Guitar Center reviews

2.8

41% would recommend to a friend

(2,733 total reviews)
avatar

Gabe Dalporto

28% approve of CEO

24% positive business outlook

Guitar Center has an employee rating of 2.8 out of 5 stars, based on 2,733 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have an average working experience there. The Guitar Center employee rating is 21% below average for employers within the Retail & Wholesale industry (3.5 stars).

Reviews by job title

3K reviews
1.0
Oct 8, 2015

Sinking in a Bathtub

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Friendly co-workers, good environment if you're a musician.

Cons

Layoffs, layoffs, layoffs. Executives fairly clueless. You know when someone's claim to fame is helping to run a previous company into the ground that you've got problems. Especially when they insist on repeating their mistakes. They don't really understand e-commerce.

2.0
Sep 30, 2015
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

There is a lot to learn. I worked there for 5 years and was certified in every department. No matter how much you think you know, you'll be amazed at what you can learn. The store atmosphere for the most part is a very laid back musician friendly environment. Great place to work for those in a band or in the industry. Employee discounts are great for getting the gear you need and employees can take up to 6 months a year of "gig leave" to tour and still have a job when they get back.

Cons

Very low pay (just above minimum wage) with an extremely poor commission structure. Not the place to work if you want to make good money. The current C.E.O. said it best himself when he said, "If they wanted to make money, they should have been doctors!". The current C.E.O. is destroying G.C. from the inside. When Gene Jolly, the long-time CEO stepped down, a new CEO came in and really started to make great changes in favor of employees. Pay is so bad that some stores have gone union to try to survive. Before the fired changes could be made, the current CEO was brought in and immediately fired the CEO and his entire staff. Shortly, throughout the country, numerous veterans were thrown out of the door. If you don't already have a headache from an awful corporate dictatorship, get used to some of the loudest, most awful noises ever created by man. And that will be normal. You are sure to get over-worked and under-paid for all holidays (typical retail). This job is certainly not for the career minded. I enjoyed over 5 years there only because my spouse makes a great living. My band is much better because of the great gear we have been fortunate to acquire as an employee. Even as a long time assistant manager I never made any money (at or below $25K/yr). A lot of work and hours for so little pay. In the end, you are only your employee number. Nothing more. Everyone is dispensable and due to very poor upper management, you will never be safe! I learned a ton in 5 years and will always be grateful for that. I have become a better musician for it. But I finally realized that it was time to grow up and get a real job that pays very well. Getting pushed out of G.C. was the best thing that has ever happened to me and my family.

3.0
Sep 27, 2015
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Large company benefits (health, dental,401K,vacation pay), can transfer to many locations, good gear, employee discounts, nice people,

Cons

no job security, constantly changing policies, low pay, LOUD! poor software, inefficient systems, over burden managers, selling over priced insurance. Too many gimmicky programs.

Viewing 160 - 162 of 2,733 Reviews

Glassdoor has 2,797 Guitar Center reviews submitted anonymously by Guitar Center employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Guitar Center is right for you.