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Thread: What's the best way to dust my fretboard?

  1. #1

    Default What's the best way to dust my fretboard?

    I live in an apartment near a freeway, and there's a lot of dust. I leave my mandolin (and my guitar) on stands rather than in their cases, and they get dusty. I don't know how to dust underneath the mandolin strings on the fretboard. Does anyone have any cool tools or ribbons or something to dust the fretboard? I've tried Q-tips but they don't work very well.

  2. #2

    Default Re: What's the best way to dust my fretboard?

    I use a medium sized paint/artist brush, I’ve also used a woman’s makeup brush the kind they use for putting on their blush. Both are pretty soft bristled.

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  4. #3
    Kelley Mandolins Skip Kelley's Avatar
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    Default Re: What's the best way to dust my fretboard?

    Just take a rag and slide it between the frets and the strings.

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    Mando accumulator allenhopkins's Avatar
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    Default Re: What's the best way to dust my fretboard?

    Not to be a smarta*s, but I'd keep 'em in their cases. For reasons including, but not limited to, dust protection.

    You can find at a general music store, a variety of soft-bristled tools for use on woodwinds' bores. I would expect something like that would work.
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  8. #5

    Default Re: What's the best way to dust my fretboard?

    Quote Originally Posted by 707erich View Post
    I use a medium sized paint/artist brush, I’ve also used a woman’s makeup brush the kind they use for putting on their blush. Both are pretty soft bristled.
    Hi Erich!! I will buy one of those makeup brushes. I don't use blush, but this sounds so easy!

    Thank you so much!

    Stringalong

  9. #6
    Registered User j4music's Avatar
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    Default Re: What's the best way to dust my fretboard?

    Paint brush.

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  11. #7

    Default Re: What's the best way to dust my fretboard?

    Quote Originally Posted by Skip Kelley View Post
    Just take a rag and slide it between the frets and the strings.
    Thank you, Skip. I've tried that and it's a big clumsy. I've thought about using a grosgrain ribbon, but I don't know where to buy a short piece of that kind of ribbon, or any other ribbons for that matter.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Thank you, j4music. I like that idea, too.

  12. #8

    Default Re: What's the best way to dust my fretboard?

    Quote Originally Posted by j4music View Post
    Paint brush.
    I realized I have a natural bristle paint brush, and I just successfully dusted my mandolin all over! I will keep it handy in a drawer that doesn't get dusty, that's near where I sit to play and practice. It's a 2 inch brush.

    Thanks to everyone for all your ideas! Wow! I'm so happy now!

  13. #9
    Kelley Mandolins Skip Kelley's Avatar
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    Default Re: What's the best way to dust my fretboard?

    Quote Originally Posted by stringalong View Post
    Thank you, Skip. I've tried that and it's a big clumsy. I've thought about using a grosgrain ribbon, but I don't know where to buy a short piece of that kind of ribbon, or any other ribbons for that matter.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Thank you, j4music. I like that idea, too.
    To be better specific, I use an old handkerchief. It’s very thin.

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    Default Re: What's the best way to dust my fretboard?

    I’m sure people are over-thinking this. On the occasions where any of my numerous fingerboards have looked grubby/dusty/covered in extraneous bits of skin etc. (and I wasn’t about to replace the strings) I’ve simply used Skip’s solution; a piece of rag. Nowadays, I’d tend to use an e-cloth. The only thing to avoid is something likely to shed lint as this tends to gum up the strings

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    Registered User Sue Rieter's Avatar
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    Default Re: What's the best way to dust my fretboard?

    What's an e-cloth?
    "To be obsessed with the destination is to remove the focus from where you are." Philip Toshio Sudo, Zen Guitar

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    Registered User J Mangio's Avatar
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    Default Re: What's the best way to dust my fretboard?

    I use a feather duster.
    2021 The Loar LM700 VS

  17. #13

    Default Re: What's the best way to dust my fretboard?

    Ray, I agree with Sue Rieter except I looked up e-cloth on Amazon.com and they have various kinds of them for various purposes. Where do you get your e-cloth, and what kind is it? After reading your message, I got to thinking that a brush might retain some of the dust I removed before.

  18. #14

    Default Re: What's the best way to dust my fretboard?

    I just use those Air Cans, you use on electronics, works on the whole instrument especially in those hard to get places like the scroll...

  19. #15

    Default Re: What's the best way to dust my fretboard?

    timothylanderson, that's a wonderful idea! I think I still have a can of that.

  20. #16
    Registered User Eric F.'s Avatar
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    Default Re: What's the best way to dust my fretboard?

    I don't know about dusting my fretboard, but i do know about dusting my broom.


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  22. #17
    Registered User Sue Rieter's Avatar
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    Default Re: What's the best way to dust my fretboard?

    Is canned air just air, or is there some kind of propellant that we wouldn't want on our instruments? I'm a bit leery.

    On e-cloths, I looked on amazon as well, after stringalong mentioned it, and I see they are basically the dish cloths that I tossed aside because they were less than absorbant. I will try one on my SOL, as there's quite a bit of dust accumulated under the fretboard extension. Maybe they will find a new life
    "To be obsessed with the destination is to remove the focus from where you are." Philip Toshio Sudo, Zen Guitar

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  24. #18

    Default Re: What's the best way to dust my fretboard?

    Thanks, Eric F. That's a great blues. But I still don't know how to dust my 2 inch paint brush.

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  26. #19

    Default Re: What's the best way to dust my fretboard?

    Quote Originally Posted by stringalong View Post
    Thanks, Eric F. That's a great blues. But I still don't know how to dust my 2 inch paint brush.
    I have a couple of long-bristled soft paint brushes that I use to dust a variety of instruments, including a hammered dulcimer. I hold the brushes bristle side down in the kitchen trash can, and run my finger over the bristle ends in the same manner as one would spray someone with a wet toothbrush. I've also done the same kind of riffle on brooms, going outside and running the bristles over and past an edge. Good luck!
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    Registered User Bren's Avatar
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    Default Re: What's the best way to dust my fretboard?

    Quote Originally Posted by Sue Rieter View Post
    What's an e-cloth?
    5 grades ahead of a J-cloth!

    I use Fast Fret and the thin cloth included with that package works fine.
    Bren

  29. #21

    Default Re: What's the best way to dust my fretboard?

    Explorer, So far, with all the great suggestions and methods, I still like my 2 inch paint brush the best. I will dust the duster (like Howlin' Wolf, ha ha ha) the way you suggest.

  30. #22
    Old Guy Mike Scott's Avatar
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    Default Re: What's the best way to dust my fretboard?

    Old shaving brush
    Thanks

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  31. #23
    Registered User Charles E.'s Avatar
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    Default Re: What's the best way to dust my fretboard?

    Quote Originally Posted by Eric F. View Post
    I don't know about dusting my fretboard, but i do know about dusting my broom.

    I was waiting for that. Only I thought it would be the Robert Johnson version.
    Charley

    A bunch of stuff with four strings

  32. #24
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    Default Re: What's the best way to dust my fretboard?

    OK, e-cloths; perhaps it’s a UK product (?) You can buy them on line but most UK supermarkets stock them. Some are expensive but we have a cupboard-full of 3 for a £ cloths.

    They clean because they’re slightly abrasive and you can use them either wet or dry and they don’t leave lint behind. They’re made of a synthetic towel like material.
    Last edited by Ray(T); Jul-27-2022 at 4:37pm.

  33. #25

    Default Re: What's the best way to dust my fretboard?

    Hi Sue Rieter, that's an excellent observation about a possible propellant in the canned air. Thanks for bringing that up!

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