Is Guitar Center a good company to work for?

Guitar Center has an overall rating of 2.8 out of 5, based on over 2,796 reviews left anonymously by employees. This rating has decreased by 6% over the last 12 months. 41% of employees would recommend working at Guitar Center to a friend and 24% have a positive outlook for the business. The best reviews about Guitar Center have been left by employees working as Music Instructor , Private Lessons Instructor and Music Teacher .

Does Guitar Center pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, Guitar Center employees rate their compensation and benefits as 2.4 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at Guitar Center. This rating has decreased by 2% over the last 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at Guitar Center?

41% of Guitar Center employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated Guitar Center 2.9 out of 5 for work life balance, 2.7 for culture and values and 2.4 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at Guitar Center?

Sales Associate (598) , Operations Associate (86) , Store Manager (81) , Instructor (74) , Lessons Lead (69) , Assistant Manager (61) , Gear Advisor (57) , Retail Sales Associate (57) , Customer Service Manager (47) , Operations Manager (44) , Department Manager (40) , Sales (36) , Repair Technician (34) , Customer Service Manager (CSM) (28) , Operations (28)

What are the pros of working at Guitar Center according to real employee reviews?

"The direct people you work with are great and will help you in any way they can." ((in 237 reviews)); "Coworkers are great and helpful" ((in 140 reviews)); "The benefits are good and that's all I can say." ((in 66 reviews)); "The hours are flexible and based on your availability to GC" ((in 45 reviews)); "We swear like sailors in the warehouse and have a great culture as an ops team." ((in 35 reviews))

What are the cons of working at Guitar Center according to real employee reviews?

"Low pay compared to companies with similar store size Low amount of staff result in poor customer and employee experience." ((in 325 reviews)); "Poor management and a corporate atmosphere" ((in 175 reviews)); "Terrible upper management that doesn't seem to have ever worked in a musical retail environment." ((in 91 reviews)); "Commissions were low and sparatic." ((in 80 reviews)); "Managers make less than $20 an hour in a state in which other companies pay managers $50k." ((in 75 reviews))

What are employees saying about Guitar Center layoffs in 2026?

Explore Glassdoor’s employee reviews to understand what current and former employees are saying about Guitar Center layoffs and their outlook for job security at Guitar Center in 2026.

What are the top reviewed Guitar Center locations?

Westlake Village , Los Angeles , New York , Westlake Village , Indianapolis , Chicago , Nashville , Draper , Austin , Houston , Dallas , Boston , Atlanta , Kansas City , Hollywood , San Jose , San Francisco , Knoxville , Rockville , Las Vegas , Seattle , Miami , Mobile , Salt Lake City , Brooklyn , Plano , Thousand Oaks , Concord , Wilmington , Brownsburg

Guitar Center reviews

2.8

41% would recommend to a friend

(2,732 total reviews)

Gabe Dalporto

28% approve of CEO

24% positive business outlook

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Guitar Center has an employee rating of 2.8 out of 5 stars, based on 2,732 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

Sep 8, 2012

Low compensation for work requested.

Sales associate

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Discount on gear, networking with musicians and industry professionals, instant knowledge of new releases.

Cons

Low pay, have to "fade your check" to earn a commission, you are not just a salesperson but also a housekeeper and a merchandiser, most co-workers have zero understanding or knowledge in their field.

3.0

Aug 31, 2012

It's an good first step for some musicians, and an ok stable job if you're in the right place

Sales associate

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

-Good enviornment for musicians (especially if they need equipment) -Great benefits -If an employee needs to leave for an extended period (up to 90 days), he/she will still have a job once they have returned

Cons

-If you start off in the wrong department or work in a slow environment, don't expect to exceed minimum wage until you've been promoted all the way up to assistant manager. -Sales expectations are pretty high and somewhat unrealistic unless you're cutthroat about commission (or work in pro audio)

2.0

Aug 23, 2012

Some great perks at too high a cost

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

If you are a musician (and most employees at the stores are) you will love the gear discounts and the ability to go on tour and come back to your position. Most people you work with are fellow musicians and good people to connect with and network.

Cons

Very old school commission structures which foster aggressiveness and backstabbing with the customer as a second thought and low hourly wages for those not in sales with extremely high performance expectations.

Viewing 2620 - 2622 of 2,732 Reviews

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Guitar Center

Guitar Center reviews

Company ratings over time

Ratings by demographic groups

Reviews by job title

Low compensation for work requested.

It's an good first step for some musicians, and an ok stable job if you're in the right place

Some great perks at too high a cost

Top companies for "Compensation and Benefits" near you

Jobs at Guitar Center