Long-Term Debt (Details) (USD $)	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Debt instruments
Long-term debt including current maturities	$ 1,587,301,000
Less current portion	6,761,000	135,725,000
Long-term debt	1,580,540,000	1,445,654,000
Future maturities of long-term debt
Remainder of 2013	21,073,000
2014	14,582,000
2015	6,500,000
2016	126,806,000
2017	983,451,000
2018	434,889,000
Guitar Center
Debt instruments
Long-term debt including current maturities	1,152,412,000	1,016,706,000
Less current portion	6,761,000	5,941,000
Long-term debt	1,145,651,000	1,010,765,000
Future maturities of long-term debt
Remainder of 2013	21,073,000
2014	14,582,000
2015	6,500,000
2016	126,806,000
2017	983,451,000
Holdings
Debt instruments
Less current portion		129,784,000
Long-term debt	434,889,000	434,889,000
Future maturities of long-term debt
2018	434,889,000
Asset-based revolving credit facility \| Guitar Center
Debt instruments
Long-term debt including current maturities	138,000,000
Maximum available amount	373,000,000
Weighted-average interest rate (as a percent)	3.00%
Current borrowing base	318,000,000
Letters of credit outstanding	9,000,000
Undrawn borrowing available	171,000,000
Average daily borrowing	48,600,000
Senior secured term loan \| Guitar Center
Debt instruments
Long-term debt including current maturities	619,125,000	621,762,000
Initial aggregate principal amount	650,000,000
Prepayment premium (as a percent)	1.00%
Period within which prepayment premium will be applied	1 year
Arrangement, consent and extension fees	2,900,000
Amount paid to third parties, expensed	200,000
Senior secured term loan \| April 1, 2013 through September 30, 2013 \| Guitar Center
Debt instruments
Secured net leverage ratio	4.35
Senior secured term loan \| October 1, 2013 through December 31, 2014 \| Guitar Center
Debt instruments
Secured net leverage ratio	4.0
Senior secured term loan \| January 1, 2015 through June 30, 2015 \| Guitar Center
Debt instruments
Secured net leverage ratio	3.75
Senior secured term loan \| July 1, 2015 through maturity \| Guitar Center
Debt instruments
Secured net leverage ratio	3.0
Senior secured term loan \| LIBOR \| Guitar Center
Debt instruments
Variable rate basis	LIBOR
Interest rate margin (as a percent)	6.00%
Senior secured term loan \| Prime rate \| Guitar Center
Debt instruments
Variable rate basis	Prime rate
Interest rate margin (as a percent)	5.00%
Term loan prior to modification \| Guitar Center
Debt instruments
Outstanding principal amount	611,200,000
Term loan prior to modification \| LIBOR \| Guitar Center
Debt instruments
Interest rate margin (as a percent)	5.25%
Term loan prior to modification \| Prime rate \| Guitar Center
Debt instruments
Interest rate margin (as a percent)	4.25%
Obligations under capital leases, payable in monthly installments through 2014 and 2013, respectively \| Guitar Center
Debt instruments
Long-term debt including current maturities	397,000	54,000
Senior unsecured notes \| Guitar Center
Debt instruments
Long-term debt including current maturities	394,890,000	394,890,000
Initial aggregate principal amount	375,000,000
Senior unsecured PIK notes \| Holdings
Debt instruments
Long-term debt including current maturities	434,889,000	564,673,000
Initial aggregate principal amount	375,000,000
Term Loan, Asset-Based Facility and Senior Notes \| Guitar Center
Debt instruments
Percentage of ownership interest in guarantor subsidiaries	100.00%
Asset-based facility due in October 2013 \| Guitar Center
Debt instruments
Long-term debt including current maturities	17,700,000
Maximum available amount	50,000,000
Asset-based facility due in February 2016 \| Guitar Center
Debt instruments
Long-term debt including current maturities	120,300,000
Maximum available amount	$ 323,000,000

Represents the maximum net leverage ratio permitted under a debt agreement.

No definition available.

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Represents the period within which prepayment premium will be applied to prepayment or re-pricing of transaction.

+ References

No definition available.

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Represents the percentage of prepayment premium.

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No definition available.

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Represents the costs paid to third parties expensed in the statement of comprehensive income (loss) related to amendment and extension of long-term debt.

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No definition available.

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- Definition

Represents the percentage of the ownership interest in the entity's subsidiaries which are the guarantors for the credit agreement.

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No definition available.

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- Definition

Amount of long-term debt maturities and minimum lease payments for capital leases due in the sixth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year.

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No definition available.

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- Definition

Sum of the carrying values as of the balance sheet date of all debt, including all short-term borrowings, long-term debt, and capital lease obligations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

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-SubTopic 210

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-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.16)

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The percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

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No definition available.

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- Definition

Including current and noncurrent portions, aggregate carrying amount of long-term borrowings as of the balance sheet date before deducting unamortized discount or premiums (if any). May include notes payable, bonds payable, commercial loans, mortgage loans, convertible debt, subordinated debt and other types of debt, which had initial maturities beyond one year or beyond the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

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-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 20

-Article 5

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

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-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

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-Article 9

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-Number APB14-1

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-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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- Definition

The reference rate for the variable rate of the debt instrument, such as LIBOR or the US Treasury rate and the maturity of the reference rate used, such as three months or six months LIBOR.

+ References

No definition available.

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The stated principal amount of the debt instrument at time of issuance, which may vary from the carrying amount because of unamortized premium or discount.

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 45

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28551-108399

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-Publisher AICPA

-Name Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB)

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-Paragraph 16, 20

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- Definition

Amount of debt issuance costs (for example, but not limited to, legal, accounting, broker, and regulatory fees).

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Reflects the calculation as of the balance sheet date of the average interest rate weighted by the amount of debt outstanding by type or by instrument at that time.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

The total amount of the contingent obligation under letters of credit outstanding as of the reporting date.

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No definition available.

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- Definition

Average amount borrowed under the credit facility during the period.

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No definition available.

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- Definition

Amount of current borrowing capacity under the credit facility considering any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed (for example, borrowings may be limited by the amount of current assets), but without considering any amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

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-Publisher FASB

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-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(b),22(b))

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-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19, 22

-Article 5

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Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

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-Paragraph 2, 4

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-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19, 22

-Article 5

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- Definition

Amount of borrowing capacity currently available under the credit facility (current borrowing capacity less the amount of borrowings outstanding).

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Sum of the carrying values as of the balance sheet date of all long-term debt, which is debt initially having maturities due after one year from the balance sheet date or beyond the operating cycle, if longer, but excluding the portions thereof scheduled to be repaid within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer plus capital lease obligations due to be paid more than one year after the balance sheet date.

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-Paragraph 22

-Article 5

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-Publisher SEC

-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)

-Number Topic 6

-Section H

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Obligation related to long-term debt (excluding convertible debt) and capital leases, the portion which is due in one year or less in the future.

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Amount of long-term debt, sinking fund requirements, and other securities redeemable at fixed or determinable prices and dates maturing in the fifth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year.

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Amount of long-term debt, sinking fund requirements, and other securities redeemable at fixed or determinable prices and dates maturing in the fourth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year.

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Amount of long-term debt, sinking fund requirements, and other securities redeemable at fixed or determinable prices and dates maturing in the third fiscal year following the latest fiscal year.

+ References

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Amount of long-term debt, sinking fund requirements, and other securities redeemable at fixed or determinable prices and dates maturing in the second fiscal year following the latest fiscal year.

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Amount of long-term debt, sinking fund requirements, and other securities redeemable at fixed or determinable prices and dates maturing in the remainder of the fiscal year following the latest fiscal year ended.

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No definition available.

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