Guitar Center, Inc Corporate Office & Headquarters

I live in Sweden. I can not get out to the Guitar Center US site. All i get is an information sign that says, we are now exporting to over ninety countries. I can from then on only get the items you are allowed to export to Sweden. Why can i no longer see everything on your site ?? I try changing country to the US but as soon as i click onto For ex Gibson, it changes back to Sweden. I am forced to shop elswhere on my trips because i cannot see what you have on offer. Please advise, as your site is the only one on the internet with this problem of blocking out customers from buying your goods. STRANGE ??

Guitar center has a used product listing area of their web site. I have attempted to contact them on numerous occasions attempting to buy an amplifier. They never respond to my emails and contact forms that I submit requesting more information. I have contacted the store manager and still receive the same outcome. NO RESPONSE. The store manager is: Store Manager: Charles Vest Email:: cvest@guitarcenter.com Stay away from Guitar Center.

Guitar Center Springfield NJ, Specifically their online used gear sales and GM Rocco..... Ordered a rare ESP Mirage from their website. Paid in full over phone and sent to me. They sent the guitar in the original case with no headstock padding and no tension taken off the neck. It was boxed in a SINGLE gibson box with 1 single layer of bubble wrap at ONE end. The guitar arrived with a broken headstock. I spoke to them and explained I had been searching for this particular graphic for over 10 years. Shipping Manager said take it to your local GC and have them look at it and we will make an offer towards fixing it. Wake up and head 40+ miles ONE WAY to my local GC and am told by the GM that Rocco wants the guitar back too bad so sad. No offer of hey we can help ya with another piece of gear, no hey we can offer you XX towards getting it fixed. NOTHING. I PAID FOR THE SHIPPING WHY AM I NOT GETTING THE INSURANCE CLAIM????? Rocco did what was best for his bottom line and screwed me the customer. I called back after the return and was told that it was packed fine and that I was apologized to. I explained that he wasted MY TIME AND MONEY by making me drive 80 miles or more round trip to have them just give me a refund. They COULD have just sent a call tag and picked it up. SO instead of having my dream guitar I have a refund and 25$ less in gas. THANKS ROCCO. This is on top of the fact that they screwed up a christmas gift not once but 4 times. It was broken then the replacement was shipped to the wrong place, then it wasnt over nighted then it went missing, then they didnt have a box, and it finally showed up JAN 23rd. They gave me 100$ in guitarcenter gift certificates that I had to pay postage on at the post office to pick up. The 100$ was a nice gesture but didnt really make my step son happier that christmas was a month late. I have purchased over 10k in gear since November from GC online and locally. I have also purchased 10K or so from Daddy's Music online. NONE have ever broken from the latter....3 have been broken and 2 arrived damaged from GC online. All 3 packed with no padding poorly boxed with no tension taken off the strings.... GET THE HINT????? I am a collector with 70+ guitars and believe me Im the kind of person whose business you want. Step up to the plate GC. Chris Dombkowski email: daiwafan25@yahoo.com

In the last month I have emailed two of your stores(one in NC,the other in CA)to inquire about some used gear they had. I have yet to hear from either store. Maybe Guitar Center should take the email option off of their websites if they are not going to respond to them. I have been playing music for 42 years,and dealing with GC for over 30. I will continue to do business with GC, but corporate needs to address this problem. Thank you for your time.

The Guitar Center in Richmond Virgina has the best manager I have ever dealt with. Mr. Grubb has bent over backwards to try to remedy issue's that I have had with a used piece of gear that I bought online and take care of me in ever way possible. I would recommend His store to anyone looking to by used gear online. Nice job!!

I have nothing but good things to say about the guys in the Allentown PA. store. They were great to deal with when I bought my Gibson J-200. Top notch manager there. Now the bad part...... A friend and I went acoustic guitar shopping at the North Attleboro, MA. location because of the J-200 I had got. Every guitar needed set up and adjustments, either mile high action or buzzed like crazy. Even the $2500 Martin played like crap. My friend was more than willing to spend $1500 plus on a nice acoustic guitar...... didn't happen. The sales help that we spoke with both said, and this is a quote, Sorry man.... not my problem. WHAT??? We ended up going 30 miles away and he bought a Breedlove for $775 w/case that sounded and played like a million bucks.

Tried to make a purchase on a used piece of gear at a guitar center in an other state. Salesman I worked with didnt ask me what my billing address or if it was the same as my shipping address and ran my card. Now I can not purchase the piece of gear or anything for that matter because my funds are locked down in limbo by my bank for a week to 10 days. Thanks Guitar Center idiot!

(UPDATED)The floor manager of the store that I initially wanted to buy the piece of used gear from told me that if I go to my local Guitar Center (which is 25 Miles away) And have someone there call there store so I could prove my identity I could pay for the item I wanted there and it would not be a problem. So once I get there the salesman gets on the phone with store in Virgina and after a long debate over the phone find out I can still not pay for the item I wanted Because my funds where still in lock down for a week to 10 days. So now along with having my funds locked down, I wasted my time and gas and time on a 50 mile round trip drive and a $4.00 bridge toll fee for nothing!

Poor customer service @ Covina store no one able to handle my problem with used equipment that broke down thus far. Still looking for answers!

On Friday January 14, 2011 I made a 2 hour drive to Guitar Center in Ft Myers Fl with hopes of checking out a used Hartke lh500 amp. After arriving I met with salesperson Brett who seemed pleasant enough. After hooking up the head I took a bass off the wall and played a little but was not impressed by the tone sound or volume I was hearing. Oh Brett says hmmm something dont sound right looks like someone took this in on trade and didnt test it out right. So i happened to glance around a see a GK backline 600 which I plugged in and liked what I was hearing. So I looked around and found Brett and told him I would like to make a deal on the GK but I have a couple used items that have been sitting around the house that I'd like to get rid of. Automatically Brett was put off by what i had said. Well you know you'll get more out of them if you sell them yourself. Well no kidding I know you are gonna give me nothing for my stuff and not discount 1 dime on yours. Keep in mind that im not just some pimply faced kid (no offense) but im 45 years old and and have been playing 30 years. So i drag in my stuff a hartke vx 15 that has never left the house a peavey mark VI head and a couple eq's well after he plugs up the the amp to like 11 well its kinda distorting a little ....Ya think???? well i cant give u anything on the head...what??? and after looking for about 15 minutes on line Brett says well I found a place you canget that cabinet brand new for 250.00 so I can give you 50 bucks for it...Really??? now keep in mind there was some good used pieces in the store but come on 50 bucks? there was also some real beat to hell crap in there too. I dont get it. So..... I was in the Orlando store a few days before and had bought an amp stand 50 bucks...im looking around the store and see the same amp stand with a big sign on it advertised at 29.99 I said hmmm 20 dollars lower. I call Brett over...show my reciept and say hey can you guys refund the difference of this stand yea sure he says but let me see my manager. Manager walks over to the sign and says oh thats the wrong sign...????WHAT???? takes the sign wads it up and throws it in the trash can!!!!!By this time Im losing my mind!..Walk out right??? well no I stay and we begin talking about the GK again. So Brett do you have another in a box ...No he says...Do you have the paper work and manuals and stuff No he says...I look at the cord which is a little nasty from use and ask do you have the power cord that came with it No he says cords are all the same...Well not the point you know...Walk out right??..I still need an amp for the nights gig. Well you know ole Bretts not gonna budge on price...so in case your wondering he didnt...My point is everytime I asked for something I was shot down...Oh didnt mention GC credit card holder which seem to irritate ole Brett for some reason...well after loading my stuff as well as the new amp I walked out side and happened to see a guy walking out with me who was very animated about how he gets treated everytime he comes in so we talked briefly and he stated when your the only game in town I guess you can act like and treat people how you want to god bless you GC

I have had nothing but good experiences with the staff at Guitar Center Stores in the Twin Cities, MN. They are always polite, helpful, and knowledgeable. Thanks Twin Cities GC's.

I worked for Guitar Center in the Pro-Audio Sale Dept in the Hallandale, Florida store in, I think it was '96 or '97. I worked there a month. And because my sales did not reach their expectations i was let go. What I found was the Customers, especially on a Saturday would be going back & forth from Guitar CTr to Sam Ash trying to get the best deal. All the time these people wasted in travel & time they could of saved by just buying what they wanted. we (the Associates) had a % for the discount depending on what type of instrument. The lower we sold the piece for, the lower our commission. yes they do hire Musicians because they are the ones who know the equipment. A regular SALES Person will not be familiar with the gear. About the Associates only wanting the discount may be true, but for what they pay you still can't afford the piece of gear you want. The turn around for Sales Associates back then was very high & probably still is. They do have a very large mark-up price from the manufacturer so they really should bring the price down. Quantity sales will make the numbers higher, more than higher prices & fewer Sales. Maybe I made somewhat of a point, but, it's my 2 cents in.

Guitar Center customer service is the worst! Name/Guitar Center Dallas/ Dallas, Texas Reference: Guitars Dear Sirs: I am writing with reference to phone calls placed about a guitar amp. I was put on hold the first time, second time they took my number and promised to call back but never did, and the third time I got someone on the phone that was just lovely to talk to about guitar amps, he couldn't wait to get me off the phone! He was rude, crude, and very abrupt about answering my questions. You should take better care of your customers and ensure that important matters such as expensive guitar amp inquiries and consequent purchases are taken more seriously. This is a reoccuring thing and someone needs to know about it! I hope 2011 brings change to the way you folks do business!

1. Customer: Entity that receives or consumes products (goods or services) and has the ability to choose between different products and suppliers. 2. Service: An act of helpful activity; help; aid: to do someone a service. 3. Musician: A person who makes music a profession, esp. as a performer of music. Any person, whether professional or not, skilled in music. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dear Guitar Center Corporate: The above referenced definitions should be considered a vital part of the continued success of your company. You notice the order in which they are displayed, number one (1) being the customer! Number two (2) service; is the service, or should I say, the quality of service one provides the customer before, during, and after the sale of a product. Number three (3) is the interesting one of the bunch; musician, skilled in music. The interesting thing about number three is quite important because no where in the definition does it say anything that can be attributed to (1) or (2). A “Musician” is not a sales people and vice-versa! When you examine the ramifications of allowing musicians to be sales staff without any “formal customer service training“, one can only conclude that it is a matter of time before the complaints start rolling in. To dismiss the continued incoming complaints, will only create a greater problem in the future. In-store management has tried their best to convince corporate that merit is adequately measure by their methods and qualifications and cannot be matched. We must pause in admiration at this great triumph of manipulation! We, as customer, shouldn’t necessarily be expected to complaint to management or corporate immediately after the first or second incident of relatively minor mishaps. Guitar Center need not become a battleground where every minor, unwelcome mishap, triggers a complaint or investigation. We have ignored numerous incidents, hoping that the customer service will get better without resort to the complaint process. It is reaching a level of concern and certain incidents are so objectively off-kilt that people need to be terminated! It is clearly apparent that pep-talks haven’t worked in the past, verbal warnings are being overlooked, termination of some employees, including but not limited to upper-management, management, sales staff, etc., will ensure that others focus more on good customer and continued customer relations. Our goal for this review it to provide corporate with one (1) opportunity to undertake and appropriate corrective actions, including discipline, to improve customer service before, during and, after the sale of any product. We are not writing this review for your entertainment. We’re not writing it for your education. We sincerely hope this review, having no authority except it’s own inner strength and conviction, has clearly demonstrated a clear need for careful consideration. Sincerely We Remain, Frustrated Customers

If you need gear and you want to be taken care of, you would find it in your best interest to look elsewhere besides guitar center: Online Sources: * Zzounds.com * Music123.com * Sweetwater.com * Billsmusiconline.com * Samedaymusic.com * Americanmusical.com * Samash.com * Roxymusic.com Save yourself the hastle of dealing with musicians faking it as salesmen/women!

FAILED CALL BACKS, POOR CUSTOMER RELATIONS, INCORRECT INFORMATION, TYPICAL SALESMAN HODGEPODGE, BROKEN PROMISES, AND THE LIST GOES ON AND ON! WHEN WILL CORPORATE CONVINCE MANAGEMENT THAT THEY NEED TO TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT THESE COMPLAINTS THAT ARE SUBMITTED AND TAKE A PROACTIVE RESPONSE TO WORK TO REDUCE THEM? SECONDLY, ARE THEY SCREENING THEIR SALES PEOPLE FOR DRUGS? IT SEEMS THAT ALL OF THE "STONERS" THAT ARE LOOKING FOR DISCOUNTS ON MUSICAL GEAR FLOCK TO THIS PLACE FOR THE PERKS AND NOT FOR THE PAYING CUSTOMERS! IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW LARGE OF A COMPANY YOU ARE BECAUSE PEOPLE WILL ONLY TAKE SO MUCH BEFORE THEY CHOOSE OTHER PLACES TO CONDUCT BUSINESS! ** ARE YOU HEARING US CORPORATE? ARE YOU LISTENING? ARE THA LIGHTS ON? YOU HOME?

guitar center dallas sucks and there is no other way to say it. the majority of sales people are gigging musicians and not very sales oriented when it comes to customers. they outreach themselves in setting new records for passing the buck, failed call backs, and misinformation. you can't get these guys/gals to push anything but the most expensive of products, without regard to customer budget. one could describe the sales people equivalent to that of a shady car lot. once the sale is made they are done with you until you show up with more money in-hand! they tend to be pushy with certain gear they use in particular, rather than being good sales people and asking the customer more questions as to what they are looking for instead. I signed this review as anonymous because there is no need to put a name, address, phone number, or email address down, until guitar center dallas changes the sales people, or at least change their attitude with customers, nothing is likely to change anyway. it will be the same old routine until corporate starts to notice a drastic decline in business. I ask myself (they should too), will it be too late then?

GUITAR CENTER COMPLAINT: (12/18/2010) Re: Guitar Center Southfield 29555 Northwestern Hwy. Southfield, Michigan 48034 Phone: 248-354-8075 Manager: Warren Atkinson Sales Associate: Seth Priest 12/15/10: Called the above Referenced Guitar Center location with an interest in purchasing a USED Trace Elliot AH600SMX Bass Head they had for sale. I made contact with a GC Sales Associate(Seth Priest) and ask if they could create a [70] ticket and I would make a partial payment of one hundred ($100) today, with the remaining balance paid in full on 1-12-2011. Seth, after discussion with his supervisor, approved the lay-a-way. I immediate went to GC Central Dallas and spoke with Chad Allen in an effort to have the funds transferred to secure the item. Chad transferred funds and I called to confirm the receipt of the same. Seth stated that the funds were received and the bass head was pulled from stock. 12/18/10: (1:33 P./M.) I received a phone call from Seth stating, in so may word, the deal is off unless I could purchase the bass head on or before 12/29/10. He also stated, GC was losing money on this particular sale and they needed to clear their inventory as best possible before the new year. I offered to go to GC Dallas and wire another $100, leaving a remaining balance of $213, which would be paid in full on 1/12/11. He told me he was going to talk to upper management and see if they could work something out and he would contact me shortly thereafter. I then recommended he call GC Dallas (Chad Allen) and he would vouch for me in terms of paying on time, credibility, etc. Seth Priest did, in fact, call back with the bad news that unless the bass head was paid for in full on or before 12/29/10, the deal was off! Frustrated beyond belief, I told him to just credit my debit card and I would take my business elsewhere! The conversation ended. I recently purchased two (2) items in the say method in which I was attempting to purchase this bass head. Both were used items and both were put in lay-a-way. I purchased a Mesa Boogie R5410 Bass Cabinet ($535) and a Spector Rex 5 Bass ($629) and I had issues with another GC store, however, GC Corporate stepped up to the plate and got the issue handled in the most fair, proper, and professional manner. Lack of Communication was the issue with staff members at a particular store. Issue resolved. I have been a loyal patron of Guitar Center Dallas and Plano as well. I know there are extenuating circumstances that happen from time-to-time…but ’lack of communication’ and/or ‘poor customer service/feedback should not be one of them! They should have NEVER agreed to sell me the item and make me drive 30 miles to GC Dallas to make a partial payment, if they intended to back out of the deal a few days later! Put yourself in my place for a moment….look at the customer side of this issue…any likeminded reasonable and prudent person will have to agree they should have NEVER agreed to the lay-a-way sale in the first place! Twenty-eight (28) and they bass head would have been paid for in full. Instead, you lost a valuable customer and I can tell you with great certainty, there are sure to be others that follow. I’ve said it before, I am one of many customers and I am sure to tell others about this bad experience. I hate to sever ties with Guitar Center because I honestly prefer to spend my money here. That being said, I will take my business elsewhere, as a result of this issue I have had to deal with. To say this is “Unprofessional” is a gross understatement! The ONLY reason I gave GC [1] Star is because they don't include (-)Negative Stars on this review site! When you look at the volume of One Star Reviews on this review site...well...time is the element where GC business will start to decline and patrons will exhaust every avenue they have available to avoid buying from here. Think it can't happen GC? THINK AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Disappointed Customer, Mark Woodruff Rockwall, Texas USA markwoodruff777@yahoo.com

Guitar Center Dallas, has THE WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE and I’m not sure if they’re just working for a paycheck and not interested in providing good customer service and feedback or what. Very credible sources tell me, Chad Allen, is far more interested in his band LIVE 80 than Guitar Center customers and I now believe every word of it! I called asking about a particular guitar and he never returned my call. I took the initiative to drive some 48+ miles to Guitar Center to speak with him and I was told, “He had to take off early because he had a gig that evening.” If I were his superior, I would tell him that Guitar Center and Guitar Center customers come first and foremost before extra curricular activities such as his band! Not to worry because I found a great place called Sweetwater Sound to purchase the gear I needed, and they ROCK! I’m not much only ordering music gear by mail, but Sweetwater Sound is definitely an exception to that rule! Great customer service, cordial, and professional. One-By-One, watch them run Guitar Center… Signed - Former customer, K Sanders

After what I thought would be an easy transaction, I have come to realize that the problem with Guitar Center is two-fold. 1. The employees seem to have a strict protocal that they have to follow. There is a lot of computer data entry they have to do for each transaction. This can be an issue for the noncomputer guy or girl doing the selling. Also, there just seems to be a ton of rules they have to deal with. Having many years of experience in the sales industry, I understand that the sales manager is the only one that can make big decisions, but the overall hierarchy is just odd. 2. For the most part, the associates that they hire are musicians, not sales people. I'm not knocking musicians, as I am one. I just think that most of the guys I've seen working there are there for the employee discount, and that's it. They have no formal training in sales or customer service. Very simply: a. They very rarely call you back when they say they will. b. They do not answer email requests from the website. c. Unless you are willing to pay full sticker price, prepare for a long wait. d. Always speak with the manager, get his name, and write it down for future ref. e. Make sure you see what you're buying before you lay down the cash, credit etc. f. Try to keep what you need from the sales assoc. simple and no opinion requests.