1. Quick links
2. Early deals
3. FAQ
4. Shopping tips
5. How we choose
6. Why trust us
7. Last year's picks
This year will be my third covering the Guitar Center Black Friday deals, and prior to that I spent five years working in music retail, so it's fair to say I've been around the block a few times. It means I've got a great overview of what's actually a great deal, and what is creative pricing to make it seem like it's a good deal.
Last year we saw some incredible savings at Guitar Center, including a blanket 20% off EarthQuaker Devices pedals, $170 off the PRS SE Silver Sky, and a ginormous $280 off a Guild acoustic. Guitar Center more typically covers guitar gear, as you'd expect from the name, but there were also some reductions on recording gear, as well as some live sound discounts if you wanted to improve your gigging or outfit your practice room.
This year I'd really love to see discounts on some of the great new releases like Fender Player II, Positive Grid Spark 2, and the Boss Katana Gen 3. To be totally honest, I don't think we'll see much off though, if any. I reckon we're more likely to see heavy discounts on previous iterations, so keep an eye out for big savings on original Fender Player Series guitars, as well as earlier versions of the Boss Katana.
As always, I'll be consistently updating this page with the very latest deals from Guitar Center, and if you want to see what's available at other retailers you can check out our Black Friday guitar deals page. I'm expecting early deals to start landing really soon, so make sure to keep checking back here.
Guitar Center Black Friday deals: Quick links
Head straight for the right department on Guitar Center with these links:
- Guitar deals: Big money off Fender
- Amp deals: Massive savings on Ampeg
- Pedal deals: Big savings on UA pedals
- Bass deals: Save big on Fender & Ibanez
- Studio deals: Huge savings on PreSonus
- Live sound deals: Massive live sound savings
Guitar Center Black Friday deals: Early deals
Guitar Center Black Friday Deals: FAQ
When is Black Friday?
Black Friday arrives slightly later this year and will be held on Friday 29th November this year. The deals will extend across the following weekend (known as Cyber Weekend) before finishing with some great Guitar Center Cyber Monday deals on December 2nd.
If previous years are anything to go by, we can expect to see some killer Black Friday deals emerging well before the big day. It's worth bookmarking this page and checking back in regularly to see what's on offer.
What deals should I expect?
Last year we saw some fantastic discounts on a wide range of gear. There were healthy amounts knocked off the ever-popular Fender Player series, with the HSS Plus Top versions seeing a massive $160 discount. There were also some great deals on acoustic guitars, with money off many Fender and Epiphone models.
We also saw plenty of reductions on effects pedals with many Walrus Audio pedals getting some serious reductions. One of the best pedal deals was the HeadRush LooperBoard which had a stonking $400 off it's RRP.
Last year we got a sneak peek of Guitar Center's Black Friday deals, so we knew ahead of time what deals were incoming before the big weekend actually landed. Hopefully the same will happen this year, and all the best deals will be right here.
This year we're pretty sure we'll see plenty of guitar gear with money off, it is Guitar Center after all. We'd also like to see more savings on plugins and home recording gear, with many guitarists looking to take this route for their music creation nowadays.
Should I wait until Black Friday?
Well, we'd say yes. If you're looking for the best deals and the biggest savings, then we'd wait until Friday November 29 - but there will undoubtedly be some huge savings to be made in the lead-up to the big day.
In the past, we've seen early Black Friday deals starting as soon as the start of October - and Guitar Center has already kicked off its sales with the Guitar-A-Thon event. You can expect to see big deals from now all the way until the big day.
Most places will keep their best deals for Black Friday and Cyber Weekend, however - leading all the way through to the Guitar Center Cyber Monday deals the following Monday. If you want to make the biggest savings, we'd wait until the event itself.
Should I buy from Guitar Center online during Black Friday?
If you're concerned about buying a guitar or any other gear from Guitar Center this Black Friday without having tried it out first, there's no need to be. Guitar Center's return policy is one of the best around, allowing you to return most gear within a window of 45 days. This means you can afford to purchase a guitar or anything else, play it at home, and make up your mind within a few weeks.
It's worth checking the specifics, as some vintage, custom-ordered, and music tech gear is subject to different rules, however.
Are Guitar Center prices fair?
We'd argue that yes they are. It's part of our jobs to check out the best deals on offer from all the major retailers, and we regularly see Guitar Center competing with others like Sweetwater, Musician's Friend, Amazon, and more.
Whilst it's true you have to hunt for the best deals during Black Friday, we'll only put the very best deals on this page so you can rest assured that all the biggest savings are right here.
How to get free shipping at Guitar Center?
To get free shipping to the US for most items, all you have to do is spend over $25. This does not include everything though, as some special items will incur a shipping cost. Musical instruments that are heavy, things like upright pianos or big PA speakers can sometimes incur an additional shipping fee.
If you're unsure whether your item qualifies your best bet is to contact Guitar Center customer service directly, and you can find more Guitar Center shipping information here.
How to prepare for this year's Guitar Center Black Friday deals
1. Create a wishlist early - It'll feel like there are millions of different deals flying around on Black Friday, so having your wishlist ready and waiting is a great way to stay focused.
2. Work out what you actually need - By checking out what's already in your gear collection, you can make a better decision about what you actually need to purchase this Black Friday. Filling the gaps is a great way to enhance your arsenal, without needlessly purchasing items you won't use.
3. Consider your music-making goals - Have a look at the next year and what you want to achieve in your music-making. Perhaps it's time to record that solo album you've had on the backburner, or you just want to improve your current live show with some in-ear monitors. Whatever it is, make sure you buy something that will contribute towards your goals.
4. Make some room - We're no strangers to hoarding gear, it's something a lot of musicians do. If you've got loads of gear you're not using, now's the perfect time to have a clearout. Not only will it improve relations with your family members or your partner, but it will also free up more funds for future gear purchases during the Black Friday sales.
How we choose the best Guitar Center Black Friday deals
We're all guitar players here at Guitar World, so we know what we're talking about when it comes to guitar gear. It's quite literally our jobs to review and recommend gear, and we all use it during the course of our personal lives as well as our professional ones.
In order to make the cut for inclusion here, a deal has to feature a genuinely useful product that serves a purpose, with a discount that makes it fantastic value for money. We would never recommend a piece of gear we wouldn't use ourselves, so you know you're getting a great deal with us.
Why you can trust our choices
We may be building up to Black Friday right now, but we cover all the best guitar deals throughout the entire year. This means we have an excellent overview of what's a hot product, as well as how the prices have fluctuated over time.
Guitar Center frequently runs sale events and we always cover the good ones, including their incredible Labor Day sale which saw discounts of up to 50% off. We also reported on their huge Memorial Day sale which saw up to 35% off, as well as their Prime Day-beating Guitar-A-Thon which saw up to $430 off select D'Angelicos and up to $300 off Martin.
