Guitar Center is a leading popular US based music retailer, operating more than 250 stores located all over the USA.
It is the largest American music chain, with its headquarters in California.
Guitar center Return Policy Overview
Guitar Center cares about the customer’s satisfaction, and offers an uncomplicated and straightforward return policy in case customers are not fully satisfied with their purchases.
According to the Guitar Center return policy, a product bought in one of the retail stores can be returned or exchanged within a timeframe of 45 days from purchase.
The product should be returned new and in the original condition.
It will be refunded for the full purchase price, however, its important to be aware that Guitar Center will deduct their shipping and handling charges.
Limitations and Exceptions to Extended Return Period
As usual, every retailer has its specific limitations for product returns and refunds.
In the Guitar Center case, there is a list of products that in case you wish to return, their return timeframe is not 45 days, but 14 days only.
The 14 days return products list includes:
- Recording devices
- DJ equipment
- Workstation keyboards
- Rack signal processors
- Lighting/fog machines.
The following products can be returned in a short timeframe of 3 days only from purchase:
Vintage instruments.
In addition, there is a list of items that cannot be returned at all.
Among these items that are non-refundable, are:
- Items bought in a clearance:
Naturally, if you bought a product in a clearance sale Guitar Center would not refund you or agree to replace it.
2. Items identified as non-returnable at the time of purchase.
3. Discontinued items
4. Apple hardware
5. Computers
6. Opened software
7. electronic software downloads
8. books
9. CDs
10. videos
11. vinyl records
12. turntable cartridges, tubes, in earbuds, earplugs and in-ear monitors, fog fluid, harmonicas, cleaning products, demo gear, and special orders.
Other limitations in Guitar Center return policy you need to know about:
- In case you return Woodwind and Brass instruments, these specific instruments incur a special fee of $10.00 (called the sanitization fee).
- Returned bows incur a $4.00 restocking fee.
- In case you wish to return mouthpieces of over $300, these will incur an $8.00 sanitization fee; while mouthpieces under $300 also incur a fee of $4.00 only.
Other items that are treated differently in the Guitar Center are Apple products.
In case you return an Apple product in an open box, these products incur a 10% restocking fee.
In case you return Apple hardware with defects in materials or workmanship, in a timeframe that is less than 1 year (meaning: it’s under the one-year Limited Warranty) these will be subject to Apple’s return policy, as detailed in the manufacturer’s site.
How can products be returned to Guitar Center?
There are currently two ways of returning the products:
1. Via mail
2. Directly return it to one of the physical stores.
How to return an item to a store?
To return an item to one of Guitar Center stores, all you need to do is bring a copy of your order confirmation email with you to the store, or instead bring your packing slip (received with your order).
This way you do not have to pay shipping charges.
You will be refunded immediately in-store.
In case this is the way you chose to return the goods, it is recommended that you check here for addresses and opening hours of the stores.
How to return an item via mail?
If you prefer not to physically go to one of the Guitar Center stores, you should contact the Guitar Center customer service.
They will issue a return authorization for you.
Once you have the return authorization you can proceed to ship the item at your expense to this address:
Guitar Center, 4005 N Norfleet
Kansas City, MO 64161-9231