing stays on it.

It's meant for prolonging string life. Use a good fret treatment for the frets (like Dr. Duck's Axe Wax or something meant specifically for frets)

Jeff
 
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Re: Does GHS Fastfret do anything good/bad to the fretboard?

So it's only for frets and not the fingerboard then - this guitar probably has tons of this gunk on it, is it possible to remove it or will the grain be permanently blocked up thus preventing lemon oil from penetrating?
 
Re: Does GHS Fastfret do anything good/bad to the fretboard?

I saw this guy in a local country band that used a rag lightly soaked in WD40 on his Tele. Maple fretboard, so it wasn't too huge a deal, but I always got a kick out of it. I used to use Fastfret on my acoustic, trying to cut down on the squeeks. Worked so.so.
 
Re: Does GHS Fastfret do anything good/bad to the fretboard?

skyydogg01 said:
i never liked it. again it made everything feel way too slick. I have been using something very cheap ... it's called NOSE GREASE. just run your fingers on the side of your nose and it'll lube your fingers just enough so it's not too slippery. i got this out of guitar world so i know it works. and it's free!!!
Click to expand...

Funny, you never see "fingerboard lubricated with my nose grease" when people sell their guitar on Ebay. I wonder why...
 
Re: Does GHS Fastfret do anything good/bad to the fretboard?

msplines said:
So it's only for frets and not the fingerboard then - this guitar probably has tons of this gunk on it, is it possible to remove it or will the grain be permanently blocked up thus preventing lemon oil from penetrating?
Click to expand...


Get Dan Erlewine's book (Guitar Players Repair Guide). He goes over step-by-step how to clean the fretboard, polish the frets, etc. It's well worth the money. Go the www.stewmac.com or www.JKLutherie.com. You can order it there. Borders might have it too.

Jeff
 
Re: Does GHS Fastfret do anything good/bad to the fretboard?

I use Fast Fret occassionally it has never caused me a problem. I just wipe it on the strings quick and wipe it off well. I've never use it on a fret board directly I use Dunlop or Gibson ffretboard conditioner usually.
 
Re: Does GHS Fastfret do anything good/bad to the fretboard?

OK thanks people, I guess it won't be too hard to remove using standard techniques, I'll let you know if it turns bad.
As for the sebal secretions lube fan club, who nose what might happen - maple fretboard with blackheads - eeeeuw, dude!!!
 
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Re: what is fast fret?

Re: what is fast fret?

Fast fret is a kind of oily stuff that comes in a special stick-thing... it's a bit like a rag soaked in the stuff, you run it up and down the strings and quickly over the frets, and it gives the whole set up a bloody good clean. Gets rid of all the fingersh*t that can accumulate...

I don't like the slippery feel to fast fret, but I can't deny it makes a HUGE difference to the guitar's sound, especially acoustic guitars - the strings stop sounding dull and are much more like new. I use it on my guitars every couple of months and then wipe it off THOROUGHLY with the canary-yellow tshirt my gran bought me in florida once... :fing25: so it's not slippy but the strings sound better. A stick should cost about $10, but u save way more than that on the new strings u dont have to buy. Hope this helps!

Jsr
 
Re: Does GHS Fastfret do anything good/bad to the fretboard?

Fast Fret used to contain alot of silicone and probably still does. Silicone soaks into the wood and makes it very difficult to refinish that wood because the new finish won't stick to the silicone. But that's about the only big negative that comes to mind. You should never use a silicone based polish on really fine furniture or musical instruments...but many people do. Pledge used to contain silicone...probably still does. Lew
 
Re: Does GHS Fastfret do anything good/bad to the fretboard?

I used Fast Fret for a while on my 96 LP Standard. I think I was over-zealous with it, or just not careful enough after gigs, but the finish on the guitar has dulled in the area where the fingerboard overlaps the body (between the toggle switch and the fingerboard). I can't think what would have caused this other than the Fast Fret. I didn't really get any benefit from using it. I just use a lint-free cloth now, and change strings regularly. If you do use it, be careful on guitar finishes!
 
Re: Does GHS Fastfret do anything good/bad to the fretboard?

Lewguitar said:
Fast Fret used to contain alot of silicone and probably still does. Silicone soaks into the wood and makes it very difficult to refinish that wood because the new finish won't stick to the silicone. But that's about the only big negative that comes to mind. You should never use a silicone based polish on really fine furniture or musical instruments...but many people do. Pledge used to contain silicone...probably still does. Lew
Click to expand...

I gotta ask this....because I'm always leery of warnings like this...

Exactly....how much FastFret is too much? I'm down with your reasoning; per my knowledge about physics and wood it makes sense.

But Fast Fret generally is a very small dose of a liquid in there, and most normal folks I know of just use the applicator on the strings, not the whole neck.

On something like a Les Paul with a rosewood fretboard and binding n top between it and the finish, even if the application is heavy, does it really matter?
 
Re: Does GHS Fastfret do anything good/bad to the fretboard?

I don't think fast fret affects the existing finish as much as it affects the ability to refinish...it makes refinishing a little more difficult. But there are cures for that too to netralize the effect of the silicone. If you like fast fret just go ahead and use it. (I wouldn't...but so what?) But if its something that you really find useful I'd just use it and not worry about it.
 
Re: Does GHS Fastfret do anything good/bad to the fretboard?

I use a particularly potent concoction of lemon oil and epoxy something or another that my luthier made up for me without using silicone. Lew is right, silicone-based lubricants can pose refinishing problems in the future. I've also heard from a couple of guitar techs in the area that it damages the fretboard over time but I'm not too sure about that.

Any Australians out here - Call on John Davis at theguitarrepairers.com and ask for 'Uncle John's Famous String Goo'. I guarantee you won't be disappointed with his workmanship or his goo... it stays lubed and protects the strings from excessive deterioration without the stickiness!!!
 
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