How much does guitar center pay: Average Guitar Center Salary By Location, Job Title, and Department

Average Guitar Center Salary By Location, Job Title, and Department

Updated August 22, 2022

$15.40hourly

To create our salary estimates, Zippia starts with data published in publicly available sources such as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Foreign Labor Certification Data Center (FLC) Show More

$32,038 yearly

Entry level Salary

$18,000

yearly

$18,000

10 %

$32,038

Median

$54,000

90 %

Highest Paying Jobs At Guitar Center

While Guitar Center employees earn an average yearly salary of $32,038, different roles can command different wages. Some of the job titles with high salaries at Guitar Center are sales representative, lead operator, warehouse worker, and music instructor. A worker with the title sales representative salary at Guitar Center can earn an average yearly salary of $37,704. Some of the other roles at Guitar Center are cashier and operations associate. A worker with the title cashier at Guitar Center earns an average salary of $26,727 per year.

Highest Paying Jobs At Guitar Center

Rank	Job Title	Average Guitar Center Salary	Hourly Rate
1	Sales Representative	$37,704	$18.13
2	Lead Operator	$37,034	$17.80
3	Warehouse Worker	$36,839	$17.71
4	Music Instructor	$35,340	$16.99
5	Guitar Instructor	$34,866	$16.76
6	Department Manager	$33,882	$16.29
7	Guitar Technician	$33,633	$16.17
8	Assistant Manager	$32,675	$15.71
9	Repair Technician	$32,197	$15.48
10	Operations Specialist	$31,211	$15. 01
11	Customer Service Representative	$30,194	$14.52
12	Press Operator Assistant	$29,718	$14.29
13	Sales Associate	$27,662	$13.30
14	Operations Associate	$27,573	$13.26
15	Cashier	$26,728	$12.85

Highest Paying Guitar Center Competitor Salaries

Competitors of Guitar Center include Vudu, Fender, and Factory Direct, Inc. The average salaries at Vudu rank the highest, with their employees earning an average salary of $67,887 per year. The salaries at Fender average $56,949 per year, and the salaries at Factory Direct, Inc come in at $48,700 per year.

Salaries By Guitar Center Competitors

Rank	Company Name	Zippia Score	Average Salary
1	Vudu	4. 5	$67,887
2	Fender	4.4	$56,949
3	Factory Direct, Inc	4.1	$48,700
4	Spectrum Paint	3.3	$48,524
5	Hirshfield’s	3.5	$48,449
6	AT-PAC	4.4	$48,400
7	Pensacola Pools	3.4	$48,199
8	FABco	4.0	$48,093
9	In Bloom, Inc.	3.6	$48,030
10	Henri, Inc.	3.9	$47,983
11	Rodda Paint	3.9	$43,628
12	Levi Strauss & Co.	4.7	$41,481
13	McCormick Paints	4.0	$39,789
14	Sam Ash Music Stores	3.7	$36,973
15	Hallmark Cards	4.4	$35,771
16	Music & Arts	3. 8	$34,814
17	Gap Inc.	4.8	$34,645
18	Tower Records	4.4	$34,051
19	Kohl’s	4.4	$30,490
20	99 Cents Only Stores	4.6	$29,325

How Much Does Guitar Center Pay By Location?

When choosing a place to work, it’s important to factor in the cost of living when negotiating a salary. Employees at Guitar Center earn different salaries depending on their region. The city with the highest average salary is Westlake Village, CA, where employees earn an average salary of $40,089. In Pueblo, CO, Guitar Center pays a lower average salary of $35,148.

Salaries By Location At Guitar Center

Rank	Location	Average Guitar Center Salary	Hourly Rate
1	Westlake Village, CA	$40,089	$19.27
2	Pueblo, CO	$35,148	$16. 90
3	Frederick, MD	$33,796	$16.25
4	Draper, UT	$31,107	$14.96
5	Nashville, TN	$30,900	$14.86

Guitar Center Salaries By Department

How much you earn at Guitar Center depends on your role, and the organizational function that you work in. For example, workers in the engineering function earn the highest salaries at Guitar Center, with average earnings of $103,226. Employees working in the art/design department earn a relatively high salary as well, averaging $39,507 per year. Departments that don’t pay as well at Guitar Center include the sales and customer service organizational functions, with employees earning $29,992 and $30,677, respectively.

Salaries By Department At Guitar Center

Rank	Department	Average Guitar Center Salary	Hourly Rate
1	Engineering	$103,226	$49. 63
2	Art/Design	$39,507	$18.99
3	Plant/Manufacturing	$39,231	$18.86
4	Education	$37,827	$18.19
5	Warehouse	$35,595	$17.11
6	Facilities	$33,827	$16.26
7	Retail	$33,694	$16.20
8	Administrative	$30,842	$14.83
9	Customer Service	$30,677	$14.75
10	Sales	$29,992	$14.42

How Much Does Guitar Center Pay by Department?

Best Paying Guitar Center Sales Position Salaries

Rank	Position	Average Guitar Center Salary	Hourly Rate
1	Account Manager	$40,669	$19.55
2	Sales Representative	$37,704	$18. 13
3	Sales Associate	$27,662	$13.30

Best Paying Guitar Center Retail Position Salaries

Best Paying Guitar Center Customer Service Position Salaries

Rank	Position	Average Guitar Center Salary	Hourly Rate
1	Customer Service Representative	$30,194	$14. 52
2	Call Center Representative	$29,393	$14.13
3	Sales Associate And Customer Service	$28,701	$13.80
4	Call Center Agent	$28,097	$13.51

Recently Added Guitar Center Salaries

Frequently Asked Questions About Guitar Center Salaries

Is The Pay Good At Guitar Center?

No, the pay is not good at Guitar Center. Compared to the industry average of $43,609 per year, the average annual salary at Guitar Center is $32,038, which is 26.53% lower.

What Is The Starting Pay At Guitar Center?

The starting pay at Guitar Center is $18,000 per year, or $8.65 per hour.

How Much Does Guitar Center Pay Compared To Tower Records?

Guitar Center pays $32,038 per year on average compared to Tower Records which pays $34,051. That works out to $15.40 per hour at Guitar Center, compared to $16.37 per hour at Tower Records.

How Much Does Guitar Center Pay An Hour?

Guitar Center pays $15.40 an hour, on average.

Have more questions? See all answers to common company questions.

Search For Jobs

Zippia gives an in-depth look into the details of Guitar Center, including salaries, political affiliations, employee data, and more, in order to inform job seekers about Guitar Center. The employee data is based on information from people who have self-reported their past or current employments at Guitar Center. The data on this page is also based on data sources collected from public and open data sources on the Internet and other locations, as well as proprietary data we licensed from other companies. Sources of data may include, but are not limited to, the BLS, company filings, estimates based on those filings, h2B filings, and other public and private datasets. While we have made attempts to ensure that the information displayed are correct, Zippia is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of this information. None of the information on this page has been provided or approved by Guitar Center. The data presented on this page does not represent the view of Guitar Center and its employees or that of Zippia.

Guitar Center may also be known as or be related to A & E Construction, Guitar Center, Guitar Center Holdings, Inc., Guitar Center Inc and Guitar Center, Inc.

Guitar Center Salaries | How Much Does Guitar Center Pay in the USA

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Nationwide

$27K

(4 salaries)

Equal to national average Pro Audio Sales Specialist salary ($27K)

-$8K (25%) less than average Guitar Center salary ($35K)

$50K

$100K

$150K

-$14K (50%) less than average Guitar Center salary ($35K)

“I think it’s fair, but one aspect I do not agree with is the commission fade system. You have to make up your hourly pay in commission before you get to make any commission.”

Equal to average Guitar Center salary ($35K)

-$20K (80%) less than average Guitar Center salary ($35K)

See 1 More Guitar Center Pro Audio Sales Specialist Salaries

$22K

(3 salaries)

-$17K (55%) less than national average Operations Associate salary ($39K)

-$13K (45%) less than average Guitar Center salary ($35K)

$50K

$100K

$150K

-$4K (12%) less than average Guitar Center salary ($35K)

“competitors pay better.”

-$15K (54%) less than average Guitar Center salary ($35K)

-$19K (74%) less than average Guitar Center salary ($35K)

$16K

(3 salaries)

-$19K (74%) less than national average Professional Sales Associate salary ($35K)

-$19K (74%) less than average Guitar Center salary ($35K)

$50K

$100K

$150K

-$15K (54%) less than average Guitar Center salary ($35K)

“Underpaid. Minimum wage isn’t going to cut it.”

-$19K (74%) less than average Guitar Center salary ($35K)

-$23K (97%) less than average Guitar Center salary ($35K)

$83K

(2 salaries)

+$2K (2%) more than national average Project Manager salary ($81K)

+$48K (81%) more than average Guitar Center salary ($35K)

$50K

$100K

$150K

+$50K (83%) more than average Guitar Center salary ($35K)

“The compensation at Guitar Center is competitive and decent but I am looking to excel and bring my experience to other companies.”

+$45K (78%) more than average Guitar Center salary ($35K)

$67K

(2 salaries)

-$4K (5%) less than national average Marketing Manager salary ($71K)

+$32K (62%) more than average Guitar Center salary ($35K)

$50K

$100K

$150K

+$43K (76%) more than average Guitar Center salary ($35K)

“Salaries are reviewed against industry standards and kept above direct competitors”

+$20K (44%) more than average Guitar Center salary ($35K)

$83K

(1 salaries)

+$22K (30%) more than national average Email Developer salary ($61K)

+$48K (81%) more than average Guitar Center salary ($35K)

$50K

$100K

$150K

+$48K (81%) more than average Guitar Center salary ($35K)

“As an email developer the price is right, but the other project proposed to be completed is not what my job title is for. “

$28K

(1 salaries)

-$22K (56%) less than national average Systems Support Analyst salary ($50K)

-$7K (22%) less than average Guitar Center salary ($35K)

$50K

$100K

$150K

-$7K (22%) less than average Guitar Center salary ($35K)

“I was paid hourly, I feel if I had was working in the corporate office or from home like most QA engineers, I would have been paid the same but unfortunately was underpaid due to working in the same building as a customer service environment. I am ok with this but believe I should have been paid more.”

$15K

(1 salaries)

-$30K (100%) less than national average Instructor salary ($45K)

-$20K (80%) less than average Guitar Center salary ($35K)

$50K

$100K

$150K

-$20K (80%) less than average Guitar Center salary ($35K)

“Not very good. Guitar center takes a big cut for finding students.”

$23K

(32 salaries)

-$1K (4%) less than national average Sales Associate salary ($24K)

-$12K (41%) less than average Guitar Center salary ($35K)

$50K

$100K

$150K

-$15K (54%) less than average Guitar Center salary ($35K)

+$5K (13%) more than average Guitar Center salary ($35K)

+$15K (35%) more than average Guitar Center salary ($35K)

See 29 More Guitar Center Sales Associate Salaries

$35K

(28 salaries)

Equal to national average Department Manager salary ($35K)

Equal to average Guitar Center salary ($35K)

$50K

$100K

$150K

-$6K (18%) less than average Guitar Center salary ($35K)

-$5K (15%) less than average Guitar Center salary ($35K)

+$6K (15%) more than average Guitar Center salary ($35K)

See 25 More Guitar Center Department Manager Salaries

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Regional HR Manager
is the highest paying job at Guitar Center at $85,000 annually.

Operations Staff Member
is the lowest paying job at Guitar Center at $16,000 annually.

Guitar Center employees earn $35,000 annually on average, or $17 per hour.

• Jackson, MS – 1
• Kansas City, MO – 1
• Madison, WI – 1
• Memphis, TN – 1
• Mesa, AZ – 1
• Nashua, NH – 1
• Natick, MA – 1
• Rancho Cucamonga, CA – 1
• Roseville, MI – 1
• San Francisco, CA – 1
• San Jose, CA – 1
• Tempe, AZ – 1
• Totowa, NJ – 1
• West Covina, CA – 1

• 8 salaries

• 2 salaries

• 2 salaries

• 1 salaries

• 1 salaries

• 1 salaries

• 1 salaries

• 1 salaries

• 1 salaries

• 1 salaries

• See more Guitar Center salaries by Location

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WHAT MONEY DOES FOR: THEORY AND PRACTICE OF GUITAR PRICE FORMATION

You came to a music store and your eyes widened from the abundance of choice and from the range of prices. A natural question arises: what determines the cost of a guitar? Let’s not talk about the greed of shop owners and the insidious exchange rate, but arm ourselves with facts and explore this issue.

So what determines the price of a guitar? Let’s list the points, and then dwell on each point in more detail.

1. Brand.
2. Country of origin.
3. Production technologies and materials used.
4. What does the buyer get when purchasing a guitar (pre-sale preparation, warranty and post-warranty service, etc.).

Of course, a lot depends on the brand. Let’s start with the fact that it’s just nice to have an instrument with a proud inscription on the headstock or inside the voice box – it increases self-esteem and stimulates you to play better :). A brand is quality control, a company guarantee, and finally, just involvement in a high. But let’s look at the situation from the other side. The brand is being advertised. Festivals are held, international exhibitions are taken part, endorsers are bought (yes, yes, they are bought – musicians get money for appearing on stage and in the photo with guitars of a particular brand). Where are the “firewood” for all this? That’s right, including from your pocket: the cost of all this is invested in the cost of each guitar sold. Are you ready to overpay for this? Especially this merciless marketing works in the field of electric guitars, somewhat weaker – in the field of “acoustics”. “Classic” is a more conservative and calmer area, but there are market sharks here too.
And one more important point. Not so much money, but do you want a Fender? Two is not a problem! Get a squire. In the same way, Ibanez condescends to “mere mortals” by releasing inexpensive models – and not only him, almost all brands do the same. But, in all honesty, budget models of well-known brands have the same, for example, “real” Fender American or Ibanez Team J. Craft has very little in common – they have a completely different level of everything: both manufacturing and materials used, as well as convenience games. This, of course, must be taken into account, and it is not necessary to demand the impossible from an inexpensive branded guitar. Major brand marketers are very good at counting money, and they will never put into production a cheap guitar model that is in any way inferior to a more expensive guitar of the same brand. You have to pay for everything – this is the harsh truth of life.
And a couple more fly in the ointment in a barrel of honey. Quality control, so actively praised by absolutely all brands, for some reason gradually, but inexorably, weakens with a decrease in the level of the guitar in the brand’s lineup. The maximum is for top models. The minimum – you understand which ones … In addition, if something happens to your Squire or inexpensive Ibanez, God forbid, and you send a letter to the official representative of the same Fender or Ibanez with a request for repairs, you carefully redirected to the company where you purchased this tool. A company guarantee is a company guarantee, but your tool will be repaired on a general basis and in the order of the general queue …
What makes the tool cheaper? We smoothly move on to the second point – in which country the guitar was made.

The geography of guitar production across the continents is extensive, but there are not so many producing countries. It is quite natural that in terms of the number of guitars manufactured, the “world assembly shop” – China is in the lead.
Why do manufacturers of everything, whatever, so like to place production in China? Not only because of cheap labor, especially since recently Chinese workers have begun to demand regular working hours, vacations, and decent wages. Chinese factories have an amazing feature: they absolutely fulfill the terms of reference given to them. The customer will ask for the guitar to be as cheap as possible – they will make a truly disposable instrument literally from sawdust. They will order an exact copy of a “torres” from an array – you will get a magnificent classical guitar from a tree really aged according to all the rules. For obvious reasons, the first type of made in China guitars entered our market and are mainly supplied, hence the stable association: “Made in China” is the shameful stigma of a bad guitar.
One of our customers was lucky enough to own a great Epiphone Les Paul Custom Zakk Wylde Bulls Eye. Made in China, for the US market, tested and built in the USA. Guys, this is a masterpiece. Rarely do you find such a carefully crafted guitar with such high quality and seasoned wood. His sound, by the way, is also on top. Here is China for you!
Many companies shamefacedly hide the inscription Made in China – for example, in the Hohner HC06, the identification mark of the country of origin can only be found on the shipping box, and the German flag and the inscription Hohner Germany flaunt on the colorful “Hohner” packaging. Unscrupulous sellers often use this: “They have a Chinese Hohner there, and we have a German one!”. Yeah. Directly from Germany, the country with the most expensive labor force in Europe. As a rule, this inscription is also absent on the cheapest guitars – and here the seller has enough imagination. Oh well…
Why doesn’t Alhambra carry expensive – and really high-quality – Chinese guitars? Precisely because it seems impossible to break the collective unconscious “China is bad” in terms of guitars. At the same time, we all have Chinese smartphones, Chinese TVs, Chinese household appliances, Chinese clothes and sneakers… We are still strange people.
The seething trade union activity in China gradually leads to the fact that, in search of cheap labor, new countries where guitars are produced – India and Vietnam – begin to be added to the already familiar Indonesia. I haven’t seen Vietnamese guitars yet, but Indian Squires and Jacksons make a very good impression.
Another guitar-producing country that is largely unfairly underestimated is South Korea. Korean guitars are generally not cheap. But according to many years of observation of the Korean Crafter, Jet and PRS SE, we can say with a clear conscience that they justify their price for every ruble. The quality of their performance is impeccable – and it is especially pleasant to add that it is stable. In terms of manufacturing culture, selection and aging of wood, these guitars are in no way inferior to the “Japanese”, and in terms of cost – much more humane. So put aside prejudice and youthful maximalism and take a closer look at Made in Korea. It’s worth it.
There is no point in talking about instruments made in Japan and the USA – this is a completely different price level. Whoever decides to buy such a guitar knows perfectly well what he is investing in, and therefore such a purchase is always justified.
A few words about the ubiquitous conspiracy theories. The fuzzy definition of the concepts of “manufacturer” and “manufacturer” allows you to turn the following feint: “parts for assembly” are ordered in Asia, assembly, painting, debugging and other commissioning work are carried out, for example, in America, on the nameplate “Made in …” is written themselves understand what. Such thoughts may be prompted by the sudden appearance of cheap models of some still premium guitar brands … But let inquisitive minds be engaged in investigations in this area. From ourselves, we can notice that the Chinese, if they are given the right task, can make such high-quality components that even the Americans could not dream of. So if the tool is really good in all respects, by and large – what difference does it make, what is its country of origin ???

Let’s move on to perhaps the most non-obvious and one of the most important components of the price of a guitar – to what and, most importantly, how it is made. Let’s start with the fact that a properly made guitar is an absolutely non-technological thing, if by manufacturability we mean conveyor assembly. There are a lot of subtleties in guitar production. We prepared the klets (an element for attaching the guitar neck to the body) with fibers in the wrong direction, because it was easier that way – we got a “step” on the XII or XIV fret, depending on the type of guitar. They replaced the wooden fretboard with plywood – it became cheaper, but the guitar became disposable and unrepairable. We saved on the quality of the springs under the top deck – after a couple of months of use, the deck began to swell like a sail … All these are examples of the introduction of “technological” into the production of guitars. Attempts by “effective managers” to optimize the process due to the lack of wood preparation, the use of cheaper wood species, and the simplification of assembly technology lead to a cheaper product, but at the same time to a loss of quality and reliability. There is no need to reinvent the wheel – over the years of the guitar’s existence, a truly optimal technology for creating an instrument has been invented and worked out, and all kinds of simplifications only lead to a worse result.
By the way, a guitar can be absolutely correctly made, but the use of low-quality wood will nullify all this correctness after a few months of operation. For example, have you ever wondered why cheap “acoustics” are usually painted? And vice versa – on expensive classical and acoustic guitars there is not a single gram of toning. The explanation is simple: a layer of paint hides all the imperfections of the wood used …
What is needed to keep the guitar from hooking? One of the most important factors is the durability of the tree. Under assembly line conditions, no company can afford the natural slow drying of wood for 20-30 or even more years – such wood is used only for master guitars, and of the highest level, or for the highest models of factory guitars. In stream production, rapid drying in special ovens is often used, which drives all moisture out of the wood. Absolutely everything – as a result, the guitar sounds not cheaply loud. The payback comes later, when the varnished wood begins to absorb moisture through uncovered places – the knuckle, fretboard, etc. The result is unpredictable – the neck can bend absolutely in any direction, and even after repair, the bending process will most likely resume. Therefore, be wary of sonorous and at the same time inexpensive guitars: their sonority is a consequence of the “furnace” processing of wood.
What is better, solid wood or laminate? The question may seem somewhat strange, but we would suggest proceeding from how and where the guitar will be used. For a camping guitar, an array is an overkill: the guitar will die after the first season. For an enthusiastic “classic” who aspires to truly understand the instrument, you need at least a guitar with a solid top, and ideally a full array (as the first guitar with a solid array, we recommend the Romanian Hora Spanish spruce and maple with a completely non-massive price ). Entirely massive “acoustics” are quite difficult to manage and capricious in terms of reliability. To “sing along to the guitar”, as a rule, a well-made laminate guitar is enough.
Does the type of wood affect the sound? Still how it affects, but not on cheap instruments. Spruce laminate and cedar laminate tops sound almost the same, while the difference in the sound of spruce and cedar massive soundboards will be noticed even by an unprepared listener. At the same time, there is a very big difference between basswood laminated decks (used on the cheapest guitars) and spruce laminated ones – therefore, other things being equal, an instrument with a spruce soundboard is preferable. The cedar array on the “classic” is brighter and more assertive than the spruce array, on the “acoustics” the cedar array is an amateur thing.
Please note that the word “laminate” is not used in guitar descriptions. We see “spruce” – we mean “spruce laminate”. This is not an attempt to confuse the buyer, but a tradition. The array is denoted simply and clearly: “spruce array”. The above does not apply to fingerboards: if it says “rosewood”, then a rosewood board is used, and the bashful designation “hardwood fingerboard” suggests its plywood essence. In addition, the neck is not made of plywood. Exceptions are several models of Soviet guitars and a couple of exotic items from Western manufacturers. But back to our imaginary factory where guitars are made…
The main problem of a cheap factory guitar is that no one really controls the process, as well as the resulting result. The assembly of such a tool resembles an assembly line, where each worker performs one simple operation. “Who made the suit? – We!..”. The higher the level of the instrument, the less people take part in its manufacture. At the top of the pyramid are artisan guitars. They are built – just like that, the masters do not make, but build guitars, like buildings or ships – one person. Master. Sometimes, of course, apprentices help him, but it is the Master, through whose hands absolutely all the details of the future guitar have passed, that guarantees the highest quality of the instrument. That is why it is not necessary to make the same demands on a factory-made, especially inexpensive, guitar as on a master instrument. These are very different levels.
To the question of reliability. Do you know that the guitar is the most fragile of the folk instruments (yes, according to the domestic classification, the guitar is a folk instrument, along with the balalaika, domra and the like)? The guitar design itself assumes a minimum margin of safety, and the accumulated fatigue of wood leads to the fact that the maximum life of a guitar as a musical instrument is 50 years. It is violins that live for centuries, and a guitar simply stops sounding after half a century (we are not talking about electric guitars, which are essentially boards with strings). Why all this? To the fact that with any guitar – whether cheap or artisan – you need to handle it as carefully as possible and be mentally prepared for possible breakdowns. As a rule, almost everything can be repaired, and it’s not a fact that after repair the guitar starts to sound worse … Do not neglect the simple rules for storing and operating your guitar, and then it will really please you for a long time.

Another pricing point, not so obvious, but very important. You bought a guitar, what’s next? Imagine that there is a problem with a tool. What to do? Of course, take it to the store where the tool was purchased. This is where the “most interesting” may begin – but let’s not talk about it, but rather talk about how this process takes place in the Alhambra. The fact is that all the guitars we offer undergo constant multiple checks – when they enter the store, when the seasons change, when they are on display for a long time – and, if necessary, are rebuilt and adjusted. The probability of finding a “good” or defective tool on our showcase is close to zero. So even if you are not a specialist in guitars, you have nothing to worry about – you will not be offered a defective copy, and if something is wrong with the guitar you like, they simply will not sell it to you: the instrument will be removed from sale and sent for repair . In addition, we give a 6-month warranty on guitars purchased from us. Few? Some stores have a two-week warranty… During these six months, we will rebuild your guitar if necessary, and in case of design defects, we will repair it free of charge. And most importantly: we do not depend on any supplier company, we ourselves choose what to sell, guided in the choice of a balance of “sound / quality / price” criteria, so the very presence of this or that instrument on our showcase is a guarantee that it is worthy tool. Despite the fact that we basically do not work to order and most of the instruments we have in several copies, as well as our exactingness in terms of assortment, as a rule, our customers have no problems with the guitars purchased from us. And these are not just words – these are the statistics of our almost nine years of work. So why not praise yourself? Especially since it’s all true.

So, back to the topic of pricing. As you can see, the price of any guitar is not taken from the ceiling, and even the “price for prestige”, so common in the fashion industry, is not so strong and obvious here. The moral is simple: a more expensive instrument is indeed BETTER than a cheaper one, from better finishes and easier and more comfortable playing, to technological advantages that are invisible but very tangible in use, which will ultimately extend the life of your favorite guitar. The economy, of course, should be economical, but in the end, the miser pays twice – and this axiom is especially relevant when choosing a guitar.

How to choose a guitar amplifier

March 29, 2016 | Maxim Ivanov

Haven’t written anything on our blog for a long time. I decided to start with such an important thing in my opinion as the choice of a guitar amplifier. I already have quite a lot of life experience and experience on both sides – as a user and as a seller of guitar amplifiers. On both sides of the barricades, so to speak. I’ve played a lot of amps, live, in the studio, and in rehearsals. Therefore, I believe that my opinion may be of interest to you. I do not advise to read thin and sensitive natures, because. the text uses obscene language and in general I am a straightforward person and used to call a spade a spade. If my Turkic dialect doesn’t scare you, read and enjoy 😉

First combo

If you are just starting to learn the guitar and decide to buy yourself an amp or OGO! whole guitar stack home, then you should take note of the following points:

First opinion can be deceiving. Turning on the combo in the store, you may like a large selection of effects, a bunch of settings, a built-in tuner and all sorts of things that the seller positions as a cool bonus. But in fact, all these bonuses cost money to the manufacturer, and in the end, all this added “value” falls on your shoulders as the final buyer. Therefore, in musical equipment, I took this opinion as a rule for myself: the more functions, the cheaper each of them in the end. This is especially noticeable in studio equipment, where a heaped-up effects processor is often not a match for some monosyllabic device, but made by hand, by a very serious company. In short, in total you get a set of chips, not a sound. If you want sound – pay for sound, not for chips.

If you just want to play around, that’s one thing. Here the choice is simple – take what you like the most – both externally and in sound. Anyway, at the moment you don’t understand anything in sound and you won’t understand for a very long time. It was the same with me when I started, so I know what I’m talking about. There is no need to see some offensive context here. I’m not trying to hurt or offend you, it’s just the truth of life. Any beginner in any business has no idea about the nuances. To grow up to them, you need to try a lot personally. Only on your own experience does an understanding of the guitar sound that is right for you personally grow.

If you decide not just to play around, then read the article to the end. Maybe you can cut a couple of corners on your musical journey.

Let’s summarize the conclusions on this point: if you are a beginner – take any amplifier that you like. And don’t think about anything else. Just buy it and play it. This is an important point. You don’t need to soar your brain with a choice of brands, models, compare infinitely different amps and reviews on them. And even more so to read posts on forums where beginners write the same as you, who do not understand anything in sound. The most important thing that you should learn from the very beginning is that everything has its own price and it is fully justified, otherwise this product would not be sold in the store for this money. If it is for sale, then there are buyers who pay this money.

Do not understand the countries of production: China is not China. It’s useless. I’m not even going to explain why, because I’m already sick of it. Every time they ask me: what is the country of manufacture. All I can say is “fuckaaaa….” You have a sum of money in your wallet. Go with your abilities and just buy the best option, guided by your own hearing and eyes. No, of course, you can not listen to me and do everything in your own way – with forums, advisers and long agony of choice. But in fact, you will still take what you have enough money for. That’s all. This is at best. At worst, you won’t decide on anything, quit music, start drinking, your wife will leave you and you will die a bum under a fence.

Why am I not writing about sound here? Because a guitarist’s first amp isn’t about sound, it’s about practicing at home with the first real sound. Not through your wonderful super-hi-fi-change-you-lure music center, but through a specialized guitar apparatus. You’ll understand for the first time why a guitar amplifier is essential for practicing electric guitar. You won’t understand until you buy. Do not buy – do not understand. If you are satisfied with your music center or computer – good luck and success, you can not read further.

First tube amplifier

With a fairly high probability you will quit playing the guitar, because in order to study diligently and for a long time without any visible results, you must have a certain temperament. Most likely, this is not about you. Good. You cost a little money, bought yourself an inexpensive transistor fake and it doesn’t even break you from the fact that it is gathering dust on your balcony at home. You can fuse it for cheap or just give it to someone. Alles gut!

I’m very happy if I’m wrong about you. And your burning heart still longs for rock and roll and world fame. After you’ve played enough guitar processors and transistor amps (some people don’t get away with it for the rest of their lives), you’ll try a good tube amp. You might hear it in concert when you’re standing in front of the stage and the guitar cabinet is kicking your face with all its decibels. Or maybe you will hear it at the rap base where you will come to rehearse with your first band. The fact remains. You will understand that this big sound and that transistor fake in your house have very little in common. At home, your ears get tired of the transistor, and at the rap base, having cut into the guitar stack and hitting the strings at high volume, you suddenly realize what a thrill it is to play rock and that you really have balls.

I am extremely orthodox in my opinion that the guitar amplifier should be only a tube. Everything else is toys. Let’s not talk about campers and ax-ef-exes now, ok? Let them stand on stage for at least 30 years, then we’ll talk. The sooner you understand why you need a tube amp, the faster you will grow as a guitarist. Nothing can change my mind. Well, perhaps, if only right now a flying saucer comes from space and an alien shows me something that will overshadow the entire history of guitar sound, over which so many bright minds of mankind have been poring over. I think that the probability of this is negligible, and therefore the thesis of “warm tube sound” is still more of an axiom than the nonsense of an old paraplegic.

So, you understand that there is something to strive for. Your favorite guitarists play these amps, you’ve seen it in music videos and YouTube. Now you know exactly the secret of their sound. Clear pepper, the secret is not in the fingers, but in the apparatus. This is a standard fairy tale that manufacturers and sellers will stuff you with for the rest of your life. After all, they need to sell you their product. Let’s at least try to do it for love.

Having dealt with the new vital need for a “warm and tube” sound, you start saving long and hard, because you want the same amp, like J. J. Johnson. Everything else is trash. By itself. It is already more difficult to buy a tube amplifier, because it costs more. And it seems like you don’t want to take nonsense already. You have already been through this, and maybe more than once. Your family probably doesn’t share your love for guitar terror, so you can’t wait for their support. You are left alone with your dream. This is a great test of your lice as a musician. Will you be able to resist the opinions of others who say “forget your guitar, go to work in Gazprom or the State Duma”? Can you? I exaggerate, but the meaning is the same. You will need to choose. I just want to warn you that there will be no end to your desire to buy expensive things in the future. It’s not easy, and, on the other hand, it’s wonderful. It motivates, energizes and delights. After all, if there is a point in life, it is to live it, doing what you like. There is no single guitar amp that will give you peace of mind. There are many different ones and they are all beautiful.

I could tell you about different tubes, different types of amplifiers, brands, but it’s all an exciting journey that I inspire you in every possible way to go on your own towards pleasant discoveries.

However, if you are buying your “first tube” I would not recommend saving for a long time for some top model. And that’s why. First, they will be too loud. You must understand that the tube technique is revealed only in the mode when it works at a volume of at least 50% of the maximum. It doesn’t sound at low volume. You can talk to yourself about all sorts of power attenuators, but you yourself will understand that these are all toys. So if you buy a 50 watt or more powerful guitar amp, you simply won’t be able to enjoy it, unless your pleasure lies solely in the contemplation of a huge closet in the corner of your room that your cat will love to sleep on.

What’s more, you won’t understand the difference between a 50W and 100W amplifier. Most likely. To appreciate it, you need to play at the same volume in a specially prepared soundproof room. A rep base is usually such a place. This sound will not be at home. Believe me, your neighbors and the local precinct will definitely not allow this. Therefore, if you want to practice at home with a tube sound, you need to buy a low-power amplifier. To be clear, tube amps sound MUCH louder than transistor amps. I’m not a physicist and I can’t explain it, but my 15 watt tube amp yells louder than drums and I never had a desire to sell it and buy something “more powerful” for a rap base. Despite the fact that there are 50 W amplifiers nearby and I play both on this and on that with the same pleasure.

It turns out that for the home, for the family – a maximum of 15 watts. There are 1 watt tube amps out there and believe me, they are LOUD ENOUGH.

Let’s get back to the issue of saving up for an amplifier like your favorite star. The second reason not to save for a long time is that you don’t have to wait so long to get high on tube sound right now. Cheaper options sound ALREADY 3 heads better than any transistor device. Therefore, proceed primarily from expediency. Most likely, you will not tour, and if your band suddenly starts playing concerts, then there is already something on the stage in the clubs, you can play this “something” in the beginning.

If you become a popular artist, everything that you ask for on stage will be brought to you by rider, and if you don’t, well, maybe you don’t need it then? If the purchase will primarily be at your home, take a low-power amplifier that will open up better at a low volume. If you’ve built your rap base or play gigs often, then it’s worth buying something more powerful, because the clubs are mostly wrecked. And few people keep track of them. But you will understand all this yourself, when it comes to this, here I will not discover any America. And then, I would advise you to start with a small power and try it in different conditions. It may turn out that your favorite amplifier will be the same 15W combo that everyone loves so much in our base, despite the neighboring louder boxes.

It turns out that you don’t need to buy a 50-100 W amplifier? Don’t unless you’re a live performer.

I can also explain why you SHOULD buy a loud amplifier, but I won’t. This article is written for beginners and, in my personal experience, only a few reach the justified need to buy a real full-fledged large guitar amplifier. All of them play on stage, more often it is either work or a very serious hobby with world-class musical material.

“But how to choose a brand?” – you ask. And you’d be right to ask, because the first thing you should think about in these turbulent times is how easy it will be for you to get rid of your purchase if something doesn’t work out for you in show business. Therefore, it makes sense to take a brand that everyone or at least every guitarist knows about. Thank God, besides Marshall and Fender, a lot of things have appeared that have long been considered no less cool, so you actually have a choice and it is big.

Buying rules are as always simple: if you like how it sounds – take it. I don’t care about watts, even though there are three hundred of them. Of course, before such a serious purchase, it is worth training in theory. Reviews on tube apparatus are usually written by people who are already something of themselves as musicians, so it makes sense to listen to them. The main thing is not to climb into the jungle and not to arrange forum battles, and also to separate the wheat from the chaff. “I used the amplifier personally” and “heard, watched vidos, read reviews” – these are two big differences. The first one will tell you his authoritative opinion on the topic, and the second one is just balabol and empty talker. It’s great that in our time there are already people to ask such things. At least give us a call or email us. You don’t have to buy anything for this. If you’re looking to buy a tube amp, I think it’s a crime not to ask us for free advice.

Well, perhaps that’s all. It’s time for me to leave the land of sweet dreams. I will try to write more for you this year, first of all on my own behalf and my thoughts. Do not be surprised if they are not only about music. in fact, everything in life is interconnected, but more on that in another article.

Thank you for reading. Play ROCK in the name of Ronnie James Dio, hail his name!

P.