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Guitar Center
4.2 ★★★★☆ 1,239 Google reviews · Guitar & music store in San Marcos, California
Guitar and instrument store for acoustic and electric models, plus lessons and repairs.
Plan your visit
- Repairs & setups a repair bench comes up in reviews and the store's own info — call ahead for turnaround, since good techs run a queue
- Buys & trades used gear they buy, trade, or consign used instruments — bring the case and any original parts, and expect trade credit to beat the cash offer
- Lessons lessons come up in reviews and the store's own info — call about openings, instruments taught, and rates before the first visit
- Instrument rentals rentals mentioned — the usual route for band & orchestra season; ask about rent-to-own credit
- Today see hours ·
- Phone (760) 735-8050
- Website stores.guitarcenter.com
Hours
| Monday | 11 AM–9 PM |
| Tuesday | 11 AM–9 PM |
| Wednesday | 11 AM–9 PM |
| Thursday | 11 AM–9 PM |
| Friday | 11 AM–9 PM |
| Saturday | 10 AM–9 PM |
| Sunday | 11 AM–7 PM |
What's on the wall
“Great deals and selections on acustic guitars and electric guitars and basses.”
“Great deals and selections on acustic guitars and electric guitars and basses.”
“I'm not there yet, but I'll definitely be back when I'm ready to upgrade the amp and electronics.”
“Despite all this, I do love the fact that there’s a guitar tech round the clock, and the place is still standing after decades.”
“Although in the past 10 years, this place wasn’t as lively as it did back in the 90s and early 2000s, life is returning with lesson rooms and future musicians.”
“Lots of fun for drum, and always guitar and amp.”
“I feel all sheepish, being an adult who’s brand spankin’ new at the piano.”
“My kids had plenty to do and I was greeted by a salesperson which was nice that he knew his stuff about woodwind instruments even though they were not in stock.”
Brands they deal
What players say again and again
“He is an expert, super friendly, and reminds me of what it was like to go to guitar center when true musicians & gear enthusiasts worked there.”
“Great deals and selections on acustic guitars and electric guitars and basses.”
From the reviews
I had an absolutely phenomenal experience here yesterday (4/26/2026) and I have to share it. I originally purchased my first electric bass from GC's website. I'm an audio nerd (worked in the industry and love my hifi equipment), so it was important to me to purchase something that would sound good and have all the…
Iconic place. From staff to management, these stores always have very chill people. If you are expecting it to be neat and clean, you likely should be shopping for a violin than a guitar. Guitar centers like this are always filed with loud sounds and filled with music in every corner.
Lou was incredibly helpful in the drums dept. Over the phone, the enthusiasm built during the conversation about a drum kit. He is an expert, super friendly, and reminds me of what it was like to go to guitar center when true musicians & gear enthusiasts worked there. I’m just glad that I even got to meet the guy.
Still a great place for audio, recording, and digital. Lots of fun for drum, and always guitar and amp. My kids had plenty to do and I was greeted by a salesperson which was nice that he knew his stuff about woodwind instruments even though they were not in stock.
Selling or trading gear at Guitar Center
Guitar Center comes up for buying and trading used gear — confirmed on their own site. Two things make the trip go better. First, bring the whole package: the case or gig bag, the original tremolo arm or bridge parts, the paperwork if you have it — a complete rig is worth real money more than a bare instrument, and it saves the back-and-forth of "can you bring the case in?" Second, know that trade credit almost always beats the cash offer, usually by a healthy margin — if you're upgrading anyway, price your old gear as a trade against the new one before you take cash. Either way, expect the offer to be below what the gear sells for on the wall; the gap is the store's margin for setup, warranty, and sitting on it until the right buyer walks in.
Lessons at Guitar Center
Reviews and the store's own info mention lessons at Guitar Center. If you're signing up a beginner (or restarting yourself), a quick call ahead answers the three things that matter: which instruments they teach, whether the schedule has openings at the time you actually need, and what a first lesson costs. There's no wrong first guitar — a good teacher will happily work with whatever you walk in with, and a shop that teaches usually keeps affordable starter instruments and rentals on hand for exactly this reason.
Guitar stores near Guitar Center
James Hood Guitar Repair
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