Guitar Center's Labor Day sale offers rare savings on exclusive gear with up to 30% off studio monitors, digital pianos, and electronic drum kits

An Alesis Nitro Max electronic drum kit on a blue background
(Image credit: Alesis)

Labor Day is nearly upon us, which means it’s a great time to bag the last of the summer savings on music gear. Over at Guitar Center, you can save up to 30% on all manner of gear, which admittedly doesn’t sound like all that much compared to some others who are offering bigger headline discounts.

GC has an ace in the hole, though, as much of the gear that’s discounted is exclusive to Guitar Center, which means you can’t get it anywhere else. That means not only are you getting a great deal, but you’re potentially getting something that not many other people will have, helping you stand out on stage, in the practice room, and in the studio.

There’s still plenty of traditional gear on sale, though, if you prefer your finishes a little more subtle, and my eye was caught by this Alesis Nitro Max electronic drum kit. It’s got a not insignificant discount of $50 at the moment, taking the price well below the $400 mark, which is excellent value for money.

The sound library comes courtesy of BFD, which means you get some phenomenal sounds straight out of the box. Whether it’s a studio-style kit or you want something geared towards funk, jazz, hip hop, and even highly processed metal drum sounds, there will be something to love here. The kick and snare sounds particularly stood out to me thanks to their lovely depth of sound.

Guitar Center: Up to 30% off Labor Day sale

Guitar Center: Up to 30% off Labor Day sale
Packed to the brim with gear exclusive to Guitar Center, the up to 30% off Labor Day sale is the perfect place for those who want to stand out from the crowd when it comes to their guitars, pedals, and amps. With some mega savings on Fender, Gibson, Line 6, Squier, Walrus Audio, and loads more, it’s well worth checking out if you want to save yourself some big money this Labor Day weekend.

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Next up, I spied a nice discount on a JBL 306P MkII studio monitor. I recently reviewed the 5-inch version of it and found it to be a fantastic-sounding monitor for the money. A $90 discount takes the price down to just $149 each, which means less than $300 for a pair.

The larger size means better bass response, and the useful EQ settings on the rear panel ensure you can dial them into your room, whether you’ve got loads of space or you need to place them close to a wall. If you’re looking for your first set of studio monitors, then a pair of these would be an excellent choice.

Finally, for those who are looking to start playing piano with the start of the new school year, the Yamaha P-125ABLB has a nice $70 reduction in the sale. It comes with a wooden stand and stool too, which means you can get up and playing from the moment you get it.

The Graded Hammer Standard weighted keyboard offers a really realistic grand piano-style response when you play, with a responsive touch that lets you really express yourself. Dual headphone jacks mean you can practice in a pair without disturbing anyone else, and I really love the clever, space-saving design, which means it will fit into the vast majority of homes.

Matt McCracken
Junior Deals Writer

Matt is a Junior Deals Writer here at MusicRadar. He regularly tests and reviews music gear with a focus on audio interfaces, studio headphones, studio monitors, and pretty much anything else recording-related. Matt worked in music retail for 5 years at Dawsons Music and Northwest Guitars and has written for various music sites including Guitar World, Guitar Player, Guitar.com, Ultimate Guitar, and Thomann’s t.blog. A regularly gigging guitarist with over 20 years of experience playing live and producing bands, he's also an alumnus of Spirit Studios, where he studied studio engineering and music production.

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