By leveraging its iconic past and leaning into an innovative future, Gibson–the iconic American instrument brand–has set the stage for the next era of sound for present and future generations.When Gibson brought Maestro into the world 60 years ago, no one could have predicted its trailblazing success. Now, after decades, Gibson has revived the brand for 2022 with the debut of the Maestro Original Collection line of effects pedals with five new pedals–the Fuzz-Tone FZ-M, Invader Distortion, Ranger Overdrive, Comet Chorus, and Discoverer Delay–all designed, voiced, and styled for the musician looking to shape a unique sound. The Maestro Original Collection pays tribute in sound and style to the brand’s pioneering and much beloved classic models, while staying true to Maestro’s trailblazing spirit with modern features, expanded versatility, and advanced tone-tweaking capabilities. Maestro is available worldwide at authorized Gibson dealers; for more information visit: www.maestroelectronics.com.
As the founder of effects, Maestro’s influence has shaped music as we know it from The Rolling Stones to the Raconteurs, Pete Townshend to George Harrison, Clapton to Frampton, and the Foo Fighters to the Black Keys, Maestro has been there from the beginning to help artists achieve the sound they heard in their heads and their hearts, their signature sound.
“Maestro was the first commercially successful pedal, it changed everything, and set the entire world of pedals and effects into motion,” says Mat Koehler, Senior Director of Product Development, Gibson Brands. “We’re using the distinct Maestro aesthetic to develop unique takes on each of these effects in a way that’s fun and looks back at the past, but with an awareness of what modern guitarists require. Maestro sounds are relevant to new, casual, and professional level players and everyone at Gibson felt a responsibility and obligation to revive Maestro because it’s vital to pedal history.”
“Restoring a legendary brand is a thrilling challenge. Maestro has a definitive heritage to honor, but what becomes almost more important is building the new legacy for this brand,” adds Sterling Doak, Director of Marketing, Gibson Brands. “Writing this next chapter for Maestro means creating energy and providing tools for our fans to shape their sound. Now players all over the world will create this new sonic legacy, and we encourage everyone to plug-in, dial-up your settings, and shape your sound.”
Each Maestro pedal functions as an innovative “two-in-one” pedal, with a single toggle that switches between two distinct voicings. Each features a straightforward three knob set-up, true bypass switching, and a more ergonomic, pedalboard friendly wedge profile. The new Fuzz-Tone FZ-M is reminiscent of the instantly recognizable tones of the first-ever Maestro pedal, the much-mythologized FZ-1 which fuels Keith Richard’s groundbreaking riff on The Rolling Stones’ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.” But flip the toggle from “classic” to “modern,” and get a full frequency, grinding, contemporary fuzz beast at your fingertips. The Comet Chorus conjures a warm, classic analog chorus tone with a subtle cosmic swirl effect in “Earth” mode. Flip the toggle to “Orbit,” however, and your sound gets space-y with the addition of a rotary speaker-like vibrato and tremolo effect, tweakable via an internal trim pot.
Other pedals rounding out the Maestro Original Collection include the Ranger Overdrive, Invader Distortion, and Discoverer Delay, each presenting an array of classic and modern sounds, all with unmatched Maestro vibe. All pedals in the Maestro Original Collection are $149 with the exception of Discoverer Delay at $159.
Explore the new Maestro Original Collection below and for a deeper dive into the history of Maestro, visit: https://www.
Maestro created the world’s first fuzz pedal – the Maestro Fuzz-Tone FZ-1 – the legendary sound on the Rolling Stones’ pivotal song “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” which became the group’s first #1 U.S. hit. Introducing the new Maestro Fuzz-Tone FZ-M, an all-analog pedal that boasts two-in-one functionality for increased sonic versatility with both an FZ-1 inspired fuzz sound and a thicker, more modern fuzz tone. Its 3-knob control layout gives you intuitive control. The Attack knob controls the amount of fuzz. The Tone control lets you adjust the timbre from bright and raspy to warm and wooly and anywhere in between. Use the Level control to set the output volume; it can go way beyond unity gain when desired. The true bypass footswitch triggers the LED lights in the bugles in the Maestro logo when it’s on, so you’ll always know when the effect is active..
