Segment Information (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended												12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Sep. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2010	Mar. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2012 item	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Segment Information
Number of reporting segments													3
Financial information of reporting segments
Net sales	$ 628,211,000	$ 496,231,000	$ 486,598,000	$ 528,151,000	$ 612,595,000	$ 488,129,000	$ 479,053,000	$ 502,800,000	$ 597,517,000	$ 465,007,000	$ 460,957,000	$ 487,414,000	$ 2,139,191,000	$ 2,082,577,000	$ 2,010,895,000
Gross profit	185,993,000	147,362,000	146,460,000	163,576,000	189,225,000	144,253,000	145,549,000	156,116,000	188,012,000	134,509,000	134,333,000	148,997,000	643,391,000	635,143,000	605,851,000
Selling, general and administrative expenses													547,724,000	579,226,000	546,135,000
Impairment of intangible assets														45,961,000
Impairment of goodwill														107,026,000
Operating income (loss)													95,667,000	(97,070,000)	59,716,000
Depreciation and amortization													90,905,000	106,197,000	104,846,000
Adjusted EBITDA													200,004,000	196,910,000	184,307,000
Capital expenditures													67,468,000	57,324,000	47,887,000
Total assets	1,816,558,000				1,859,066,000				2,120,718,000				1,816,558,000	1,859,066,000	2,120,718,000
Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to consolidated loss before income taxes
Adjusted EBITDA													200,004,000	196,910,000	184,307,000
Depreciation and amortization expense													90,905,000	106,197,000	104,846,000
Interest expense, net													165,344,000	161,036,000	145,233,000
Non-cash charges													2,265,000	3,382,000	5,157,000
Non-recurring charges														5,257,000
Impairment charges													559,000	154,281,000	884,000
Other adjustments													10,608,000	24,863,000	13,704,000
Income (loss) before income taxes													(69,677,000)	(258,106,000)	(85,517,000)
Restructuring charges													2,100,000	13,000,000
Cost related to amendments and extension of long-term debt included in selling, general and administrative expenses														800,000
Guitar Center
Financial information of reporting segments
Net sales	628,211,000	496,231,000	486,598,000	528,151,000	612,595,000	488,129,000	479,053,000	502,800,000	597,517,000	465,007,000	460,957,000	487,414,000	2,139,191,000	2,082,577,000	2,010,895,000
Gross profit	185,993,000	147,362,000	146,460,000	163,576,000	189,225,000	144,253,000	145,549,000	156,116,000	188,012,000	134,509,000	134,333,000	148,997,000	643,391,000	635,143,000	605,851,000
Selling, general and administrative expenses													547,724,000	578,948,000	546,135,000
Impairment of intangible assets														45,961,000
Impairment of goodwill														107,026,000
Operating income (loss)													95,667,000	(96,792,000)	59,716,000
Depreciation and amortization													90,905,000	106,197,000	104,846,000
Adjusted EBITDA													200,004,000	196,910,000	184,307,000
Capital expenditures													67,468,000	57,324,000	47,887,000
Total assets	1,845,809,000				1,883,749,000				2,115,615,000				1,845,809,000	1,883,749,000	2,115,615,000
Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to consolidated loss before income taxes
Adjusted EBITDA													200,004,000	196,910,000	184,307,000
Depreciation and amortization expense													90,905,000	106,197,000	104,846,000
Interest expense, net													85,369,000	81,063,000	70,842,000
Non-cash charges													2,265,000	3,382,000	5,157,000
Non-recurring charges														5,257,000
Impairment charges													559,000	154,281,000	884,000
Other adjustments													10,608,000	24,585,000	13,704,000
Income (loss) before income taxes													10,298,000	(177,855,000)	(11,126,000)
Cost related to amendments and extension of long-term debt included in selling, general and administrative expenses														500,000
Holdings
Financial information of reporting segments
Selling, general and administrative expenses														277,000
Total assets	432,228,000				503,181,000								432,228,000	503,181,000
Guitar Center
Financial information of reporting segments
Net sales													1,596,094,000	1,530,133,000	1,444,829,000
Gross profit													459,680,000	448,543,000	416,212,000
Selling, general and administrative expenses													356,832,000	355,879,000	343,407,000
Operating income (loss)													102,848,000	92,664,000	72,805,000
Depreciation and amortization													66,457,000	74,719,000	80,574,000
Adjusted EBITDA													173,153,000	174,554,000	160,479,000
Capital expenditures													39,041,000	29,269,000	19,659,000
Total assets	1,410,303,000				1,480,701,000				1,471,302,000				1,410,303,000	1,480,701,000	1,471,302,000
Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to consolidated loss before income taxes
Adjusted EBITDA													173,153,000	174,554,000	160,479,000
Depreciation and amortization expense													66,457,000	74,719,000	80,574,000
Guitar Center | Guitar Center
Financial information of reporting segments
Adjusted EBITDA													173,153,000	174,554,000	160,479,000
Total assets	1,410,303,000				1,480,701,000				1,471,302,000				1,410,303,000	1,480,701,000	1,471,302,000
Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to consolidated loss before income taxes
Adjusted EBITDA													173,153,000	174,554,000	160,479,000
Music & Arts
Financial information of reporting segments
Net sales													189,766,000	178,443,000	175,659,000
Gross profit													86,043,000	83,307,000	80,125,000
Selling, general and administrative expenses													69,791,000	68,373,000	68,595,000
Operating income (loss)													16,252,000	14,934,000	11,530,000
Depreciation and amortization													4,414,000	4,380,000	4,317,000
Adjusted EBITDA													21,041,000	19,607,000	16,458,000
Capital expenditures													7,051,000	3,535,000	2,685,000
Total assets	113,119,000				105,170,000				101,280,000				113,119,000	105,170,000	101,280,000
Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to consolidated loss before income taxes
Adjusted EBITDA													21,041,000	19,607,000	16,458,000
Depreciation and amortization expense													4,414,000	4,380,000	4,317,000
Music & Arts | Guitar Center
Financial information of reporting segments
Adjusted EBITDA													21,041,000	19,607,000	16,458,000
Total assets	113,119,000				105,170,000				101,280,000				113,119,000	105,170,000	101,280,000
Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to consolidated loss before income taxes
Adjusted EBITDA													21,041,000	19,607,000	16,458,000
Direct Response
Financial information of reporting segments
Net sales													353,331,000	374,001,000	390,407,000
Gross profit													97,668,000	103,293,000	109,514,000
Selling, general and administrative expenses													95,196,000	116,798,000	105,974,000
Impairment of intangible assets														45,961,000
Impairment of goodwill														107,026,000
Operating income (loss)													2,472,000	(166,492,000)	3,540,000
Depreciation and amortization													15,801,000	24,264,000	17,961,000
Adjusted EBITDA													19,159,000	19,034,000	22,216,000
Capital expenditures													7,858,000	8,881,000	13,346,000
Total assets	166,496,000				171,639,000				331,737,000				166,496,000	171,639,000	331,737,000
Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to consolidated loss before income taxes
Adjusted EBITDA													19,159,000	19,034,000	22,216,000
Depreciation and amortization expense													15,801,000	24,264,000	17,961,000
Direct Response | Guitar Center
Financial information of reporting segments
Adjusted EBITDA													19,159,000	19,034,000	22,216,000
Total assets	166,496,000				171,639,000				331,737,000				166,496,000	171,639,000	331,737,000
Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to consolidated loss before income taxes
Adjusted EBITDA													19,159,000	19,034,000	22,216,000
Corporate
Financial information of reporting segments
Selling, general and administrative expenses													25,905,000	38,176,000	28,159,000
Operating income (loss)													(25,905,000)	(38,176,000)	(28,159,000)
Depreciation and amortization													4,233,000	2,834,000	1,994,000
Adjusted EBITDA													(13,349,000)	(16,285,000)	(14,846,000)
Capital expenditures													13,518,000	15,639,000	12,197,000
Total assets	126,640,000				101,556,000				216,399,000				126,640,000	101,556,000	216,399,000
Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to consolidated loss before income taxes
Adjusted EBITDA													(13,349,000)	(16,285,000)	(14,846,000)
Depreciation and amortization expense													4,233,000	2,834,000	1,994,000
Corporate | Guitar Center
Financial information of reporting segments
Adjusted EBITDA													(13,349,000)	(16,285,000)	(14,846,000)
Total assets	155,891,000				126,239,000				211,296,000				155,891,000	126,239,000	211,296,000
Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to consolidated loss before income taxes
Adjusted EBITDA													(13,349,000)	(16,285,000)	(14,846,000)
Corporate | Holdings
Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to consolidated loss before income taxes
Cost related to amendments and extension of long-term debt included in selling, general and administrative expenses														$ 300,000