If you’re searching for some of the best places to buy guitars online, don’t worry – you’ve come to the right place! In today’s article we’re going to highlight some of the best and most popular stores all around the world.
Whether you’re looking for a brand new Gibson or an old, vintage and rusty Fender – there are a lot of places that can help you find your dream guitar. Forget about going to your local music store – you can simply order a guitar online and in a matter few days, you’ll be ready to rock with your brand new axe!
Here’s the list of stores that we love and trust. Make sure to check it out and visit the official sites of shops that deliver guitars in your region.
15 Best Places To Buy Guitars Online (US & Europe)
| 1. | Amazon | See Guitars |
| 2. | Sweetwater | See Guitars |
| 3. | GuitarCenter | See Guitars |
| 4. | Thomann (EU) | See Guitars |
| 5. | eBay | See Guitars |
| 6. | Reverb | See Guitars |
| 7. | ZZsounds | See Guitars |
| 8. | Musician’s Friend | See Guitars |
| 9. | Andertons Music Co. (UK) | See Guitars |
| 10. | Kytary (EU) | See Guitars |
| 11. | Norman’s Rare Guitars | See Guitars |
| 12. | Muziker (EU) | See Guitars |
| 13. | MusicStore (EU) | See Guitars |
| 14. | Facebook Marketplace | See Guitars |
| 15. | World Music Supply | See Guitars |
1. Amazon
Amazon is one of the best places to buy guitars in the world. This global giant offers an extremely wide range of guitars and most importantly, their gear is available pretty much all around the world. Although they’re available worldwide, the vast majority of their customers comes from United States, Canada and the UK.
Undoubtedly, it’s one of the most popular sites that you can use to get new instruments. In addition, since their offering is so big, you can place just one order to get everything you need to start your musical journey. That includes things like guitar theory books, gig bags, guitar accessories and many, many more.
The truth is that it’s the most versatile online store in the world and no other site offers that many products. On the other hand, there are some guitars brands that are not included on Amazon. So if you can’t find your dream guitar in there, you may want to look somewhere else.
Still, it seems like one of the best choices out there. Our experience with guitars from Amazon was always excellent, so we highly recommend using their services.
2. Sweetwater
Another reliable place full of amazing guitars. In fact, Sweetwater is the biggest online retailer of instruments in the United States. Along with Amazon, they’re absolute leaders when it comes to selling guitars online.
Shopping at Sweetwater has a lot of advantages. That includes:
- Fast and free shipping
- Free 2-year warranty on guitars
- 55-point guitar inspection
Sometimes new guitars sound really bad due to a poor setup, but Sweetwater helps you to avoid that problem. To be honest, it’s really annoying when you buy a new guitar and it just sucks. Whether it’s the string buzzing or high string action, these things can significantly discourage us from buying new stuff.
Anyway, Sweetwater’s approach is an absolute game changer – they inspect their guitars before sending. In that way, you can be certain that you’ll get a reliable and great sounding piece of gear.
3. GuitarCenter
Another absolute leader of guitar sales. Whether you’re looking for a new acoustic, electric or bass guitar – they got you covered. In addition, they have shops located all over the United States, so you can always visit them and check out some of their guitars in person.
What’s interesting, according to Business Insider, in 2020 Guitar Center filed for bankruptcy. Although they’re experiencing some serious problems and their financial situation doesn’t look particularly impressive, they still manage to provide a really high quality service.
Undoubtedly, anyone who’s based in the United States should check them out – their offering is really wide.
4. Thomann
If you’re based in Europe, you probably know Thomann – it’s one of the best European places to buy guitars online. Their offer is huge and they sell all types of guitars, drums, pianos and other accessories.
What’s interesting, Thomann has their own mobile app. Feel free to check it out on iOS or Android. The users of their app often get exclusive deals and promotions, so even if you’re not looking for anything specific right now, it may be worth it to have it on your phone.
The company was founded in 1954, so they have a lot of experience in retail. They’re based in Germany and they’re shipping products all over Europe. It is also worth mentioning that their international shipping costs are pretty low – you can see them here.
5. eBay
Ebay is another good and popular place for buying new and used guitars. Although this company is not as popular as it was in the past, it’s still a great choice for a lot of guitarists. In addition, it’s really good if you want to search for interesting offers from other parts of the world.
A lot of people consider eBay as one of the best places to buy guitars online. Although all sellers have different returns policies, the vast majority of them accepts them. That being said, even if you buy a guitar and it won’t be a good fit, there’s a high chance that you’ll be able to get a refund.
Nevertheless, eBay’s fees for sellers are quite high, so prices of products are usually a bit higher than on other platforms. So if you’re looking for the lowest possible price, it may be better to stick with Amazon.
6. Reverb
Reverb is an another excellent platform on which you can find thousands of amazing guitars. Whether you’re based in the United States, Canada, UK or Europe, you’ll definitely be able to find the right for you. Sellers from all around the world can use their site to sell brand new and used guitars.
This online marketplace is especially great for people who are looking for rare and exceptional guitars. If you’re into vintage gear, you’ll most definitely enjoy using that platform.
In addition, they have a great YouTube channel full of reviews and gear demos. The quality of their videos is awesome, so you should definitely check them out too.
7. ZZSounds
ZZSounds is another really popular online retailer of musical instruments. They’re based in the US and the have a really large selection of guitars. In fact, they claim to have over 50 times bigger selection of gear that you can find in your local guitar store. That’s pretty impressive, right?
In addition, ZZSounds offers easy payment plants and they have a 45-day return policy. This is a really long period of time to test out a guitar – and that’s a massive advantage for anyone who’s buying a new piece of gear!
What’s interesting, you can place an order on their site in a few different ways – by web, phone or email.
8. Musician’s Friend
Musician’s Friend is another excellent retailer of guitars. What’s interesting, this company is owned by much larger Guitar Center, but they still have separate websites, distribution centres and brands.
The truth is that they’re one of the biggest guitar retailers in the US. Undoubtedly, their relationships with the major guitar brands and years of experience make them one of the most reliable brands in the guitar retail world.
It is also worth mentioning that Musicians’ Friend offers free shipping and 2-year warranty on guitars.
9. Andertons Music Co.
Andertons is one of the best and most popular British places to buy guitars online. The company has a really long history – they were founded in 1964. Although London is full of various guitar shops, the Andertons seems to really stand out from the competition.
There are a lot of reasons why people choose them – high quality, great customer service and fast shipping. But most importantly, people feel a strong connection with their brand due to their extremely successful YouTube Channel.
Their channel is full of amazing demos and gear reviews. What’s interesting, they’re really close to hitting the 1 million subscribers milestone! If you love guitars, you should definitely follow their channel and watch their content.
10. Kytary
Kytary is one of the biggest online music stores in Europe. The company is based in Czech Republic and they deliver guitars to all European countries. It is worth mentioning that the quality of their guitars is really good and their guitars are always delivered in 5-7 days.
What’s interesting, they have a very interesting refund and return policy. Once you buy a guitar from their site, you have 30 days to withdraw from your sales contract. They extended that period of time from 14 days, which is legally required. To be honest, this is a massive advantage. It gives you some extra time to make sure that the guitar you bought is right for you. And if it’s not, you can easily return it and buy something else!
Their offering is really wide – you can find all types of guitars and guitar pedals in there. In addition, they sell a lot of guitars manufactured by smaller guitar companies (such as Dowina), which are not popular in other online shops.
Undoubtedly, Kytary is an excellent choice for all guitarists based in Europe!
11. Norman’s Rare Guitars
One of the most legendary guitar shops in the world. If you’re not familiar with that store, you should definitely check out their YouTube Channel. The shop is placed in Tarzana, California.
Norman’s Rare Guitars are absolute leaders when it comes to the best and most valuable guitars in the world. Thinking about getting a vintage Jazzmaster from the ’60s or a stunning acoustic Martin from the ’40s? They got you covered.
In addition, they’re a favorite spot of a lot of famous musicians. There are a lot of interesting videos posted on their channel that include appearances of such musicians as Post Malone, Orianthi, Richie Sambora, Joe Bonamassa and many, many more.
Undoubtedly, this is one of the most iconic guitar stores of all time. Although it’s better to visit them in real life in California, you can also shop for their guitars online. Their offer is really wide and there are hundreds of amazing guitars available, so you should definitely find what you’re looking for.
12. Muziker
Muziker is another huge European guitar retailer. The company started selling guitars in Slovakia, but they quickly managed to spread to other countries in Europe too.
According to their official website, they’re currently offering almost 100,000 products by almost seven thousand different brands. That’s a pretty huge offering, right?
If you live in an European country and you’re looking for a new guitar, you should definitely check out Muziker. It’s definitely one of the best places to buy guitars online in that region!
13. MusicStore
If you’re based in Germany, you probably know MusicStore. This legendary company was founded in 1972, so they have a lot of experience when it comes to guitar sales. Even after fifty years they manage to provide excellent services and they’re shipping thousands of products every single day.
In fact, it’s one of the largest German music retailers. Just like Thomann, they’re shipping guitars to all European countries. Competitive prices and wide offering makes them one of the best places to buy guitars online in Europe.
14. Facebook Marketplace
Facebook Marketplace is a really cool place to find guitars in your local area. Even if you’re from a small town, there’s a high chance that someone who lives not too far away from you sells a really special guitar. Sometimes it’s a great choice of finding a really good deal.
Still, you should be careful if you’re a beginner. If you’re new in the guitar world, you most likely don’t have the necessary experience to spot flawed, broken or fake instruments. But if you’ve been playing for a while and you know what you’re looking for, it may be one of the best places to find and buy great gear!
15. World Music Supply
World Music Supply is another popular online retailer of instruments available in the United States. Free shipping, friendly returns and no sales tax – who needs anything else? If you decide to choose World Music Supply, you won’t be disappointed.
In addition, they have a wide range of used guitars as well, so it’s always worth it to see what they’re currently offering.
The company is based in Muncie, Indiana, but they’re offering international shipping as well. Undoubtedly, they are a really good choice when it comes to guitars!
FAQ
Is it okay to order guitars online?
Absolutely! Ordering guitars online is a safe and convenient method for both amateur and more advanced players. It’s just a few clicks and in the matter of a few days your brand new (or used) guitar will be waiting for you at your door. All of the online retailers mentioned above offer an excellent service and even if you’re worried, they will be happy to assist you.
The truth is that even if you buy a guitar that won’t be a good fit for you, you’ll always be able to return it. Just pick a retailer that offers free returns and you can order guitars without any hesitation!
Is Reverb or Sweetwater better?
Both are equally awesome! Although it depends on what you’re looking for. If you’re searching for a brand new guitar, you should probably stick with Sweetwater (or Amazon). On the other side, if you’re on the hunt for a rare and vintage guitar, you should definitely check out Reverb.
Are new guitars better than old?
Sometimes – yes, but not always. Old wood tends to sound better – that’s why the old vintage guitars are so expensive! In addition, new guitars quite often have problems with the right setup.
There is a high chance that when you buy a new guitar it will require some adjustments and minor fixes (like adjusting the string action to make it more comfortable to play). Still, it always depends on what gear you’re buying and from where you’re buying it. Some retailers offer a free setup and inspection before shipping.
How risky is it to have a guitar shipped?
If a guitar is packed properly, it’s almost 100% safe. Of course, it’s a really fragile instrument, so there’s a risk that it becomes damaged. Still, thousands of guitars are being shipped everyday and somehow the vast majority of them arrives in one piece. That’s why it is crucial to choose a good online retailer – they’re experienced, so they know how to pack guitars safely for shipping.
How do you send a guitar?
If you need to send your guitar back to the retailer, it’s always a good idea to use a lot of bubble wrap and cardboard. Make sure that your guitar is not moving around inside of the parcel. If it’s moving, there’s a high risk that something’s going to break. You need to make it really stable inside of the box – that’s the most important tip.
If you need more help with packing a guitar, here’s a really good video that explains everything very thoroughly.
Summary
As you can see, there are a lot of great places in which you can find your dream guitar. Whether you’re based in the United States or Europe, you should easily find something for yourself.
Which online guitar store is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below, we are really curious!
Thanks for checking out today post, hopefully it was helpful.
