AMP’d Guitar Den Opens Independent Guitar Shop in Orlando

AMP’d Guitar Den officially opened its doors in Orlando, Florida on Wednesday, July 1, in the city’s Mills 50 District. AMP’d was born out of the idea that buying a guitar should be more than just grabbing something off a wall. Co-owners Robert and Kelly Wilson and store manager William Trimble set out to create a shop where customers feel comfortable asking questions, testing gear and knowing they’re getting honest advice instead of a sales pitch.

“We opened in Orlando’s Mills 50 district with a focus on quality instruments, expert repairs and creating a welcoming space for everyone from someone buying their very first guitar to seasoned musicians who have been playing for decades,” Kelly said. “At the end of the day, our mission is pretty simple: help people make music and make them excited to come back.”

AMP’d offers a thoughtfully selected inventory of guitars, amplifiers, pedals and accessories alongside repair services, vinyl records and an eclectic collection of books — including a dedicated shelf of banned books.

“Florida leads the nation in the number of books removed from public school libraries, and as people who believe that music and literature both have the power to inspire, challenge, and broaden perspectives, we felt it was important to make these books accessible,” Kelly said.

One of the biggest parts of AMP’d is its repair shop, which offers everything from setups and restringing to fret work, electronics, pickup installations and more involved repairs.

“We take a lot of pride in doing repair work the right way and treating every instrument like it belongs to us,” Kelly shared. “I hope people leave feeling like they found their music store.”

The store’s opening was marked by another milestone when AMP’d Guitar Den was recognized as the Mills 50 District’s Business of the Month for July — an honor announced on the same day the shop officially welcomed its first customers.

“Opening an independent music store today is definitely a leap of faith, and the encouragement we’ve received from customers, our neighbors, vendors and the music industry has been incredible,” Kelly said. “We’re just getting started, and we’re excited to keep building a place where musicians of every skill level feel welcome. We hope AMP’d Guitar Den becomes one of those shops people remember because of how they were treated and felt when they walked through the door.”

Amp’d Guitar Den is currently open Wednesday through Sunday. MI