The Guitar Center Black Friday sale is finally here, and you can bag yourself some of their lowest prices of the year with savings of up to 50% on guitar gear. There are plenty of deals from some of the biggest brands in the music game including Fender, Gibson, Boss, PRS, MXR, and loads more.
I've had a look through the sale already to see what great deals are out there, and a massive $250 off the Boss SDE-3000D immediately caught my eye. It's a premium delay pedal best used in stereo, packing some incredibly warm-sounding delay tones thanks to its hybrid analog-digital circuitry.
If you're buying for a beginner guitar player or you're new to the instrument yourself, this Squier Sonic Stratocaster guitar pack has a cool $50 reduction. Coming with an amp, guitar cable, picks, strap, gig bag, and accessories, it gives the new guitarist everything they need to start playing from day one.
If you scroll down the page you'll find quick links to all the best deals available in the Guitar Center Black Friday sale. Below that myself and the Guitar World team have picked out some of our favorite deals available right now. We'll be keeping tabs on the sale throughout Cyber Weekend, so don't forget to check back for the very best deals on guitar gear.
Guitar Center is discounting select Fender Player Strats by up to $100, 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.
We don't often see discounts on Boss gear, probably because they're so popular, but a cheeky $30 off the brilliant Boss RC-5 is a great deal over at Guitar Center. High-quality looping with huge capacity makes it a fan-favorite looper pedal, and we love how it inspired creativity in your playing.
One of the best upgrades you can make to a guitar, fitting a set of locking tuners to your Fender will dramatically increase stability, especially if you have a tremolo. These Deluxe Locking Machine Heads have a $35 discount, making them a low-cost way to improve your guitar significantly.
The Squier Paranormal series offers some really unique instruments, and this Nashville Stratocaster is a great example of that. With a cheeky $100 discount at Guitar Center, it amalgamates the best parts of the Stratocaster and Telecaster into a unique hybrid of both. It delivers a huge variety of tones with the bite of the Tele bridge pickup, the warmth of the neck, plus the spanky tones of the Strat middle position. Well worth a look if you want something different from the norm.
Sweetwater Boss Katana sale: Save up to $150 Guitar Center is getting ahead of the game with their early Black Friday sale. Right now you can save up to $150 on select amps in the Katana range, including slightly smaller savings on the new Gen 3 models. Stock will likley be limited and we don’t see these prices sticking around for long.
MXR pedals are criminally underrated in our opinion, and the M66S Classic Overdrive is one of our favorites. Already a cheap guitar pedal, with an extra $23 knocked off the price taking it down below the $50 mark, it's insane value for money.
We saw some awesome deals on PRS in last year's Black Friday sale, and this one is available super early this year. With a huge 15% saving, the PRS SE Standard 24-08 is a brilliantly put-together guitar that delivers excellent tuning stability and a huge array of sounds thanks to the switching circuit. It punches way above its weight even at full price, so the extra off here makes it a must-buy.
In the grand scheme of things, this isn't a massive discount. But, we all need new strings at one point or another, so you might as well pick them up at a discount. A $3.20 reduction is actually 17% off the total price, and Elixirs last forever so you won't need to buy again in a hurry.
Over at Guitar Center, the MS-70CDR+ has got a tasty $40 discount, bringing it to just above the $100 mark. The original Zoom MultiStomps earned something a cult following thanks to their versatility. Small, yet packing a shedload of sounds inside the MultiStomp is the perfect 'Swiss army knife' pedal to add a particular tone or utility to your 'board when you don't want to take up too much room or spend too much money.
If you like your pedals wild and unpredictable, the Pigtronix Gloamer should satisfy your need for the weird. It's got a nice $80 discount at Guitar Center, taking it down below the $200 mark. Best paired with other pedals like reverbs and delays, its compressing, volume swelling action can get you some properly out-there tones.
Black Friday arrives slightly later this year and will be held on Friday 29th November this year. The deals will extend across the following weekend (known as Cyber Weekend) before finishing with some great Guitar Center Cyber Monday deals on December 2nd.
If previous years are anything to go by, we can expect to see some killer Black Friday deals emerging well before the big day. It's worth bookmarking this page and checking back in regularly to see what's on offer.
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.
Last year we got a sneak peek of Guitar Center's Black Friday deals, so we knew ahead of time what deals were incoming before the big weekend actually landed. Hopefully the same will happen this year, and all the best deals will be right here.
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?
Edit: Guitar Center has dropped its early Black Friday sale already, promising up to 40% off a range of guitar gear.
Well, we'd say yes. If you're looking for the best deals and the biggest savings, then we'd wait until Friday November 29 - but there will undoubtedly be some huge savings to be made in the lead-up to the big day.
In the past, we've seen early Black Friday deals starting as soon as the start of October - and Guitar Center has already kicked off its sales with the Guitar-A-Thon event. 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.
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.
Last year's Guitar Center Black Friday deals highlights
PRS SE John Mayer Silver Sky: Was $849, now $679 Both the maple and rosewood-equipped versions of John Mayer's highly praised SE Silver Sky signature guitar is now 20% off at Guitar Center, so trust me when I say now is as good a time as any if you've been thinking about getting one. 635JM single-coils, serious playability and that Sob Rock flair make this an absolute winner for Black Friday. What's more, all of the finish options are on offer, too. A Nylon Blue maple SE Silver Sky? for $679?! Don't mind if I do.
Huge Epiphone sale: Up to 25% off Whether it's a 1959 Les Paul, ES-335 semi-acoustic, or a Silverburst Les Paul Custom, Guitar Center might have just served up one of the most drool-worthy lists of guitar deals we're going to see this Black Friday, with up to $250 off. The guitars mentioned are just a few of the stunning deals that caught our eye, click through for the full list.
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.
Squier Classic Vibe '60s Precision Bass: $449 $349 Squier’s Classic Vibe instruments have rewritten the rulebook when it comes to vintage feel and value for money in the affordable end of the bass and guitar market. The ’60s Precision Bass is no exception. Our review named it “one of the best pound-for-dollar models you can get”, noting it boasts “build quality and attention to detail that far exceed what you’d expect for the price.” Now this Limited Edition Sonic Blue option is 25% cheaper at just $349.99 – whether you’re a beginner looking to buy something that lasts, or a seasoned player after a new option or backup bass, this is a superb opportunity to snap one up.
DigiTech Whammy: was $299 now $249 You’ve heard this perennially popular pitch-shifter on countless recordings, from Rage Against the Machine to Muse, Steve Vai, Radiohead and beyond. Its trademark octave-up squeals and synthesizer-esque harmonies have made it one of the most iconic pedals of all time, so any kind of discount is a rare thing indeed. Save $50 now at Guitar Center and revolutionize your pedalboard.
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.
Price check - Sweetwater $379.99
Universal Audio UAFX Pedals:Was $399, now $319 The UAFX Ruby, Woodrow and Dream pedals offer emulations of the Vox AC30, ‘55 Fender 5E3 Deluxe Tweed, and ‘65 Fender Deluxe Reverb amps, respectively. These pedals are the best way to get their sound and feel in an ultra-portable, studio-, home-, and stage-friendly package. At $319 this Black Friday, they're an absolute steal.
EarthQuaker Devices pedals: 20% off Head to Guitar Center before November 29 to take advantage of a 20% discount on ALL the renowned pedal company's stompboxes, including the Sunn O))) Life Pedal V3, plus great prices on the Rainbow Machine V2, Avalanche Run and Hizumitas Fuzz Sustainar.
I'm Guitar World's eCommerce Editor. In addition to testing the latest music gear, it's my job to manage the 200+ buyer's guides on the site and help guitarists find the right gear and the best prices for them. I've been a guitar player for 30 years and a drummer for almost 20. I've worked in 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 Boss, Laney and Roland.
