Guitar tuners from beneath the headstock.

Electric Guitar Setup Checklist: What to Do Every 3 Months

You don't need a fancy tech bench or a stack of Allen wrenches to keep your guitar feeling fresh — but you do need a system.

Every few months, your strings, frets, and setup start drifting out of that sweet spot. It's not always obvious day to day, but one morning your guitar just… stops feeling right.

That's usually your sign.

Here's a simple 3-month maintenance checklist to keep your tone, tuning, and overall vibe where it should be.

1. Change your strings

If it's been more than a few months, your strings are probably flat, gritty, or starting to rust.

Even if you don't play every day, metal reacts to humidity, sweat, and time — so regular swaps make a huge difference.

Think of it as hitting “refresh” on your guitar. It'll sound brighter, feel smoother, and tune up easier.

Most players land somewhere between every 1–3 months depending on use. When in doubt, change them. Fresh strings are the cheapest tone upgrade there is.

2. Check your neck relief

Temperature and humidity mess with your neck more than you think. A quick relief check keeps your action consistent and helps you spot problems early.

Press the low E string at the first fret and the last fret, then look at the gap around the 8th to 12th fret. You should see a tiny bit of space — like a business card's thickness.
If it's way more or completely flat, your truss rod could use a small tweak.

If that sounds intimidating, any tech can adjust it in five minutes — worth the $20.

3. Clean your fretboard

If you can see gunk, it's already too late. Wipe down your fretboard with a soft cloth and a little fretboard cleaner (or lemon oil for rosewood).

Don't go crazy — a small amount goes a long way.

Bonus: it’s also a great time to polish your frets. Shiny frets make slides and bends feel great.

4. Tighten hardware and input jacks

A few turns of a screwdriver can save you from mid-show rattles and signal cuts.
Check your tuning machines, strap buttons, and output jack. If anything wiggles, tighten it up — gently.

5. Clean your pickups and electronics

A soft paintbrush or dry cloth will take care of the top of your pickups.

If you’re getting scratchy volume pots or crackly knobs, a quick shot of contact cleaner usually fixes it. Spray sparingly, rotate the knob a few times, done.

6. Stretch, tune, and play

Once you've cleaned everything and thrown on new strings, give them a gentle stretch and tune up slowly.

Then you can actually play. Feel if it’s smoother, faster, more alive. That feedback is what tells you what your guitar needs next time around.

Quick Recap: The 3-Month Setup Routine

  • Change your strings

  • Check neck relief

  • Clean fretboard + frets

  • Tighten hardware

  • Clean pickups + electronics

  • Stretch, tune, and play

It's simple, but it keeps your guitar happy and your tone sharp.

If you've never done a full maintenance day before, try it once this week. You'll notice the difference immediately. And try Goldbird guitar strings for your next setup.

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