Tip #3 - Fingerboard Oil

A lot of people ask me what they should use on their fingerboards. I like to use mineral oil. This is what most companies market as their fingerboard oil. It is also used on Clarinets and Oboes to keep them from drying out and cracking.
Band instrument companies sell it as bore oil. It is also what is used on butchers blocks and cutting boards. So, you can pay $4 or $5 dollars for a 1 ounce bottle of the stuff or you can go to Ace Hardware and get about a quart of mineral oil for the same price. Of course that much will probably last you a life time!! It goes a long way.

If a fingerboard has a lot of grunge on it I like to use lemon oil to clean it. I also use 0000 steel wool (on Rosewood and Ebony fingerboards, not on Maple!), rubbing with the grain, this loosens up the gunk and brightens up the frets.
Then I rub the mineral oil into the fretboard and let it sit about a minute or so and then wipe off the excess. You should do this at least once a month or when ever you change strings. When fingerboards dry out they can crack and also the frets can get loose in the wood.

Some people use boiled linseed oil. Linseed oil is made from flax seed. It works as a finish and seals the fingerboard. Modern linseed oil has solvents and dryers in it, and it can be flammable if it is not handled properly. It can make the wood harder if you have a soft fingerboard. I prefer to let the fingerboard breathe rather than to seal it. But if linseed oil is working for you, it is alright. You might look into finding in a purer form like flax seed oil, which is actually good for you!

Tip #2 - TonePros Wrap-Around Bridge Application

Before starting the installation, first measure the height of your existing wraparound bridge as installed. Measure the distance between the guitar body & the top surface of the bottom flange of each stud that holds your bridge. This will save lots of needless height adjustment! Now remove strings being careful to hold the bridge while removing the last string. No crashes on the top please! Luckily, you will soon never have to worry about that again! Remove old studs. Now, dial in new locking stud bottoms, use your measurements to set height as before, as close as possible. Now "dial" your new stud tops on lightly, hold your wrap-around bridge in place, and dial down the tops until they contact the top of the bridge, IMPORTANT ... do not tighten stud tops yet! Go ahead and restring your guitar, the tops of your studs should be contacting your bridge without any "leaning" yet be loose enough to allow you to adjust your intonation. Use the open end of your TonePros® wrench (12mm) to make any action or height adjustments. Once completed, adjust intonation. When intonation adjustment is completed, use the handle of the TonePros® wrench sideways in the groove of the stud top to tighten, this should prevent any "screw driver marks" in the stud top. Firmly & smoothly tighten stud top being careful not to "over tighten" TonePros® components are well constructed and will seat firmly and nicely, you will feel when it is tight & secure. That's it!! You are done, and it is set and will stay that way, strings or no strings!! Better contact, better transfer, better coupling, enjoy

Tip #1 - Locking Roto Instructions

Installation instructions:
1. Turn tip of string post until it clicks into place. This aligns string post holes.
2. Note string hole is off center. Turn knob to rotate post until string hole is positioned away from knob. Thread string up through bottom of hole and pull firmly. See drawing.
3. Turn to begin tuning. At first, only inner "Locking Cam" is turning, securely locking the string. Once the string is locked, outer post will turn.
4. Bring string to pitch