SCHEDULE I - Condensed Financial Statement of Parent Company Only (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Assets
Other assets, net	$ 18,682	$ 20,802
Total assets	1,816,558	1,859,066	2,120,718
Current liabilities:
Accrued interest	27,067	26,500
Current portion of long-term debt	135,725	646
Total current liabilities	419,718	280,425
Long-term debt	1,445,654	1,561,489
Total liabilities	1,965,578	1,937,133
Commitments and contingencies
Stockholders' deficit:
Preferred stock, $0.01 par value, 5,000 shares authorized, none issued and outstanding
Preferred stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Preferred stock, shares authorized	5,000,000	5,000,000
Preferred stock, shares issued	0	0
Preferred stock, shares outstanding	0	0
Common stock, $0.01 par value, 20,000 shares authorized, 9,740 and 9,742 shares issued and outstanding, respectively	97	97
Common stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Common stock, shares authorized	20,000,000	20,000,000
Common stock, shares issued	9,740,000	9,742,000
Common stock, shares outstanding	9,740,000	9,742,000
Additional paid-in capital	633,800	632,757
Accumulated deficit	(782,917)	(710,748)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		(173)
Total stockholder's equity (deficit)	(149,020)	(78,067)	157,396	211,724
Total liabilities and stockholder's equity (deficit)	1,816,558	1,859,066
Parent
Assets
Investment in Guitar Center, Inc.	127,925	123,275
Receivable from Guitar Center, Inc.	224,113	303,715
Deferred income taxes	77,993	73,581
Other assets, net	2,197	2,610
Total assets	432,228	503,181
Current liabilities:
Accrued interest	16,575	16,575
Current portion of long-term debt	129,784
Total current liabilities	146,359	16,575
Long-term debt	434,889	564,673
Total liabilities	581,248	581,248
Commitments and contingencies
Stockholders' deficit:
Preferred stock, $0.01 par value, 5,000 shares authorized, none issued and outstanding
Preferred stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Preferred stock, shares authorized	5,000,000	5,000,000
Preferred stock, shares issued	0	0
Preferred stock, shares outstanding	0	0
Common stock, $0.01 par value, 20,000 shares authorized, 9,740 and 9,742 shares issued and outstanding, respectively	97	97
Common stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Common stock, shares authorized	20,000,000	20,000,000
Common stock, shares issued	9,740,000	9,742,000
Common stock, shares outstanding	9,740,000	9,742,000
Additional paid-in capital	633,800	632,757
Accumulated deficit	(782,917)	(710,748)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		(173)
Total stockholder's equity (deficit)	(149,020)	(78,067)
Total liabilities and stockholder's equity (deficit)	$ 432,228	$ 503,181