Maple Fretboard - lemon/mineral oil only?

[ThatCluelessGerman]

Hi Folks,

I know there are a lot questions about finishing maple fretboards and I read it's recommended to finish them with laquer or varnish.
However, I really dislike the feeling of laquered fredboards, even though I never owned a maple fretboard before.
Are there any disadvantages in using mineral oil or a thin coat of wood wax, compared to several coats of varnish? Is the recommendation strictly a visual preference (shiny and bright wood like the neck) or is there any practical purpose specific to the maple wood?

My first build is going to be a telecaster kit and it comes with a maple neck and maple fretboard. I plan using tru oil on the neck and headstock, but I feel like my fingers just prefer natural wood and I'd rather leave the fingerboard as natural as possible.

Thanks and kind regards!

[Simon Barden]

Lemon oil doesn't do much for maple, so I'd go for a wax if you don't want any other finish. A finish stops the maple from being affected as much by changes in humidity, it obviously stops it from getting dirty and also protects it from your acidic finger oils. Any neck wood can dry out over time, which can result in the wood shrinking and the frets sticking out of the sides of the neck, and even becoming loose. So an all-over finish really slows this process down.

The better and plainer the neck wood, the more stable it will be over time. Birds-eye maple necks can look great, but they aren't as stable as plain quarter-sawn maple is.

You'll find that a couple of coats of Tru Oil on the fretboard will help seal and protect it, but won't feel too shiny or sticky, so it's worth considering as you'll be Tru-Oiling the rest of the neck. A light rub with some P2000 grit sandpaper and you'll get a smooth satin finish.

Glossy or satin finish is all personal preference. There is no 'must do' at all with finishing necks. It's just that some finishes provide better long-term maintenance benefits than others.

[ThatCluelessGerman]

Ah, that makes sense, thank you very much!

I will try the tru oil for the fretboard, maybe a few light coats won't feel so smooth. I know I'm most probably weird regarding fretboards (I don't even play well ) but super smooth lacquered fretboards just freak me out, I don't know why :-)

[Simon Barden]

They used to do the same to me, and I had rosewood or ebony boards on all my guitars. But now it doesn't bother me, and I have quite a few with maple boards.