Guitar Center

Boise Idaho beware. I purchased guitar from guitar center for $2000 (w no discounts), within two weeks, I saw the exact guitar for $100 less (online) at Guitar center. I live out of town and so I called. Evidently they do everything possible NOT to give you this discount! I have purchased many guitars from Guitar Center and now they have lost my business forever. The salesman over the phone said I could come in within 45 days to get my discount, because he verified it, but when I called before leaving.

Guitar Center was unable to match me with a suitable, in-person instructor for lessons. I paid for my lesson package in-full prior to meeting with an instructor, but the only instructor provided was not a good fit. I asked for either a new instructor during my availability, or the refund for all remaining lessons. Guitar Center could not accommodate my schedule, and it would not refund any amount. Guitar Center offers a 45-day money back guarantee on instruments, but nothing on lessons - You will be stuck with whatever they give you - buyer beware!

I placed an order for two speakers mid October, at $269.99 each; After a week or so, I still couldn't see any dispatch notification, so I called up, and was told they went out of stock. I was expecting it in two business days. Fine. On Black Friday, I thought I'd give it another try, and the online chat told me they have them in stock at $349.99 each, with 15% Black Friday discount, which amounts to $297.49 each, which is still nearly $30 more expensive than my previous unsuccessful order. I hence asked why and whether they could honor my previous order price, but was told no, because my previous order was 'clearance' item, and the current ones are 'brand new'. I went back to my email looking for words indicating they weren't 'brand-new', but couldn't find anything indicating 'non-brand-new' products. This is just straight dishonest. I will not bring business to a dishonest merchandiser like this any more.

Last Friday afternoon, I bought a used Fender Stratocaster from guitarcenter.com. On next Monday of my purchase, I received an email about the verification of my credit card transaction and they told me to call my bank whether everything is alright or not (there was no problem with my credit card at all). After a few hour of verification, my order's status has changed to 'backordered'. Then I called the store which they had the used gear, and the guy said we sold it in store on Saturday and the stocking manager works on weekdays that's why they did not update the stocks. Since they did not update it, they didn't leave any note on the guitar to prevent in-store customers to buy it. The thing is I BOUGHT the gear before the in-store customer.

Ordered a guitar on the website, it said in stock and will ship out same day. NOT TRUE! After waiting several days for an email saying it has shipped, I called and asked if it has shipped yet. Got a guy whom I couldn't understand and he says it MIGHT ship out tomorrow... They don't have it in their store... But they sure took my money out of my bank! This is not the first time they have done this to me. If they say it's in stock I wouldn't believe it. Try Sweetwater music for your next order, they seem pretty honest and it's probably going to be cheaper as well.

I ordered a bundle of 3 sets of guitar strings + a tuner from their website. After a month, they cancelled my order. They claimed that they were out of stock, even though they were clearly selling both the strings and the tuner. They refused to fill the order, but offered to sell me the same items individually at a higher price. In response to a Better Business Bureau complaint, they promised to "have an agent reach out to assist you with a resolution," but nobody ever contacted me.

I went to the Guitar Center in Palm Beach on Okeechobee Florida to sell or trade my gear. They claim they give top dollar for trade-ins. Well guess what? They cut my price by more than half. I looked on their showroom floor and saw the same system on the floor in worst condition. May I say mine is fairly new. List at $1,299 for each unit but offered me $550 per unit. Worst than car dealers.

My goal is to guide other buyers when purchasing at Guitar Center. My son (drummer) and I went to visit the store in Paramus NJ, he saw a drum set on the floor that he really like being sold as a floor demo. I know it's considered used and warranty could be limited, I get it. The issue is that after we paid and went to picked it up, we were told that one of the items on displayed with the drum set, being essential to the unit was not part of the sale, even though it was displayed as part of the product with no label starting that it was not part of the deal.

Purchased a used guitar that was stated in ad to be in "good condition" but in reality was unplayable due to it's electrical components no longer functioning. Thus the price paid was not warranted by it's assertion that it was in "good condition" with their excessive shipping charges, my purchase was foolish via their invalid condition statement. Conclusion" "buyer beware" applies as Guitar sells over priced guitars via invalid sales information used to entice trusting consumers like me.

I placed an order for an open conga set and the sales rep lied to me, saying it was a whole set of 4 congas. I only received one conga. When I called customer services, they told me to return it and place a new order for the whole set, which I did. Only to be lied again with just one conga. Guitar Center is not to be trusted.