Does Guitar Center Ship Safely?

Guitar Center Shipping

Guitar Center is one of the biggest retailers in the US. Many musicians buy from them every year. This means that anything bought on their website will normally need to be shipped. But does Guitar Center ship safely?

Guitar Center normally ships new equipment in the original packaging that came from the manufacturer. This ensures that the shipments are sent safely and are secure in the original packaging.

Used equipment is also sold through them. This has the downfall of not having the original packaging. This will need to be done in-store before going out.

Guitar Center does its best to ensure that all shipments are sent safely. Because the range of instruments sold there is quite large, there are procedures in place. This is to make sure anything being shipped is packed securely.

Packaging On Used Instruments

Any guitar or instrument sold must be packaged to meet the treatment of shipping. Most carriers are efficient and move parcels quickly. Sometimes this means rough treatment and possibly being dropped.

Guitar Center packages all instruments to meet this treatment. They ensure it arrives at the customer damage-free. This means proper packaging is needed.

• Rigid Boxes
• Bubble wrap
• Packing peanuts
• Corner protectors
• Edge protectors
• Cardboard box reinforcements

Proper preparation of the equipment is also required. Like securing vacuum tubes in amplifiers. This is normally carried out prior to packaging and helps Guitar Center ship safely.

Who Do They Use For Shipping?

There are few well-known shipping carriers in the world. Guitar Center uses them for their speed and excellent costs.

• UPS
• Fed Ex
• DHL

These are two carriers that offer great value when it comes to shipping. As shoppers, we don’t want to be waiting longer than we need to or incur impossible charges. They help get packages to customers efficiently, depending on where they ship from.

We need great service and affordable charges. And so GC utilizes these carriers to provide both. It also helps Guitar Center ship safely.

Damage

Even though stores try to prevent damage to shipments, sometimes it is not avoidable. Whether it is the fault of the carrier or the shipper, these things can happen. 

Sometimes, in the hustle of packaging up an order to be shipped, a person might miss a step. When this happens, the items inside the package might be damaged. All from moving around loosely.

And sometimes a carrier might be a bit too rough with the package. Even though it was packed well, damage resulted. This is the way it goes when shopping from their website.

Luckily, the shipments are covered in the case of damage.  Either G.C. themselves will cover it if they had made the mistake, or the shipping carrier. The buyer normally never has to deal with any additional costs. Simply contact Guitar Center if your item was damaged, and they will help get it sorted!

Processing Time

Guitar Center normally ships the same day if the order arrives before 3 P.M. ET. Standard ground shipments can range anywhere from 2-5 business days. Only if there were no expedited shipping options selected.

If you selected an expedited shipping option, you might receive the package sooner.

Next day is available if the order is within the United States and is received in time. You can also select a two-day option if you need to get it fast but not the next day. This can be really handy if you are in a pinch for gear and have a performance at hand.

But keep in mind, this only applies to domestic orders. International shipping from Guitar Center will take longer. And of course, in-store pick-up is also an option when you need something today! There is pretty much a GC in every area of the USA!

Where Do They Ship From?

The items are shipped from their 700,000-square-foot warehouse. This distribution center is centrally located to be able to offer faster shipping.

This is normally the case when buying a new musical instrument. When buying a used musical instrument, the item may come from one of the stores throughout the USA.

In this case, it might take a day or two longer if it is to go from one side of the USA to the other. This should be considered when buying a used item.

How Long Does It Take To Get To Each Store?

Sometimes when buying an item online, you have the option to have it sent to a nearby Guitar Center store. This can be handy if you don’t have a great location for shipping carriers to deliver to. Or sometimes they simply don’t deliver to your location.

Whatever the case, having the items delivered to a GC store also takes a few days. Normally, you can expect 2-5 days for an item to be delivered to a nearby store. This is because the guitar or musical instrument might be coming from the other side of the country.

In this case, by the time it is packaged up and sent out, the journey could be a few days. If the item is coming from the distribution center, you can expect a shorter turnaround.

This also applies if buying the item in-store. Sometimes they can get it for you if they do not have stock. But rest assured, they do a great job finding musicians what they need and have a great trade-in program. Just talk to your G.C. rep, and they will make sure to ship it safely!