THE RICHARD FORTUS COLLECTION

STAY TUNED IN FOR EVERYTHING FORTUS COLLECTION

Stay tuned for more updates! Send us an email at Fortuscollection@chicagomusicexchange.mom for more. Subscribe to our email list above and follow us on Instagram, our YouTube, and the Soundboard Blog for more on this one-of-a-kind collection. You will not want to miss it!

Richard Fortus Collection Les Paul Black
Richard Fortus Collection Amplifier Group
Richard Fortus Collection Richard Fortus
Richard Fortus Collection Les Paul Jr. Group
Richard Fortus Collection Amplifier Group
Richard Fortus Collection Richard with Mosrite Guitar
Richard Fortus Collection GnR Road Case
Richard Fortus Collection Stage Played Guitar
Richard Fortus Collection Guitar Group
Richard Fortus Collection Amplifier
Richard Fortus Collection Richard with Gretsch Guitar
Richard Fortus Collection Roland Guitar
Richard Fortus Collection 'Music City' Amplfier
Richard Fortus Collection Amplifier Group
Richard Fortus Collection James Trussart

THE MAN AND THE GEAR

The man behind this massive collection finally steps forward! Richard Fortus, guitarist for Guns N’ Roses, The Psychedelic Furs, Thin Lizzy, The Dead Daisies, and more, has partnered with the Chicago Music Exchange to sell over 200 pieces from his personal collection! 

The Richard Fortus Collection features electric and acoustic guitars from his personal cache, as well as amplifiers, combos, cabinets, and stage- and studio-played gear spanning 30 years on the road with music’s biggest names.

THE COLLECTION WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE SOON!

Help us, help you! Send us an email and we can help find the perfect gear to add to your own collection from this amazing haul!

QUOTES FROM THE MAN HIMSELF

"This is it- the be-all, end-all of Marshalls. It's magical. I bought this from Mick Mars. I went over to his house and played through a stack...I plugged in to this, hit one chord, and my jaw hit the ground. The holy grail of Marshalls."

"This amp was used on a ton of recordings and during amp shoot-outs, would always win in the studio. It was used on Hole's." 

"Everything about this guitar is great. I've had so many different pickups in this guitar. I believe these are Cream T- pickups. This is a piece that I will miss. I've spent so many years on stage with this one. It's on the inside cover of Chinese Democracy."

"I don't know if there is another of these. Dave made this for me and has tweaked on it over the years. All hand wired, point to point. I used this with Guns N' Roses."

"I grew up in St Louis and when I was a kid, many bands would end up having their trucks stolen while they were in town. I remember that Angel was one of those bands. 35 years later, I saw this amp in a shop and bought it. It's Punky Meadow's head and still has the Angel flight case. It's an incredible sounding amp."

"Unique piece that was made for me when I was in my 20's. I used it on many recordings in place of slide. The solo on the single "California" by Honky Toast was done on this as well as the solo on the song "Sleep" by The Dead Daisies."

"I used this as one of my main gigging amps in New York City for many years. I bought it when I was about 20 years old and it's been with me ever since."

"This was my first Marshall. It was modded by Obeid Khan and was then put back stock. This amp was with me on so many tours. From my first band- Pale Divine, to Love Spit Love, the Psychedelic Furs, Honky Toast and Guns n' Roses."

"I bought this from legendary guitarist Bobby Caldwell when I was about 18. I have used it on many albums. I used it on "Am I Wrong" by Love Spit Love and played it on tour and on television performances of that song."

"Every solo spot I ever played with Gn'R was done on this guitar. It has Tom Holmes pickups and was the first Trussart I bought. There is a kill switch on it and the pick up selector was moved. I used it on Chinese Democracy and a ton of other albums. The easiest playing neck and a fantastic sounding guitar.

"I used this head on tours with Enrique Iglesias and Rihanna."

"One of my first guitars. So 80's it hurts! I used this for years with my first band "The Eyes", when I was about 15."

"This guitar was given to Dr John by John Campbell while they were working on an album together for Etta James. When Mac died, his widow called John Campbell's widow to see if she wanted the guitar back. She had no use for it, but told her it should go to me. So I bought it from her. It has John's gris gris stick and other talisman items with it."

COMING SOON

Related Posts

EarthQuaker Devices | 2026 One-of-A-Kind Series

For the fifth consecutive year, Chicago Music Exchange has partnered with EarthQuaker Devices to bring players a collection of one-of-a-kind pedals featuring exclusive, never-before-seen graphics. Built from EarthQuaker’s trusted circuits — the same pedals relied on by musicians worldwide — each piece in the 2026 collection carries a unique visual finish you won’t find anywhere else. Since 2022, this annual collaboration has given players an easy way to put as much personality into their pedalboard as they put into their playing. Once these one-of-one EarthQuaker pedals sell out, they’re gone for good, so shop the 2026 CME Exclusive collection today.

View Details

PRS Guitars | New Tekton Series

PRS Guitars' new Tekton family answers the call for a more modern PRS — thinner neck profiles, a sleeker body silhouette, and brand-new Stylus pickups across Tekton, Tekton T, Tekton Floyd, and Tekton SVN. With stainless steel frets and the thinnest body PRS has ever made in standard production, Tekton is built for precision players who want a direct connection to their instrument. Chicago Music Exchange is proud to be one of the first to carry it. Shop PRS Tekton now at Chicago Music Exchange!

View Details

Fender | American Professional Series At CME!

Fender is reaffirming its commitment to the working professional with the reimagined American Professional Series. Rooted in Leo Fender’s original read on what touring and studio musicians actually need, this lineup carries that same philosophy into a modern build — new V-Mod III pickups, smooth rolled fingerboard edges, modern C-shaped neck profiles, ClassicGear Precision Potentiometers, and updated hardware across the board. From the Telecaster and Stratocaster to the Jazzmaster, Jaguar, Jazz Bass, and Precision Bass, every model in the series is designed to handle gig after gig, session after session, without missing a beat. Shop the full lineup now at Chicago Music Exchange.

View Details