Guitar Center Black Friday deals 2023: Guitar Center's epic Black Friday sale is still live - score up to 40% off

Guitar Center Black Friday deals 2023: Guitar Center's epic Black Friday sale is still live - score up to 40% off
(Image credit: Various)
Best Guitar Center Black Friday deals: Quick menu

Well, Black Friday may officially be over, but that doesn't mean you've missed out on an opportunity to save. The Guitar Center Black Friday sale is still live and there's still plenty of music gear on offer. The music retail giant is still offering up to 40% off big-named brands in their epic Black Friday sale, and if that wasn't enough, you can save 20% off all PRS SE guitars from now until 31 December. 

We’ve been covering the sales bonanza that is Black Friday for a number of years now, meaning we can spot an epic deal a mile off. So, leave it to us to point you in the right direction. 

Whether you're in the market for a shiny new electric guitar, a thunderous new bass, the ultimate drum kit, or a host of recording equipment, we'll find you the best possible price we can. 

Of course, we'll also be looking forward to the Guitar Center Cyber Monday deals that will be launching in the coming days. So make sure you check that page regularly to see what we uncover. We've also got an FAQ section with loads of information on the upcoming Cyber Monday sale so you can get the most out of your purchases this year.

Guitar Center Black Friday deals: Quick links

Shop the official Guitar Center Black Friday sale by category:

Guitar Center Black Friday deals: Editor's picks

Get a Taylor, Gift a Taylor: Travel guitars from $99

Get a Taylor, Gift a Taylor: Travel guitars from $99
Buy any Taylor 200 series or higher model from Guitar Center and add an acoustic Baby Taylor BT1 for $99 or an acoustic GS Mini Sapele for $199. The saving on the RRP is a generous $300 and the promotion runs until 15 January 2024. So, buy your dream Taylor and get a second guitar to take on vacation or give away to a loved one this holiday season.

Fender Player Strat HSS: $829.99, now $649.99

Fender Player Strat HSS: $829.99, now $649.99
Guitar Center is discounting select Fender Player Strats by up to $210, which makes these awesome guitars an incredibly good deal. Authentic Strat appointments, shared by all models, include a hand-shaped alder body, a five-way selector switch, alnico pickups, and a fast, comfortable maple neck. There’s the choice of a classic all-out single coil SSS configuration or you can opt for versions loaded with a humbucker in the bridge.

MESA/Boogie Mini Rectifier 25: $1,699, now $1,359

MESA/Boogie Mini Rectifier 25: $1,699, now $1,359
If a full-size Dual Rectifier is likely to cause you problems with your neighbours, this mini-MESA/Boogie is your answer. All the tone of the 90s classic is scaled down into a 25-watt tone machine that will work great for at home, in the studio and on stage. Especially at this price, with $330 off at Guitar Center.

Boss GT-1000 multi-FX: Was $1,099, now $899

Boss GT-1000 multi-FX: Was $1,099, now $899
With hundreds of Boss amp, effect and speaker models, plus loads of tactile controls, foot switches and an expression pedal, the GT-1000 puts the Boss tones you know and love at your feet. It’s got a looper, plenty of connectivity, and for a limited time only, $200 off at Guitar Center!

Xvive U4 wireless system: Was $229, now $183

Xvive U4 wireless system: Was $229, now $183
If you want to go wireless, XVIVE’s U4 system gives you everything you need for long-lasting, rock solid transmission. In this 20% off deal you’ll receive one transmitter and one receiver. Just hook up your in-ear monitors and you’ll be enjoying pristine, cable-free sound in no time.

Guild OM-240CE: was $529 now $249

Guild OM-240CE: was $529 now $249
Given Guild is one of the most storied acoustic guitar builders on the planet, you wouldn’t typically see its acoustics in a beginner roundup. But with an astonishing $280 off – that’s 53%, percentage fans – you can get a record-and-gig-ready acoustic as your very first. Available with a solid Sitka spruce top (a feature normally only found on more expensive models), plus mahogany sides and built-in Guild electronics, this Charcoal Burst-finished model is an undeniable bargain at this price, and one of the most impressive offers we’ve seen this year.

D'Angelico Premier Bedford SH: $899.99 $509.99  

D'Angelico Premier Bedford SH: $899.99 $509.99  Guitar Center is offering a huge $390 discount on this stunning semi-hollow offset from D'Angelico. It's got retro charms a-plenty, but a seriously flexible HSS setup that – thanks to the Duncan Design mini humbucker – gives you access to a huge range of tones, but doesn't look like it's been culled from a Super Strat...

Epiphone SG Special-I: Was: $199, now: $149

Epiphone SG Special-I: Was: $199, now: $149
For those wanting to harness their inner Angus, you will not find a deal more perfect than this Epiphone Special-I SG, which is 25% off at Guitar Center. Young AC/DC fanatics will be able to cut their teeth on the real deal, with the guitar offering a no-nonsense wraparound bridge and a dual humbucker setup for classic rock tones.

Line 6 Catalyst 200: $499.99, now $379.99

Line 6 Catalyst 200: $499.99, now $379.99
The powerful Line 6 Catalyst 200 is a fantastic modeling amplifier and now you can get it for much less over at Guitar Center. It's got a hefty $100 discount, making it phenomenal value for such a powerful and versatile amplifier.

Guitar Center Black Friday deals: FAQ

Guitar shop

(Image credit: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

When is Black Friday?

The Black Friday Guitar Center sale itself kicks off on Friday 24 November, the day before Thanksgiving.

Although the event doesn't officially take place until this date, just like most retailers, the Guitar Center Black Friday deals will certainly start rolling out sooner. Last year, GC was slashing prices from as early as late October and didn't stop until well into December.

Beyond Black Friday are the Cyber Monday Guitar Center deals, which land just 3 days later on Monday 27 November.

What can you buy in the Guitar Center Black Friday sale?

Despite its name, Guitar Center actually stocks pretty much everything any musician could want, so it's a great place to go if you want to give your studio an overhaul, upgrade your guitar rig, start drumming or any other musical activity that tickles your fancy. 

You might head to the website planning to buy an electric guitar, but the company also sells all the music-making products you could ever wish for: MIDI keyboards, studio monitors, microphones, beginner digital pianos and much more.

The Guitar Center Black Friday sale is also the time to stock up on those music-making essentials and accessories: acoustic guitar strings, guitar tuners, guitar picks and guitar straps are just the start. If you can make music with it, it's more than likely that Guitar Center will have it and it will enjoy some sort of discount on Black Friday.

Guitar Center Black Friday deals: Shopping tips

How to prepare for Guitar Center Black Friday?

MusicRadar's got your back Our team of expert musicians and producers spends hours testing products to help you choose the best music-making gear for you. Find out more about how we test.

The golden rule when hunting for Guitar Center Black Friday deals is to know what you're looking for. Whether you're a guitarist, bassist, drummer, producer or DJ, think about what you need to improve your music-making life and then start researching it. This will save you a lot of time when the Guitar Center Black Friday deals start rolling in, as you'll quickly be able to decide what's relevant to you and what isn't. There will be so many deals coming your way, that being able to cut through the noise is super important.

Also make sure you're aware of current prices – that way you'll know how good a deal something really is when you see it reduced on Black Friday. Some supposed 'savings' aren't everything that they seem.

The good news is that you can easily find out what the best music-making products are by checking out MusicRadar's huge portfolio of buying guides and reviews.

Don't forget that Guitar Center isn't the only major retailer offering Black Friday savings, either. Check out our retailer and individual product pages below for even more options. Can't find what you're looking for at one shop? Maybe it's on sale exclusively at another...

Guitar Center Black Friday coupons

Not only does the Guitar Center Black Friday sale deliver excellent discounts on individual products, last year they went even bigger by offering a blanket 15% discount off a wide range of gear, meaning everything from pianos and guitars to DJ turntables and headphones were available with decent money off. 

All you had to do was enter the unique code at checkout. This is particularly ace if you have a number of items on your wishlist.

Guitar Center Black Friday deals: How we choose deals

Here at MusicRadar, we are experts in our field, with many years of playing and product testing between us. We live and breathe everything music-making, and we draw on this knowledge and experience of using products in live, recording and rehearsal scenarios when selecting the products we recommend.

First and foremost, we are players and creators, and we want to match like-minded folk with the right products for them, at the best prices.

For us to recommend a deal on guitars or anything else it has to be a product we rate that’s a genuinely great price or part of a truly fantastic bundle. It’s also important that we only recommend retailers where you will have a positive shopping experience.

Why you can trust our choices

We spend a lot of our time scouring music retailers for fantastic deals on our favourite guitars, amps, pedals and accessories. Not only is it our job to research and recommend the best gear in our buyer’s guides and reviews, but we’re also dedicated to helping musicians get the best deals on the stuff they need, too. After all, the only thing better than new gear day is a hearty discount.

We cover a lot of the big sales events throughout the year, including Memorial Day4th of July sales and Amazon Prime Day, and we have a good view on which products are likely to receive the biggest discounts and when, the prices they’ve been in the past and which deals are genuinely worth a look.

Guitar Center Black Friday: Last year's top deals

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Fender Player Strat HSS Plus Top: $859, now $699
This HSS-configured Plus Top Player Strat in Sienna Sunburst may just be one of the best Strat deals we saw last year. A regular Player Strat at heart, this guitar is capable of just a little bit more, thanks to the Player Series humbucker in the bridge - and last year it had $160 off at Guitar Center.

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Epiphone ES-335 Traditional Pro: $599, now $479
Not only was this good-looking semi-hollow $120 cheaper than Epiphone’s regular ES-335, it had the added bonus of coil-splits for its Alnico Classic Pro humbuckers. Throw in a classic layered maple body, rounded C mahogany neck and choice of four finishes, and you got a seriously good Black Friday deal.

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ESP LTD EC-401QM: was $899, now $699
An electric with the hardware to match its dark, evil looks, this is a metal and hard rock machine from the expert hand of ESP LTD - and it was only $699 last year. 

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Gretsch Guitars G2420T: $549.99, $349.99
Gretsch Streamliner guitars are stonking value at full retail price, so this deal at Guitar Center made the G2420T unmissable.

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Pigtronix Mothership 2 Synth Pedal $249.99 $129
Last year you could enter a whole new world of sounds for much less with this huge reduction. The Mothership 2 features superb pitch tracking to allow you to deliver otherworldly synth grooves with your guitar with a deep level of control.

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Alesis Nitro Mesh SE: Was $379.99, now $299.99
This special edition Alesis Nitro Mesh proves that it's possible for great e-kits to be affordable. You get tuneable mesh heads here instead of cheap-feeling rubber, which feel closer to playing an acoustic drum set, while keeping the noise down to a minimum - and last year this already affordable e-kit had $80 off at Guitar Center.

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Shure SM7B: was $399, now $359, save $40
If you buy just one microphone in your lifetime, the Shure SM7B deserves a place on your shortlist. It's a mic that excels at broadcast applications because it flatters any voice, even in the worst untreated rooms. It's also a superb vocal mic for singers, whether on stage or in the studio. Need to record instruments? It's great for guitar cabs and drum kits too. The word legendary is overused but it's well-deserved here. 

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M-Audio Keystation 49es MK3: Was $119, now $89
An affordable MIDI keyboard is a must-have accessory for every home producer, and the M-Audio Keystation is an incredibly popular option. This slimline controller features 49 full-size velocity-sensitive keys and even comes with a volume fader, transport, and directional buttons for easy control of your recording software. 

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Epiphone Les Paul Special-I Player Pack: $249, $219
Just starting out? Here's everything you need in one package that's ready to rock. In addition to the iconically-shaped single-cut guitar in a stylish worn red finish, you also get a 10w amplifier, a tuner, picks, strap and cable, all for under $220, last year at Guitar Center. 

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Schecter Guitar Research C-6 Elite: Save 15%
Last Black Friday, you could save a cool 15% on this shred-ready slab of Aquaburst beauty at Guitar Center when you used the code blackfriday15. Equipped with Schecter Diamond Plus pickups, a thin C-shaped neck and 25.5" scale length, this double-cutaway machine would make a killer beginner electric guitar and beyond.

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Alesis Vmini 25-Key Controller: Was $69, now $58
This pint-sized controller is a must for a producer on the go. The 25 mini keys are velocity-sensitive, giving you the ability to fully express yourself, while the octave control buttons can expand the keyboard to the full melodic range of a piano. 

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Yamaha Reface DX: Was $319.99, now $271.99
Yamaha's Reface DX captures all the magic of its legendary – yes, legendary – DX-7 FM synth, recreated in a modest, portable form factor. It may look small, but it sounds huge. This little keyboard has at its heart the most famous FM synth engine known to man. Period.

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Sterling Audio ST170 Active Ribbon Mic: $229, $149.99
Ribbons are fast becoming everyone's favourite mics again because they sound, well, astonishing. You see they have the uncanny ability to be highly detailed without being oversensitive. This means you can use the ST170 on almost anything – vocals, electric guitars, acoustic guitars, drums, overheads – and they'll all sound magnificent. Last year, Guitar Center discounted the ST170 to only $149.99 - that's a cracking deal.

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Denon DJ PRIME GO DJ Controller: $999, now $849.15
The power of Denon's acclaimed PRIME series but this time in a portable, lithium battery fuelled package. No need for a laptop, just get out there and GO! The 7" touchscreen gives you a high-definition, multi-gesture experience and the GO can even stream audio over the internet. Shove it in your backpack and you're ready to perform anywhere.

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Steven Slate Drums SSD5: Was $119.99, now $99
Build your tracks on solid foundations with SSD5. You’ll have access to hundreds of precisely sampled sounds from some of the biggest names in drum gear, as well as 1,000 preset grooves - and Guitar Center dropped the price to only $99 last year! 

Chris Barnes

I'm MusicRadar's eCommerce Editor. In addition to testing the latest music gear, with a particular focus on electronic drums, it's my job to manage the 300+ buyer's guides on MusicRadar and help musicians find the right gear for them at the best prices. I dabble with guitar, but my main instrument is the drums, which I have been playing for 24 years. I've been a part of the music gear industry for 20 years, including 7 years as Editor of the UK's best-selling drum magazine Rhythm, and 5 years as a freelance music writer, during which time I worked with the world's biggest instrument brands including Roland, Boss, Laney and Natal.

With contributions from