Vintage Tours: Orlando INTERNATIONAL Guitar & MUSIC EXPO

VINTAGE TOURS: ORLANDO GUITAR SHOW

Swingin’ at the Most Magical Place On Earth

Our vintage buyers travel to the Orlando International Guitar and Music Expo, where dreams come true. Deep in the heart of dreamland, gilded by the rays of the Sunshine State, there’s a place where fantasy becomes reality; where the imagination is manifest, and the pictures, songs, and movies you love spring to life in front of you as if under a benevolent spell. That place, of course, is the Central Florida Fairgrounds, home to Hamcation, Nude Nite Orlando, and the Orlando International Guitar and Music Expo.

While not the biggest Mickey-ophiles, our vintage buyers will travel anywhere for a score, especially when it’s snowing in Chicago, and Coco was pretty good, so we stuffed their black leather fanny packs full of cash and sent them off for a few days in the Florida sun. Except that there was no sun.

Orlando was gloomy. Like London, with plenty of fish and chips, except without the biscuits and bobbies and Sir David Attenborough. Beneath the cold, gray sky, Orlando’s 100-plus lakes were ice-black, shading the ground around the endless blacktop that stretches across the wetlands in smooth, still sheets. But like the warm cookies that waited for them at their Orlando DoubleTree hotel, The Orlando International Guitar and Music Expo brought a much warmer, much brighter feeling.

Image of a Musicvox Space Ranger bass guitar
image of an Aquaburst Gibson Flying V
image of a Gibson Les Paul Custom that is all maple

It was like a daydream as the doors opened and they spotted some of the cleanest vintage finds they’ve seen all year,  like a Fender MIJ Rosewood Telecaster with Custom Shop wiring and electronics, five (yes, FIVE) lovely Les Paul Customs, one loaded with EMGs.  A National Resonator with a bakelite neck and a matching ‘30s Tenor model. A 1967 Epiphone Casino in a rare Sparkling Burgundy custom color, as well as a mid-’70s Gibson 345-TD semi-hollowbody electric guitar with Pelham Blue refinish. 

A pair of Sunburst Gibson ES-175Ds, one from 1968 and one from 1955, and last but not least, a Limited Edition ‘78 Gibson Explorer with a wide nut and big neck, much like the one played by The Edge from U2.

All in all, our vintage buyers took home 28 pieces, so many their knees started to ache from crouching over case after case, relishing in the glow from the stars of their fantasy world.

As much as their joints whined, our buyers felt light on their feet. The trunk was full, but their fanny packs were empty, and every pang was a dull whistle compared to the thrilling roar of the fairgrounds. A swim would’ve been a fitting end to the stay, but even in Florida, February means it’s too cold to enjoy the hotel’s outdoor pool. So, like a Disney movie, or a far stranger dream, our buyers spent their final night in the Magic Kingdom at a nearby dance hall, lindy hopping to a real orchestra, while somewhere the Orlando sun faded into night.

SHOP VINTAGE & USED UNDER 1K!

Line 6 Powercab 112 Plus 250-Watt 1x12
Line 6 Powercab 112 Plus 250-Watt 1x12
Line 6 Powercab 112 Plus 250-Watt 1x12
Line 6 Powercab 112 Plus 250-Watt 1x12

Line 6 Powercab 112 Plus 250-Watt 1x12" Active Guitar Speaker Cabinet

$450.00
Line 6 Powercab 112 Plus 250-Watt 1x12
Line 6 Powercab 112 Plus 250-Watt 1x12
Line 6 Powercab 112 Plus 250-Watt 1x12
Line 6 Powercab 112 Plus 250-Watt 1x12

Line 6 Powercab 112 Plus 250-Watt 1x12" Active Guitar Speaker Cabinet

$425.00
Peavey Classic 30 30-Watt 1x12
Peavey Classic 30 30-Watt 1x12
Peavey Classic 30 30-Watt 1x12
Peavey Classic 30 30-Watt 1x12

Peavey Classic 30 30-Watt 1x12" Guitar Combo Amp

$395.00
Victory V112-CB 1x12
Victory V112-CB 1x12
Victory V112-CB 1x12

Victory V112-CB 1x12" 65-Watt Compact Extension Cabinet with Celestion G12M-65 Creamback

$395.00
Peavey 6505 120-Watt Guitar Head
Peavey 6505 120-Watt Guitar Head
Peavey 6505 120-Watt Guitar Head

Peavey 6505 120-Watt Guitar Head

$795.00
Vox BC108 25-Watt 1x8
Vox BC108 25-Watt 1x8
Vox BC108 25-Watt 1x8

Vox BC108 25-Watt 1x8" Guitar Speaker Cab

$100.00
Fender Mustang GTX100 100-Watt 1x12
Fender Mustang GTX100 100-Watt 1x12
Fender Mustang GTX100 100-Watt 1x12
Fender Mustang GTX100 100-Watt 1x12

Fender Mustang GTX100 100-Watt 1x12" Guitar Modeling Amp

$300.00
Markbass MBC105017 Mini CMD 121P 300/500-Watt 1x12
Markbass MBC105017 Mini CMD 121P 300/500-Watt 1x12
Markbass MBC105017 Mini CMD 121P 300/500-Watt 1x12
Markbass MBC105017 Mini CMD 121P 300/500-Watt 1x12

Markbass MBC105017 Mini CMD 121P 300/500-Watt 1x12" Bass Combo

$550.00

Related Posts

Introducing | Antelope Audio

Introducing | Antelope Audio

We are proud to welcome Antelope Audio to our ever-growing collection of pro audio brands! Founded by digital audio designer Igor Levin, Antelope Audio modeling mics recreate the sound of famous...

Read more
CME Exclusive | Walrus Audio Nautical Editions

CME Exclusive | Walrus Audio Nautical Editions

We’ve teamed up with salty dogs Walrus Audio once again to raise the mainsail on three new CME Exclusives: the Fathom Multi-Function Reverb, Deep Six Compressor V3, and ARP-87 Multi-Function...

Read more
Introducing | Victory Amplifiers

Introducing | Victory Amplifiers

The Chicago Music Exchange is delighted to welcome Victory to our long list of amps and electronics by the world’s foremost manufacturers! Choose from the Duchess, Jack, Copper, Sheriff, Kraken,...

Read more