Miami Beach Convention Center, April 11-13th, 2008 -

 We hosted some of the world’s top makers of hand-built guitars along with prestigious vendors of vintage guitars, accessories and supplies.

First Show of Its Kind
The festival was the first hand-built guitar festival in South Florida history, also the first vintage guitar show to be staged in South Florida.  The festival took full advantage of Miami’s unique position as a major tourist destination for Europeans and Americans alike, also known as the gateway to Latin America.

The “Hand-Built Guitar” part of the show was in the tradition of the highly successful Newport Guitar Festival begun many years ago by master luthier Julius Borges, which we relocated to South Florida, possibly the largest guitar market in the United States.  

The “Vintage Guitar” part of the show was smaller than traditional vintage shows with hundreds of display tables rather than thousands, and provided a venue for exclusive, high-end vintage guitars and accessories. All Exhibitors were in a carpeted and temperature-controlled environment.

The Venue
The Miami Beach Convention Center is in the heart of the Miami Beach, just minutes from the World Famous Art Deco District and its hundreds of restaurants and hotels.

World Class Exhibitors Sponsors, and Demonstrators
Combining a high-end vintage show with world class modern hand crafted guitar builders, the show has and is attracting the attention of potential investors and the best in the guitar industry.  Hand builders like William “Grit” Laskin, John Monteleone, Julius Borges, Michael Doolin, Bruce and Matt Petros, Gary Mortoro and many more from North America, Europe and Australia exhibited in the Luthier’s Gallery of Fine Art, along with vendors of hand built guitars like Dream Guitars and Luthier’s Pride. The Vintage and Accessory show hall included large dealers such as the Guitar Center’s Platinum Room and Sam Ash & Peavey Amps.  The show included a full complement of sponsoring experts like the Blue Book of Guitar Values and Allied Lutherie. 

Demonstrating the instruments throughout the show were the likes of Muriel Anderson, Don Alder (2007 Fingerstyle champion), Michael Chapdelaine (former Fingerstyle champion and professor of music), Mary Flower, Nina Gerber, Woody Mann, Paul Asbell, and a host of other national and local players. Master classes and seminars were offered in the mornings before the show opened, and  demonstration performances will culminated in daily concert performance which will closed out the show.

Concerts and demonstrations were broadcast on large screens throughout the show, so they could be viewed and heard without leaving the exhibition area.  In addition, performers were demonstrating guitars at exhibitors’ tables and in the “quiet rooms.”  Over 20 large “quiet rooms” were available for attendees to audition one-of-a-kind instruments undisturbed.  The  guitar demonstrations, master classes, seminars and the daily finale concerts were also recorded. Exhibitors, performers, and attendees will have access to copies of all high resolution photographs, videos and audio recordings as soon as digitization is completed.