Vintage Guitar Show Veenendaal – March 2026: A Day Among Guitar Lovers

On Saturday I had the pleasure of visiting the Vintage Guitar Show Veenendaal – and if you’ve never been to this event, you’re missing out on one of the best days a guitar lover can have in the Netherlands.

Held twice a year at De Basiliek in Veenendaal, this is widely regarded as Europe’s largest international vintage guitar show. The event brings together dealers, luthiers, guitar shops and private collectors from across the continent – Belgium, Denmark, Germany, England, France, Luxembourg, Sweden and the Netherlands all represented – under one roof for a single day of buying, selling, trading and simply talking about guitars.

The Venue

De Basiliek is a beautiful purpose-built event space located at Wiltonstraat 56 in Veenendaal, conveniently close to the A12 motorway and within walking distance of both Veenendaal-De Klomp train station and a Van der Valk hotel. It’s a well-lit, spacious venue that handles a show of this scale comfortably, with separate areas for the main exhibition floor, the Guitar Market, and the Guitar Cafe in the foyer.

What to Expect on the Floor

The numbers speak for themselves: close to 100 exhibitors and over 1,200 guitars. The emphasis is firmly on vintage – rare electrics, classic acoustics, pre-owned amplifiers, effect pedals, spare parts, guitar building components, books, CDs, plectrums and accessories. But newer guitars and custom builds find their place here too, as long as they fit the spirit of the show.

Walking the floor is an experience in itself. You’ll find instruments in every price category, from affordable players-grade vintage pieces to genuinely rare and collectible guitars that you’d struggle to find anywhere else in Europe. The exhibitors are knowledgeable and passionate, and conversations tend to flow freely – it’s the kind of environment where you can spend hours and still feel like you’ve missed things.

The Guitar Market

One of the unique highlights of Vintage Veenendaal is the Guitar Market, held in a separate room. Visitors – not just exhibitors – are welcome to bring one guitar of their own to display or offer for sale. When you arrive, you check your guitar in at the entrance desk, receive a proof of ownership document, and you’re free to set it up in the Guitar Market space. You can stand with it all day to talk to potential buyers, or simply leave your contact details and go enjoy the rest of the show. It’s a well-organised, low-key way to sell a guitar without any platform fees.

Open Stage, Awards & More

Beyond the buying and selling, the show has a lively programme running throughout the day. The Open Stage hosts demos, workshops and performances from exhibitors and guest artists. There’s also the Vintage Veenendaal Awards – presented to the Most Authentic Vintage Guitar and the Most Bizarre Guitar of the show – which always draws a crowd and generates some entertaining debates. A lottery gives visitors the chance to win a guitar, amplifier or pedal, and there’s an advertising board where you can post a small notice if you’re looking to buy or sell something specific.

Practical Information

The show ran from 10:00 to 16:30. Entrance is €10 for adults. Children under 12 accompanied by an adult get in free. A Guitar Cafe in the foyer kept the energy up throughout the day.

For those travelling from further afield – Haarlem, Amsterdam, Utrecht – the journey is straightforward. The train to Veenendaal-De Klomp puts you within walking distance of the venue, and there’s good road access via the A12.

Worth the Trip?

Absolutely. Whether you’re a serious collector hunting a specific piece, a working musician looking for a characterful instrument to gig with, or simply someone who wants to spend a Saturday surrounded by extraordinary guitars and the people who love them, this event delivers. The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly, there’s no pressure to buy, and the sheer variety of what’s on display makes it genuinely hard to leave.

The next edition of the Vintage Guitar Show Veenendaal is coming up on 19 September 2026 – more details on that in a next post.