If you’re in the market for a new guitar or other music related equipment but don’t know the best place to buy, then we’re here to help.
Sweetwater and Guitar Center are undoubtedly the two giants of the musical instruments and professional audio equipment industry.
But which one is better? Where should you shop from?
In this article, we’re going to be comparing Sweetwater Vs Guitar Center to see which online music retailer is truly the best.We’ll look at factors including overall selection, website user experience, price, customer service, warranty and return policies of both companies to see how they compare.
Let’s get started!
Sweetwater Overview
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Sweetwater
Sweetwater is one of the largest and most reputable online music instruments retailers in the world. Get the latest deals on the biggest guitar brands including Gibson, Fender, PRS and Ibanez and more!
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Sweetwater Sound is one of the largest online musical instruments retailers in the world. It was founded by Chuck Surack in 1979 and currently only has one physical location, with everything else exclusively being online.
They sell all things musical instruments and professional audio gear including, guitars, drums, keyboards, DJ equipment, software, and much more.
Over the years, they have become one of, if not the, most reputable music retailer in the world known for their outstanding customer service.
Guitar Center Overview
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Guitar Center
Guitar Center is the world's largest musical instrument retailer offering wide variety of guitar gear from the most reputable brands in the industry. Click the button to get the latest deals on all of your music related needs
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Guitar Center is a brand that needs no introduction. They are the largest musical instruments retailer chain in the world with 269 physical store locations throughout the United States and as well as being one of the largest online retailers.
They are owned by Ares Management, an investment company that owns various businesses across different industries.
If you’re a musician, then you’ve definitely heard of Guitar Center. Unlike their name suggests, they offer all sorts of musical instruments and audio gear; not just guitars.
They are definitely the giant of the industry and the only real music chain of its kind.
Sweetwater Vs Guitar Center: What’s the Difference?
Guitar Center
Guitar Center is the world's largest musical instrument retailer offering wide variety of guitar gear from the most reputable brands in the industry. Click the button to get the latest deals on all of your music related needs
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Sweetwater
Sweetwater is one of the largest and most reputable online music instruments retailers in the world. Get the latest deals on the biggest guitar brands including Gibson, Fender, PRS and Ibanez and more!
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When choosing a guitar store to purchase from, here are several important factors that you should consider before buying anything.
Website User Experience
One major factor that most people overlook when it comes to choosing a guitar store is its website user experience.
With the majority of commerce in the music industry taking place online, how users interact with the website can have a huge impact on the overall shopping experience.
Some factors that should be considered are:
- Fast loading speeds (especially on mobile)
- Modern imagery and layout
- Well organized and easy to navigate
- Easy to checkout and input payment information
- Advanced search and filtering features
When it comes to online guitar stores, Sweetwater and Guitar Center have some of the best website experiences relative to the rest of the music industry, which tends to lag behind other eCommerce industries.
While they’re both nice looking sites, the slight edge goes to Sweetwater. Its homepage does a better job of organizing the different categories of products. The product imagery also seems to fit the site’s branding a lot better than Guitar Center. When it comes to the product pages, Sweetwater keeps it clean and offers better product details about each product, highlighting major features and benefits rather than just listing specifications.
Guitar Center’s website is also quite good in terms of navigation but does not look as clean. In addition, Guitar Center’s product pages aren’t nearly as good, and can be difficult to find the relevant details, user reviews, etc. that you’re looking for.
Selection Variety
Options, options, options. This is quite possibly the most important factor when selecting an online guitar store to buy from.
At the end of the day, you’re searching for a product and will shop that the store that has what you’re looking for. Everything else is secondary.
When it comes to the selection, both stores have a massive selection from all the major guitar brands that you would expect including Gibson, Fender, PRS, Ibanez, Schecter, and many more. Both stores also carry other music-related products including a wide variety of other instruments, music production gear, DJ equipment, and more.
Since Guitar Center and Sweetwater are the largest online music retailers, it makes sense that they both have pretty much everything you could possibly want, aside from boutique brands or custom shop guitars.
Comparing the two, I would give the slight edge to Guitar Center since they have the option to shop in physical stores located all throughout the nation, compared to Sweetwater, which just has a single physical location. Also, since Guitar Center is larger, they will typically have more product in-stock and ready to ship immediately, whereas Sweetwater will often have to order the item, which can delay shipment.
In addition, Guitar Center has a much larger catalog of used gear, which is particularly important to me since I buy most of my guitars used.
However, one advantage that Sweetwater has over Guitar Center is Sweetwater’s exclusive finish options on some guitars. Some guitar brands partner with Sweetwater to provide unique color options that you won’t find anywhere else for some popular guitar models including Les Paul guitars, Telecasters, Stratocasters, PRS guitars, and more.
Price
Another factor that you should consider is obviously the price. In most cases, the prices of popular guitar models are standardized based on the manufacturer, meaning you’ll be paying the same exact price at Sweetwater and Guitar Center for any given guitar.
However, one thing to keep in mind is that individual guitar stores may offer different deals at different times of the year. These deals can vary from guitar to guitar, so I would suggest checking both stores for the best deals if you have your eye on a specific model.
Aside from that, shipping fees can also be a significant cost factor, especially when you’re talking about large musician instruments, such as guitars, drum sets, and keyboards.
Sweetwater offers free shipping on most items. And while Guitar Center does offer free shipping on select items, many guitars will incur some shipping costs, which make your overall purchase for the same item more expensive than if you were to buy it on Sweetwater with free shipping.
Customer Service
When it comes to customer service, Sweetwater probably has the best I’ve ever experienced from an online music retailer.
When you shop with Sweetwater, you’ll basically have access to dedicated specialists who are extremely knowledgeable in the music industry. Nothing’s more frustrating than dealing with a general customer service representative that doesn’t understand the product.
Rest assured, the customer service representatives are actually specialists. Wherever I’ve had specific questions regarding guitars, equipment setup, or software I’ve purchased, I was able to get good help. If you’re having trouble setting up software, you can even have their team, remote monitor, your computer and help set it up for you. Overall, I was very impressed with Sweetwater’s customer service.
For Guitar Center, their customer service can be hit or miss. From my experience, it really just depends on which individual representative you get connected to. In some cases, I’ve spoken to really helpful representatives that know their stuff. Other times, I was connected to general receptionists you don’t really understand the music industry, but rather just handle basic inquiries.
The major difference between Sweetwater and Guitar Center is that when you purchase from Sweetwater, you are actually connected to your own sales rep who can guide you through any issues you may have, which is really helpful. Overall, Sweetwater definitely wins from a customer service perspective.
Shipping
When purchasing a guitar online, the shipping process can ultimately be the determining factor in terms of which retailer you choose.
For musical instruments, which are typically larger items, shipping costs can potentially be very pricey if your retailer doesn’t offer free shipping.
And on top of that, you’ll obviously want your new purchase delivered to your door as soon as possible.
When it comes to shipping and delivery, Sweetwater offers free shipping on most items, which is definitely a perk. In terms of delivery time, Sweetwater typically provides 1-5 business day shipping to the continental United States and 7-6 business days for Alaska and Hawaii. The exact day range will vary based on your actual location, but you’ll be able to see the shipping estimate for you based when you check out.
Guitar Center does offer free shipping on select items, but unfortunately, many items do not qualify for free shipping. This is especially true for larger items that are odd-shaped including many musical instruments like guitars.
In terms of shipping times, you can typically expect 3-5 day delivery times in the United States.
Overall, both online retailers do a good job at handling shipping and delivery, but since Sweetwater offers free shipping on nearly all items, I’d give a slight advantage to Sweetwater in this category. Again, be sure to check both sites when shopping to see if the particular item qualifies for free shipping.
Warranty
In terms of the warranty, Sweetwater offers a free 2-year warranty on top of the manufacturer’s actual warranty on the product, meaning you can buy with confidence knowing that you’re covered. They call this their “Total Confidence Coverage” which is something that you won’t really find anywhere else. Read more on Sweetwater’s warranty.
Guitar Center offers its Pro Coverage on all purchases, but it’s not free like Sweetwater. This is obviously not ideal, since most people will not opt into it, meaning you won’t be able to buy with complete coverage. However, you’ll still get the standard manufacturer’s warranty which is usually good enough.
Return Policy
Having a good return policy is important because it allows you to buy in confidence knowing that you’ll be able to return the item if you’re not satisfied. This is especially true when you’re ordering a guitar online since you won’t be able to feel it in your hands and play it before your buy, like you would when buying in a store.
Sweetwater and Guitar Center both offer excellent return policies when shopping for musical instruments.
Sweetwater offers a 30-day “No-Hassle” return policy, meaning you can return your item within 30 days for any reason. If you’re purchased a used item, then you’ll have a 90 day period where you can return it. If you’re item qualified for free shipping, then you will have to pay to ship it back, but that’s a small price to pay knowing that you have the freedom to return with no questions asked. Read more about the Sweetwater Return Policy
Guitar Center offers a 45 day satisfaction guarantee meaning you’ll have 45 days to return a product for a full refund (excluding shipping costs) if you’re not happy with it. However, there are some limitations based on the actual product which may have a lower time frame to return. You can see more details on the Guitar Center Return Policy page
Sweetwater Vs Guitar Center: Which Guitar Store Should You Buy From?
Guitar Center
Guitar Center is the world's largest musical instrument retailer offering wide variety of guitar gear from the most reputable brands in the industry. Click the button to get the latest deals on all of your music related needs
Shop Guitar Center
Sweetwater
Sweetwater is one of the largest and most reputable online music instruments retailers in the world. Get the latest deals on the biggest guitar brands including Gibson, Fender, PRS and Ibanez and more!
Shop Sweetwater
So now that we’ve done a full breakdown between Sweetwater Vs Guitar Center, which online music retailer should you actually buy from?
Overall, both Sweetwater and Guitar Center are comparable in almost every regard. If you’re someone who is brand new to buying musical instruments, then Sweetwater might be the best for you due to their excellent customer service. You’ll essentially have access to a dedicated sales engineer who is knowledgeable and will be able answer your questions and help you find the right fit for you.
If you’re someone who wants variety, or someone who wants to have the flexibility of being able to go to a physical store to try out the guitar, even to handle returns for online purchases, then Guitar Center is your best bet. With 269 store locations throughout the nation, you’ll likely have one in your area. Also, since Guitar Center is a larger brand, they’re more likely to have a particular guitar in stock if you already know the exact model of guitar you want.
At the end of the day, both Sweetwater and Guitar Center offer an excellent experience when buying music gear. It’ll all come down to whether they have the exact item you’re looking for and if there are any exclusive deals that are being offered. Be sure to check both out just to be sure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sweetwater Owned by Guitar Center?
No, Sweetwater is not owned by Guitar Center. Sweetwater was founded and still owned by Chuck Surack. Guitar Center is owned by an large asset management company called Ares Management Corporation.
Does Guitar Center Price Match Sweetwater?
Yes, Guitar Center does price match! For more details on this, check out their Low Price Guarantee
Is Sweetwater a Good Place to Buy a Guitar?
Yes, Sweetwater is a good place to buy a guitar. They have a huge variety of options from the most reputable brands, excellent customer service, and offer a 2-year free warranty on every purchase.
Is Buying a Guitar Online a Good Idea?
Buying a guitar is a good idea for many since you’ll have access to a much wider variety of different guitars. While some people may be apprehensive about buying a guitar before actually trying it out, all reputable online guitar stores offer good customer satisfaction guarantees, warranties, and return policies allowing you to buy in confidence.
FAQs
Sweetwater Vs Guitar Center: Which is the Best Guitar Store? (2023)? ›
Sweetwater is absolutely legitimate. They're arguably the biggest online music, sound, and gear retailer in the U.S. They have top ratings on a variety of websites and serve millions of customers every year.
Should I buy guitar from Sweetwater? ›Sweetwater is absolutely legitimate. They're arguably the biggest online music, sound, and gear retailer in the U.S. They have top ratings on a variety of websites and serve millions of customers every year.
Will Guitar Center price match Sweetwater? ›Guitar Center will match the (checkout) price of Sweetwater or any competing online retailer at the time of purchase. The offer stands for 45 days after your purchase, meaning GC will refund the difference to your original payment if you find the identical item sold at a lower price later.
Are Guitar Center and Sweetwater the same company? ›Is Sweetwater owned by guitar center? No, Sweetwater is not owned by Guitar center. Guitar Center is owned by Ares Management, whereas Sweetwater is majority owned by Providence Equity Partners with founder Chuck Surack owning the remainder of the company after selling over half of his stake in July of 2021.
Is Sweetwater a good place to buy instruments? ›Yes. Sweetwater is one of the biggest online retailers of musical instruments in the US, and it's top-rated on review sites. You should have no dilemma when it comes to ordering from the Sweetwater site, thanks to their service, no-hassle return policy, sales team, and rigorous inspection process.
Which is the best company to buy guitar? ›- Yamaha.
- Kadence.
- Ibanez.
- Epiphone.
- Fender.
- Cort.
- Hertz.
- Giuson.
- Sweetwater.
- Guitar Center.
- Musician's Friend.
- Zzounds.
- Sam Ash.
- Amazon.
- Reverb.
- eBay.
"No Hassle" Return Policy:
If you are not satisfied with any new product, for any reason, you may return it for a refund of the purchase price or an in-house credit, or you may exchange for another product within a fair amount of time from the shipping date (usually 30 days).
Our detailed 55-point Inspection ensures that each instrument valued $299 and above is shipped in factory-fresh condition and ready to play.
How long does it take to get a guitar from Sweetwater? ›1–5 business days within the contiguous U.S. 6–7 business days to Alaska and Hawaii.
Who is Guitar Center's biggest competitor? ›
Guitar Center main competitors are Vudu, Fender, and Factory Direct, Inc. Competitor Summary. See how Guitar Center compares to its main competitors: Gap Inc. has the most employees (117,000).
Can I use my Sweetwater card at Guitar Center? ›You are preapproved for an amount, and when you've paid it off, you have your full balance available again to make further purchases, but you can't use the same card to pay for your groceries, or even online at other music retailers like Guitar Center (who also offer their own credit card).
What time of year is best to buy an acoustic guitar? ›The time of year you choose to make your purchase will drastically affect the price you pay. Typically Black Friday is the best time to score a hearty discount, as retailers are gearing up for the big Christmas rush, clearing out older items to make way for stockpiles of beginner acoustic guitars and starter packs.
Do Sweetwater guitars come ready to play? ›Sweetwater's exclusive 40-point Band and Orchestra Inspection assures our customers the instrument they receive arrives factory fresh and ready to play!
Should I buy a guitar at Guitar Center? ›Yes, Guitar Center is a legit retailer that you should by and large feel safe to buy from. That being said, we would suggest exercising some caution as they have been known to sell used items as new, and can sometimes mess up their used listings, leaving you in the lurch.
Do guitars from Sweetwater come set up? ›Does Sweetwater Setup Their Guitars? At Sweetwater, we do everything possible to make sure your guitar is set up the way you want it. We adjust the truss rod, intonation, and action to your specifications, and we'll even install your custom pickups and hardware for free.
What are the top 3 guitar company? ›To sum it all up, the best guitar brands are Ibanez, Fender, and Gibson. The best overall option would be the Ibanez JSM100, based on its overall quality and versatility.
What is the #1 guitar brand? ›The most popular guitar brand is none other than Fender! Their most popular instruments are the Fender Player Telecaster and Fender Player Stratocaster, ranking number one and two for most sold guitars in 2021. What is the biggest guitar company? Fender is the biggest guitar manufacturer.
What is the highest selling guitar brand? ›When it comes to market share, these are the top guitar brands in the United States as of 2023. Gibson holds the largest share at 34%, followed by Fender at 30%. Ibanez, Yamaha, Epiphone, and other brands make up the rest of the market.
What is a decent price for a good guitar? ›So, to sum up, good quality beginner acoustic guitars cost around $100 – $400, intermediates range between $400 – $1000, and professional acoustics are $1000 and more. But don't be scared that you aren't getting a high-quality acoustic if you are paying less than $1000.
What is the price of best guitar quality? ›
| S. No | Product Names | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yamaha FX280 Natural Electro Acoustic Guitar | 47,819.00 |
| 2 | Kadence Acoustica Series 41" Acoustic Guitar | 19,999.00 |
| 3 | Ibanez GRX70QATBB Electric Guitar - Transparent Blue Burst | 20,900.00 |
| 4 | Epiphone AJ-220SCE Acoustic Electric Guitar | 36,507.00 |
A good beginner's guitar costs between $100 and $500. Louder sounds at the mid-level are typically audible to people who spend more than $500 on a sound system. If you want a quality acoustic guitar at a reasonable price, it will cost $500 to $1200.
Where does Sweetwater ship from? ›Sweetwater Tour
What's more, our location in Fort Wayne, Indiana, lets us offer free shipping to nearly anywhere in the contiguous United States in a matter of days, so you won't have to wait long for your gear to arrive.
All returns will be subject to a 15% restocking fee. Special order items may be returned at our discretion. We will not accept returns on merchandise that was opened, used, is missing the serial number or UPC, or returned more than 30 days after delivery.
What cannot be returned to Guitar Center? ›The following products cannot be returned – Clearance items, items identified as non-returnable, discontinued items, Apple hardware, computers, opened software, electronic software downloads, books, CDs, videos, vinyl records, turntable cartridges, tubes, in ear buds, earplugs and in ear monitors, fog fluid, harmonicas ...
Does Sweetwater card affect credit score? ›Hundreds of participating music brands. Quick & easy to apply. Use your approved credit amount to buy the gear of your dreams...today! See if you prequalify with no impact to your credit bureau score.
Does Sweetwater run your credit? ›We may request a credit report and will work with you on the terms that are best for you to pay off the gear in either three or six months. After paying a nominal processing fee, you can split your total up over three or six months and make equal payments using your existing credit card. Minimum purchase required.
Does Sweetwater easy pay affect credit score? ›EasyPay's pre-qualification process is a soft inquiry which does not impact your customers' FICO credit score.
How much do Sweetwater reps make? ›Average Sweetwater Sales Engineer yearly pay in the United States is approximately $59,140, which is 33% below the national average.
Can I sell my instrument to Sweetwater? ›We all have instruments or pieces of gear that are collecting dust. So why not trade them in for what you really want? The Sweetwater Music Store will buy your gently used gear and give you credit toward the guitar, drums, and recording or live sound gear of your dreams.
Who are Sweetwater competitors? ›
Sweetwater competitors include Reverb, zZounds Music, Sam Ash Music and Guitar Center. Sweetwater ranks 1st in CEO Score on Comparably vs its competitors.
Where is the biggest guitar store in America? ›Sweetwater, Fort Wayne, Indiana
Located on a sprawling campus in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Sweetwater Music boasts the largest inventory of any music store in the United States. In terms of guitars, the store has everything you can find on their website plus a massive used inventory.
Alan Holdsworth
Perhaps the most technically proficient guitar player ever. Alan Holdsworth had an advanced understanding of music, theory, chords, and scales.
- Kiefer Sutherland. For a few years not so long ago, Kiefer Sutherland was one of the biggest celebrities in the world. ...
- Tom Morello. ...
- Andrew Watt. ...
- John Mayer. ...
- Rick Nielsen.
Chuck Surack, President and Founder of Sweetwater, Inc., has been a musician and a salesman for as long as he can remember.
Do I pay tax at Sweetwater? ›For your convenience, we provide a sales tax estimate during checkout, and on your order confirmation summary. However, many factors can change between the time you place your order and when it is delivered.
Do you get candy when you order from Sweetwater? ›For years, Sweetwater Sound has been packing handfuls of candy into boxes full of music technology and music instruments that are shipped all over the country. Little did they know that this little "thank you" to customers would one day help save a life.
Do guitars get better with age? ›Older guitars often sound better than newer ones as they dry out over time which causes them to become harder leading to a more resonant tone with better sustain. The increase in age affects the tone more in acoustic guitars than electric ones.
What is best month to buy a guitar? ›It is best to purchase a guitar during the months of November and December. Guitar sales are at their busiest this time of year as stores are in the black and have enough new inventory to fill out their shelves. In addition, the sale of used guitars is also more profitable due to higher turnover.
Do new guitars sound better with age? ›Since the body isn't hollow, the aging of wood doesn't make electric guitars sound better. Acoustic guitars sound better as the wood ages because of their hollow body design, but this is not the case with electric guitars.
How long should you wait before buying a new guitar? ›
It's best to wait at least 6 months, but more often, a year before purchasing a second guitar. This is when you'll start to see the biggest difference when you upgrade, because your technique won't be holding you back at this point. Providing you've put plenty of practise in!
Why doesn't Sweetwater carry sterling guitars? ›Contacted Sweetwater (because I don't trust GC's quality control / lack of setups / customer service) and they said they don't carry Sterling by MM because the quality control is so iffy on them.
Does Sweetwater ship guitars well? ›Sweetwater ships tens of thousands of guitars every year, so we know the dangers of shipping a guitar as well as anyone. Our Guitar Shop frequently receives guitars that have not been packaged correctly. We've seen everything from minor cracks to a box full of splinters.
Is Sweetwater a good place to buy? ›Sweetwater is absolutely legitimate. They're arguably the biggest online music, sound, and gear retailer in the U.S. They have top ratings on a variety of websites and serve millions of customers every year.
Does Guitar Center go down on price? ›In general, guitar stores will not negotiate on prices. This is because they have already set their prices based on their margins and they do not want to risk losing a sale by haggling over price. However, if you are a good negotiator, you may be able to get a better price by asking for a discount or bundle deal.
Will Guitar Center come down on price? ›The short answer is: You usually can't haggle at Guitar Center. But if you bring gear to trade in, you get the value of your gear plus 10% off of an in-store item. In this context, you may be able to negotiate that your gear is worth slightly more than they are offering.
Does Guitar Center match Sweetwater prices? ›Guitar Center will match the (checkout) price of Sweetwater or any competing online retailer at the time of purchase. The offer stands for 45 days after your purchase, meaning GC will refund the difference to your original payment if you find the identical item sold at a lower price later.
How many guitars does Sweetwater sell a day? ›“We're now selling a thousand guitars every day,” adds Sweetwater's Surack. “It blows me away.” In 2019, Sweetwater had days where it would peak at 800 or 825 guitars, but one thousand has since become the daily average.
Is hard to get approved for Sweetwater? ›Being a store card, the credit score requirement for a Sweetwater card is lower than the score that would typically be required by a bank or other external creditor. The score needed to gain access to Sweetwater credit is usually 630.
Is Sweetwater plek worth it? ›As a guitar tech/luthier, I can tell you that it's absolutely worth it. It's a far superior way to do fretwork – I've done more fret levels and refrets by hand than I can count, and the PLEK process is infinitely better.
Does Sweetwater financing affect credit score? ›
Get a decision in seconds with no impact to your credit bureau score. Ready to apply? Enjoy up to 48 months* promotional financing on qualifying purchases!
Should I order from Guitar Center? ›Is Guitar Center legit/safe to buy from? Yes, Guitar Center is a legit retailer that you should by and large feel safe to buy from. That being said, we would suggest exercising some caution as they have been known to sell used items as new, and can sometimes mess up their used listings, leaving you in the lurch.
Does Sweetwater run a credit check? ›It's Easy to Get Started. We may request a credit report and will work with you on the terms that are best for you to pay off the gear in either three or six months.
Does getting approved hurt your credit? ›A mortgage preapproval can have a hard inquiry on your credit score if you end up applying for the credit. Although a preapproval may affect your credit score, it plays an important step in the home buying process and is recommended to have. The good news is that this ding on your credit score is only temporary.
What credit report does Sweetwater use? ›Yes, Sweetwater Card reports your account activity to the following credit reporting agencies: Equifax. Experian. Transunion.
What time of year is best to buy electric guitar? ›It is best to purchase a guitar during the months of November and December. Guitar sales are at their busiest this time of year as stores are in the black and have enough new inventory to fill out their shelves. In addition, the sale of used guitars is also more profitable due to higher turnover.