Wild West Guitars
Wild West Guitars is a Pasadena, California authorized retailer of premium and custom shop electric, acoustic, and bass guitars from 25+ brands, operating a worldwide e-commerce store plus a single physical showroom, serving professional musicians, collectors, and hobbyists with new and used instruments, repair services, and Affirm financing.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersPasadena, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Wild West Guitars does
Wild West Guitars is a Pasadena, California-based authorized retailer of premium and custom shop electric, acoustic, and bass guitars, operating both an e-commerce store (wildwestguitars.com) with worldwide shipping and a single physical showroom at 2840 E Foothill Blvd. The business carries 477+ SKUs across 25+ brands — including Fender Custom Shop, Gibson Custom Shop (where it self-identifies as 'The Gibson Super Dealer'), PRS Private Stock, James Tyler, Suhr, Collings, Tom Anderson, Jackson, Charvel, Ernie Ball Music Man, Martin, Taylor, and others — with pricing spanning roughly $350 (entry/used) to $23,000+ (Masterbuilt/private stock).
The revenue model is primarily transactional unit sales of new and pre-owned instruments, augmented by three ancillary streams: an in-house guitar repair and setup service (restring through full rewire, $25–$250+), a 'Build a Custom Guitar' bespoke ordering program, and Affirm-powered installment financing that converts high-ticket purchases into $68–$1,165+ monthly payments. The company operates a small team (1–10 employees) and runs a co-branded product line ('WWG's Exclusives' — Wild West Lightning, White Lightning, Pink Lightning, Black Lightning) plus a 25th Anniversary Special Run, creating retailer-exclusive SKUs in partnership with Fender Custom Shop and PRS.
Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer with a hybrid online + showroom model, supported by an email newsletter ('Wild West in the Wild'), organic social media, and detailed product catalog filtering. Customer segments span professional and semi-professional musicians, collectors of rare/limited-edition instruments, and hobbyists. Worldwide shipping is offered with free shipping on online orders, though select exotic-wood and rare items are US-only. The company is privately held with no disclosed funding rounds, parent company, or financial statements.
Wild West Guitars firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Wild West Guitars
- Legal name
- Wild West Guitars
- Website
- https://wildwestguitars.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Wild West Guitars is a Pasadena, California authorized retailer of premium and custom shop electric, acoustic, and bass guitars from 25+ brands, operating a worldwide e-commerce store plus a single physical showroom, serving professional musicians, collectors, and hobbyists with new and used instruments, repair services, and Affirm financing.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Wild West Guitars industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Musical Instrument Retail
- NAICS
- Musical Instrument and Supplies Retailers (459140), Musical Instrument and Supplies Retailers (45914)
- SIC
- Musical Instruments (3931)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Musical Instrument Retail (Guitars, Keyboards, Drums, Band/Orchestra) (CRALAEAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Used & Vintage Musical Instruments Retail (CRALAEAH)
Keywords
Where Wild West Guitars is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Pasadena
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Wild West Guitars business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Guitar and Equipment Sales: One-time transaction sales of electric guitars, acoustic guitars, bass guitars, amplifiers, and related accessories. Products range from entry-level to high-end custom shop instruments with prices from approximately $350 to $23,000+.
- Guitar Repair Services: Professional guitar repair services including restring, cleaning, setups, fret leveling, nut/saddle replacement, wiring repairs, pickup installation, and full rewiring. Priced from $25 to $160+ depending on service complexity.
- Financing Services: Partnership with Affirm to offer installment payment plans for guitar purchases, allowing customers to pay monthly for high-value instruments.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Entry-level guitars and accessories |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mid-range production guitars |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Custom Shop, Private Stock, and exclusive high-end instruments |
| Other | Monthly | Financing option via Affirm |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Guitar repair and setup services |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
Wild West Guitars product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Wild West Guitars is an authorized dealer retailing new and pre-owned premium electric, acoustic, and bass guitars from 25+ major and boutique brands via a worldwide e-commerce store and a Pasadena, CA showroom. The company offers professional in-house guitar repair, setup, and fret work, plus a bespoke custom guitar build program and exclusive Wild West Guitars collaboration models. Financing is provided through Affirm installment plans, and orders ship worldwide.
Product overview
Wild West Guitars is an authorized online guitar retailer offering a comprehensive portfolio of acoustic and electric guitars, bass guitars, and related services. The core offering centers on high-end electric guitars from major brands (Fender, Gibson, PRS, Jackson, Gretsch, Charvel, Suhr, Ernie Ball Music Man) and boutique luthiers (James Tyler, John Page Classic, LSL Instruments, Collings, Saito Guitars). The business operates on a platform-plus-services model, combining e-commerce sales of new and used instruments with value-added services including professional guitar repair, custom guitar ordering, and exclusive branded collaborations. Key exclusive offerings include Wild West Guitars branded Fender Custom Shop models (Wild West Lightning, White Lightning, Pink Lightning series), PRS Private Stock exclusives, and premium Gibson Custom Shop access. The company positions itself as 'The Gibson Super Dealer' and maintains a strong focus on custom shop, limited edition, and collectible instruments.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- WWG's Exclusives: Exclusive custom shop guitars designed and sold only through Wild West Guitars, including Lightning Stratocaster and Lightning Telecaster models with Floyd Rose configurations.
Products and services
- Electric Guitars New and used electric guitars spanning brands such as Fender, Gibson, PRS, Jackson, Charvel, Suhr, James Tyler, John Page Classic, LSL Instruments, and Gretsch, including custom shop, limited edition, and signature models.
- Acoustic Guitars Acoustic and acoustic-electric guitars from Collings, Gibson, Fender, Martin, Taylor, and PRS, including custom shop and limited-edition models such as dreadnought, OM, and J-series instruments.
- Bass Guitars Bass guitars from brands including Ernie Ball Music Man and Fender Custom Shop, available in new and used condition.
- Guitar Repair Services Professional guitar repair and setup services performed by appointment, including restring and cleaning ($25-$35), full setup ($70-$80), fret leveling ($160), bone nut/saddle replacement ($140-$250), wiring repair (from $40), pickup installation ($60-$120), and full rewiring ($160), with a 30-day pro-setup guarantee.
- Custom Guitar Orders Bespoke custom guitar building service allowing customers to design and order handcrafted instruments built to their specifications, including wood choices, hardware, finishes, and electronics.
- WWG's Exclusives Wild West Guitars exclusive collaboration models including Fender Custom Shop Wild West Lightning Stratocasters, Pink Lightning 2.0, Black Lightning, White Lightning, and PRS 25th Anniversary Limited Run pieces, available only through Wild West Guitars.
- Used Guitar Selection Pre-owned and vintage guitars including rare collectible pieces with documented provenance, such as the original 1969 Fender Telecaster owned by Joe Bonamassa, sold at premium collectible pricing.
- Fender Custom Shop Inventory Authorized-dealer inventory of Fender Custom Shop guitars including Masterbuilt models, Time Machine series, Relic series, limited editions, and exclusive Wild West Guitars collaboration pieces such as the Wild West Lightning and White Lightning series.
- Gibson Custom Shop Inventory Authorized access to Gibson Custom Shop guitars including Les Paul Reissues, True Historics, and exclusive artist package models such as the Johnny Cash SJ-200 Vintage Cherry Sunburst and the Rosanne Cash J-185 Heritage Cherry Sunburst.
- PRS Private Stock Inventory Paul Reed Smith's top-tier Private Stock instruments featuring exotic woods, custom inlays, and premium finishes, including Wild West Guitars exclusive pieces from the WWG 25th Anniversary Limited Run.
Quantifiable outcome
- 477+ products in inventory across 25+ brands
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Wild West Guitars
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Wild West Guitars technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Wild West Guitars partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Fender Custom ShopcoreAuthorized dealer for Fender Custom Shop guitars, including exclusive Wild West Guitars branded instruments like the 'Wild West Lightning' Telecaster and Stratocaster models. Extensive inventory of custom shop pieces including Masterbuilt, Time Machine, andRelic series.
- PRS (Paul Reed Smith)coreAuthorized PRS dealer offering full range including Private Stock, Core Models, S2, SE Series, and Wood Library. Also carries exclusive WWG 25th Anniversary Limited Run pieces.
- GibsoncoreDescribed as 'The Gibson Super Dealer' with access to ultra-stellar-secret-underground collection of Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul Reissues and True Historics.
- James TylercoreAuthorized dealer for James Tyler guitars, including USA Studio Elite, JTG models, and custom configurations.
- SuhrminorAuthorized Suhr dealer offering Modern Madness and other Suhr models.
- Collings GuitarsminorAuthorized Collings dealer for both acoustic and electric models including Dreadnought, OM Series, 290, SoCo Deluxe, and CL Series.
- JacksonminorAuthorized Jackson dealer offering American Series, Custom Shop, and artist signature models.
- CharvelminorAuthorized Charvel dealer including Custom Shop San Dimas models and artist signatures.
- Ernie Ball Music ManminorAuthorized Ernie Ball Music Man dealer offering Kaizen and other Music Man models.
- MartinminorAuthorized Martin dealer for acoustic guitars.
- TaylorminorAuthorized Taylor dealer for acoustic guitars.
- Tom AndersonminorAuthorized Tom Anderson dealer.
- Saito GuitarsminorAuthorized Saito Guitars dealer offering S-662 series and other models.
- ESPminorAuthorized ESP dealer offering USA Eclipse models.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves1 record
Expansion highlights4 records
Wild West Guitars competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Matt Umanov Guitars: Long-running NYC guitar shop specializing in vintage and high-end electric guitars. Comparable to Wild West Guitars on the premium/vintage specialist positioning with physical showroom serving collectors and professional musicians.
- Sweetwater: Largest US online music instrument retailer offering new and used electric and acoustic guitars, pro audio gear, and musician services. Direct competitor to Wild West Guitars in the high-end online guitar sales channel with similar brand-authorized-dealer model and global shipping.
- Elderly Instruments: Independent Michigan-based musical instrument retailer offering new and used guitars, basses, and accessories across many brands. Comparable to Wild West Guitars as an independent multi-brand guitar retailer with deep brand-authorized-dealer relationships and a hybrid physical/digital presence.
- Reverb: Online marketplace dedicated to new, used, and vintage musical instruments with strong guitar category depth and global shipping. Comparable to Wild West Guitars on the used/vintage guitar segment and direct-to-consumer e-commerce model, though marketplace rather than authorized-dealer model.
- Chicago Music Exchange: Boutique online and physical guitar retailer focused on new, used, and vintage electric and acoustic guitars from Fender, Gibson, PRS, and boutique builders. Closest comparable to Wild West Guitars in premium custom-shop and vintage dealer positioning, with showroom plus e-commerce model.
- Rudy's Music: Boutique NYC guitar shop specializing in vintage and high-end electric guitars from Fender, Gibson, and boutique builders. Closely comparable to Wild West Guitars on the high-end/vintage specialist segment with a strong showroom-based customer experience.
- Carter Vintage Exchange: Nashville-based boutique guitar dealer specializing in vintage and collectible Fender, Gibson, and Martin instruments. Comparable to Wild West Guitars on the high-end/vintage collector segment and authorized dealer status with major brands.
- Gruhn Guitars: Legendary vintage and used guitar dealer based in Nashville with focus on collectible and historic instruments. Comparable to Wild West Guitars on the vintage guitar specialist category and dealer reputation, with physical showroom plus online sales.
Broad incumbents
- Guitar Center: Largest US chain of musical instrument retail stores with broad inventory across electric and acoustic guitars, amps, and accessories. Overlaps with Wild West Guitars on premium brand sales but operates as a mass-market big-box incumbent rather than a custom-shop specialist.
- Sam Ash: Long-standing US musical instrument retail chain offering electric and acoustic guitars from major brands. Comparable as a multichannel guitar retailer but with broader mass-market positioning versus Wild West's custom-shop specialist focus.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Wild West Guitars social profiles
Digital presenceWild West Guitars financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Wild West Guitars leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Wild West Guitars funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Wild West Guitars M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Wild West Guitars
What does Wild West Guitars do?
Wild West Guitars is an authorized dealer retailing new and pre-owned premium electric, acoustic, and bass guitars from 25+ major and boutique brands via a worldwide e-commerce store and a Pasadena, CA showroom. The company offers professional in-house guitar repair, setup, and fret work, plus a bespoke custom guitar build program and exclusive Wild West Guitars collaboration models. Financing is provided through Affirm installment plans, and orders ship worldwide.
Is Wild West Guitars a public or private company?
Wild West Guitars is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Wild West Guitars founded?
Wild West Guitars was founded in 2009. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Wild West Guitars based?
Wild West Guitars is headquartered in Pasadena, United States, in the North America region.
How does Wild West Guitars make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Guitar and Equipment Sales are the primary driver. The others are guitar Repair Services and financing Services.
Who are Wild West Guitars's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Matt Umanov Guitars, Sweetwater, Elderly Instruments, Reverb, Chicago Music Exchange, Rudy's Music, Carter Vintage Exchange and Gruhn Guitars. Broad incumbents are Guitar Center and Sam Ash.
Does Wild West Guitars have an API?
No public API is recorded for Wild West Guitars.
What industry is Wild West Guitars in?
Wild West Guitars's product category is Musical Instrument Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRALAEAA, Musical Instrument Retail (Guitars, Keyboards, Drums, Band/Orchestra), with a secondary code of CRALAEAH, Used & Vintage Musical Instruments Retail. Its NAICS code is 459140 and its SIC code is 3931.