American Musical Supply Review 2026: Payment Plans and Risks

American Musical Supply, usually called AMS, is a New Jersey music retailer that sells guitars, amps, keyboards, drums, recording gear, live sound and DJ equipment online and through Amazon. It is best known for interest-free payment plans. This American Musical Supply review weighs those plans, the return and warranty terms, and the very mixed customer feedback, so you can decide whether AMS is the right place for your next instrument or whether Sweetwater or another store suits you better.

Our verdict in brief

AMS is a legitimate, long-established retailer and a good choice if you know exactly what new gear you want and would like to spread the cost over several months without a store credit card. Its long return window and free extended warranty are generous. The risks are in the details: complaint sites describe open-box items sold as new, damaged guitars from thin packaging, slow refunds and, most seriously, cards charged for old payment-plan balances. Buy boxed gear with confidence, inspect instruments the day they arrive, and read the payment-plan terms before you commit.

How we researched this review

Simple Life Reviews did not order from AMS. We read Music Gear Specialist's review, which is based on AMS's policy pages and public customer feedback, customer reviews on PissedConsumer, ResellerRatings and ComplaintsBoard, a CherryPicks profile of AMS's Amazon store, and a comparison of AMS and Sweetwater published by Sam Ash. Sam Ash competes with both stores and promotes itself in that piece, so we use it for policy details rather than its conclusions. AMS's own policy pages were not available in our research set, so the policy details below are secondary summaries from Music Gear Specialist and Sam Ash; confirm them on americanmusical.com before you buy.

Is American Musical Supply legit?

Yes. Sam Ash's comparison says AMS is based in Oakland, New Jersey, and has sold music gear since 1986, mainly online and by catalog. Music Gear Specialist calls it a real retailer and authorized dealer for major brands that publishes its own customer service, payment plan, warranty and return pages, which is very different from buying through an anonymous marketplace listing.

Even complaint sites agree on legitimacy. ComplaintsBoard gives AMS a trustworthiness rating of 91% while also showing a low review score, which captures the brand neatly: a real company that some customers are unhappy with.

Is American Musical Supply legit on Amazon?

AMS also runs a large Amazon store. CherryPicks lists the seller as American Musical Supply, Inc. at 8 Thornton Road, Oakland, NJ, with 14,992 feedbacks in the last year at an average of 4.8 out of 5 and 81 products tracked. CherryPicks also notes that items from this seller can generally be returned within a month if they arrive defective, damaged or wrong, and that you may pay return shipping when the order is not fulfilled by Amazon.

Payment plans: AMS's main draw

AMS EZ Pay Plan

This is why many musicians choose AMS. Music Gear Specialist reports that AMS's payment plan FAQ lets qualifying orders be split into 4, 6, 8 or 12 interest-free installments, billed by AMS itself rather than through a new credit card. One customer review on ComplaintsBoard calls it the "EZ Pay Plan".

Sam Ash's comparison adds more detail: plans of up to 18 monthly installments depending on order size, purchases between $49 and $1,250 typically qualifying for 4- or 6-month plans, payments taken automatically every 31 days after shipping, no penalty for paying early, and a quick credit check for some longer plans. AMS also offers Affirm financing on select brands.

The plans work well, but they come with a responsibility: AMS charges your stored card automatically. Several complaints, covered below, come from customers surprised by charges for balances they believed were settled. Keep records of every payment and check that your plan shows as paid off.

Shipping, returns and warranty

Shipping. AMS advertises free 2-day shipping on most orders, and the Sam Ash comparison credits it with 4 US warehouses, which helps orders arrive quickly. Customer experience varies: one ResellerRatings reviewer received a guitar in 2 days, ready to play, while another says even paid two-day orders took at least 6 days, per ResellerRatings.

Returns. AMS gives 45 days to return most products, which Music Gear Specialist calls meaningful for gear you need time to judge, like a guitar neck or a pair of studio monitors. The fine print matters, though: the Sam Ash comparison says items generally need to be in original condition, restocking fees may apply, the original shipping cost can be deducted from refunds on items that shipped free, and AMS is stricter than Sweetwater about signs of use.

Warranty. The Sam Ash comparison says AMS includes a free 12-month extended warranty on top of the manufacturer's coverage and offers a Lowest Price Guarantee for 45 days after purchase.

Can I return opened items?

Generally yes, if they are like new with all original packaging, and AMS gives you longer to decide than Sweetwater does. The Sam Ash comparison adds that opened software and digital products usually can only be exchanged, not refunded.

What customers complain about

The complaint sites paint a much darker picture than the Amazon rating. ComplaintsBoard shows an overall rating of 1.7 from 9 reviews and 1 complaint, with none of the complaints marked resolved. The themes repeat across sites:

• Old balances charged to cards. On PissedConsumer, one buyer says AMS took $327 for an overdue balance dating back nearly 6 years when they tried to place a new order, and another calls the collection tactics fraud. A ResellerRatings reviewer describes a similar dispute over an old business account balance.
• Open-box items sold as new. Customers on ResellerRatings and ComplaintsBoard say they paid for sealed or new gear, received unsealed or open-box items, and were refused a partial refund by a supervisor.
• Damage and packaging. A ResellerRatings reviewer received an electric guitar with the headstock snapped off and blames loose inner packaging; others report missing parts.
• Shipping and stock. Lost FedEx packages, backordered gear sold as available, and long holds when calling for updates appear in several reviews.
• Return refunds. One ComplaintsBoard customer waited for a $110 return-shipping refund after being given conflicting answers by three representatives.

There is a positive side in the same places. Long-time customers praise the payment plans, knowledgeable sales reps, fast shipping, low prices on blemished items, and returns they describe as fast and fair. Complaint sites attract unhappy customers by design, so the pattern matters more than the count: problems cluster around billing, open-box condition and fragile shipments.

Recent reviews

These are individual accounts, not verified findings, but together they show that the most serious complaints are recent and center on billing.

Is AMS good for guitars?

It can be, with care. Music Gear Specialist recommends paying closer attention to the return policy and setup expectations for guitars, since individual instruments vary more than boxed electronics. Given the damage and open-box reports, open the box on delivery, photograph it, check the headstock and finish, confirm the item is factory sealed if you paid for new, and play it within the return window.

Buying guide by gear type

• Guitars and basses: buy if you know the model; inspect for shipping damage and factory sealing on arrival, and play it within the return window.
• Amps and speaker cabinets: heavy and fragile, so keep all packaging until you are sure, and ask about restocking fees before returning.
• Boxed electronics and interfaces: the safest category, since units are standardized and arrive factory sealed.
• Accessories, strings and cables: low risk; compare prices across stores, since a payment plan adds little on small orders.

What should I avoid buying from AMS?

Be most careful with expensive, fragile or individually variable items, such as guitars, basses and large cabinets, and with items listed as new where open-box versions also exist. Boxed electronics, accessories, strings, cables and common interfaces carry the least risk. If you rely on a payment plan, avoid stretching a plan for impulse buys that are only tempting because of a sale.

American Musical Supply vs Sweetwater

What is Sweetwater best known for?

Sweetwater is best known for personal service: each customer is paired with a dedicated sales engineer who helps before and after the purchase, backed by free technical support. The Sam Ash comparison describes it as having better customer service and a broader selection with photos of the actual instruments.

Is American Musical Supply better than Sweetwater?

It depends on what you value. AMS wins on in-house interest-free payment plans, a longer return window and fast delivery; Sweetwater wins on guidance, service reputation and seeing the exact guitar you will receive. Prices are usually similar because most retailers follow minimum advertised pricing.

Pros and cons

Pros

• In-house interest-free payment plans without a new credit card
• Long return window compared with many rivals
• Free extended warranty and a lowest price guarantee
• Fast shipping from several US warehouses
• Large, highly rated Amazon store
• Long history in the business

Cons

• Complaints about cards charged for old payment-plan balances
• Reports of open-box items shipped as new
• Damaged guitars and missing parts reported by some buyers
• Restocking fees and deducted shipping on some returns
• Customer service experiences vary widely
• FedEx is the default carrier, which some buyers dislike

Who should buy from AMS, and who should skip it

Buy from AMS if you know the exact new gear you want, value an interest-free payment plan, and are organized enough to track your payments and inspect deliveries. It suits working musicians spreading the cost of an interface, amp or keyboard.

Skip AMS if you want hands-on guidance choosing an instrument, need to see the exact guitar before buying, or would struggle with a billing dispute. Sweetwater's sales engineers or a local store may serve you better.

Contact and location

AMS is based in Oakland, New Jersey; CherryPicks lists its Amazon seller address there. For orders placed on the AMS site, use the contact details on its customer service page, and keep order emails and payment confirmations for any dispute.

Our ratings

Overall: 3.5/5, because Music Gear Specialist confirms a legitimate retailer with 0% payment plans and a 45-day return window, while ComplaintsBoard and other complaint sites report billing disputes, open-box items sold as new and slow refunds.

AMS EZ Pay Plan: 3.5/5, because Sam Ash's comparison describes genuinely interest-free plans with no early-payoff penalty, though automatic card charges have led to disputes over old balances.

FAQ

Is American Musical Supply legit?

Yes. AMS is a long-running New Jersey retailer and authorized dealer for major brands, with published policies and a large Amazon store. Customer complaints focus on billing and condition disputes, not fraud in the sense of non-existent stores.

Does AMS have no-interest payment plans?

Yes. AMS offers interest-free plans on qualifying orders, billed automatically to your card, with longer plans available for larger purchases. Some longer plans may need a quick credit check, and you can pay off early without a penalty.

What is American Musical Supply's return policy?

Most items can be returned within 45 days in original condition, per the Sam Ash comparison, with all packaging. Restocking fees can apply, and the original shipping cost may be deducted from refunds on items that shipped free.

Are American Musical Supply products good quality?

AMS sells new gear from major brands, so product quality matches what you would get elsewhere. The risk lies in condition and handling, such as open-box items or shipping damage, so inspect orders on arrival.

Is AMS good for guitars?

Yes for buyers who know the model they want and can inspect it on delivery. Check for shipping damage and factory sealing right away, and play the guitar within the return window.

Does American Musical Supply do payment plans on Amazon?

Payment plans are an AMS website feature; Amazon orders use Amazon's own payment options and return rules. If financing is the reason you are choosing AMS, order on its site.

Can I find American Musical Supply's contact number and location?

AMS is based at 8 Thornton Road in Oakland, New Jersey, according to its Amazon seller listing on CherryPicks. Phone and email contacts are on the customer service pages of its website.