Musicians Worldwide Rely on Brand’s Pedals for Live and Recorded Applications
NASHVILLE ― From London’s The Rolling Stones to The Black Keys in the U.S., artists from around the world have been relying on Maestro’s trailblazing sound since its inception in 1962. The same holds true today, as musicians on a global scale welcome the brand’s newest collection of pedals into their studios and live setups.
Top Row (R-L): PV Nova (France), Giuvazza Maggiore (Italy), Jaquire King (U.S.). Bottom Row (R-L): Daniel Alvarez (Colombia), Alejandro García (Spain), Carlos Chairez (Mexico).
n France, musician PV Nova has been relying on his new Maestro pedals for several projects. From an influential online career popularizing music writing and editing to creating Internet Orchestra, the largest webcasting performance of 500 musicians, along with being a member of the band for the French musical “Les Franglaises,” Nova is constantly surrounded by music. When presented with the Maestro Original Collection, he loved the impact they had on his workflow. “I am so pleased with the pedals,” he explains. “Having true analog effects makes a huge difference when recording.” Most recently, Nova did a live test of all five new pedals on his Twitch show, where he explained how Maestro will now be integrated among his primary gear on tour.
As one-half of the Colombian rock band Diamante Eléctrico, guitarist Daniel Alvarez has always been motivated by making great music and approaching it with simplicity. In fact, years of working in different ensembles are what made Alvarez and his bandmate Juan Galeano go back to basics and what they know best: rock and roll. Today, those same concepts are what Alvarez loves about his new pedals from the Maestro Original Collection. “They’re simple, user-friendly, and have the exact sound you expect when you see the name Maestro on top,” he says. “The knobs on the Fuzz-Tone FZ-M help you dial up a dense but tamable fuzz with a high-end tone, and the Discoverer Delay has the right amount of presence to give new colors to your music. From the moment I plugged them in, I knew they would stay on my pedalboard.”
Decorated with multiple GRAMMY® Awards, national accolades, and a long list of critically acclaimed albums, it’s clear that U.S.-based recording engineer and producer Jacquire King knows what he’s doing when he steps into the studio. Over the past 30 years, King has worked with the likes of Kings of Leon, Ingrid Michaelson, and Niall Horan, shaping a sound and aesthetic that he aims to maintain throughout all of his productions. A long-time Maestro user, King is also committed to advocating for new technology in the recording industry and was therefore excited to test out the latest products from the esteemed brand. “I’ve collected Maestro pedals for years; I’m a big fan,” he explains. “I’m so fired up about having the new line in my pedal collection. The Discoverer Delay is so cool sounding, and the various distortion flavors are unique. There’s nothing like great pedals to explore creating inspiring sounds.”
Hailing from Spain, multi-instrumentalist, singer, and composer Alejandro “Grizzly” García has collaborated with and played in several bands, most notably Derby Motoreta’s Burrito Kachimba (DMBK). Together, García and DMBK composed original music for the film “Las Leyes de la Frontera,” for which he was subsequently nominated for “Best Original Song” by the Spanish Film Academy. Whether touring Europe and North America or recording new music, García knows he can put his trust in Maestro. “Without becoming a strident pedal, the Fuzz-Tone FZ-M has great mid-range frequencies and gives a different touch to the riffs played with other fuzz pedals, which are usually darker. I also like the option to switch between a modern and classic sound. But what surprises me most is the interactions with the attack parameter. I gain so many nuances by combining it live with the Ranger Overdrive or the Comet Chorus.”
Growing up in Monterrey, Mexico, guitarist Carlos Chairez fell in love with music and met his fellow bandmates for the alternative group KINKY. With over 20 years of experience and performances behind them, the band is now known for its electric and captivating live shows. Wanting to keep the energy and sound of these live appearances consistent, Chairez stocked up on some new pedals from Maestro’s recent line. The Comet Chorus, Discoverer Delay, and Fuzz-Tone FZ-M have all made it into his new live setup. “Maestro has some of the most exciting and creative analog effects designs ever,” he says. “I love the sound and feel of the new Maestro Original Collection pedals.”
Italian guitarist and producer Giuvazza Maggiore has worked alongside singer-songwriter Eugenio Finardi for over a decade and has been playing and creating music for even longer. When not working with Finardi, Maggiore can be found composing and producing soundtracks and sound designing for advertising and film projects. “The Maestro pedals brought me back to my initial forays in music―when I’d try out a pedal, and it would immediately respond with a very distinctive sound,” Maggiore remarks. “I only needed to plug in the Invader Distortion without any special settings to realize it immediately sounded exactly the way I wanted. All the pedals work well with each other, but the Discoverer Delay is the one that suits my taste best—it opens new ways of being creative and is a breath of fresh air. Plus, the graphics and aesthetics across the pedals are so synergic and eye-catching.”