Paid full price for an amp, got home and found scuffs and rips... definitely a used/returned/floor model. If thats the case maybe some transparency first. I ordered my amp in store, sales guy Matt was great. He was not there the day the amp arrived and probably would have been upfront about the used condition. Ill be bringing this amp back for an exchange. If I wanted used I would have shopped Reverb and found a much better deal on a used amp. The only reason this review has 2 stars is because Matt was very helpful when I first made the purchase.

Pretty typical Guitar Center location. The technicians are knowledgeable and dont bother you if youre just trying to browse. The selection can be a little bit inconsistent, so check online first if youre trying to test out something specific.

I would like to report a great experience.I came in thinking I needed a new bridge for the Martin I bought there.James A H. met with me and clearly and pleasantly explained how a tune-up might be a better choice.Im over 70 and not a professional musician.Today I picked up my guitar which was in perfect shape!!I am very impressed with the quality of the work but even more impressed with James as a customer service professional !!! Your company could not have a better representative.Jack Burke

We enjoy going there to bang on drums! Well, actually my fiance bangs on the drums lol

My son just started here and so far Brian is amazing! The other staff are so knowledgeable and patient with my son and I. Weve already learned so much. Cant wait until his next lesson! Wish they abided by mask wearing but at least they do so in the lesson rooms since theyre small. (:

Had a great experience purchasing a used Les Paul from Matt. I was passing through Portland to visit family in Waterville ME. Found the perfect one I had been on the search for locally here in MA and RI. Thanks Again!

Good selection. Not very clean.Its run down over the years.Wait staff were attentive.

I love the relaxed atmosphere in here. They give you a chance to pick stuff up and try it out. It’s always a nice place to visit!

Beginning guitarist here -- brought a used acoustic Yamaha in for restringing and expert technician James suggested a bit more of a tune-up. Seriously glad I took his advice -- I had the guitar for a couple years before I knew it could sound so good. My thanks again James!

Tried a Duesenberg guitar and fell in love. Wanted to take a picture. Set it in a hanger And before I even took my hands off it, your Mr grumpy man employee practically snatched it out of my hand and like a snotty waiter Proclaimed We Dont hang $3,000 guitars on the first row! As he hung it up higher.It was at that moment he lost the sale!Because There was also a $3,000 Les Paul Standard hanging on the 1st row. So Handed it to the Man and said look... heres a $3,000 guitar right here! cant have that now, can we?!Im just going to order one online instead of giving my money to guitar center. Thanks Mr grumpy man!

Great selection and very helpful staff. Always love coming in here. Friendly and knowledgeable and good deals to be had.

Always love going here. Friendly and always good eye candy on the walls.

Great service. Staff is very informative

I recommend their guitar tech James without reservation. While GC service prices arent what Id call cheap, James work is worth it for solid body electrics (not sure about others, but probably just as great). He did outstanding work quickly, and the guitar plays like a dream now.

Friendly staff helped me out while buying a Birthday present for my Boyfriend. They were helpful and polite, knowing I didnt know much about what I was looking for. Visited again for accessories around Christmas and it was another pleasant visit!

Surprised at the actual high-end bass guitar section..will be back

Clean and well organized. It was after the holiday so wasnt expecting a fully stocked inventory. Had more than expected however, and great prices too!

The stuff they had here was so cool I will definitely be back

Super nice and helpful with a good selection of all musical gear.

Sooooo cool and amazing stuff

Went in because the kits we wanted were on back order for several weeks. Ray helped us pick out a kit. Friendly service from everyone in store and an exceptional experience all around. Highly recommend this location.

There are extremely helpful. And. Very understanding. And they will work with you. With 100% customer service.

Big store. Has everything

Knowledgeable, helpful, and appreciated that we werent pushed into the most expensive instrument when they knew we were beginners. Would definitely recommend!

Friendly & helpful.

Good location, Sales People were helpful and fairly knowledgeable.Ive had good experiences here.I wish they would push their pro coverage a bit less, especially when the product already has a warrenty, but I know that is their job and I do not fault them for that.Musicians can be notoriously rough on gear, so the coverage does serve a purpose.

My pedal board with my 15 lb amazing Bose speaker

James set up my guitar PERFECTLY and on short notice for my gig! It made all the difference in the world. So thankful for their friendly, timely and professional service.

Always a joy to visit !

STOPPED IN TO BUY AN INTERFACE, TALKED WITH SAME PERSON I SPOKE WITH ON THE PHONE THE DAY BEFORE ASSURED ME THEY HAD THE MODEL I WAS LOOKING FOR. AFTER LOOKING HE COULDNT FIND ONE, HE APOLOGIZED NOT A PROBLEM, BUT AS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT POSSIBLE OPTIONS OF ORDING ONE, DISCOUNTS ETC. ANOTHER SALES GUY INTERUPTED US, TOLD THIS SALES PERSON ABOUT A GUITAR THAT HAD COME IN OR WAS SUPPOSED TO COME IN, NOT ENTERED IN COMPUTER OR SOMETHING, BOTTOM LINE IS WASNT ANYTHING THAT COULDNT WAIT.. HAVING EXPERIENCE WORKING MUSIC RETAIL I UNDERSTAND WHAT A CARDINAL SIN IT IS TO INTERUPT A SALES PERSON WHEN TALKING WITH A CUSTOMER. OR IF YOU DO, MAYBE EXCUSE ME, SORRY TO INTERUPT, I COULD USE YOUR HELP WHEN YOUR FREE, NO HURRY, ETC. SO AFTER THE CONVERSATION WENT ON FOR ALMOST A MINUTE, I STARTED WALKING TO THE DOOR. THE SALES MAN IS A GOOD GUY, HAS GOOD ENERGY, AND WANTS TO BE HELPFUL, BUT THE OTHER GUY FROM THE GUITAR DEPT HAS EITHER HAD NO SALES TRAINING OR DOESNT UNDERSTAND BASIC STUFF ABOUT WAITING ON CUSTOMERS .

Walked in with my son, asked for a specific product, boom, out back the guy went to find it, was slightly different, boom, he zipped right back out to get the other one. As always, very good customer service and very knowledgeable staff!!Big purchase >300$ but was in and out in 10 minutes, if that.

Staff experience varies greatly, however, they are usually helpful and polite. Store inventory is good as well, picks and drumsticks, to PAs and sampler pads. Great used inventory as well!

One of my kids wanted to get himself a present for himself as he had just graduated high school. So we went to look at the guitars. I like the little room to the side where all the acoustic guitars are kept. We were able to try out a lot of the ones we liked. He finally settled on a Martin after trying out more than a dozen. The staff was friendly and helpful and helped us with our questions.

Clean. Knowledgable staff, Inventory is immense and worth stopping by whenever you are in the area.

They have masks available up front for folks who forget theirs, several sanitation stations available, and as always a large selection of music instruments, literature, and accessories.

Great store they price matched a pair of headphones that I found on Amazon for a little bit cheaper. love to give the local stores business when I can. They have a very good selection of HiFi headphones for us audiophiles who demand more than Best buy has to offer.

I love the guitar room, and that they let you try out all the instruments. I could just hang out here all day. Staff is very helpful too!

I’ve only been taking lessons at this Guitar Center for around a month, but I’d say it is absolutely worth every penny! My teacher guy is super helpful and the rest of the staff is very nice if I have to cancel a lesson. They also obviously have plenty of instruments to play while you’re there just like any other guitar center.

My band showed up at the Portland Me store with a rather large purse to spend. When we showed up, the store was unusually busy but it was our only day to do it. The staff was energetic and friendly in spite of being the busiest Ive ever seen it. The manager did a masterful job conducting his crew. We blindsided them with our order and they took it all in perfect stride

Good service, found what I wanted at a reasonable price. Every employee was wearing a mask and enforcing it for people entering the store.

Guitar Center is a great place for musicians of all ages! They encourage you to use the instruments before you buy them in order to ensure that youre getting something that is a good fit for you. Also its great to go in and try some new instruments every once in awhile just to see if you like how they sound better than your current instrument.

We was helped by Ty. Thank God! He knew exactly what we was looking for and was EXTREMELY helpful!!

Please get some Melodicas in stock! Thanks 😊

Poor service didnt seem interested in selling me an amplifier tried a few amps had to move a ladder in my way several times. The employee seemed bothered when I asked about stock of a different amplifier. All in all I spent my 260 dollars elsewhere and am more than happy.

Friendly and knowledgeable staff.

Good s in oscars flat ( semsame street oscar)

WOW!! What a great experience at the South Portland location! I placed an online order for used gear to be delivered to the South Portland Guitar Center so I could pick up at my convenience. There were a couple minor issues from the centers that shipped the used gear, and the guys from my South Portland center figured everything out in a snap. Alan, Dan, Ken and Garret really went above and beyond to keep me up to date on the status and what was going on. They acted very professional, and were extremely helpful. Its really awesome to see people care about their work and provide a fantastic customer experience!! Ive shopped with different Guitar Centers before, and this one has provided the best experience.

The staff are friendly, a bit pushy to get and keep your business, though that is somewhat understandable in this era of online shopping taking over.Wish they would make sure instruments were ready to play before letting them leave the store. Ended up doing a refund on a bass with extremely low action, and buying a used one 2nd hand for much less. Which is okay for a starter bass, but I would have liked to have had a new one that had a warranty.Id still shop here, and likely even buy another bass in the future when I need a new one, but next time Ill make sure to have them go over the whole thing before letting me or my wife leave the store.

Horrible experience. Used to love going here but I dont want to be in the same room as some of that staff. Allen, the manager knows absolutely nothing about business management, or customer service. Customers are not his priority, as demonstrated by his unwillingness to come talk to us after being specifically asked for. In addition, hes an awful person that uses his authority to treat his team like garbage. After disciplining one of his staff members like a child for making a simple mistake, he proceeded to finish up the estimate on my used product. Once the absurdly low estimate was achieved, ($210 for a $700 keyboard) he walked away as though we werent his problem anymore. Even after the great customer service rep, Jess, to get him to come back, Allen couldnt be bothered to come help his customers. This has been the last business I intend to have with Guitar Center. Any company who puts blatant bullies in charge of the store is no company I intend to give a single penny to.

Good stuff.Good people.

My husband dragged me there. I have an old grudge against Guitar Center.

Seriously, either south Portland is really rough or guitar center has gone down hill. None of the serious brands of audio gear, no lights or decent equipment, half the guitars are locked to the wall...and theyre very uninspiring if youre an actual musician. Staff mingle with local busker types and it was a downer from my experiences with guitar center in the past -even this guitar center used to be a lot better.

Great place to workout

Loved my experience! Worked with a few different guys in-store and they were all very polite, helpful, and explained everything to me with patience. Garrett was my primary contact and he was excellent! I will certainly be a return customer. Great job everyone!

Awesome place and awesome service! Always friendly and super helpful! I always come here when I need something for my guitar!

Many thanks to Matt (at S Portland ME, store) for excellent service and attention in helping me obtain the guitar of my dreams -- allowing a great trade-in value on my old axe -- which sweetened the whole deal. And when shipping was delayed 2 weeks due to computer glitches amid the CoV crisis, he stepped in and got the job done -- calling in to have my Gibson Firebird overnighted (which arrived in immaculate condition)Terrific, personalized service.

All the staff here are very friendly and helpful. Always well stocked and price competitive and great deals on all gear.

Offensive communication, not accepting responsibility!

Expansive selection of equipment. Staff was extremely knowledgeable and helpful. Great location!

Very helpful and I got what I needed fast and easy.

I bought my first guitar here a few weeks ago. Ive been a musician (playings the keys) for many years, and Ive never had such a great experience! Mike, my sales guy, was super knowledgeable, and crazy talented. He was patient, gave me the space I needed to make a choice without influence, but loaded me with information when I asked. I really appreciated the time they took to do things right, and will continue to recommend them. Thanks Mike and Guitar Center!

Its a big box store, what do you expect for service? Be prepared to wait a long, long time if you have a great piece of gear to sell. Managers there are pretty cool but the other employees I dealt with couldnt process a thought let alone a transaction. One of the guys just about hyperventilated when he ran out of receipt paper and just about ripped the other receipt printer off the desk while taking a roll of paper out of it while frantically putting it in his. Comical stuff. Anyway, great place to go if you want to try out some gear, sell some gear (despite the wait) or just to get a rise out of some of the people that walk through the door. I saw one guy have a piece of gear turned down to sell because the condition wasnt passable. He requested they put that in writing so he could try and get some kind of credit from the state??? Watching him try to put the guitar back in the hard case was like watching an over packer try to close their suitcase.

Some of the employees are great. some of them wont stop trying to sell you something youve already told them you cant afford or dont want. the equipment selection is vast. nice guitars, and a really nice humidified acoustic room. dont recommend as a stop if you arent gonna buy something.》 the environment is tuned to sales, not music《

Meh. Since they were taken over by JoAnn Fabrics, they seem to despise customer service, product knowledge, & stocking anything for anyone that is beyond a weekend warrior.I want to like you guys but Ive been in there 5 times & got nothing but blank stares.

Helpful employees and great products

They were very helpful and I was able to bring my dog into the store

Staff is awesome.

Great store and very knowledgeable staff they have a lot of guitars and Bass guitars and you can trade in your gear for something newer Ive driven over 60 miles just to go there cause they had a particular Bass I was looking for!

One of the biggest Guitar Centers i have been in on the east coast. Wish all the guiyar were tuned but that is not realistic when they have some many. Luckily the employees are so nice they would tune them for you anyways. 5/5

I didnt go to the Guitar Center but Ill write you five stars anyway because I see your people standing outside waiting for customers so they can Im stoned

Wanted to buy a cajon. They only had the floor models (so, you know, beaten on already), and the one I wanted was really scratched up, and they only offered $15 off. So, off to Amazon I went.

Someone complemented my drumming here, I had a nice day.

Seems like a great place for your basic musical needs!

I have had good luck with this store. I have had to try a few items, some have worked well for our applications and others havent. They have been great about refunding the cost of the items that didnt work well for us. Awesome!

Went in to return some pedals I had ordered. The clerk spent the entire time giving me attitude on every aspect of the transaction. From ordering online, the pedals I ordered, the strings I purchased, and the pedal I inquired about, this clerk felt the need demean everything that we spoke about. Some of the worst customer service I have experienced in a long time and I will not be returning there again.

Great selection and service. Love my new SG

Cool place bought my son a mixer and he loves it the staff was very friendly and knowledgeable. Will go back if I need any audio needs

Very friendly employees! Very knowledgeable about instruments. Nice selection!

Good selection of instruments and items. A little pricey, but good friendly service.

This place is the worst. They only stock the most commonly sold items so the vast majority of the stuff sold online is not available in the store. The last 5 times Ive been in the store they did not carry the item I was looking for. But they could order it and have it shipped. Oh and Id have to pay for shipping. So why did I even bother going to the store in the first place? Save yourself a trip and just order online from a less expensive company. Sweetwater blows away guitar centers prices and their customer service is much better.

Awesome place! I will be a forever customer😊

It was on. Good was good . service ok!

They have rearranged some things and upgraded some areas which is nice but also checking out is confusing as no one is ever available at any of the hundred registers around. LOL Still pleasant

Fair prices, great selection.

Large selection of new guitars, both electric and acoustic. Good selection of drum sets, cymbals sticks, etc... Amps new and used. Emotes are usually pretty friendly rather than judgemental music snobs. Fun to browse, but its such a BIG corporate music store. If you are searching for something specific, especially used stuff, you are really better off going online and searching their data base. Then you can have it shipped to your location.

Excellent customer service. Staff was very knowledgeable about their product and made it so much easier for me to find the perfect gift for my girlfriend

I bought a guitar here to start learning how to play. I was totally new to string instruments and the sale person was very helpful. I bought a nice Mitchell electric accoustic for $280 to learn. I didnt want the best but not close to the worst. I found that after 6 months it was just not my instrument. When I came to sell if back they told me it was only worth $120 and that they would give me $40 since it needed to be restrung. I wasnt expecting all my money back from selling it but in the 40% area would have been nice. I never expected to pretty much be told they screwed me and sorry thats all its worth so we cant do anything. Wont buy from again.

They are there .

Young serios musicians knowledgable and creative

Purchased a high bass guitar for my son here. The salesperson Doc talked to me about purchasing an extended warranty on this item. I went over and over the policy with him, and clarified with him multiple times as he assured me that if we did not need to use the warranty before it expired all I need do was come into the store prior to it expiring and I would receive a full refund for the amount of the extended warranty. I entered the date on two calendars to ensure I would not forget to do so if I indeed did not require use of this warranty. Well, I returned to Guitar Center in Portland, Maine to return the warranty and receive my refund as promised and clarified multiple times. Doc was called to the desk and very arrogantly proclaimed he had never said such a thing and came just shy of calling me an outright liar. As I said I entered the date and information onto both digital and traditional calendars the same day I made the purchase. He was rude, unprofessional and arrogant in the situation. I found that I had been lied to and pressured into making the warranty purchase, assured that it was a win-win situation as if I needed it I would have it and if I did not I would receive a refund so long as I returned prior to its expiration. I believe this was an outright lie and complete BS to up the sales price. My son continues to play and we were looking to purchase him another upgraded bass as he enters college. I certainly will never make this or any future purchases at any Guitar Center! I highly suggest looking elsewhere for your needs as the staff is arrogant unprofessional and will lie and BS you to up their sales. This is a true account of my experience and my opinion of this location.

This is actually a really fun store to go in and spend time in my friends and I we really had a blast playing the drums

The guys there were great,good sense of humors & great knowledge of their stock. No pressure, very helpful. Well be back

Loved it.

Was just trying to peacefully look around for a good Squier beginner electric, and heard employees toss around a homohobic slur instead well within earshot of me. If you’re LGBTQ+, do yourself and favor and avoid this store. Go local. This “fag” won’t be giving this place business.

First time here, employees were friendly and helpful. If you cant find it here, it doesnt exist.

Soo nice, efficient & helpful

Need more attention too customers

Called asking about keyboards p255 Yamaha, yep come on down. Well, you can see not really able to help because he is not a sales associate or knows about the piano even when I asked him. Do you know about pianos a little he replied? Little means next to nothing other associate suggested that the 255 is only for people that go to music school like the one that starts with B in Massachusetts. Not what I would call a piano school I let it slide. No able to sell the modx they didnt know like anything about it. But those are for serious musicians he tells me. Then he tells me that midi is old technology and now they use USB. Not sure what this means I was looking for a site reader program but they dont do software and it costs like 500 dollars for the good STUFF I asked for a synthesizer program they dont have any. you can only download from online. Im a Yamaha fan but I will not buy any Yamaha accessories for 1 year due to this guy. And I may buy a Korg they do not let uninformed salespeople...not sell their product. So now I have the gdx 660 should be ok, but its not the 255,😪 less pollyies. 1 foot pedal and no bag. Sorry for the word crimes but I,m still ticked off.

Two kind of telling stories. The first one- I was in the acoustic section and was trying a few guitars. The child-in-charge came over and I happened to mention that I had tickets to see Leo Kottke that weekend. He asked me who he was...The second one- I needed a couple of finger picks and stopped in. I asked the clerk for them and he indicated that they didnt sell them. I had a hard time believing that any store named Guitar Center wouldnt have finger picks...That being said, if you want your senses assaulted by tween shredders, they just cant be beat- but who would want that?

Very they were very helpful I got everything I needed quickly at a reasonable price is located near many other stores if you need anything else right by the store