I've done all my music shopping and selling and ALL the people at this location have been incredibly kind, honest and helpful. Recently did a trade in for a PRS Silver Sky SE and Dan was super helpful. Prior to this, I've sold a number of things and worked with the manager Kona and a few others and also found him to be incredibly knowledgeable, up front and kind. All in all it's been my go to music shop for buying and selling gear. And I can't recommend them enough. Oh and don't forget to ask for the trade-up offer. I've done it for years now where you sell your used gear and get 10% off something new. read more

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Stay away from Mitchell guitars. They are the stores Brand guitars. Although they look good, hit many quality points except setup. One of the kids purchased a beautiful guitar that sounded ok for the sale price, the quality was good and the looks was very nice. The kid bought it using her own money. But there was buzzing from the 4 string at 9th fret. After two days she took it back for warranty repairs. The guitar repair person tried three times to fix it but couldn't. Sales people wanted her to exchange it for a same model but they had the same problem. We took it to the Clackamas store open the people there could repair it, but after a week it was still the same. We ended up trading it for a Washburn guitar. That Washburn is way better than the Mitchell. And sounded great, much better than the Mitchell. I highly recommend not to buy a Mitchell guitar. They're pretty much unplayable and the stores will not do a set up unless you spend $175 extra for set up. read more

Bought a cello online for my son who lives in another state and he got it quickly. Cost of the cello was reasonable for such an instrument without it being a dud like the Amazon ones read more

I don't know why Guitar Center gets a bad rap. I've had nothing but good experiences here, and today was no exception. After buying a used bass, I got home and started working on setting it up when I realized that it was not a Squier Vintage Modified as marked, but was instead a Frankenbass, pieced together from parts. It took taking it apart to realize it, so I understood how it could easily slip under the radar. All I had to do was bring it back in and show them, and they took care of the situation right away. They offered a full refund, no questions asked, but I liked it....just not at the price I paid for it. With no haggling whatsoever, they offered a very reasonable price based on what it actually was and refunded the difference, easy peasy. Thanks to Kona for making things as smooth as they could possibly be! read more

Guitar Center - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Beaverton, Oregon

I had an amazing experience at Guitar Center selling some used guitar and banjo. I got what money I wanted from the sale. Talked to Rhett for quite a while about old times and old muscle cars. Truly a pleasure. He was born the same year my wife and I met on blind date. We also interfaced with Daniel who is a very pleasant young fellow. It was overall a most pleasant experience. read more

Manager Carson and employee Avery were very kind and helpful in assisting shipping mixup, appreciated the dedication to resolving my issue

Girlfriend wanted to buy a guitar. Beaverton Guitar Center had a good selection. Carson Gave us outstanding service, answered every question. This Guitar Center is highly recommended. Don't hesitate. Thanks, Carson read more

Went in, didn't feel intimidated, was helped, and was on my way :) I don't know much at all about guitars and I got gifted a small one but it was missing a string, cashier 141823 (didn't catch his name lol) helped me out, and even tuned it up for me!! It's all nicely wrapped now for my kid and under the tree! Glad there are good places with great people like this around :) :) Check this guitar center out!! read more

Very rude dirty looking sales person gave me a bad time about pocketing one of there guitar picks after I bought a Squier telecaster! Then after awhile I found that the truss was stripped. Told me floor model , can't help me! Good Bye G.C. Forever! read more

I was there a couple of weeks ago. It's a very good place, a lot of musical instruments and good customer service

This review is specifically for Kona. I was brand new to electric guitars. I don't know how they work, what an amp really does, or the key differences between them and the acoustic guitars I'm familiar with. Walking into a guitar store with other well-seasoned customers was really daunting. No shade at the other customer who was totally letting it rip on the guitar! Kona (sp?) not only gave me a cable to try out a guitar, but he actually walked me to the back of the store where there's a private room so that I could just try things out without any sort of judgement. It was as if he read my mind. He took time to explain how electric guitars work and get me set up with a guitar and amp. And then he left. No pressure to buy, no sales pitch. He just genuinely wanted to help me get exposure to a new instrument and answer any questions I had. He let me play around on my own and just familiarize myself with something new. This is the correct approach. I will say that I'm always hesitant to go to a big-box store for musical instruments, but this was a very refreshing surprise. Afterwards Kona answered some more of my questions. I am in the process of buying my first electric guitar through Guitar Center specifically because of my experience with Kona. Thanks dude! read more

horrible experience. I go in exactly 10 days ago to buy my first tube amp and pre amp and a distortion pedal. After being charged the full amount for all of my equipment one of the workers Roger said they do not have these item in their inventory and had to make a few adjustments to their point of sale device. About a hour goes by of me sitting and waiting for the store to get it together they charge me again for the equipment and said wait 24 hours for the first charge to be back on your card. well 24 hours go by and I see nothing so I call back and explain my situation. Then another manager tells me to wait 10 days and here I am at 10 days with no money back from charging me twice. Terrible experience all together and will not be shopping here anymore. read more

I was trying to make a deal on a 900 dollar acoustic guitar. I worked with a great sales guy for a couple of hours. We found the instrument, it had some scratches and needed to be restrung. He told me to come back the next day, the work was to be done and he would have the final price. I assured him I would return the next day. So I get there the next day, he is not working, he left no word with others. One nice fellow asked if I needed help, explained the situation and he apologized and walked away. I found the guitar back in stock and with the same strings. I can only assume they didn't want to do business with me. Guess I'll move on. read more

The guy at the mics/keys/recording counter on weekends has been very helpful with new technology for me, a tape-deck guy. Thanks.

Hands down the most pathetic customer service experience in the game. Was brushed off by the audio guy with bullsh*t info. It's not a phone issue, big guy. It was a cable issue that I would have gladly purchased from your store but you pushed me and my wife out. I will never visit another Guitar Center again. There are plenty of stores locally and online. read more

Great place, very helpful and knowledgeable. We we're ready to buy strings and the tech just tuned it for us. Problem solved. Thank you

I have had great experiences when I bring in my guitars to both technicians Alex and Jed. Both are very nice guys and really knowledgeable. They have immaculate attention to detail and do fantastic work. I highly recommend bringing in your guitars to have them worked on. read more

Got a cool guitar from them which is a positive. Negative experience was when I was able to return a book a weekend ago since it was the wrong kind of book.... (Positive). But then the weekend after, I tried returning a guitar book again, they proceeded to tell me that they don't do returns on books. (Negative). Pretty sure it was the same lady who returned my first book that told me they don't do returns on books a week later. read more

Rental gone wrong but wow, customer service is fantastic ! I rented a PA system for a day and as I set up the pa, I realized that I was given some faulty gear. Called the shop right away and Tao (person that helped me) reassured me that they can take care of me. He gave me an option of coming back to pick up another set that works. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to come back because our event was about to start. I returned my rental today and Tao was good on his word. Dave, customer service manager, also helped make the situation better. He apologized for the inconvenienced as Tao did as well. Thank you for being a great place to shop in! I will definitely come back because they show that they care about customers and didn't give me a hard time . They were so nice to me and won me as a customer! read more

I've been going to the same Guitar Center for years, 9 years or so. I've spent probably around $5000 with all the guitars (3 or 4 electric and 3 or 4 acoustic), amps, strings, percussion, recording interfaces, and guitar straps through the years. They've installed pickups, pick guards, their luthiers are the best- very knowledgeable indeed. In fact they're working on one of my Frankenstein Strats right now. It needs a tune up, one of the knobs broke clean off and they're replacing it. The pickups are not level, so they're bringing my Frankenstein Strat back to life! Sure, I might have gotten bad info once or twice in the 9 years I've been there. Let me rephrase that. Some of the new or young employees might have not known much about guitars but I moved past that and you should too. They probably are not getting paid a whole heck of a lot and that's not their fault. They're politeness makes up for anything else and that means a lot to me. I've seen many, many employees come and go but in the end I have my dream guitar- a new American cream white Fender Strat, worth $1000!! Plus I have a Fender Champion amp with a sweet Fender guitar chord, a nice Vox tube amp, my Frankenstein Strat, mics, a nice audio interface for recording. Guitar Center always comes through with sale items, nice guitars, cheerful employees. My only advice is- don't go there when it's jam packed. I've seen it super duper busy at times and yes, it can be a madhouse but for me, it's my #1 guitar store. ROCK ON!!! read more

Guitar Center - Here's my dream guitar. A white American Fender Strat baby!!! ala Trower, Blackmore and Jimi too!! - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Beaverton, Oregon

I bought LP congas, electric guitar, scores of guitar gear, stool (nice enough to allow me the floor model so didn't have to assemble), got assistance in every department with ease. I've never had an issue. Not a single one. They hire musicians that actually are gearheads so you can feel like you are supported on your musical journey. I never realized how great GC was until I moved away from Portland area and moved back. Although we've been going through some growing pains, I love the spirit of people in NW and I support GC. I have many friends that work for other shops, however, when they don't have the item they recommend GC unreservedly. Y'all keep jammin' and supporting musicians. I'd bet an errant, wayward kid could easily find their way if they had just had the right introduction by musical teacher or perhaps a Guitar Center associate. Music helped me through my life and COVID and I'd like to express my appreciation who work in the industry. You are appreciated!! read more

This review is mostly in regards to music lessons I have been taking here at this location for the past couple months. Though, I have experienced good customer service when I needed to find throat spray and an audio interface. I love working with Sarah Labadie as my vocal coach. I was little hesitant to work with her at first because her background is primarily in theater -- and I wanted to rock out. Luckily, she and her family are METAL so she is able to teach from a variety of influences. I am starting to learn to read music and get to practice my songs of choice along with new stuff she thinks can help me excel. She is super fun, enthusiastic, patient and kind. She knows how to make it a "safe space" for one to practice and push their boundaries which is really important for anyone trying to build their confidence...like me. I feel she is truly engaged in helping me grow as a musician (wow, can I say that now?) and to reach my unique potential. Oh, and she lets me pick stickers after "a hard day's work" -- which is awesome. I love it. And I am 29. Jenny, the program coordinator, is just as enthusiastic and helpful. She definitely makes it a pleasure to come in every weekend. read more

I visit Guitar Center from time to time for instrument and component purchases and have been very happy with their selection and pricing. Today I needed help resetting the jack/post on my elec/acoustic and the Guitar Tech/Luthier, "Doug", was really helpful. His expertise, care with my guitar, and his "can-do" attitude made my day. He quickly evaluated, communicated the solution, and repaired the guitar on the spot. Pure magic! read more

They are open again after a shutdown due to the pandemic. They do have a one employee per customer policy in place for safety reasons, so that's actually a plus. You may have to wait in line outside for a bit though, just to get in. Mandatory masks. Just like anyplace else, service can be hit-and-miss, depending on the day. I have been lucky with pretty good service the couple times I've gone to this location. I was able to do a trade in for an ok price (it's never going to be as much as what you can sell it for yourself, I expect that) and was able to get a floor sample amp for a reduced price. Overall, a hassle-free experience read more

New to PDX. I travel a LOT. Been to 3+ dz GC's + Indys in 40+ yrs in abt a dz states. THIS GC STANDS OUT Vibe, Staff, Inventory, Cleanliness, Orderly. Kona, the Mgr, is AWESOME & it shows in his staff. Eleanor the CS Mgr, is FANTASTIC. They're super patient & helpful & they care about each person who walks in the door. Big spender, beginner, $25 tuner, doesn't matter. When they're swamped, take your time & enjoy the store. Their ppl will treat you right. A+++ read more

Let me start by saying the hours for this dumpster fire are completely wrong. Internet says they open at 10am, but they had a ghetto sign taped to the door that says 11am opening. Do they bother updating their website? Do they bother updating google maps? No. But what they do is bait you by taking the fire locking gate up behind the door but leave the door locked at the dead bolt. Does this mean they have one shift? How do they expect to make money? These are the questions racing through my mind as I write this review. This isn't my first experience with this store, but after this whole debacle with their hours not being transparent I think I'd rather take my business to a smaller local shop. The other reviews talk about the customer service, and the inventory issues that plague this place. The cherry on the Sunday is this feels like going to Burger King and getting a burger with no pickles and getting your order messed up. If you absolutely love guitar center then it's worth it to go to the other two stores, put up with more aggressive rude service, to have some semblance of inventory to chose from. read more

Great place, nice people and good prices. Love the selection and they always have the beast deals on strings and accessories. I will be back! read more

Guitar Center isn't what it used to be. First, the management IS accommodating. They have helped me greatly in a few circumstances. The staff is really hit and miss. The sales men and wemon are MUSICIANS. That's a key word in understanding the hit and miss nature of the customer service I will get depending on the day, time , and person (if I am actually able to find, maybe) to help me within 10 minutes of being there. For the most part, I feel you have to track them down, wrestle them to the floor, and get thier attention. You have to make sure they are working on finding your item. Once you let them go again, even if they say they will be right back, it's really a toss up as to when you will see the them again, and if they will even have an answer, solution, or product your looking for. I have had several experiences were I would have to grab a sales person on the run, literally track them down and make them help me, then wait there for 10 minutes, or longer, wondering if they will come back to finish helping me. I think part of the issue is THE CUSTMOMERS CAN BE DICKS. Multiple times I have been there I have had a sales person leave me to get something for me, and immediately seen them grabbed by someone else to assist with there questions to. I guess I have done the same to other customers. It would be great if I find a sales person, that they stick to my need or issue, till resolved, before jumping on another customers questions. I think some of the younger sales people think helping multiple people get multiple things at the same time is being more helpful, but I makes me feel cheap, and really not worthy of all of thier attention and time in PURCHASING the hundreds or thousands of dollars worth of gear I'm there for that day. It makes me want to leave. Also, I have gotten some really shitty advice on gear from a few well meaning guitar sales people. Some of the gear they recomended, they gave me the wrong information, said the amp or cab had certain speakers in it that were high end and expensive, I looked up the speakers in the cab after I get it home, (my bad for not doing my homwork) and find out the speakers are the cheap shit verson and I feel like I've been ripped off. Guitar centers return policy is fantastic though, compared to anywhere I've ever gotten gear, which is probably why all of these people are getting open box return shit. That is most likely a COPERATE issue the managers have to some how make work with returned gear. You have to take the info you get from the sales people with your own grain oh salt. If you find the right sales person with the right knowledge, stick with them, if you can find them again. Also, for the management, managing musicians into sales people that show up to work on time, and actually sell equipment, must be like herding cats. Yeeehaaaaa!!!! Oh the bullshit you must get to put up with, so I get that part, and customers can be dicks and idiots. They can take up your time with the casual conversation about the gear, or maybe t8nking they are th next bibbest thing in music so everyone needs to hear the amazing music they push out of the demo gear on the floor. It would drive me bat shit crazy. Non the less, you are hired to do a job. This would rather have knowledgeable then super nice and full of shit, I still want to be treated with respect, but instead of acting like my buddy, telling me what I want to hear so I'll buy the gear, tell me the truth, and know what the fuck your talking about. I Think that is why they hire musicians. Which I'm sure is a catch 22, is it knowledge, friendliness, both? Or neither, just someone that looks cool, looks like a musician, but knows nothing. I want the sales person to spend more time with me, solve my issue or find my gear before they move on, and never ever bullshit me. The last bit of feedback I'll share has to do with the PRO AUDIO department. I get that working at guitar center in the pro audio department wasn't your dream, it maybe wasn't were you saw yourself in life, and you have to answer th dumbest questions, deal with morons, or just plain simpletons compared to you and the actual pro audio knowledge you have, we are all below you and morons. But you don't have to act like that to our face. I ALWAYS get the impression that I am bothering them, any question I ask is annoying, There's younger sales rep that has this passive aggressive shitty attitude, snarky responses to any question I have, it's almost like they are the wizards of pro audio and you have to prove that your questions are worthy of thier answers. It's like your a little brother asking your big brother about what naked girls look like and they just roll their eyes and brush you off because your just a simpleton, and don't know shit. That's true, most of us don't, that's why we buy gear and ask your advice and questions regarding the gear, or the next step on our pro audio carriers. WE ARE LEARNING. See part 2 of review read more

Bought a guitar here. When we went to pay they told me my card didn't go through due to the computer the first time and I had to run it again so I did. Later that day I checked my account and they had charged me twice. When I called to ask about the second charge they told me the computer hadn't captured one of the charges and that it would drop off of my account by the next day. 5 days later the charges were still there so I called again and was told I had to call my bank to dispute the charge. No offer of a refund. Not happy with my experience with this. **I emailed my issue in and was contacted by someone at the store to give him a call to reimburse me. When I called I was told he had moved to Colorado and they knew nothing of my situation. Ryan, the manager, took down my info and did some digging for me and eventually did get my refund for me. I'm amazed at how much I had to go through to get reimbursed, but I'm grateful that Ryan was so nice and was able to help me out. read more

Bad product knowledge, if I didn't know what I was looking for they would have steered me the wrong way. Came in the middle of the day and there were a couple guys standing behind the counter and one who came up to the front from the floor. I asked for a Fender short scale guitar and listed Jaguar, Mustangs, and Duo-Sonics. (All 24" scale) The guy helping me was nice enough and said "I think there is only one left" and takes me to the wall before realizing there are none in stock...then the peanut gallery behind the counter pipes up "Are you looking for a Bass? We have a short scale Bass" I said "no, a guitar" and repeated the list. Then he tries to "educate" me by saying "Fender's are long scale guitars, short scale will be a Gibson" sure a Tele, Strat, & Jazzmaster are 25.5 but the 3 I listed are actually shorter than Gibson's 24.75 scale length. If you are working at a guitar shop you should know this. I was looking for a small tube amp too but walked right out. I ended buying a Mustang 90 and VoxAC4TV 8 at the shop up the freeway off Farmington. read more

I had a great experience working with Alec today. Since I am not knowledgeable at all, I was relying on the sales associate to guide me through the process of buying my son's first guitar. Alec was very patient, informative and recommended a great product. read more

Just was in here a few days ago and realized I needed to let Portland in on a secret - in this place i've almost always been happily suprised. I've been a musician for decades and shopped in music stores pretty much all my life; I know what to expect from a small mom-and-pop store and what to expect from a huge chain like Guitar Center...but not here! Normally at other big chain stores, I talk to people in the pro audio department who are limited in their knowledge at best (except at the hollywood stores...but they have a whole studio division) and laughably clueless liars at worst. But this place was staffed with multiple people who could answer all my questions and recommend things I wasn't even thinking of that saved me money (like a soft sampler). I've since come back a few times and every time I seem to get helped someone who never condescends - which is rare. I will say one time some punk tried to sell me some worthless pile of junk and didn't even know any specs on it...but I haven't seen him since so hopefully he's gone. The one time I needed strings and went to the string counter (where you always get the 18-year old clueless kid), I met a typical kid covered in tatoos who was nice and helpful (what?). Now that's a happy suprise. read more

Wow, Portland has so much talent. You just don't realize it until you go to Guitar Center. Never before have I seen such a collection of amazing musicians, humbly demonstrating such a potent cocktail of skill and finesse, and yes, let it be said, TASTE, in the open pursuit of their artform. Like the guy who treated the store to a soulful interpretation of the collected works of Rush, Zeppelin, and Skynyrd (interwoven into a pastiche one would not have thought possible without the aid of some supersentient musical computer). Or the three kids who must clearly have a band together, dressed as they were in garb both uniform and avant-garde, who proved that two guitars are not enough where modern hardcore skate punk is concerned. Or the folks you will find in the back corner, those People of the Bass who play all of the notes that Geezer Butler forgot to play. It is at Guitar Center that my faith in the future of the Portland Scene, nay, my faith in the future of music itself, is perpetually renewed. It is here that I realize that the future of amplification truly lies in modeling technology. Yes, the best is obviously to come where American amp manufacture is concerned. It is here where i also learned that 6 strings were not enough for a guitar...no, by adding that 7th string, the performer is able to reach that part of the tonal realm that would have connected Hendrix to Mingus were the two ever to have met. And who can forget that quintessential rock and roll archetype, the Guitar Center Girlfriend? Not only does she inspire the musicians of tomorrow while they conduct their lightning scalar runs, this muse waits patiently for it all and then often graciously loans hard-earned funds to their virtuosos so that layaway terms may be satisfied. It is possible that without these unsung angels, the talent of America might roam the streets in a homeless, foaming stupor. And let us now turn our attention to the Guitar Center Employee. I do grow slightly concerned that GC's monopoly on technological knowhow must pose a serious threat to vital organizations such as NASA and the Sandia National Laboratory. Not to mention the talent pool you will find behind those counters. It is as if MIT and Julliard opened a joint program to groom GC's sales force. I am in awe. Absolute awe. read more

I will first say, that i have shopped here virtually since it opened. I have spent many thousands of dollars on everything from strings, to guitars, amps, stands, mics, cables and PA Gear. I have had some negative experiences there. But I have never written a bad review. Back in March or April this year, I bought a Blackstar amp online for store pick up. Over 500.00. When I picked it up they had no clue, took forever for them to give me the amp. Fast forward a few months, I ordered an amplifier stand for store pickup again. My wife and I went in. While I was talking about another piece of gear, one of the staff gave my wife a box, and she took it out to the truck. When we got home, I went to take it out of the truck and it was another Blackstar Amp!!! Apparently it was still in the backroom with my name on it. I did the right thing and took it back. My band mates said I should keep it. LOL. When I took it back they were so "whatever" about it. I'm not sure any of them even thanked me for my honesty. But the reason I am writing this now is a little thing that happened and it really got my goat. I needed a box to ship a guitar. (that I bought from them) I go in (I work right around the corner) and after a few minutes a guy comes out of the office and says what do you need? I said I'd like to see if you have a guitar box laying around, he cut me off and he turned away and said "nope we need em for recycling" and went back in the office. Just turned his back on me and walked away. My feeling was like "ok, you're not offering me any money today so F*ck off". Worst possible way he could have handled this request and today it cost him and GC as a whole, a customer. If he had taken two minutes and offered some explanation of why, etc.... maybe I'd have been ok with it. But to just blow me off like that. I'm done. There are plenty of places to buy that are not owned by Musician's Friend or Guitar Center. Addendum I will update my review. After posting this rant, I was contacted by the store manager. We spoke at the store and he apologized as did the person that blew me off yesterday. I am still miffed over how I was treated as a customer but I thank Martin for making the effort to try to resolve the situation and make amends. Thanks. read more

This is the best Guitar Center in the world. The manager Faisal help me for the return, while the one in Clakamas send me away, they even tell me to go the Beaverton for better experience. Guys Guitar center location does matter! I spend a whole day and end up here. I will never go to other Guitar Center location. If u have bad experience somewhere else, consider drive extra miles to be here because I will. Find the manager name FAISAL please! read more

GUITAR CENTER STAFF QUIZZ (for new hires in the drums dept). QUESTION: A customer rings several times and asks to try out a specific kit that is in stock, with a view to buying (the customer is traveling a long way to get to the store). What do you do? a. Don't bother getting the kit ready and remain ignorant of the fact that pieces are missing etc. (and yet remain pushy about selling once the kit is sort-of assembled)? b. Make sure you have the kit assembled and ready and are able to talk knowledgeably and objectively about the product (without being pushy)? If you answered (a), well done, you have a job at our Beaverton store. If you answered (b), well done, you have a job at our Clackamas store. RATING: Beaverton = 1 star Clackamas = 5 stars DO NOT BUY DRUMS AT THE BEAVERTON STORE! TRY CLACKAMAS FIRST (and, I'd also suggest asking for a guy called Jordan in the drums dept, he really knows his stuff, is objective, helpful, and friendly!) read more

Be careful buying from here if they don't have the product you want IN THE STORE. I bought a keyboard a week ago that they had down in S. Oregon at their Medford store. I was told on a Friday it would be shipped to me by Tuesday, Wednesday at the latest. After waiting all day wednesday, I called (thank goodness I still knew where the receipt was) and they said there was a "glitch in the system" and that it would ship out the following day (Thursday) and arrive Friday. When I called on FRIDAY for a shipping number, multiple people didn't call me back that said they would, I called Medford and the guy says "Oh, here it is right here. I can ship it out today." Their system is VERY flawed. KEEP YOUR RECEIPT. Otherwise, great helpful people in the store & some great deals. If you're looking for used gear, don't discredit trying craigslist first though! No shipping from Medford on craigslist! ;) read more

I am done with this Guitar Center location and possibly GC overall after this last visit. I needed a special midi controller for a project I was working on that weekend and my Clackamas branch didn't have one. The only GC within 50 miles that did was the Beaverton store. It was a long drive but I really needed this controller. The first problem was the sales guy didn't ask me if I wanted a two year extended warrantee added on, he just put it on and gave me the total. I had to ask him to remove it. If this had been a family member buying this for me they likely wouldn't have known what was going on and would have just paid an extra $150 or whatever it was. I find that very uncool. So I get that taken off, get everything paid and leave. I get home and I open it up and the controller has dirt on it, there was some paperwork previously opened and I see a return slip with another customers info on it. I immediately became concerned because to use this controller you have to download software and I had heard about people getting previously owned units who couldn't get the software because their controller was already registered. I get to my studio and go to download the software and sure enough, my controller is already registered and I am instructed to return the unit to where I bought it. It was at that point I took a good look at the receipt. It had "OB" printed next to my controller which I assume meant open box. The sales person had to have known what that meant, but he never bothered to tell me it was a returned unit or ask me if it was okay. If he had, I wouldn't have bought it without checking everything out a lot more and in this case, I would have skipped it. So I take another long drive out there the next day. I stand around for 45 minutes while he is working on getting me another one ordered because it was the only one they had. I am giving an extra star because he did give me another 5% off the price for my trouble but at this point I was into this whole ordeal roughly 4 hours of wasted time. I had no controller for my project that weekend and had to wait another week for a new one to finally arrive at my closer GC. I have spent well over $10k at Guitar Center over the years. I have had problems with this branch in the past, but it had been a while since I had been there so I figured I would give it another shot. Never again. I will only be doing future business with the Clackamas branch or I may just shift everything to a different retailer who has always been great to work with, even though I can only deal with them online. read more

Drummer here: I have been shopping at this GC for over 13 years now. What I have noticed is that the staff is constantly changing, thats why I gave it 4/5 stars. Its hard to fall in love with a place that is constantly changing management and staff every 6 months. The last time I went in, I ended up educating the "drum pro" about how different drum sets sometimes use different woods. Mind-blowing facts I was laying down... They also have lost their ability to wheel n' deal when you buy multiple items and they always have a "sale" going on. But hey, they can order almost anything drum related for you so that's a plus. I assume the same goes with everything else. Other than that, selection is usually pretty good. Its a music store so the prices are going to be premium. I usually buy everything music related on the used market now a days but whenever I walk into the GC, I am easily in there for an hour browsing all the merchandise. The last time I did the drum-off in Beaverton (2008) they brought in the kid from Smashing Pumpkins to judge along with Steppenwolf's drummer. Cool! Not sure who they bring in anymore... read more

As a regular customer ever since they opened, I feel like a have enough experiences to give a rating that is well balanced, based on average service rather than a single event. I shop mostly in drums, but I have also spent many a dollar in pro audio, basses, electric guitars, as well as keyboards. Over the years I'd say that the store management actually really cares about satisfying the customer as they know that their customer base is mostly composed of returning customers. Also, for a while, they had basically a local monopoly for any level of seriousness in the area. Now, with the flourishing of convenient (read free/fast shipping, and hassle free return policies) internet-based retailers, as well as local competitors (such as rhythm traders for drums), they know they have to work a little harder to earn that loyalty. I'll rate the company in three different areas I think must be separated in order for the review to be fair: Sales Staff (8 out of 10): This is the one that tends to vary. Sometimes I'll find reps that are impressively knowledgeable, mostly musicians themselves. Every once in a while, less experienced reps are found, but they are also usually aware of their own limitations and act humbly, and are quick to ask for help from their support staff if asked something they don't know. As a seasoned musician, I usually don't need any help from the reps, other than checking stock, doing a price match, or something administrative like that, which has never been a problem. Store Management (10 out 10): This is where Guitar Center shines for me. I've had some of the most memorable customer service experiences of any business with the folks in store management over the years. I have had people patiently listen to me whine, make exceptions to rules when called for, cut me insane price match deals, and worked tirelessly to right wrongs. In once sad instance, GC Corporate became involved and they gracefully stepped over everything and everyone and made things right for me. Store Itself (10 out of 10): The stores are highly stocked (most of the time whatever I need is available immediately and I get to walk home with it the same day). Everything is clearly organized and easy for the customer to access. Another very important thing is that they freely allow you to play ANY, and I mean ANY instrument in the store for a long as you need/want. I have banged on $5000 DW sets for hours without a single bad look. The North Portland store is particularly well setup to check out and play kits, as they have a separate room with closing doors. One more things, is that they are able to seamlessly coordinate with other local and non-local stores if the product you are looking for is out of stock at a specific store. Overall, Guitar Center has been an incredible resource to have in the area. I hope they continue to operate under the notion that they are here to serve the customer. In my experience I feel that is their focus, and I hope it stays that way. *********** TRUE REVIEW RATING: 4.8 out of 5 ************ read more