Best Buy has branded its music lessons as The Best Buy/Fender Guitar Lesson Program. Offered at the electronics dealer’s music store outlets, the initiative is promoted with a brochure explaining rates and services. But, it turns out, the program is not unique to Best Buy.

Best Buy’s lesson program is built around a lesson plan and materials developed by Bob Morris, a music educator and Fender’s own director of music education. Any pre-qualified, authorized Fender retailer can obtain and use these same materials to build their music lesson program. There’s no certification process.

"Best Buy, like all authorized Fender dealers throughout the United States, uses the same materials to equip their staff with the necessary tools needed to become effective music teachers,” said Jason Padgitt, Fender’s vice president of public relations and corporate communications. “Interested dealers can contact their district sales manager for more information.”

Padgitt also denied allegations that each Best Buy music store location receives as many as 16 free Fender acoustic guitars for its lesson program.

“[It’s] not true,” Padgitt said. “They are offered a small number [of guitars] at a promotional discount — same as any participating dealer.”

fender.com