Musician's Friend - the hottest music gear at the lowest prices since 1983. More than 130,000 customer-written product reviews. Read instrument buying guides. Get the best guarantees online for all the fine musical equipment you crave.
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Is Musician's Friend legit?
Musician's Friend (www.musiciansfriend.com) has a 3.6 out of 5 rating on OK.one, based on 104 user reviews collected here. It is listed under Hobbies & Crafts and its reputation is mixed. Opinions are polarized: 62% rate it 4 stars or higher while 25% give 1 star; The business has replied to 92% of negative reviews; Reviews mostly discuss Product, Customer service, Price. Last updated 2026-08-12.
What reviewers say
AI generated
Reviewers had a great experience with this company. Customers frequently praise the incredibly helpful staff and knowledgeable gear advisors for going above and beyond to make purchases completely smooth and answer questions promptly. People truly appreciate the exceptional customer service, wonderful support, and easy communication when navigating online orders or finding rare equipment.
However, some customers also noted frustrating issues with receiving used, scuffed, or damaged items instead of brand new gear straight from the warehouse. A few other people also felt disappointed that products occasionally arrived with missing parts or completely lacked expected accessories like protective cases.
Auto-generated from all reviews of this business. For reference only.
I bought a line 6 amp and when they shipped it they broke one of the knobs off when I asked for a refund they made me do all the leg work so I said forget it. Do yourself a favor if you're a musician don't use these guys you sweetwater.com these guys are a joke. I can tell you right now I will never be going through you guys ever again go F@$& yourselves
Reply from Musician's Friend2026-07-27
Hi RyRy, we're sorry to hear about the condition your Line 6 amp arrived in and the frustration you experienced while trying to get it resolved. We understand how disappointing it is to receive an item that isn't in the condition you expected, and we appreciate you sharing your feedback. Please email us at [email protected] with your order number, photos of the damage, and any additional details about your experience. Our team would like the opportunity to review this and assist further.
I am extremely disappointed with my experience.
I purchased what I was told was a display model guitar. I agreed because I was assured it was in excellent condition and believed I would still be protected by the store’s return policy if the instrument wasn’t the right fit for me.
I owned the guitar for less than a month. During that time, I used it only four times for guitar lessons and three times at home. I never dropped it, scratched it, or damaged it in any way.
When I decided the guitar simply wasn’t right for me and requested an exchange within the return period, the store suddenly refused. Even worse, they sent me photos of the same cosmetic imperfections that already existed when I received the display model and tried to use them against me as a reason to deny my return.
In other words, they acknowledged they sold me a display unit with existing wear, but when I exercised my right to exchange it, they blamed me for those same imperfections.
I trusted this store and expected honesty and fair customer service. Instead, I felt completely ignored and treated as though my concerns didn’t matter. Rather than standing behind the product they sold me, they chose to deny responsibility.
If you’re considering buying a display model here, be very careful. Take detailed photos of every inch of the instrument before leaving the store, because if you have a problem later, you may be held responsible for pre-existing wear.
This experience has been incredibly frustrating and disappointing. I cannot recommend this store based on how they handled my case.
Reply from Musician's Friend2026-07-27
Hi Анастасия, we're very sorry to hear about your experience and understand how frustrating it must have been to feel that your concerns were not addressed. We appreciate you taking the time to share the details of your situation, and we understand the importance of feeling confident and supported when purchasing a display model instrument.
Please email us at [email protected] with your order information, store location, and any additional details you’d like to share. Our team would appreciate the opportunity to review your experience and look into what happened.
receieved wrong item, customer support refused to refund and ended up closing my chat before i was done.
Reply from Musician's Friend2026-06-19
Hi John, we're sorry to hear about the recent experience you've had with our online support and order. Please email us at [email protected] with the details along with the contact method you prefer, and we can get this addressed for you by management.
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. Again, we're sorry for the inconvenience you've experienced.
With Friends like these, who needs enemies?
I purchased a brand new $900 synthesizer from Musician’s Friend. I paid full retail price. This was not a discounted item.
The instrument I received came from Guitar Center. It was scuffed and clearly used. It came with none of the original packaging or manuals. When I contacted Musician’s Friend, they said it is an “open box customer return, but it’s brand new.”
If someone opened it, used it, scuffed it up and returned it with no packaging or manuals, it’s USED. Calling it “brand new” is a lie and charging full retail price is unethical.
I now know that Guitar Center owns Musician’ Friend, but if it’s more than just a subsidiary. The orders are fulfilled by Guitar Center. Musician”s Friend is literally just a different website interface for Guitar Center.
Reply from Musician's Friend2026-06-19
Hi David, we're sorry to hear about the recent experience you've had with Musicians Friend. Please email us at [email protected] with the details along with the contact method you prefer, and we can get this addressed for you by management.
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. Again, we're sorry for the inconvenience you've experienced.
Horrible company. I bought a Fender stool. It came with missing screws. There were some screws but they were the wrong size. I called for them just to send the screes. I was told I had to re-pack the stool and return it. I asked them just to send the screws. That’s not their policy I was told. I’ll never buy from them again. Sweeteater is a much better option with outstanding customer service.
Reply from Musician's Friend2026-05-29
We're sorry to hear that you've had this experience with your recent purchase. Please email us at [email protected] and we can see what options we have to get you taken care of and get your stool set up. Thanks!
I had an extremely disappointing experience with Musician’s Friend and UPS.
My package was misdelivered by UPS to an “AMAZON Dock” location instead of my address. The UPS driver later acknowledged the delivery error and stated that the person who received the package refused to return it.
Despite the Proof of Delivery clearly showing that the shipment was delivered to the wrong location, I was ultimately told by Musician’s Friend that the issue was no longer their responsibility and that I would need to pursue UPS myself.
I never received the item or a proper resolution after multiple follow-ups. Very frustrating experience, especially for an expensive instrument purchase.
Reply from Musician's Friend2026-06-04
Hello. We are sorry to hear about your recent experience with us.
Please email us at [email protected] with the details along with the contact method you prefer, and we can get this addressed for you by management.
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. Again, we're sorry for the inconvenience you've experienced.
The company can improve by hiring competent people. Many customer service reps have attitudes and are very unprofessional and lack knowledge of product and company policy.
Reply from Musician's Friend2026-05-25
Wilson, sorry to hear that you didn't have a professional and knowledgeable experience when working with our customer service team. If you could please email any details to [email protected], we will follow up with you. Thanks!
I ordered a PRS SE Studio Standard guitar, which on the Musicians Friend website and all their associated ads, showed a gray guitar with black pickguard. When I received the guitar, it had a white pickguard so I called and they said they would send me the correct guitar. The second guitar was exactly like the first -- clearly they had not even bothered to check if was the correct guitar or not. DO BETTER.
Reply from Musician's Friend2026-05-14
Hello JC! I’m sorry for the inconvenience you experienced with your recent order. Please email us at [email protected] with the details of your order, and we will follow up with you. Thank you.
I appreciate the ease of problem resolution that was given by John when I called about my issue. I purchased a brand new Boss Katana Artist Gen 3, what I ended up with was obviously a floor model. When I called about it I was refunded what I felt was a fair amount for an excellent amp. Many thanks and cheers to John for making me feel appreciated as a customer of Musicians Friend.
Reply from Musician's Friend2026-05-14
Thank you so much for the 5-star review!
We truly appreciate your kind words. Providing great service and making sure our customers feel confident in the products they choose is always our top priority. It means a lot to know that you felt well taken care of. We look forward to hearing from you soon! :)
Pure trash customer service. And management is horrible also. Worst company out there
Reply from Musician's Friend2026-04-30
Hello! I’m sorry for the inconvenience you experienced with your recent visit. Please email us at [email protected] with the details of your order, and we will follow up with you. Thank you.
So I'm not denying that this company does some things well, pricing and product range tend to be good, and the ability to earn credit towards future purchases through memebership points is nice. But after my latest incident (and in seeing from other reviews that this kind of occurence is not that unusual) there was no way I could go above 2 stars. To recap, they had an open box special on a Squier bass I was interested in. Seeing that the price was so attractive, I jumped on it right away, buying it immediately and feeling really good about the purchase. Then a week passes by and don't hear anything from them. Then another and I get a message apologizing for the delay but saying the item has been backordered (I knew right then the shennanigans were coming). A few days later I'm told by them sorry, you "stumped us," we don't have this item anymore, we'll be returning your money. They included a phone # for a customer service person to call if I wanted to discuss further. Well of course I did, I was aggravated as hell and wanted some satisfaction for the nonsense they pulled on me. But from the 1st moment I started the call I could tell this guy had gone thru the most basic "dealing with clients 101" training, expressing lots of pretend empathy and understanding, always staying calm and pretend friendly, but doing nothing for me in reality. You would think that given how they screwed me out of a legal purchase I made, how they kept my money for a few weeks, denying me the opportunity to purchase the same instrument or something similar from someone else during this time period, that they might've thrown me a bone in compensation, a gift card maybe or at least a % off a future purchase coupon. But no, nothing. Instead what I got was the CSR's sales training from MF kicking in and him pushing other basses they have in stock on me (none of them being on special like the previous one mind you). He even offered me the opportunity to buy it right there and then from him on the phone using my cc, how lucky for me!!! Such absolute crap. I'm sure they either had some favored customer jump the line ahead of me to get the bass I bought, or maybe someone from the company saw what a good deal it was and took it themselves, or it's possible it was simply a bait and switch scheme along and they never actually had the item but used it to lure suckers like me in. Whatever the case, it's a gross way to do business. Cutthroat practices like that are ruining the retail sector and they didn't even have the decency to try and make things right with me, just pushed the hard sell instead. So if you've transacted with them and never encountered this situation, God bless you, I can understand your having mostly postive feelings. But me, I can't pretend this never happened and will be looking to purchase my musical equipment elsewhere. I may not always love Guitar Center, but they never F'ed me over like this.
Reply from Musician's Friend2026-04-23
Carl,
We're sorry to hear that your item was cancelled and that you did not find the help you needed when contacting our Customer Service Team. We'd like to see what we can do to make this right by you and learn more details about what happened. Please email us at [email protected] and we will follow up. Thanks!
Gear Advisor Karl Simons was outstanding! Very knowledgeable, good listener and patient.
This guy deserves a raise!
Reply from Musician's Friend2026-04-23
Thank you for the kind words! We will make sure to share this with Karl's Management team. Please don't hesitate to let us know if there is anything else we can help with. Thanks
I ordered an Epiphone Les Paul Standard '60s Quilt Top Limited-Edition - Translucent Blue guitar. I am in Costa Rica, so I told them to package it accordingly as it was going through a 3rd party. It arrived at the 3rd party on 2/12/2026. I received it 2½ weeks later which in normal. The packaging was terrible. The guitar was in it's box and it was placed inside another box with one piece of paper for packing. It arrived with a broken E string, and the B string was moved over one notch, and a little nick on the top of the headstock. The color was nowhere near what it was advertised as. It is an aquamarine instead of blue. I told them repeatedly to email me and not to use the telephone number provided as it is my son's that I use. They continued to try to call my son. I put the guitar in it's case (that I bought) and it has remained there until today. I decided I should at least try it out and try and get used to the color as I cannot afford to buy another guitar. I took it out of the case and noticed the head stock is starting to crack. Probably due to the non existent packaging. The 45 day window is passed, and I could not return it anyway because of the shipping charges I would incur. To say I am dissatisfied and extremely angry is an understatement. I will never do business with this company again, and I urge anyone else to do the same. They do not listen to instructions. They are not user friendly. They are, IMHO, a company who cares only about the sale and nothing more.
I'm pretty suprised at how bad Musicians Friend and it's co-company guitar center have fallen from grace. This used to be where you went to get the gear you needed and trust the source. Putting a studio together in the late 90s early 2000 wouldn't have been possible without these companies and their knowledgeable staff.
This my friends is not the same trusted expertise we once knew.
I ordered a gretsch guitar from Guitar Center end of February. It arrived quickly but to my supeise it was definitely not a new in box Gretsch. In fact it was in a make shift box that at least the top half was clearly labeled Yamaha.
To my suprise this guitar had a very visible Crack in the neck. You couldn't miss this sad sight. I paid the new price not the floor model price. I call them up and the best they can help is for me to go to the closet store to return it. Just makes the whole process easier on them, you know. Wouldn't want anyone to check into why a cracked necked used floor model guitar shipped in a weird hodgepodge box was sent to a customer who just paid $700ish for a new guitar.
I return it at the store in webster. Shoot out to the staff at the Webster store in Texas. Solid staff. Had my return processed and on my way.
Now I'm on the hunt for my guitar again and Musicians Friend says they have one, new, in stock, ready to ship today!
Man, I wish i would have read some reviews instead of trusting this once trusted company.
I talk to a sales person who totally lied in my face. I told him I wanted to verify if they had a new Gretsch, in stock ready to ship. Explained what just went down with their other company and he assures me that yes they do have it, yes in stock, new, ready to ship he'll even help me get it ordered. Emailed me the secure payment process, took my 800 bucks with a flat out dumb lie after another. Like why?
I'm thinking all is well and decided to check on the shipping since it's been 3 days since. What? No shipping info? Guitar is back ordered? Live chat please. Live chat lies like a dog too. Oh we do have one; it is new; it's coming from our store in Ohio; let me call then now they are just so busy hold on. Ok they have it ready to ship out in the morning 1st thing you'll have it by Friday. Yeah right!
Thursday I check still expecting my guitar and nope no shipping info at all. Like what? I forgot to mention that last guy gave me a free shipping upgrade guaranteed for Friday. Lol
Ok back to live chat, this guy is straight up rude. Looks it up and proceeds to pull the same excat lines from yesterday's live chat dude. Verbatim. I said this is what I was told yesterday. You're just telling me the same lines. Its in Ohio they will ship first thing in the morning just got off the phone with them. Then tells me I can call Ohio myself. No thank you, I've had enough lies for the day.
Come Saturday no guitar no shipping or tracking back to live chat. This time I get some honesty. This time I'm chatting with a lady who informed me that I was getting a floor model from Ohio. Im like excuse me? That can't be. I definitely checked and double checked and paid for a new in box ready to ship guitar. She said she was sorry and not alot she could do but help cancel it.
And thats what I did.
Luckily, after all that ridiculous circus, I found one on reverb from a local seller that arrived Sunday.
If you made it this far, the morel of the story is don't even think about doing business with this fallen flat company.
I was told I was receiving a brand new bass from the factory. I'm not sure how pick marks are all over the pick guard on both sides of the strings. There is also belt damage. I don't play with a pick. The bass was made to look like it was new but I paid for a new bass and got a used one. I was planning on buying other instruments through you guys but I think i'm going to go with sweetwater next time.
Reply from Musician's Friend2026-03-10
Hello Ian! Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. I’m truly sorry for the inconvenience you experienced while purchasing your new bass. We’d like the opportunity to look into this further and have management address your concerns directly. Please email us at [email protected] with the details of your order, along with your preferred contact method, and we’ll follow up with you. Thank you again for bringing this to our attention.
The rep was great he turned my bad experience with the previous order into great experience with this order! Im so glad he was able to help me out. Thats great customer service and I really appreciate it.
Update of my Feb 23rd review. As of then Musicians Friend has addressed and compensated me for damage due to shipping. I am very appreciative for they're quick response and will continue to give them my business. Thanks to all.
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