Wow, no need to soak your bass in oil! A 100 ml bottle should last a lifetime.
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OMG. That awful jingle was still in my memory banks somewhere. Nothing short of a labotomy will remove it I guess.
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OK soak was a bad choice of words how about “absorb”
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I’ve got a Pau Ferro fingerboard too, and you are not kidding. I used some of that Dunlop lemon oil I got from the shop that sold me the bass, and now my fingerboard is much richer in color and less “dusty” feeling.
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Ok wood people @Barney @MC-Canadastan @Al1885 et al
It’s fretboard oiling night here.
I got to my Edwards E-Groover and went … hmmm.
Rock hard maple - maybe some sort of matte finish, maybe not. Don’t know. Back of neck and headstock are same “finish”.
So, what do I do? It’s not shiny. Wasn’t shiny. Oiling it seems wrong? I dunno.
Help please.
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Could have been just wet sanded and left raw. Doesn’t look stained at all. Seems strange though. Maybe a thinned down varnish too.
Did you buy it used? If the wood was left raw, it would pick up stains like no tomorrow.
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No this was brandy new from Japan.
I am assuming do nothing.
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Guess I should have Googled before asking…
Looks like my normal F1 oil works just fine…will see tomorrow.
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@Barney is your guy or @howard . I have seen rock hard maple left unfinished like that, but only on snooker and pool cues.
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I did find answer above, see video.
Non/citrus oil like F1.
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Sorry @John_E I’ve never cleaned an unfinished maple fretboard. But having watched the video it makes sense. Avoid anything with a scent i.e lemon oil or anything with a harsh chemical which may react with the wood.
You could try a test clean on just one part of the neck that you can’t see just to make sure you don’t get some odd reaction. But those Music Nomad guys seem to have their act together.
I’m surprized to see no finish at all. Even if it’s just a satin sealer coat. But hey those crazy Japanese 
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I love the F1 oil. Yeah I have a couple that has satin finish. If they look ok I just leave it. That inlay and binding looks great.
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Yup, my Marcus Miller Sire M2 was unfinished maple too, just soapy water on a damp cloth & buffed with a dry cloth 
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Normally, maple necks are always finished with a lacquer, a varnish or at least some kind of hard oil. An unfinished maple neck will become gray-ish very quickly.
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And the answer is…it’s sealed.
That’s some damn fine matte finishing if you ask me.
Well done ESP!
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I was going to say that to me it looks sealed.
You can verify that quickly by checking if the oil is absorbed.
Looks like a nice bass. Have you posted pics? I missed it if you did.
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If I were to gas after a a split p bass, an Edwards Groover would be on the shortlist along with FGN
I only say split P because I have a thing with single coil Ps.
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I remember it now. That’s a nice bass!
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