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Guitar Center

4.3 ★★★★☆ 1,614 Google reviews · Guitar & music store in Tempe, Arizona

Buys used gear Lessons Vintage specialist Repairs & setups

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 (480) 592-9633
  • 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

Hours can shift for holidays, clinics, and lesson schedules — worth a quick check before a special trip.

What's on the wall

Instrument and gear categories at Guitar Center, confirmed in players' own reviews and the store's own info — not guessed from the sign out front.

🎸 Electric Guitars 5 mentions

“Their financing has been great over the years and allowed me to snag electric drums, speakers, and other gear.”

All stores with electric guitars →

🔊 Amps & Pedals 2 mentions

“It has a very friendly and knowledgeable staff who always answers my guitar, amp, drum, and general gear questions.”

All stores with amps & pedals →

🏆 Vintage & Rare

“Caleb is a keeper: a rare gem with both impeccable social skills and tech skills.”

All stores with vintage & rare →

♻️ Used Gear 2 mentions

“I'm a new ukulele player, and I needed a strap button on a used uke I bought.”

All stores with used gear →

🔧 Repairs & Setups 7 mentions

“Daughter bought her first guitar set up here, and signed up for some lessons.”

All stores with repairs & setups →

🎓 Lessons

“Daughter bought her first guitar set up here, and signed up for some lessons.”

All stores with lessons →

🪕 Ukulele, Banjo & Folk

“I'm a new ukulele player, and I needed a strap button on a used uke I bought.”

All stores with ukulele, banjo & folk →

🥁 Drums & Percussion 3 mentions

“It has a very friendly and knowledgeable staff who always answers my guitar, amp, drum, and general gear questions.”

All stores with drums & percussion →

Brands they deal

Brands players name in their reviews of Guitar Center — the fastest way to tell what's actually hanging on the wall before you drive over.

🏷️ Fender

“They have a variety of Gibson, Fender, PRS, & Gretsch guitars when other shops will have just a few low-end knockoffs.”

Who else deals Fender →

🏷️ Gibson 2 mentions

“They have a variety of Gibson, Fender, PRS, & Gretsch guitars when other shops will have just a few low-end knockoffs.”

Who else deals Gibson →

🏷️ Martin

Who else deals Martin →

🏷️ PRS

“They have a variety of Gibson, Fender, PRS, & Gretsch guitars when other shops will have just a few low-end knockoffs.”

Who else deals PRS →

🏷️ Ibanez

Who else deals Ibanez →

🏷️ Gretsch

“They have a variety of Gibson, Fender, PRS, & Gretsch guitars when other shops will have just a few low-end knockoffs.”

Who else deals Gretsch →

🏷️ Epiphone

Who else deals Epiphone →

🏷️ Rickenbacker

Who else deals Rickenbacker →

🏷️ Squier

Who else deals Squier →

Brand mentions are mined from reviews and the store's own info — they tell you what's on the wall, not formal authorized-dealer status. If warranty coverage matters, confirm dealer status with the store or the brand's own dealer locator.

What players say again and again

The things reviewers bring up again and again across 1,614 Google reviews — with their own words as proof.

🔧 expert setups & repairs 2 mentions

“Daughter bought her first guitar set up here, and signed up for some lessons.”

🧠 knowledgeable staff 9 mentions

“He was very knowledgeable, worked within my budget, and gave me tips on how to prolong the lifespan of my instrument.”

🔰 plays well with beginners 4 mentions

“Employee Alex helped me through the entire process as a beginner of playing an electric guitar.”

From the reviews

Love this place. We went there to get my wedding gift for my husband to be. We really really appreciate the knowledge and help from the guys. They were nothing but just most kindest and passionate folks for music. They helped us pick a Les Paul, amp and a cry baby.

★★★★★ — Arushi, Jun 2022

I had a great experience at Guitar Center today. I was looking for a new cart to carry my instruments, and they had a lot of options to choose from. The staff was friendly and helpful, and they showed me some stock photos of different carts they had in other locations.

★★★★★ — Kingzingz, Jan 2024

I have been to many GC stores over 3 decades, and this store is great. It has a very friendly and knowledgeable staff who always answers my guitar, amp, drum, and general gear questions. I really appreciate the wide variety of inventory on new and used gear.

★★★★★ — Laurence, Dec 2024

I went into this store a few days ago and came out with an amazing Gibson J-45 Standard. I really love the way this guitar sounds and plays. The salesperson Alex was very good at explaining the features of this guitar and helped me get a good trade on the guitar I had.

★★★★★ — Wc, Jun 2025

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 1,614 reviews →

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.

Check trade-in info on their site

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.

Where to find Guitar Center

8538 S Emerald Dr, Tempe, AZ85284

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Guitar stores near Guitar Center

Antique Electronic Supply

4.2 ★★★★☆ 11 reviews

6221 S Maple Ave, Tempe, AZ

2.7 miles away

Mike Nye Instrument Repair

4.8 ★★★★★ 197 reviews

943 E Guadalupe Rd, Tempe, AZ

Repairs & setups expert setups & repairsknowledgeable staffgood value

Friendly shop offering repairs for brass and woodwind instruments, plus setups for guitars.

3.1 miles away

Jeff's Local Guitar & Instrument Repair (Located in Mike Nye Instrument Repair lead Luthier)

5 ★★★★★ 85 reviews

943 E Guadalupe Rd, Tempe, AZ

expert setups & repairsgood value

Professional luthier offering stringed instrument repair services, including custom work.

3.1 miles away

All guitar stores in Tempe, AZ →

Listing verified July 2026 from public business records and player reviews. Something out of date? Report a correction. Own this store? Claim your listing — it's free.