Question: On guitar chat forums people rave about the merits of using lemon oil to clean their guitar fretboards. Other people respond by saying that lemon oil is actually bad for the guitar. Can you shed some light on this? — Claudio R. Montreal, Canada

Answer: Claudio, I’d have no worries about using lemon oil on my fretboard. It’s safe. Use it only on the unfinished wood like the fretboard and bridge. The wood can dry out over time, and an oil like this, or linseed oil, or even mineral oil, can protect the wood and beautify it as well. Don’t overdo it. Once a fretboard has been oiled a few times, you can slow down the frequency. The nice thing about lemon oil is that it cleans while it oils, so it won’t build up as easily, but be sparing. I don’t think your fretboard will need oiling more than twice a year, and eventually, once a year.