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
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
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
Who is bigger Sweetwater or Guitar Center? ›
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.
Should I buy from Sweetwater? ›So cut to the chase – Is Sweetwater Legit? Bottom Line: Yes. Sweetwater is the biggest online musical instrument retailer in the US, serving millions of customers a year, and have top ratings on all review sites. You should have absolutely no reservations in ordering with them.
Can I trust 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.
Are the guitars at Sweetwater good? ›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.
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.
Who is Guitar Center's biggest competitor? ›Guitar Center main competitors are Vudu, Fender, and Factory Direct, Inc.
Can you return guitar to Sweetwater? ›"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).
Sweetwater's 55-point Inspection
Our detailed 55-point Inspection ensures that each instrument valued $299 and above is shipped in factory-fresh condition and ready to play.
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.
Who owns Sweetwater? ›Chuck Surack, President and Founder of Sweetwater, Inc., has been a musician and a salesman for as long as he can remember.
How much commission do Sweetwater reps make? ›
Sales engineers start with a salary guarantee in the mid 30Ks. In the second year they go on commission, with an average earning of 35K. The average for the second year is 53K, in the 5th year 75-85K, and six figures after 10 years. 15% of the sales staff makes $95,000 or more a year.
What is the largest music store in the US? ›Guitar Center is an American musical instrument retailer chain. It is the largest company of its kind in the United States, with 294 locations. Its headquarters is in Westlake Village, California.
Which guitar brand has the best quality? ›- Gibson.
- Fender.
- Taylor.
- Martin.
- Yamaha.
- Guild.
- ESP.
- Ibanez.
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. The Fender Telecaster is our number one Fender recommendation, while from the Gibson range we would single out the ES-175.
Which guitar has best sound quality? ›- Yamaha AC1M.
- Fender CC-60S.
- Gibson G-45.
- Guild OM-240 CE.
- Epiphone Hummingbird Pro.
- Fender Newporter Player.
- Martin D-28.
Can I Use a Sweetwater Card at Other Stores? Unfortunately, it is not possible at this time to make purchases anywhere other than Sweetwater with this credit card.
Does Sweetwater charge a restocking fee? ›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 time of year is best to buy a new guitar? ›The best time to buy a guitar is Black Friday through to late January. This is the busiest time of year for guitar sales, as stores find themselves 'in the black' and making room for new inventory. Used guitars also tend to sell well due to higher turnover.
Why so many people quit guitar? ›Probably the main reason so many people quit guitar shortly after they begin is because they aren't having fun. Perhaps they are getting discouraged, frustrated, or just finding practice to be grueling and uninteresting.
Who is the best guitar instructor? ›...
Before we had the Telecaster.
- Mel Bay. (Image credit: Mel Bay) ...
- Joe Satriani. ...
- Michael Angelo Batio. ...
- Paul Gilbert. ...
- Tomo Fujita. ...
- Justin Sandercoe. ...
- Burt Weedon. ...
- Jennifer Batten.
Do Guitar Center salesmen get commission? ›
Both. It's 9/hour plus commission based on your sales per hour. You're competing head to head with your coworkers and are ranked on a daily ranking sheet based on your sales per hour, pro coverage attachment rate, and gear card applications.
How good is Sweetwater warranty? ›Our Total Confidence Coverage Warranty gives you 24 months of coverage backed by our team of Sales Engineers, Support Specialists, and our factory-certified Service Team at no extra cost.
Do you pay tax on Sweetwater? ›Currently, Sweetwater collects sales tax on purchases delivered into the following states: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, ...
Is Sweetwater good customer service? ›Their customer service is amazing and I love that I get to deal with the same sales person every time. Chris Arnold is fantastic and Sweetwater has become my first stop when I need anything music-oriented. It's usually my last now too because they almost always have what I'm looking for!
How long does it take Sweetwater to ship a guitar? ›1–5 business days within the contiguous U.S. 6–7 business days to Alaska and Hawaii. FedEx Express Saver® – U.S. only (excluding Alaska and Hawaii). Delivery to business by 4:30 p.m. and to residences by 7 p.m. in 3 business days.
Why is it called Sweetwater? ›This oasis with sweet water amd bitter-tasting gypsum streams, Sweetwater has long been considered a place to rest one's weary feet. Long before the settlers and ranchers arived, the Kiowa Indians names the site "Mobeetie," which meant sweet water.
What should I not play at guitar stores? ›- Stairway To Heaven – Led Zeppelin.
- Smoke On The Water – Deep Purple.
- Sweet Child O' Mine – Guns 'N Roses.
- The House Of The Rising Sun – The Animals.
- Enter Sandman – Metallica.
- Sweet Home Alabama – Lynyrd Skynyrd.
A good ballpark cost for a decent, beginner guitar is anywhere between $200 and $800. Depending on your means, your previous experience, and your commitment to learning, this is different for every individual.
What not to play at Guitar Center? ›- STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN – LED ZEPPELIN. ...
- SMOKE ON THE WATER – DEEP PURPLE. ...
- IRON MAN – BLACK SABBATH. ...
- SEVEN NATION ARMY – THE WHITE STRIPES. ...
- FREEBIRD – LYNYRD SKYNYRD. ...
- SMELLS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT – NIRVANA. ...
- WONDERWALL – OASIS. ...
- SWEET CHILD O' MINE – GUNS N' ROSES.
Buy - Sell - Trade quality used gear. Sell quality used gear, and browse gently pre-owned items. If you are looking for the Sweetwater Gear Exchange website, visit http://www.sweetwater.com/used/.
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.
What happened Sweetwater? ›In 1971, Sweetwater disbanded to pursue their own careers and lives. Two Sweetwater LPs were released after Nancy Nevins' accident, Just for You (Reprise, 1970) and Melon (Reprise, 1971).
How much does a Sweetwater guitar handler make? ›Average Sweetwater Handler hourly pay in the United States is approximately $15.02, which meets the national average.
Which sales reps make the most money? ›- How We're Defining “High-Paying”
- Enterprise Sales/Account Executive.
- Pharmaceutical Sales Representative.
- Realtor.
- Medical Device Sales Representative.
- Sales Engineer.
- Software Sales Representative.
- Major Gifts Officer.
Nicknamed "Music City," Nashville is the epicenter of country and western music in the United States. The most famous of Nashville's musical legacies is the Grand Ole Opry, a country music and variety radio show that is still recorded live.
What is the best music shop in the US? ›#1 SWEETWATER
Sweetwater was founded in 1979 and is the largest retailer for music instruments and pro audio equipment in the United States.
The House of Guitars®,Inc. is located in Rochester, New York and known as the “Largest Guitar Store in the World.” The store was started in 1964 by Bruce and Armand Schaubroeck out of the basement of their mother's home and quickly became famous for being the intersection of music, art and culture.
What is the best selling guitar brand in the world? ›Legendary guitar players like Wes Montgomery, Slash, B.B. King, and Jimmy Page are just a few of the iconic musicians that used Gibson as their main brand. Simply said, Gibson and Fender are the two most popular guitar brands.
Which guitar is the hardest to learn? ›In many cases, the traditional steel-string Acoustic guitar can be the hardest to play. The strings tend to have a heavier gauge which makes things harder when first learning. The metal strings also means that your fingers will ache after playing while new to the instrument.
Which guitar model is best? ›The Fender Acoustic Guitar is the best choice for both beginners and professionals offering a great sound and feel that will inspire you. The Fender Acoustic Guitar is the best choice for both beginners and professionals offering a great sound and feel that will inspire you.
How many hours does it take to master guitar? ›
On average, it takes about 300 hours of practice to learn the basic chords and feel comfortable playing the guitar. If you practice for two hours a day – every day – it will take five months to master the basics. If you practice for an hour every day, it will take you ten months.
What is the most popular acoustic guitar of all time? ›The Martin D-28 has become almost synonymous with the acoustic guitar, and chances are, if you picture someone playing an acoustic, you're unwittingly imagining this in their hands.
What is the easiest guitar to play on? ›The best beginner guitar is a steel-stringed acoustic guitar (because it's the easiest guitar to learn with). The body shape of your ideal guitar is due to your personal preference.
What has the highest sound quality? ›A lossless audio file format is the best format for sound quality. These include FLAC, WAV, or AIFF. These types of files are considered “hi-res” because they are better or equal to CD-quality.
What is Ed Sheeran's Favourite guitar? ›The Martin Ed Sheeran Divide is, as the name suggests, Ed Sheeran's own signature guitar. It is his primary 3/4 size acoustic guitar that Ed Sheeran uses for pretty much all of his performances.
What is the largest music store in the United States? ›Guitar Center is an American musical instrument retailer chain. It is the largest company of its kind in the United States, with 294 locations. Its headquarters is in Westlake Village, California.
Is Sweetwater a big company? ›Since its humble beginnings in 1979 as a mobile recording studio, Sweetwater has grown into a leading online retailer of musical instruments and pro audio gear. It's now a billion-dollar company with millions of customers and thousands of employees.
Who is the largest guitar manufacturer in the world? ›...
Cort Guitars.
Type | Private |
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Website | cortguitars.com |
The House of Guitars®,Inc. is located in Rochester, New York and known as the “Largest Guitar Store in the World.” The store was started in 1964 by Bruce and Armand Schaubroeck out of the basement of their mother's home and quickly became famous for being the intersection of music, art and culture.
What is the oldest music store in America? ›About 90 minutes east of Pittsburgh is George's Song Shop, in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. It is believed to be the oldest record store in America.
Who owns Sweetwater guitar? ›
Chuck Surack, President and Founder of Sweetwater, Inc., has been a musician and a salesman for as long as he can remember.
Why is IT called Sweetwater? ›This oasis with sweet water amd bitter-tasting gypsum streams, Sweetwater has long been considered a place to rest one's weary feet. Long before the settlers and ranchers arived, the Kiowa Indians names the site "Mobeetie," which meant sweet water.