1. Quick links
2. Editor's picks
3. FAQ
Late-November is always an exciting time for gear heads. It ushers in the start of Cyber Weekend, a period when all the biggest music retailers drop their juiciest savings on a huge range of guitar gear. And I can say from personal experience, that one of the best ones is always the Guitar Center Black Friday sale.
Last year for Black Friday, GC dropped up to 50% off a range of big brands, and major savings across full lines including Boss Katana amps and Walrus Audio pedals – those savings extended right across the weekend, too.
Myself and the Guitar World team cover deals year-round, and we've been reporting on Guitar Center's Black Friday sale for at least 7 years now. We know how to shop, where to find the best offers and what to avoid. This page is your place to mine all our knowledge and explore our handpicked selection of the deals to watch.
There are a few early deals kicking about right now, but as the weeks go on we'll update this page with new offers as soon as they happen.
Guitar Center Black Friday deals: Quick links
- Used & vintage gear: save 10% through 22 October
- Guitar deals: Shop now
- Bass deals: Shop now
- Amp & effects deals: Shop now
- Recording gear deals: Shop now
- Software deals: Shop now
- Live sound deals: Shop now
🥇 Editor's picks
❓ Guitar Center Black Friday Deals: FAQ
What day is Black Friday 2025?
Black Friday arrives slightly later this year and will be held on Friday 28th November. The deals will extend across the following weekend (known as Cyber Weekend) before finishing with some great Guitar Center Cyber Monday deals on December 1st.
If previous years are anything to go by, we can expect to see some killer Black Friday deals emerging at Guitar Center well before the big day. It's worth bookmarking this page and checking back in regularly to see what's on offer – we'll be reporting on only the very best ones as they land.
What deals should I expect?
Last year we saw some fantastic discounts on a wide range of gear. There were healthy amounts knocked off the ever-popular Fender Player series, with the HSS Plus Top versions seeing a massive $160 discount. There were also some great deals on acoustic guitars, with money off many Fender and Epiphone models.
We also saw plenty of reductions on effects pedals with many Walrus Audio pedals getting some serious reductions. One of the best pedal deals was the HeadRush LooperBoard which had a stonking $400 off it's RRP.
This year we're pretty sure we'll see plenty of guitar gear with money off, it is Guitar Center after all. We'd also like to see more savings on plugins and home recording gear, with many guitarists looking to take this route for their music creation nowadays.
Should I wait until Black Friday?
Well, yes and no. While there will be plenty of insane deals to bag on Black Friday itself, in our experience most big stores, including Guitar Center, will surprise drop their deals early. Sometimes this means at the start of Black Friday week, or it could mean as early as the start of November.
In the past, we've seen 'early Black Friday Guitar Center deals' starting as soon as mid-October - and Guitar Center has already kicked off sales season with the Guitar-A-Thon event that ran through September. In effect, you can expect to see big deals from now all the way until the big day.
Most places will keep their best deals for Black Friday and Cyber Weekend, however - leading all the way through to the Guitar Center Cyber Monday deals the following Monday. If you want to make the biggest savings, we'd wait until the event itself.
Should I buy from Guitar Center online during Black Friday?
If you're concerned about buying a guitar or any other gear from Guitar Center this Black Friday without having tried it out first, there's no need to be. Guitar Center's return policy is one of the best around, allowing you to return most gear within a window of 45 days. This means you can afford to purchase a guitar or anything else, play it at home, and make up your mind within a few weeks.
It's worth checking the specifics, as some vintage, custom-ordered, and music tech gear is subject to different rules, however.
Are Guitar Center prices fair?
We'd argue that yes they are. It's part of our jobs to check out the best deals on offer from all the major retailers, and we regularly see Guitar Center competing with others like Sweetwater, Musician's Friend, Amazon, and more.
Whilst it's true you have to hunt for the best deals during Black Friday, we'll only put the very best deals on this page so you can rest assured that all the biggest savings are right here.
How to get free shipping at Guitar Center?
To get free shipping to the US for most items, all you have to do is spend over $25. This does not include everything though, as some special items will incur a shipping cost. Musical instruments that are heavy, things like upright pianos or big PA speakers can sometimes incur an additional shipping fee.
If you're unsure whether your item qualifies your best bet is to contact Guitar Center customer service directly, and you can find more Guitar Center shipping information here.
🛒 Shopping tips for Black Friday
1. Work out what you actually need - By checking out what's already in your gear collection, you can make a better decision about what you actually need to purchase this Black Friday. Filling the gaps is a great way to enhance your arsenal, without needlessly purchasing items you won't use.
2. Consider your music-making goals - Have a look at the next year and what you want to achieve in your music-making. Perhaps it's time to record that solo album you've had on the back burner, or you just want to improve your current live show with some in-ear monitors. Whatever it is, make sure you buy something that will contribute towards your goals.
3. Make some room - We're no strangers to hoarding gear, it's something a lot of musicians do. If you've got loads of gear you're not using, now's the perfect time to have a clearout. Not only will it improve relations with your family members or your partner, but it will also free up more funds for future gear purchases during the Black Friday sales.
4. Create a wishlist early - It'll feel like there are millions of different deals flying around on Black Friday, and your inbox will be heaving with retailers and manufacturers trying to grab your attention. It's easy to get waylaid with so much great gear out there, so having your wishlist ready and waiting is the best way to stay focused.
5. Audit your mailing lists - If you're anything like me you'll have way too many promotional emails coming into your inbox, so your Black Friday prep is a great opportunity to de-clutter. Armed with your wishlist, you can unsubscribe to all the stuff you don't need and keep the emails from those manufacturers whose gear you do want to buy on Black Friday. We'll be regularly emailing the best deals via our own newsletter too, so make sure to sign up for that if you haven't already.
🧐 How we choose the best Guitar Center Black Friday deals
We're all guitar players here at Guitar World, so we know what we're talking about when it comes to guitar gear. It's quite literally our jobs to review and recommend gear, and we all use it during the course of our personal lives as well as our professional ones.
In order to make the cut for inclusion here, a deal has to feature a genuinely useful product that serves a purpose, with a discount that makes it fantastic value for money. We would never recommend a piece of gear we wouldn't use ourselves, so you know you're getting a great deal with us.
🤔 Why you can trust our choices
We may be building up to Black Friday right now, but we cover all the best guitar deals throughout the entire year. This means we have an excellent overview of what's a hot product, as well as how the prices have fluctuated over time.
Guitar Center frequently runs sale events and we always cover the good ones, including their incredible Labor Day sale which saw discounts of up to 50% off. We also reported on their huge Memorial Day sale which saw up to 35% off, as well as their Prime Day-beating Guitar-A-Thon which saw up to $430 off select D'Angelicos and up to $300 off Martin.
