Guitar Center
Leading music retailer selling guitars, drums, keyboards, and PA systems alongside lesson studios.
Guitar Center at a glance
Guitar Center is an e-commerce website and one of the most visited sites in United States, currently ranked #1415 in the country. It was founded in 1959 by Wayne Mitchell and is headquartered in Westlake Village, California, USA. Today Guitar Center is owned by Guitar Center, Inc.. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 15 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through retail gear sales, instrument rentals, music lesson fees. Its closest rivals include sweetwater.com, reverb.com.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 14.1 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 14.5 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 15 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 15.9 million / month | +6% |
Traffic sources
- Direct48%
App-first shopping habit
- Organic search31%
- Paid search11%
- Social6%
- Referral & email4%
Audience & demographics
- Women54%
- Men46%
- Age 25-3430%
- Age 18-2423%
- Age 35-4422%
The audience is concentrated in United States, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- United States86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 4.5 million visits / month
- Branded share of search
- High — brand terms lead the keyword profile
- Indexed pages
- Large — category, listing or article level
- Primary search market
- United States
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| guitar center | 1 | Very high | Dominant |
| online shopping | Top 10 | High | — |
| discount codes | Top 10 | High | — |
| free delivery | Top 10 | High | — |
Backlink profile
- Referring domains
- Tens of thousands
- Link profile
- News coverage, directories, blogs and partner sites
- Authority
- High within the United States web
Top referral sources
- News and media31%
- Directories and aggregators24%
- Blogs and forums20%
- Partner sites14%
- Other11%
Technology stack
Website technologies
Advertising & analytics technologies
Stack details are inferred from public front-end signals and engineering communications; internal systems may differ.
Mobile app statistics
Available in the local store
Available in the local store
- App share of traffic
- ≈ 76% mobile
- Position in country
- Among the leading e-commerce apps in United States
Company information
- Website
- guitarcenter.com
- Sector
- E-commerce
- Owner
- Guitar Center, Inc.
- Owner type
- Private company
- Founders
- Wayne Mitchell
- Founded
- 1959
- Headquarters
- Westlake Village, California, USA
- Employees
- 10,000+
- Ownership
- Guitar Center, Inc. controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Revenue
- ≈ $2.4 billion annual revenue (est.)
- Languages
- English
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, paid search
Financials
- Revenue
- ≈ $2.4 billion annual revenue (est.)
- Ownership
- Private company
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
Guitar Center operates an online retail and marketplace platform focused on United States. Leading music retailer selling guitars, drums, keyboards, and PA systems alongside lesson studios. Revenue comes mainly from retail gear sales, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Retail gear sales
- Instrument rentals
- Music lesson fees
Products & services
Related deals on Amazon
As an Amazon Associate, Global Site Index earns from qualifying purchases.
International presence
- Primary market
- United States
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Employee statistics
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (United States)
- #1415 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading e-commerce site in United States
- Global rank
- 4650
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| sweetwater.com | ≈ 9 million / month | #1416 class competitor | — |
| reverb.com | ≈ 6.7 million / month | #1417 class competitor | — |
What is Guitar Center?
Guitar Center (guitarcenter.com) is an online retail and marketplace platform serving users in United States. Leading music retailer selling guitars, drums, keyboards, and PA systems alongside lesson studios. It ranks #1415 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the e-commerce category.
Who owns Guitar Center?
The site is operated by Guitar Center, Inc., founded by Wayne Mitchell. The company was established in 1959 and is headquartered in Westlake Village, California, USA. It employs around 10,000+.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place Guitar Center at roughly 15 million visits per month, about 0.5 million per day. Around 76% mobile of sessions come from mobile devices, and visitors view about 7.4 pages per visit with an average session of 6 min.
How Guitar Center makes money
Revenue comes primarily from retail gear sales, alongside instrument rentals, music lesson fees.
Competitors in United States
Its closest rivals include sweetwater.com, reverb.com.
Data and accuracy
Company facts are drawn from public sources. Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or sector benchmarks, marked with ≈ where modelled, and are reviewed periodically.
Company history & milestones
- 1959
Guitar Center is founded in Westlake Village, California, USA.
- Growth phase
Expands its e-commerce offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #1415 among the most visited websites in United States.
User reviews & ratings
| Source | Score | Reviews | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Play | ≈ 4.3 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| App Store | ≈ 4.5 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| Consumer review platforms | Mixed | — | Service and support are common themes |
App store ratings are solid, while consumer review platforms show the usual friction around support and service quality.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Wide product assortment with competitive local pricing
- Established delivery and returns network
- Local payment methods and installment options
- Mature seller tools and campaign calendar
Cons
- Product quality varies between third-party sellers
- Returns and disputes can take time on marketplace orders
- Commissions and ad costs pressure smaller sellers
- International shipping coverage is limited
Key statistics
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Guitar Center?
Guitar Center is operated by Guitar Center, Inc.. Private company structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is Guitar Center headquartered?
Guitar Center is headquartered in Westlake Village, California, USA.
When was Guitar Center founded?
Guitar Center was founded in 1959 by Wayne Mitchell.
How many employees does Guitar Center have?
Guitar Center employs approximately 10,000+ people.
What is Guitar Center's revenue?
Guitar Center's revenue: ≈ $2.4 billion annual revenue (est.).
Who are Guitar Center's competitors?
Main competitors in United States include sweetwater.com, reverb.com.
How does Guitar Center make money?
Mainly retail gear sales, instrument rentals, music lesson fees.
Is Guitar Center publicly traded?
No — Guitar Center is not listed as an independent public company; it is operated by Guitar Center, Inc..
How many visitors does Guitar Center get?
Third-party estimates place Guitar Center at roughly 15 million visits per month, mostly from United States, with 76% mobile traffic.
Is Guitar Center safe?
Guitar Center is an established e-commerce site founded in 1959 and ranked #1415 in United States; use the official domain guitarcenter.com and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementsguitarcenter.com
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageUnited States and international business media
- Data confidence
- Medium for company facts, medium-low for traffic and financial estimates. All modelled figures are rounded and marked with ≈.
- Last updated
- September 2026
Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or derived from sector benchmarks, and are reviewed periodically.
Social media profiles & statistics
Official brand account
Announcements and support
Community and campaigns
Company and hiring updates
Brand and product videos