Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Guitar Center, Inc.'s headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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Guitar Center, Inc. has 155 locations, listed below.

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• 

  Guitar Center, Inc.

  PO Box 7470 Westlake Vlg, CA 91359

  
• 

  Guitar Center, Inc.

  30730 Russell Ranch Rd Westlake Village, CA 91362-6354

  
• 

  Guitar Center

  9001 Florida Boulevard Baton Rouge, LA 70815

• 

  Guitar Center

  2375 S Arlington Heights Rd Arlington Heights, IL 60016

• 

  Guitar Center

  2662 E Colorado Blvd Pasadena, CA 91107

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/22/2025

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I purchased a“used”Dj Controller Numark Ns7ii on 8/2024 through Guitar Center online.
  This item was picked up from the Fulton street location in Brooklyn,NY.
  Guitar Center promotes the buy,sell and Trade of used gear as a catapult to their business and in the past I have both purchased,traded
  and sold Dj Controllers from and to at least 3 different locations being Yonkers,Long Island City Queens and Long Island,NY.
  On March 3rd,2025 I contacted the Guitar Center in Brooklyn online and informed them that I wished to trade in my Ns7ii in and they agreed to
  look at this item with the appointment being March 5th,2025.I never made the appointment.On 7/21/25,I called the Brooklyn location and was told over the phone that they’re only accepting Guitars at this time.Spoke with the operations manager today, 7/22/25 and he admitted that what the worker told me was not accurate.I also spoke to sales manager J***** ******** at the Queens location in regards to the Ns7ii and was told that the discretion given to the sales person is solely up to THEM based on whether THEY feel like the Controller would sell or not irregardless to how long the person was employed at that location.The Queens location said they would not buy the Controller over the phone because they have more than 20 of those in stock which is not truth even when you check all locations.The Ns7ii is not available for “in store” purchase at both the b
  Brooklyn and Queens locations.As of today,there are only 15 online and if compared to the Rane One,a similar controller in performance,there are 61
  of those controllers listed on the guitar Center web site.I feel that the denial of what is promoted in reference to “Used Gear” for the reasons given is too broad for a "selling" product.The cheapest they have the Ns7ii for is $299(poor condition) and the most being almost $1000.My controller is fully functional and I wasn’t given a chance to show for a offer.Again,I was approved to bring this Controller in for appraisal

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/25/2025

  
  
  I'm sorry for the frustrating experience with the Guitar Center in Brooklyn, NY. I'll gladly share your comments with the management chain in charge of the store including the Store Manager, as well as the District Manager. I assure you, we take your feedback seriously, and will do our best to work with you to show you that we're better than what you have experienced.
  
  A member of management will be contacting you within 72 business hours to go over your experience with you.
  
  Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. Again, I'm sorry for the frustration you've experienced.

  Thanks

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/25/2025

  
  
  
  
  Better Business Bureau:

  I await the call from the business in regards to my recent experience with Guitar Center and if they don't contact me within the time frame specified, I will re address my concerns through the BBB 
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 23637024, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  T**** *****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/16/2025

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I tried to cancel lessons that my girlfriend no longer wanted to continue that are billed to me from the Guitar Center in San Antonio at **** *** ***** *** Suite 105. Initially I received the charge for the 5 weeks of lessons on May 23, 2025 for $240 and called the day after, before any of the lessons had started for this pay period, and was told no refunds. After this call we had them cancelled from this point on but no money back. The next months comes and June 20, 2025 I am charged again for $240 for the lessons that they had said were cancelled. I have called 3 times since June 20th and left 2 separate messages asking for a call back. The times I talked with an employee I was told a manager was needed to get this done, but I never received a call back and left the second messages after this and still have not received a call.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/18/2025

  
  
  I'm sorry for the frustrating experience with the Guitar Center in San
  Antonio, TX. I'll gladly share your comments with the management chain in charge of the store including the Store Manager, as well as the District Manager. I assure you, we take your feedback seriously, and will do our best to work with you to show you that we're better than what you have experienced.
  
  A member of management will be reaching out to you within 72 business hours. 
  
  Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. Again, I'm sorry for the frustration you've experienced.

  Thanks

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/14/2025

  Type:Delivery Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I ordered an Ebay item from seller MusiciansFriend/ Parent company Guitar Ctr. Order number: 25-*****-83**8. The package ordered from them and shipped by them did not arrive as promised, in fact was not delivered. In contacting both companies separately they both told to contact Ebay, strictly a platform for selling. Ebay did not have the item personally nor did they ship the item. When I attempted to contact the seller listed as MusiciansFriend however in the details show Guitar Ctr Kansas City is where the item originated I believe, both companies said they have no way to track the items they themselves sell on Ebay. I ordered this item in good faith having had pretty good results in the past. However when I tried to contact the seller on the order page it would not allow me to do so. All this is clearly visible on the order details I uploaded. My desired resolution is immediate action on the part of the sellers to get the item ASAP since it has already been paid for. Please help with resolution. I do not want a refund since I bought this new item with a coupon and great price as originally offered by these sellers and can be seen in the document I uploaded. Thank you Willet Lussenden

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/16/2025

  
  Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and frustration experienced regarding your recent eBay order.
  After reviewing the details of your order, we confirmed that the item was shipped via USPS on July 5, 2025 under tracking number 92*********15*********9551. However, the package is currently being returned to sender due to an issue with the delivery address provided during checkout.
  We understand your concern about not being able to contact us, the seller, through eBay. In most cases, this communication issue arises only if the buyer's account has been limited on the eBay platform. As sellers, we are bound by eBay’s communication system, and we are only able to respond to messages sent through the order details page or eBay’s support messaging system. Unfortunately, if the messaging feature is disabled on your end, our ability to correspond directly is restricted.
  Regarding your request to receive the item instead of a refund: once the package is returned and processed in our facility, a full refund will be issued automatically. Regrettably, we are unable to reship this same order due to eBay platform limitations. However, you are welcome to place a new order for the same item (subject to current availability and pricing), and we would be happy to help ensure it is shipped accurately and promptly.
  Please note, the original issue occurred due to an incomplete or invalid address entered during checkout, which is why USPS was unable to deliver the item. We recommend double-checking your eBay account information to ensure your shipping details are accurate for future orders.
  Once again, we apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your understanding. Customer satisfaction is extremely important to us, and we remain committed to resolving this matter as smoothly as possible.
  If you need any further assistance, we encourage you to reach out directly to eBay support to verify your account’s details or to us via a new eBay message thread if applicable. 

  Thank you

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/14/2025

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I ordered one set of four lessons in June. I was charged for another set of lessons for July without my permission. I called the company and they said they couldn't cancel lessons or give me a refund. So, I went into the physical store and the store manager said they couldn't cancel the subscription either. So, I went to log in online and there is not option anywhere on the account to cancel and no option for me to remove the credit card in the billing. I am very frustrated because that is a ton of money and it automatically renews every month.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/15/2025

  
  
  I'm sorry for the frustrating experience with the Guitar Center in Shreveport. I'll gladly share your comments with the management chain in charge of the store including the Store Manager, as well as the District Manager. I assure you, we take your feedback seriously, and will do our best to work with you to show you that we're better than what you have experienced.
  
  A member of management will be reaching out to you in 72 business hours to go over a resolutions.
  
  Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. Again, I'm sorry for the frustration you've experienced.

  Thanks

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/16/2025

  
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 23589546, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  Z*** *******
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/09/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Dear BBB Representative,
  
  I am contacting you to submit a new complaint regarding Guitar Center Orlando, as my previous case (#2******4) was unfortunately closed before the issue was fully resolved.
  
  Since the closure of that case, a very serious situation has come to light:
  
  Guitar Center Orlando informed me that my guitar was sent to LRC Guitars, a Martin Authorized repair shop, during the week of May 19th for certified repairs. However, upon directly contacting LRC Guitars, I received the following response:
  
  “I do not think the instrument was shipped to us. Is there an issue with the instrument?”
  
  This directly contradicts the information provided to me by Guitar Center.
  
  Additionally, I picked up my guitar from the Orlando store today, only to discover multiple issues with the condition of the repair. I have attached photos for your reference.
  
  To make matters worse, the store manager Carlos, who had been handling my case, has completely stopped responding to my emails and phone calls despite several attempts to reach him.
  
  Given this serious discrepancy, false information, and lack of communication from Guitar Center Orlando, I kindly request that this new case be opened and escalated for proper investigation.
  
  I have attached both LRC Guitars’ email response and photos of the current condition of my guitar for your review.
  
  Thank you very much for your assistance — I sincerely appreciate your help in holding this business accountable.
  
  Best regards,

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/14/2025

  
  Thank you for sharing your continued concerns regarding your recent experience with the Guitar Center Orlando location.
  We understand your frustration regarding the repair and the condition of your guitar upon return, as well as the difficulty you've had reaching our store manager for follow-up. Your feedback is very important to us, and we apologize for any confusion or inconvenience this situation has caused.

  Please know that your concerns have been forwarded to the district manager overseeing the Orlando store for further review.

  Please let us know if you have any other questions or concerns. 

  Thanks

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/07/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On 6/03/2025 I ordered a Valve King 112 combo guitar Amp for $322.17 and the Guitar Center ad said it was in "very good" condition and was fully functional with no electronic problems. The only problem it has was cosmetic with a scratch or two. When the Amp showed up about a week or two later I plugged it in and immediately noticed the "crunch" & "volume" button on channel 2 didn't work at all. I tried calling guitar center about a week before the return period was up and was told the return period was 15 days even though the web page says 30. When I asked to speak with a manager at the store that mailed it to me they hung up on me. I would have called back but I went through heart surgery & just recovered from a stroke due to congestive heart failure problems so I'd rather just write here because Guitar Center will comply to the BBB. I would like the Amp switched out with a fully functional Amp as was promised to me by the Fuitar Center ad I went by. I am handicap by ADA & government standards and simply cannot afford to buy a new Amp or pay to have the one Guitar Center had sent to me.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/11/2025

  
  
  I'm sorry for the frustrating experience with the Guitar Center in Eugene. I'll gladly share your comments with the management chain in charge of the store including the Store Manager, as well as the District Manager. I assure you, we take your feedback seriously, and will do our best to work with you to show you that we're better than what you have experienced.
  
  A member from the store management team will contact you in the next 72 business hours to go over your experience. 
  
  Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. Again, I'm sorry for the frustration you've experienced.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/18/2025

  
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 23560730, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  D***** ******
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/24/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I ordered an item online for pickup in store. I didn't end up needing the item, and never picked it up, with the intention of canceling the order. About a month after the order was placed, I contacted Guitar Center support through the chat on their website asking to cancel the order. The customer service rep said the money should have already been automatically refunded since the item hadn't been picked up within 14 days of the order being placed. I told them I never got a refund. They told me I needed to call the store where the item was to be picked up. I called the store and was told that they had lost track of the item and couldn't find it, and that they weren't able to give me a refund until they found the item. They said they would look for the item and have a manager call me back. I never got a call back. I tried calling a second time and got the same response, with no call back. I would like a refund for the item. The item was never picked up, and I shouldn't be held responsible for paying for an item I never received because the store lost the item.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/25/2025

  
  
  Thank you for contacting us. We are very sorry to hear about your experience with
  the store, we sent the feedback to the management team over the store, and they
  will be reaching out to you within 48 to 72 business hours to assist further.
  
  Thank you for your patience on the matter, if you need anything else please do
  not hesitate to ask.
  
  Thank you.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/29/2025

  
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 23508301, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.  I received the refund. 
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  M****** *******
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/20/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I ordered and paid for an audio mixer from Guitar Centers online store. I was told I would have it in two days and paid for the shipping. Two days passed and I received an email that the sale was canceled because they no longer had the item and two days later I still haven’t received my refund and I don’t have the audio mixer I was needing this weekend.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/20/2025

  
  
  Thank you for contacting us. We are sorry to hear about your order being
  cancelled, we took a look and since it didn’t ship we never charged you. The
  authorization should fall off within two business days, and since the 19th was a Holiday, the authorization should fall off by Monday or Tuesday. If you
  still see it, we suggest calling your bank.
  
  We are sorry for any inconvenience. If you need anything
  else, please do not hesitate to ask.
  
  Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/16/2025

  Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  ON June 14th at approx, 3:10pm, I went into the store and wanted to purchase two Ortofon Club Phono Cartridges, which they had on display in a glass cabinet, priced at 46.99. I went to the counter and asked the rep for assistance, he walked with me to the cabinet to retrieve the items and I asked him the price and he stated it was 46.99. I told him that was fine, he brought it to the counter, and rang it up and stated the charge was $199/per unit. He immediately realized that was wrong and said that's not right and went back to check. He then brought back two different Ortofon Cartridges, named Ortofon Scratch. He stated these are the ones, he rang those up and that also came up over approx $169. Realizing that was wrong also he went back to get the tag, and rang that and it came up with a product that they did not even have on display in the cabinet. The Mgr C**** refused to uphold the price they advertised it in the display, instead offering me a 10% discount. I didn't accept so he said he can't do anything. Not only did they advertise it incorrectly, not for one item but they stocked two different products on the cabinet with wrong pricing. Even after the repo helping me told me it was $46.99.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/20/2025

  
  
  Thank you for contacting us. We sent your feedback to the
  management team over the North Charolette location and they will be reaching out
  within 48 to 72 business hours to assist further.
  
  We are very sorry for any inconvenience. If you need
  anything else, please do not hesitate to ask.
  
  Thank you.
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/20/2025

  
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 23469669, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  D****** *******
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/30/2025

  The business has made no attempt to contact me as they said they would and its been going on two weeks.  I wish to reopen my complaint as I have been very patient and considerate with them, but they obviously do not mean to make any effort toward a reasonable resolution, and just as they misdirected me under false pretenses, here they are doing it again with both the BBB and I.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/11/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I purchased a used Focusrite Clarett 4Pre USB audio interface from Guitar Center’s online used gear section for approximately $300. Immediately after placing the order, I confirmed with a Guitar Center chat agent that the unit was the USB version, which is compatible with my MacBook.
  
  What I received is the Thunderbolt version, which is not compatible without purchasing an additional $90–$100 in Apple adapters and cables. The original listing no longer appears in my order history, so I can’t verify the exact description, but I confirmed with support that it was supposed to be USB.
  
  I’m simply asking Guitar Center to either:
  
  Send the correct USB version in exchange,
  
  Or issue a partial refund to cover the unexpected cost of adapters needed to use what I received.
  
  I’ve tried contacting Guitar Center directly but haven’t received a meaningful resolution. I’d like to settle this fairly without further delays.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/11/2025

  
  
  Thank you for contacting us. We shared your feedback with the management team
  over the contact center and they will be reaching out to assist you further. We
  are sorry for any inconvenience. If you need anything else, please do not
  hesitate to ask.
  
  Thank you.