THE REBIRTH OF MAESTRO PART I by Doug Doppler
In celebration of the relaunch of the Maestro brand by our friends at Gibson , we wanted to do more than just review their new line of stomp boxes . The significance of this launch is best appreciated when seen in the framework of brands , engineers , musicians , and recordings behind the gear we use day in and day out . While many of the iconic engineers and artists responsible for the effects revolution have passed away , their innovations are alive and well on your pedal board and mine .
If you are a gear fanatic , the history of this gear is nothing short of fascinating . When and where possible we ’ ve included video examples to put music to these words . We ’ ve also done our best to present the who , what , when , and why as accurately as possible . One of the things that ’ s most surprising is how many of the innovations we depend on today were introduced long before Fender became a dominant force in the marketplace .
THE MAESTRO EFFECT Although Maestro did not create the first guitar effect or stand-alone echo unit , the impact the FZ-1 fuzz and Echoplex have had on the electric guitar are undeniable . The FZ-1 was the first drive pedal , and the layout of the box , footswitch and controls are mimicked on virtually every stomp box we use today . Similarly , the Echoplex quickly earned its place as the gold standard for delay . Sonically speaking , the ingenuity behind the EP3 remains unparalleled . The sound of the delays themselves is the benchmark by which other delays are compared . My ’ 15 Great Delay Pedals for Worship ’ video showcases my EP3 juxtaposed to an array of the most popular delay pedals in 2017 , when I shot that video .
The role that the musicians and recording engineers who made the devices famous is an integral part of the story . The FZ-1 was the end-result of a console transformer failing during a session with Marty Robbins in 1961 . Ironically , engineer Glenn Snoddy wanted to call the session and rerecord the song once the console was ‘ fixed ’. Fortunately , everyone loved the fuzzy sound that the console created on Grady Martin ’ s Danelectro six-string bass ( baritone guitar ). “ Don ’ t Worry ” went on to become a huge hit , in part because of the guitar solo .
Grady Martin ’ s Fuzzy Baritone