Great Discount, Hard Money - Assistant Manager Guitar Center Employee Review

3.0
1 Sept 2011
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The discounts are great. If you spend most of your paychecks on gear, then a job here would be a smart move. The crew is generally fun. Getting to sell gear all day is fun if it pertains to your interest. Networking through Guitar Center is great if you would like to meet local music professionals. If you are in a touring band, there is a program to help you keep your job while going on tour if you meet the requirements.

Cons

The pay is very poor for smaller markets (e.g. anywhere with a population less than 200,000). The 'you write your own paycheck, so don't complain' mentality is very strong in the heads of management. It is a tool they use to keep you down and prevent you from asking for raises. When it comes to raises, really, there are none without accepting a promotion. The stores are generally grossly understaffed. Demotions are quick to be applied if it will save the corporation a buck or two. Something worth mentioning; I have never been demoted. Recently our management staff was reduced and it nearly doubled my job responsibility. Guitar Center is one of the only places I have worked where Assistant Managers have to outperform the non-management salespeople in metrics while being responsible for fast-paced floor management. I heard a story of my district manager once saying, "We obviously don't work here for the money." Adequate time for training is not given. Every hour missed while training goes against your commission, thus discouraging the staff from getting necessary certifications.

Explore other reviews about Guitar Center

5.0
5 Feb 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

*friendly environment *great discount deal *lots of opportunities to connect *Good opportunity to get comission *Tour Leave

Cons

*hours / shifts get cut *Sometimes understaffed, sometimes overstaffed *Competitive salaries because of selling Protection Plans, Credit Card Applications and Lessons

1.0
21 Apr 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

- Plenty of capable individual contributors doing real work. - The brand and the business itself are legitimate — the problems are organizational.

Cons

- Senior leadership is politically driven rather than outcome-driven. Strategic initiatives stall out, and leaders spend more energy assigning or shifting blame than actually diagnosing and fixing problems. - Some parts of the org operate on deference to the top. Honest assessments get softened into whatever narrative leadership wants to hear, which makes real cross-functional work difficult. - Senior leaders do not consistently advocate for their own teams. When things get political, self-preservation takes precedence over backing the people underneath, and capable managers end up exposed.

2
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