Maestro Pedals Are Back

When Gibson brought Maestro into the world 60 years ago, no one could have predicted its 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 classic models, while staying true to Maestro’s spirit with modern features, versatility, and more tone-tweaking capabilities.

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 their 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 to revive Maestro because it’s vital to pedal history.”

Maestro Original Collection

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 recognisable 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. 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.