Guitar Center Price Match: 45-⁠Day Low Price Guarantee & Exclusions

Musical instrument prices move around, especially on sale weekends. Guitar Center's Low Price Guarantee lets you claim the difference if the same item shows up cheaper soon after you buy, including at Guitar Center itself. Here's what qualifies and what doesn't, based on Guitar Center's official policy pages. For return rules and other policies, see the Guitar Center store page.

How the Low Price Guarantee works

If, within 45 days of buying from Guitar Center, you find the identical item advertised for less by any authorized dealer (Guitar Center included), bring in the ad and your original Guitar Center receipt ¹. Guitar Center refunds 100% of the difference to your original payment method ¹. It will also match at the time of purchase ¹.

Whose prices count

The competing seller must be an authorized US dealer ¹. Guitar Center defines that as a bona fide online or brick-and-mortar retailer whose business is selling first-quality musical instruments, equipment and accessories, and who is authorized to sell the item by substantially all of the manufacturers it carries ¹.

The item must be advertised in a local or national paper, online, in a magazine or in a catalog, and must currently be in stock ¹. Guitar Center's FAQ confirms you can bring in an ad even if it's Guitar Center's own ².

Online prices: shipping counts

When Guitar Center matches an online price, it uses the checkout price including shipping and handling ¹. A low list price with expensive shipping may not beat what you paid.

What's excluded

These are exempt from the guarantee ¹:

• Discontinued and gray market merchandise
• Items with removed or defaced identification codes or numbers
• Demo and exclusive models, floor samples and factory seconds
• Open-box items, limited-quantity items, closeouts and bundles
• Misprints, auctions and auction sites
• Rebates or deferred savings, outlet center items, free or promotional items
• Vintage and used merchandise
• Financing and taxes

Coupons, promotions and limits

• The guarantee can't be stacked or combined with other offers or promotions ¹.
• If you're matching a competitor's coupon or promotion, its rules and restrictions apply, and any limits or exclusions on that offer carry over ¹.
• Guitar Center can limit quantities on price-matched items ¹.
• The policy is for consumer orders only, not resellers ¹. Businesses, schools and institutions can ask the Institutional Department about bulk pricing at 866-498-7882 ¹.

How to request a price match

1. Find the ad. Get the competing dealer's ad showing the lower price for the identical item ¹.
2. Bring the original receipt. Photocopies of ads or receipts aren't accepted as verification ¹.
3. In a store, bring both to Guitar Center ¹.
4. For online orders, contact Guitar Center online or call 866-498-7882 ¹.

Quick tips

• Watch prices for 45 days after a big purchase, including Guitar Center's own sales ¹².
• Compare checkout totals with shipping, not list prices, for online dealers ¹.
• Keep the original receipt; a photocopy won't work ¹.
• Skip the request for used, vintage, open-box or closeout gear, which is excluded ¹.
• More guides: price matching policies.