{{short description|American musical instrument retailer}} {{Advert|date=May 2023}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2022}} {{Infobox company | name = Guitar Center, Inc. | logo = Guitar Center logo 2022.svg | type = [[Privately held company|Private]] | traded_as = {{NASDAQ was|GTRC}} | key_people = Gabriel Dalporto ([[Chief executive officer|CEO]]) | industry = [[Musical instrument]]s | former_names = The Organ Center<br>(1959–1964)<br>The Vox Center | products = [[Musical instruments]], [[Sound recording and reproduction|recording equipment]] and accessories | revenue = {{Increase}} $2.14 billion | owner = [[Ares Management]] | founder = Wayne Mitchell | num_employees = 10,000 | homepage = {{url|https://guitarcenter.com}} | foundation = {{start date and age|1959}} (as The Organ Center)<br>[[Hollywood, Los Angeles|Hollywood]], [[Los Angeles]], [[California]], U.S. | location = [[Westlake Village, California|Westlake Village]], California, U.S. }}
'''Guitar Center, Inc.''' is an American [[Music store|musical instrument retailer]] chain headquartered in [[Westlake Village, California]]. It operates 304 locations and is the largest company of its kind in the United States.<ref>{{Cite web |title=All Guitar Center Locations {{!}} Music Instructor & Guitar Store Finder |url=https://stores.guitarcenter.com/browse/ |access-date=2023-04-15 |website=stores.guitarcenter.com}}</ref>
The company oversees several subsidiaries, including Musician's Friend, AVDG, [[Music & Arts Center|Music & Arts]], [[Woodwind & Brasswind]], and [[Robert Giardinelli|Giardinelli]].
==History== Guitar Center was founded in [[Hollywood, Los Angeles|Hollywood]] in 1959 by Wayne Mitchell as '''The Organ Center''', a retailer of [[electronic organ]]s for home and church use. In 1964, after a supplier required him to carry [[Vox (musical equipment)|Vox]] [[guitar amplifier]]s, to continue receiving organs, Mitchell added the amplifiers to his inventory and renamed the store The Vox Center, leveraging [[the Beatles]]' association with the Vox brand. In the late 1960s, as other brands like [[Marshall Amplifiers|Marshall]] gained popularity, Mitchell renamed the store Guitar Center.<ref name=NathansA2011/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.guitarcenter.com/company/60s.cfm |title=Guitar Center 1960s History |publisher=Guitar Center |date=November 30, 2015 |access-date=August 31, 2016}}</ref>
[[File:Guitar Center, Pico and Westwood, Los Angeles, CA.JPG|thumb|left|220px|Guitar Center outlet at [[West Los Angeles|West L.A.]], [[Pico Boulevard|Pico]] & [[Westwood, Los Angeles|Westwood]]]] By 1972, Guitar Center had expanded to eight locations, including stores in [[San Francisco]], [[San Diego]] and [[suburb]]s of [[Los Angeles]]. In the late 1970s,<ref>{{cite web |date=November 30, 2015 |title=Guitar Center 1970s History |url=http://www.guitarcenter.com/company/70s.cfm |access-date=August 31, 2016 |publisher=Guitar Center}}</ref> Ray Scherr, the General Manager of the San Francisco store, purchased the company from Wayne Mitchell.
The 1980s saw a resurgence in "guitar rock," led by bands such as [[Van Halen]] and an influx of [[Japan]]ese-produced instruments. This period brought significant growth in guitar sales, prompting Guitar Center to expand nationwide, eventually becoming the largest musical instrument retailer in the United States.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.guitarcenter.com/company/80s.cfm |title=Guitar Center 1980s History |publisher=Guitar Center |date=November 30, 2015 |access-date=August 31, 2016}}</ref>
[[File:Guitar Center in Houston.jpg|thumb|right|A Guitar Center retail store in [[Houston]], Texas]] Scherr sold the company in 1996. The following year, with 30 stores on the West Coast and in Michigan, Ohio, and Florida, Guitar Center made an [[initial public offering]] of stock and opened more new locations.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/forbes/1998/0309/6105198a.html?sh=c59e92a36281|title=The big box comes to music|date=March 9, 1998|access-date=November 2, 2021|work=Forbes}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.guitarcenter.com/company/90s.cfm |title=Guitar Center 1990s History |publisher=Guitar Center |date=November 30, 2015 |access-date=August 31, 2016}}</ref>
In 2000, Guitar Center acquired [[mail order]] and [[e-commerce]] retailer '''Musician's Friend'''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.musiciansfriend.com/ |title=Musician's Friend |access-date=August 31, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160901060220/http://www.musiciansfriend.com/ |archive-date=September 1, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> for $50 million, and claimed the merged company was the world's largest seller of musical instruments.<ref>{{cite news |title=Guitar firm, e-commerce to merge |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=NewsLibrary&p_multi=DSNB&d_place=DSNB&p_theme=newslibrary2&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0F364E6021BBBD01&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |newspaper=Deseret News |date=May 14, 1999 |access-date=May 29, 2011}}</ref> Musician's Friend became a wholly owned subsidiary, with its headquarters remaining in [[Medford, Oregon]].
In 2005, Guitar Center Inc. acquired Music & Arts, the largest band and orchestra dealer in the United States, and merged it with their American Music Group chain of band and orchestral stores. The company was renamed Music & Arts.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-3876698/Guitar-Center-buys-Music-Arts.html|title=Find Local Contractors - Home Remodeling Contractors on Ecnext|website=goliath.ecnext.com}}</ref> The same year, Guitar Center, Inc., started The [[Fender Music Foundation]], a nonprofit organization that supported music education.<ref>[http://www.guitarcentermusicfoundation.org/ Guitar Center Music Foundation] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060720152842/http://www.guitarcentermusicfoundation.org/ |date=July 20, 2006 }}</ref>
In 2006, Guitar Center acquired four stores in Texas from the South Texas and Central/South American company, Hermes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://multichannelmerchant.com/news/guitarcenter-hermes-05222006/|title=Guitar Center Buys Hermes Trading Co. - Multichannel Merchant|date=May 23, 2006}}</ref> In the same year, [[Activision]] partnered with Guitar Center, and all purchases made during game play of ''[[Guitar Hero]]'', beginning with the second installment, were made in a virtual Guitar Center store.
In February 2007, the Musician's Friend division acquired assets of the Indiana-based company Dennis Bamber, Inc., which included band and orchestra retailer Woodwind & Brasswind, plus Music 123 and Lyons Music.
In June 2007, Guitar Center agreed to a $1.9 billion buyout from [[Bain Capital]], totaling $2.1 billion including debt. The deal was led by [[Goldman Sachs]] and amounted to a per-share price of $63, or a 26% premium on the June 26 closing price. The deal was approved by shareholders on September 18, 2007, and closed October 9, 2007.<ref>{{Citation |date=June 28, 2007 |title=Guitar Center Accepts Bain Bid |type=fragment |newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB118294460997949913?mod=googlenews_wsj }}</ref>
In mid-2009, Guitar Center opened its first rehearsal and lessons studio facility in Woodland Hills, California, consisting of eight studios with backline,{{Clarify|reason=Whatever does "backline" mean?|date=May 2024}} ranging in size from {{convert|350-550|sqft}}.
In 2011, Musician's Friend's headquarters operations were moved to Guitar Center's facilities in [[Westlake Village, California]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Losing a Friend |url=http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110428/NEWS/104280321&cid=sitesearch |newspaper=Mail Tribune |date=April 28, 2011 |access-date=October 18, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160109072431/http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20110428%2FNEWS%2F104280321&cid=sitesearch |archive-date=January 9, 2016 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> In the same year, Guitar Center began offering equipment rentals in one of their San Diego stores. Rental departments were extended to ten other locations, with plans to offer rentals across the country.
In May 2013, [[Standard & Poor's]] cut its debt rating on Bain Capital-owned Guitar Center Holdings Inc. to "[[junk bond]]" status, citing struggles with "weak operating trends." The corporate credit rating on the company dropped from B to 'CCC+'.<ref>{{Citation|date=June 12, 2013 |title=Bain Capital's Guitar Center hits rough patch |work=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/buyouts-bain-guitarcenter-idUSL2N0EO24720130612 }}</ref>
In April 2014, [[Ares Management]] took a controlling stake in Guitar Center. Bain Capital, Guitar Center's former owner, retained partial ownership of the company, along with representation on the board. According to Mike Pratt, the retailer's previous chief executive, the deal would reduce Guitar Center's total debt and provide it with the resources to expand and invest in its business.<ref>{{Citation|date=April 3, 2014 |title=Ares Management Gains Control of Guitar Center |newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |url=https://www.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304441304579479170159872750 }}</ref>
In August 2014, Guitar Center opened a new 28,000-square-foot flagship location in [[Times Square]] in [[New York City]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://fortune.com/2014/08/07/guitar-center-expansion/ |title=Guitar Center plans major store expansion to fight off indies, Amazon |work=Fortune |date=August 7, 2014 |access-date=August 31, 2016}}</ref> The opening included a concert featuring [[The Roots]].<ref>{{cite web|first=Richard |last=Horgan |url=https://www.adweek.com/performance-marketing/guitar-center-times-square-roots-new-york-times/ |title=Moving into the Old NYT Building: Guitar Center | FishbowlNY |publisher=[[Mediabistro (website)|Mediabistro]] |date=August 1, 2014 |access-date=August 31, 2016}}</ref> The Guitar Center Times Square location became the permanent home of [[Eric Clapton]]'s [[Blackie (guitar)|Blackie]] [[Fender Stratocaster]],<ref>{{cite web|first=Devin |last=Leonard |url=http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-08-06/the-guitar-center-puts-eric-claptons-legendary-stratocaster-on-display |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140806220422/http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-08-06/the-guitar-center-puts-eric-claptons-legendary-stratocaster-on-display |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 6, 2014 |title=Eric Clapton's $1 Million 'Blackie' Guitar Moves to Times Square |work=Bloomberg BusinessWeek |date=August 6, 2014 |access-date=August 31, 2016}}</ref> which had been purchased at a [[Christie's]] [[Crossroads Centre]] auction in 2004 for $959,000.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/pictures/20-iconic-guitars-20120523/eric-claptons-blackie-0504703 |title=Eric Clapton's 'Blackie' | 20 Iconic Guitars |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=May 23, 2012 |access-date=August 31, 2016}}</ref>
In April, 2017, Moody's Investors Service revised the outlook on Guitar Center's B2 rating to negative. In the face of flat sales in the musical instrument industry as a whole, Guitar Center became overwhelmed by its $1 billion debt.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.marketwatch.com/story/guitar-center-bonds-slide-to-record-lows-on-concerns-about-companys-debt-burden-2017-04-25|title=Will Guitar Center be overwhelmed by its debt?|first=Ciara|last=Linnane|newspaper=Marketwatch }}</ref>
Guitar Center filed for bankruptcy in 2020 and the Times Square location was closed. On November 13, 2020, during the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United States|COVID-19 pandemic]], Guitar Center announced that it planned to file for [[Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code|Chapter 11]] bankruptcy protection after negotiating a debt-cutting deal with key investors and lenders. Guitar Center said it had received up to $165 million in new equity, and lenders agreed to reduce its debt by around $800 million.<ref>{{cite web|author1=Katherine Doherty|author2=Niluksi Koswanage|date=November 14, 2020|title=Guitar Center Expects to File for Bankruptcy After Debt Plan|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-11-13/guitar-center-is-said-to-prep-bankruptcy-with-creditor-support|publisher=Bloomberg L.P.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Diegel|first1=Mike|title=Guitar Center Plans to File for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy|url=https://www.sourceofthespring.com/silver-spring/guitar-center-plans-file-chapter-11-bankruptcy/|access-date=November 18, 2020|website=Source of the Spring |date=November 18, 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|author=Alexis Benveniste|title=Guitar Center is filing for bankruptcy|date=November 22, 2020 |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/22/investing/guitar-center-bankruptcy/index.html|access-date=2020-11-23|publisher=CNN}}</ref> The company emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy on December 23, 2020, after a reorganization deal added additional equity and debt capital.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Unglesbee|first=Ben|date=December 18, 2020|title=Guitar Center exits bankruptcy|url=https://www.retaildive.com/news/guitar-center-exits-bankruptcy/592455/|access-date=2021-09-09|website=Retail Dive|language=en-US}}</ref>
==Guitar Center Legends Collection== In 2004, the Guitar Center began a "Legends Collection"<ref>[http://www.guitarcenter.com/legends Guitar Center Legends Collection] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081122141241/http://www.guitarcenter.com/legends |date=November 22, 2008 }}</ref> with guitars made famous by [[Eric Clapton]], [[Stevie Ray Vaughan]], and [[U2]]'s [[the Edge]]. Guitar Center purchased Clapton’s “[[Blackie (guitar)|Blackie]]” [[Fender Stratocaster]] for $959,500, his vintage [[Gibson (guitar company)|Gibson]] “[[ES-335]]” for $847,500, and Vaughan’s “[[Stevie Ray Vaughan's musical instruments|Lenny]]” Stratocaster for $623,500, a total of over $2.4 million, in the Clapton [[Crossroads Centre]] charity auction at [[Christie's]], New York. The Edge’s cream white [[Gibson Les Paul Custom]] was purchased for $240,000 at the [[Music Rising]] Charity Auction in 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.guitarplayer.com/miscellaneous/1139/guitar-center-displays-its-iconic-legends-guitar-collection-at-northridge-and-san-bernardino-stores/15660 |title=Guitar Center Displays Its Iconic 'Legends Guitar Collection' at Northridge and San Bernardino Stores |work=[[Guitar Player]] |date=June 18, 2008 |access-date=August 31, 2016}}</ref> The collection has been exhibited in a tour of musical events and Guitar Center locations, such as the one held at [[Madison Square Garden]] as part of Clapton’s [[Crossroads Guitar Festival]] in April 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.guitarworld.com/eric-clapton-announces-2013-us-tour-and-fourth-crossroads-guitar-festival |title=Eric Clapton Announces 2013 US Tour and Fourth Crossroads Guitar Festival |work=[[Guitar World]] |date=November 19, 2012 |access-date=August 31, 2016}}</ref> In August 2014, Clapton’s Blackie and ES-335 were moved to a new permanent location in [[Times Square]]. Clapton's cherry red Gibson 335 was used to record Cream’s versions of "Badge" and "Crossroads (from their final live performance in November 1968), and other historical performances over 40 years. Steve Ray Vaughan’s "Lenny" was used to record his classic love songs, including "Lenny" and "Riviera Paradise". The Edge's cream-colored 1975 Les Paul Custom, faded from its original white, had been used for U2's stage and studio performances. All the proceeds from the sale of these guitars went to Clapton’s Crossroads Center charity.
In 2005, the Edge, producer [[Bob Ezrin]], Gibson, and the Guitar Center Music Foundation (now known as the [[Fender Music Foundation]]) established Music Rising, a charity to benefit musicians whose lives had been disrupted by [[Hurricane Katrina]]. In 2007 The Edge donated his guitar to be auctioned for the charity and It was sold for $240,000 to Guitar Center ($288,000 including Buyer's Premium).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151045300244728.444859.56068479727&type=3 |title=Guitar Center Legends - U2's the Edge's 1975 NYD Gibson Les Paul |via=Facebook |access-date=August 31, 2016}}</ref>
==Guitar Center's Drum-Off== From 1988 through 2016, Guitar Center conducted an annual search for the next great undiscovered drummer. Developed to spotlight the drumming community, the Drum-Off was the music retailer’s longest running artist-discovery program.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.moderndrummer.com/site/2013/08/guitar-center-launches-its-25th-annual-drum-off-competition/#_ |title=Guitar Center Launches Its 25th Annual Drum-Off Competition |work=[[Modern Drummer]] |date=August 1, 2013 |access-date=August 31, 2016}}</ref>
The process of Guitar Center’s Drum-Off<ref>{{cite web |url=http://drumoff.guitarcenter.com/ |title=Drum Off |publisher=Guitar Center |access-date=August 31, 2016 |archive-date=August 30, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160830213358/http://drumoff.guitarcenter.com/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> began with three rounds of preliminary competitions at each of Guitar Center's 250+ locations nationwide, with each contestant allowed five minutes of set up time and three minutes to perform. One winner from each store final competition advanced to one of 30 quarterfinal competitions, and one winner from each quarterfinal competition advanced to one of five semifinal competitions, during which contestants were allowed five minutes to perform. The winners from each of these five semifinal competitions qualified to compete in front of a live audience and a panel of celebrity judges at Guitar Center's Drum-Off finals in Los Angeles, California.
In the finals, each contestant was required to perform on a 5-piece acoustic drum kit complete with hardware, cymbals, cowbell, throne and the option to incorporate a [[Roland Corporation|Roland]] SPD-30 Octapad (the SPD-30 was not included in 2016). Contestants were evaluated by a panel of independent and credible judges on the following criteria: skills & technique, groove, originality, stage presence, and overall performance.
Guitar Center discontinued their sponsorship of the annual contest in 2017.{{cn|date=February 2023}}
==Hollywood's RockWalk== [[File:RockWalk 05.jpg|thumbnail|right|RockWalk]] [[File:RockWalk 08.jpg|thumbnail|left|RockWalk detail]] The [[Sunset Boulevard]] location in Los Angeles hosts '''Hollywood's RockWalk''', a hall of fame, honoring musical artists.<ref name="RockWalk">{{cite web | title = List of all the rockwalk/inductees | publisher = Guitar Center's Hollywood Rockwalk | url = http://www.rockwalk.com/inductees | access-date = July 12, 2011 | archive-date = September 28, 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100928050734/http://www.rockwalk.com/inductees/ | url-status = dead }}</ref> Founded in 1985, artists are invited to place their handprints into cement blocks that are put on display at the Guitar Center.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|date=June 22, 1992|title=James Brown Inducted into Rock Walk in Hollywood|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g7kDAAAAMBAJ&q=Hollywood%27s+RockWalk+1985&pg=PA55|journal=Jet|pages=55}}</ref> The inaugural inductees were music gear pioneers [[Jim Marshall (businessman)|Jim Marshall]], [[Robert Moog]], [[Les Paul]], and musicians [[Eddie Van Halen]] and [[Stevie Wonder]]. Currently, over 150 more honorees are enshrined.<ref name="RockWalk"/>{{clear}}
==Media== ===''Guitar Center Sessions''=== Debuting in 2010, each episode of ''Guitar Center Sessions'' showcases exclusive live performances by noteworthy artists captured in hi-definition at Guitar Center's iconic [[Hollywood, Los Angeles|Hollywood]], California location. Past guests include [[Linkin Park]], [[Saint Motel]], [[Wiz Khalifa]], [[Billy Idol]], [[The 1975]], [[Sum 41]], [[Weezer]], [[Smashing Pumpkins]], [[Peter Gabriel]], [[Alanis Morissette]], [[311 (band)|311]], [[Megadeth]], [[Snoop Dogg]], [[Soundgarden]], [[Seether]], [[The Cult]], [[Cake (band)|Cake]], [[Jakob Dylan]], [[Tame Impala]], [[Rodrigo y Gabriela]], [[Bush (British band)|Bush]], [[Ben Folds Five]], [[Korn]], [[Joan Jett]], [[Cheap Trick]], [[Skylar Grey]], [[Peter Frampton]], [[Frank Turner]], [[J Balvin]], [[Coheed and Cambria]], [[Debbie Harry]], [[Kraftwerk]] and [[Jane's Addiction]]. ''Guitar Center Sessions'' is hosted by [[Nic Harcourt]], and was created, developed and produced by Guitar Center exclusively on [[DirecTV]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sessions.guitarcenter.com/ |title=Guitar Center Sessions |publisher=Guitar Center |access-date=August 31, 2016 |archive-date=September 2, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160902154612/http://sessions.guitarcenter.com/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> ''Guitar Center Sessions'' has won several awards, including a Lumiere Award from the International 3D Society for the episodes featuring [[Jane's Addiction]] and [[Peter Gabriel]]. To celebrate Guitar Center's 50th anniversary, Linkin Park performed on October 24, 2014, with the performance first airing via DirecTV on December 5, 2014.<ref>{{cite web |last=Kindred |first=Kathy |url=https://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20140917154743-89487310-guitar-center-celebrates-50th-anniversary-with-linkin-park-concert-premiering-exclusively-on-directtv |title=Guitar Center celebrates 50th Anniversary with Linkin Park concert premiering exclusively on DirectTV |date=September 17, 2014 |publisher=[[LinkedIn]]}}</ref>
===''At: Guitar Center'' web series=== The ''At: Guitar Center'' web series (formerly ''At: Guitar Center'' podcast) features interviews and intimate performances with some of the biggest names in music. Some past guests have included [[Travis Barker]], [[Sevendust]], [[T-Pain]], [[Joe Bonamassa]], [[The Crystal Method]], [[Buddy Guy]], [[Elmer Bernstein]], [[Daughtry (band)|Daughtry]], [[Jimmy Cliff]], [[Meiko (singer)|Meiko]], [[Lee Jong-suk]], [[Rza]], [[Steve Vai]], [[Joe Satriani]], [[Brandi Carlile]], and [[Minus the Bear]]. The podcast is hosted by [[Nic Harcourt]] and is available on the [[iTunes]], [[Zune]] and [[BlackBerry]] networks and on the Guitar Center website.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://gc.guitarcenter.com/podcast/ |title=At: Guitar Center podcast |publisher=Guitar Center |access-date=August 31, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130701225107/http://gc.guitarcenter.com/podcast/ |archive-date=July 1, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>
===''Connections Made by Guitar Center''=== ''Connections Made by Guitar Center'', a collaboration between 88.5 [[KCSN]] [[Los Angeles]] and Guitar Center, was a weekly one-hour radio program hosted by radio host [[Nic Harcourt]] featuring new music from both signed and unsigned artists from across the globe and musical spectrum.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://gc.guitarcenter.com/connections/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120604033853/http://gc.guitarcenter.com/connections/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 4, 2012 |title=Connections Made by Guitar Center |publisher=Guitar Center |date=December 20, 2014 |access-date=August 31, 2016 }}</ref>
===Albums recorded at Guitar Center=== *''[[No Stairway]]'' by Glassine *''Live at Guitar Center'' by [[Noah Wall]] *''[[Heavy Metal (album)|Heavy Metal]]'' by [[Cameron Winter]] *''One Week'' by [[First of October (band)|First of October]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/rob-scallon-and-andrew-huang-record-an-album-in-an-open-guitar-center |title=Every year, Rob Scallon and Andrew Huang write and record an album in a day. For 2025, they did it in an open Guitar Center – and used any gear they wanted |publisher=Guitar World |date=November 7, 2025 |access-date=November 10, 2025 }}</ref>
==See also== * [[Music & Arts Center]] * [[Woodwind & Brasswind]]
== References == {{Reflist|refs=
<ref name="NathansA2011">{{Citation |last=Nathans |first=Aaron |date=May 14, 2011 |access-date=May 15, 2011 |title=Delaware music stores bracing for national giant's arrival |periodical=[[The News Journal]] |url=http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20110515/BUSINESS/105150332/-1/NLETTER01/Music-stores-bracing-for-national-giant-s-arrival |quote=Guitar Center, which focuses on the rock-band end of the music business, opened its first store in Hollywood in 1964, just as guitar bands were taking off. }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20120725034453/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/delawareonline/access/2347481691.html?FMT=ABS Alt URL]</ref>
}}
==External links== {{Commons category|Guitar Center}} *{{Official website|http://www.guitarcenter.com}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20140725160946/http://www.musiciansfriend.com/ Musician's Friend] *[https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/marty-albertson Marty Albertson Interview] NAMM Oral History Library (2012) *[https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/richie-pidanick Richie Pidanick Interview] NAMM Oral History Library (2012) *[https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/dave-weiderman Dave Weiderman Interview] NAMM Oral History Library (2012) *[https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/ray-scherr Ray Scherr Interview] NAMM Oral History Library (2016) *[https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/rob-eastman Rob Eastman Interview] NAMM Oral History Library (2021)
{{Bain Capital}}
[[Category:1959 establishments in California]] [[Category:2007 mergers and acquisitions]] [[Category:2014 mergers and acquisitions]] [[Category:American companies established in 1959]] [[Category:Bain Capital companies]] [[Category:Companies based in Westlake Village, California]] [[Category:Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2020]] [[Category:Musical instrument retailers of the United States]] [[Category:Private equity portfolio companies]] [[Category:Retail companies established in 1959]] [[Category:Guitars]]