Guitar Center Fires Back at Critics: Why Its New Guitar Brand Is Being Built with the Community

Guitar Center CEO Gabe Dalporto has addressed the growing debate surrounding the retailer’s ambitious plan to launch an in-house guitar brand developed with direct input from musicians and gear enthusiasts.

When Guitar Center first revealed its intention to create its own line of guitars, Dalporto openly acknowledged the unconventional nature of the idea, describing it as “something truly crazy.”

What makes the upcoming brand stand out is its collaborative approach. Rather than relying solely on internal product teams, the company has invited guitarists and equipment enthusiasts to help shape the instruments. To facilitate that process, Guitar Center launched a dedicated Reddit community, r/GuitarLab, where users can submit concepts, share design ideas, and discuss features they would like to see in future models.

The initiative has sparked considerable discussion within the guitar community. Some observers have questioned whether it is appropriate for a major retailer to collect user-generated ideas without offering financial compensation, particularly when the resulting products are intended for commercial sale.

In response, Guitar Center has emphasized that the rules of participation were made clear from the outset. A legal notice included in the company’s TikTok announcement explained that anyone submitting ideas, designs, suggestions, or feedback agrees to transfer all rights related to those contributions to Guitar Center without compensation. The notice also clarified that the company has no obligation to provide attribution or payment if those ideas are ultimately used.

Addressing the criticism directly, Gabe Dalporto explained why the company chose this approach and why customer involvement is central to the project.

“If you don’t want to contribute to the product, then simply don’t participate,” he said regarding the controversy surrounding the terms and conditions. “No one is being forced to submit anything. We were completely transparent that participation is voluntary and that we may choose to listen to suggestions and potentially use them.”

According to Dalporto, the discussion goes beyond legal language and touches on how products should be developed in the first place.

“Would people really prefer that we ignore our customers?” he asked. “Should we stay locked away in our offices and let corporate executives make assumptions about pickup configurations and other design decisions without hearing from the musicians who actually use these instruments?”

He believes that approach often leads to uninspired products that fail to connect with players.

Instead, the company decided to pursue what it views as a more innovative path.

“We wanted to try something different,” Dalporto explained. “We wanted to listen to customers, create a genuine two-way conversation, and build instruments that reflect what players actually want.”

Meanwhile, Guitar Center continues to reshape its leadership and strategic direction. The company recently appointed David Kalt, founder of Reverb, to its Board of Directors as an independent member. The move is widely seen as another sign of the ongoing transformation being led by Dalporto and his team.