New Digital Hygrometer!

Hello,

This is a new product. For those who are meticulous about how you store your guitar this is a must.

It also features a digital with alarm functions. Retailing @ $29.90.

Regards,

Isaiah

O-PORT for classical guitars here.

Hi all,

We have just received the classical sized o-ports. They are now available at all our outlets.

Best Regards,

Isaiah

Maestro Events Survey

We would like to invite all friends of Maestro to take part in the following survey. This is to help us better understand what are the types of events that you are interested in, so that we can add on more exciting activities to our calendar of events.

Click here to take survey

Your response is greatly appreciated.

Cheers,

Michael

Outreach Manager

Maestro Guitars

ZenGuitarWerkz post renovation pics!

FREE TUNER.

Hello,

With every maestro membership sign up, you get a free maestro clip on tuner. Terms and Conditions apply. Membership is lifetime, and members get 10% off on all maestro products and varying discounts on all other products.

You can learn more about the tuner here. ->

http://maestroguitars.blogspot.com/2009/08/new-maestro-mt-01-clip-on-tuner.html

WE ARE SERIOUSLY NOT KIDDING!!!!

Hello all,

Every once in awhile we do the craziest things. This time we are giving away a free B-Band A3TY (inclusive of installation) with every ea1 and ea2 purchased. Terms and Conditions apply. Here are some pictures of the above-mentioned.

Regards,

Isaiah

Hello all,

ZenGuitarWerkz is now open for business. :)

Regards,

Isaiah

New stock of Faith Guitars!

Hi all,

the eagerly anticipated Faith Saturn Natural series, Faith Saturn High-Gloss dreadnoughts and Jupiters are in. 

Limited pieces, so do hurry do to check them out!

regards,

Phil

MEGA SAVER STAGG BASS PACKS!!!

NEW MEGA SAVER STAGG GUITAR PACKS!!!

March School Holidays Promotions!!!

March School Holidays Promo: Buddy Deal, buy any two guitars ( non-maestro) @ 10% off. Show the staff your valid student pass to enjoy this promo. Now Available at ZenGuitarWerkz. Terms and Conditions apply. Promotion valid til march 21st.

not to leave out all the maestro fans, flash your student pass at the Maestro Concept Store or Maestro Living Room and get 10% off your maestro guitars. (members get an additional 5 %). Promotion is valid til 21st march and is not valid with any other in-store promotions.

Regards,
Isaiah

O-Port Review.

I heard the O-Port sounds good (pun unintended), but hearsay is one thing, actually having a product performing in the real-world is another.

So today we sat down to give the O-Port a good workout, to see if it really is as good as it claims.

For the uninitiated, the O-Port is new product hailing for the USA that is currently making some serious waves in the guitaring community.

It's basically a device that fits directly into your soundhole, with the simple and noble aim of improving your acoustic guitar's sound.

The following is the official literature from O-Port.

The O-Port installs in minutes.

No wires.

No installation kits.

Simply loosen the strings and snap the O-Port into the soundhole.

Instantly have:

- fuller sound

- better clarity

- more volume

- suppresses feedback

HANDLING TEST:

So let's see if it holds up to its claims.

The phrase 'installs in minutes' is vague, 120 minutes would similarly fall under that same phrase.

It took me all but 5 minutes to loosen my strings, pop the O-Port in, tighten and re-tune the strings. I think the longest part in this process is the loosening and re-tuning. But since these are simple, routine tasks, it shouldn't be too much of a problem.

If you are wondering how to fit that huge cone of a thing into the miniscule soundhole, well, the O-Port is plastic and it's flexible. You just somewhat fold it slightly and slot it in. Much of the O-Port resides inside your guitar, there is very little of it actually showing once fitted, so unless you tell someone you've an O-Port fitted, chances are that they wouldn't visually notice it being there at all.

So, case in point. No wires, installation kits and it's a simple, discreet install.

TONE TEST:

UNPLUGGED:

Moving on to how it affects the tone of your acoustic guitar.

Playing it unplugged, I noticed something different right off the bat. Not overt, but noticeable.

The guitar sounds fuller and meatier, more body.

Clarity-wise, I seriously cannot tell the difference.

It surely helps with the projection though, the guitar is audibly louder.

Another thing is that I can physically feel an increase in the vibrations, reverberating through the body and even on the neck. That is surely a good thing.

So in conclusion, unplugged, it helps with giving you a fuller tone and a kick to the volume.

The difference, as mentioned, is audible enough that you don't have to scrunge your face and concentrate to hear it, but it's not a 'day-and-night' kind of thing here.

PLUGGED-IN:

When plugged in though, it's a very different story and I was very pleasantly surprised.

The O-Port gives the guitar a serious boost in the clarity department, when I say clarity it means that I can make out the different notes when I strum a chord. The separation is impressive, to say the very least.

I don't know if it's my imagination, but to me, the guitar sounds harmonically richer and has more extension.

The point about it suppressing feedback holds up as well, as we all know, there are a lot of factors to feedback.

But I know for a fact that this guitar that I'm using now tends to start wailing when I go too near to this particular amp.

This makes for the ideal test, and the O-Port passed with flying colours, since the feedback induced was greatly reduced.

The increase in volume is even more audible when plugged in, this is probably due to the O-Port enhancing the signal being sent to the internal pickup. Granted, you can turn up the volume with your volume knob. But more volume isn't the main thing about the the O-Port enabling a stronger signal. The stronger signals help significantly with the tone, and following in the same trend, the difference in fullness and richness very marked when plugged-in.

CONCLUSION:

In conclusion, the O-Port is something I would want in my guitar.

I like that it's a simple and hassle-free install that is non-invasive. And the clincher is that it helps improve the sound of my guitar, an improvement that I can actually hear.

Additionally, the O-Port comes in various sizes, so there's one that fits for almost for every guitar.

As always, don't just simply take our word for it. Come try it out for yourselves at any of our Maestro stores and hear the difference for yourself.

regards,

Phil

Additional links:

O-Port Official Website

O-Port Review 01

The O-Port!!!

The O-PORT has arrived. this quirky little invention will amplify the volume of your guitars. retailing at $49.90.

The O-Port material is custom blended for flexibility to prevent damage to your guitar finish and inlays. Your O-Port will suppress feedback and give your acoustic or acoustic electric guitar a fuller sound with more volume, better clarity and enhanced projection.

Reviews will follow soon.

Regards,
Isaiah

Bband A6TY Promotion.

Hi,

The Bband A6TY is now going for a promotional price of $300. Free installation for all maestro guitars. Whilst stock last.

Regards,
Isaiah

Guitar Of The Month : MAR

EA-1

Similar crisp clear tone to its Dreadnought brother, the EA-1 sounds leaner and more articulate, traits which never fail to please fingerstyle players. The mahogany back and sides give the highs a stronger attack while the solid spruce top ensures sound projection and volume.

Detailed Specifications

Top: Solid Sitka Spruce Grade A
Back: Mahogany
Sides: Mahogany
Neck: Nato
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Nut: Cow Bone
Saddle: Cow Bone
Machine Head: Grover Chrome
Finishing: Natural, Matt
Truss Rod: Double Action
Body-Neck Joint: Bolt-on
String Length: 650mm
Fret Board Marker: 4mm Pearl
Fret Board Side: 2mm marker
Body Shape: Grand Auditorium
Bracing: X-Bracing
Pickguard: NIL
Bridge: Rosewood
Strings: D'addario Strings EXP16

We are hiring!

We are hiring fulltime/partime retail staff

Requirements:
Guitar player
O'levels
Completed NS
Hardworking / Outgoing
Able to work 6 days a week (fulltime)
1 year sales experience (fulltime)
Relevant product knowledge

If you meet the requirements email me at isaiah@maestroguitars.com with a short write up of yourself. Only shortlisted candidates will be notified

New Shipment of Alhambra Guitars in.

Hello,

The new shipment of Alhambra Guitars have arrived. We have the popular 4p, 5p, 7c, 7p, 8p, 10p and 11p (all with hardcase) in stock. And also the 1c, 2c and 3c (with 8mm padded bag). We also brought in flamenco models, the 3f(bag) and the 7fc(hardcase).

All prices are nett. (this is a non-discountable product for members) i have attached some videos of the more popular models for your viewing pleasure. (there is a rendition of Nirvana's smells like teen spirit in the 8p video!) :)enjoy!

Regards,
Isaiah

3c



8p



10p



11p (my Favourite!)

Blueridge Guitars are in.

Hello,

We have just received our latest shipment of blueridge guitars. Models like the BR-60 (dreadnaught), BR-183 (000) and BR-361 (parlour) are all available. All prices are nett. (maestro members get 5% off) and all guitars come with hardcases. For a limited time, we will offer a free basic set up. (terms and conditions apply) i have attached some videos of the above-mentioned guitars for your viewing pleasure. :)

Regards,
Isaiah

BR-60



BR-361



BR-183

K&K Pick Ups.

Hi,

Here is a brief overview of the K&K pickup models that we carry. Will post reviews/videos as soon as i can source them out.

Regards,
Isaiah

Twin Spot Internal ( $129 with installation)


The Twin Spot Internal is a twin-head piezo transducer that is designed for internal mount in acoustic guitars and other instruments.

The twin-head system has distinctive advantages towards the single-head transducer: The positioning at 2 spots results in a more balanced sound structure. The frequency range is broader. The small heads with only 1/2" diameters allow an unobtrusive installation. In addition, small areas at the instrument can be reached.

The Twin Spot Internal comes with an endpin jack for internal mount. The jack can be mounted from the outside so no soldering is necessary.

Pure Mini ($220 with installation)



The Pure Mini is a passive system for steel string guitar, with three pickup heads and an endpin jack. It is a transducer system only and does not include a battery or on-board electronics. Don't be fooled by the sound of some competitors' "thin sounding" passive systems--the Pure Systems are definitely different. They sound full and rich and have sufficient output to drive most amps and PA systems directly!

We recommend the Pure Mini pickups for all acoustic guitars as a first choice. Direct installation with superglue gel is required for optimum performance but the system is still removable without damaging the guitar (you may damage the pickup though).

This pickup system will fit ANY steel string acoustic guitar! It features super balanced, flat sound transmission, warm woody tone without any quack and superior dynamic range all over the guitar's frequency spectrum. This pickup won the silver medal in the 2006 worldwide readers' poll of Acoustic Guitar Magazine. Our customers tell us that the Pure Mini's output is louder than any other passive pickup on the market.

Pure Classic ($270 with installation)



The Pure Classic is passive system for classic guitar, with four pickup heads and an endpin jack. It is a transducer systems only and does not include a battery or on-board electronics. Don't be fooled by the sound of some competitors' "thin sounding" passive systems--the Pure Systems are definitely different. They sound full and rich and have sufficient output to drive most amps and PA systems directly!

Installing the Pure Classic



The Pure Classic is designed to be installed with superglue for optimum sound transmission. For the players who do not wish to do this we also supply a special extra thin double stick tape for peel-and-stick removable installation. Pickups mounted with this tape require a preamp. The peel-and-stick installation cuts off a little bit at both the low and high end plus the output is reduced by about 30% compared to the superglue installation.

Pure Archtop ($180 with installation)


The Pure Archtop is a twin-head transducer with cable harness and endpin jack. It includes a 2' feeder wire for easy installaion and all necessary installation materials. It is ideal for natural and true to your instrument amplification of Archtop and Jazz guitars.

The Pure Archtop can be combined with a magnetic pickup via a Dual Channel Pro ST preamp. The included stereo endpin jack is wired to the tip terminal so that a magnetic system can be wired to the ring terminal (or vice versa - technical know-how and soldering is required!). This combination will give exceptional life and brilliance to the guitar's sound and is, in our opinion, the ultimate in high class jazz guitar amplification.


Pure Maccaferri ($180 with installation)



The Pure Maccaferri is a twin-head piezo transducer for internal installation in Maccaferri guitars. This pickup sounds very natural and is, in our opinion, the most true-sounding solution to amplify a Maccaferri guitars on the market today.


The Pure + Pre-Phase combines a Pure pickup with the Pre-Phase Minatue Pre-Amp




The Pre-Phase provides truly astonishing sound quality. The signal path is very direct and we use only close tolerance grade A components. This means no loss of harmonics. The addition of the phase switch is one of the most important tools for live sound amplification of any acoustic instrument.
The light weight of the Pre-Phase will not affect the acoustic tone of your instrument, and the battery life is 500+ hours, which equals about 1 year on average use.
The volume control wheel allows for convenient adjustment during performance. With the Pre-Phase you should be able to plug your acoustic guitar into any amp or PA directly. Simply use the EQ on the amp or Mixer channel to adjust your tone:
Your unplugged acoustic guitar resonates in a given phase. The amplified sound needs to match this phase! Out of phase sound feedbacks, has phase cancellations on some notes and sounds quacky and tinny overall. Phase problems cannot be sufficiently solved with EQ. Any amp/PA/effect-unit/preamp may or may not flip the phase, the only way to be sure that your guitar is in phase with the amp-sound is a phase switch in your signal chain! In our opinion a phase switch is the #1 control for any amplified acoustic
The endpin-jack can be easily mounted from the outside so no soldering is necessary.
All Pure Pick up models (mini. classic, archtop and macferi) are available with the K&K Pre-Phase Minature Preamp at an additional $135

UltraPure Mini ($350 with installation)



The UltraPure Mini is an active system for steel string guitar. It comprises a three-head bridge plate pickup, an onboard preamp with soundhole access, an endpin jack, and a Velcro mounted 9-volt battery holder. The pickup is based on our time-tested Pure Mini, which excels at amplifying the natural tone of your guitar. The UltraPure Preamp offers precise 3 band EQ as well as a gain control to finetune bass, mid, treble and gain.

Our goal was to build an acoustic guitar transducer system that does not sound as harsh and percussive as the common state-of-the-art saddle transducers do. We were looking for a warmer, more "microphone-like" tone with the ability to achieve the high-gain-before-feedback characteristics of saddle pickups. After thorough testing we concluded that surface transducers positioned directly underneath the bridge inside the guitar body represent the ideal solution by yielding an excellent response from the guitar top, while minimizing feedback problems.

Installing the UltraPure Mini



Installing the preamp requires no destructive alteration to your instrument. The preamp is mounted inside the guitar at the edge of the soundhole, using a super-strong neodymium magnet (that is attached to your guitar with Velcro), giving you convenient access to the volume slider during performance. Just pull the unit out a bit and adjust the EQ and gain trimpots with a miniature screw driver. This needs to be done only once to perfectly balance your guitar in respect to the amplification system you are using.
The 1/2" diameter Mini pickups will fit ANY steel string acoustic guitar. Direct installation with superglue is required for optimum performance but the system is still removable without damaging the guitar (you may damage the pickup though).


UltraPure Classic ($399 with installation)



The UltraPure Classic is an active system for nylon string guitar. It comprises a four-head bridge plate pickup, an onboard preamp with soundhole access, an endpin jack, and a Velcro mounted 9-volt battery holder. The pickup is based on our time-tested Pure Classic, which excels at amplifying the natural tone of your guitar. The UltraPure preamp offers precise 3 band EQ as well as a gain control to finetune bass, mid, treble and gain.

Our goal was to build an acoustic guitar transducer system that does not sound as harsh and percussive as the common state-of-the-art saddle transducers do. We were looking for a warmer, more "microphone-like" tone with the ability to achieve the high-gain-before-feedback characteristics of saddle pickups. After thorough testing we concluded that surface transducers positioned directly underneath the bridge inside the guitar body represent the ideal solution by yielding an excellent response from the guitar top, while minimizing feedback problems.


What are the advantages of the Pure pickups over undersaddle pickups?

The special Pure surface transducers transmit a significant portion of the soundboard because they are not as close to the strings as an undersaddle pickup. An undersaddle pickup mostly amplifies the sound made by the guitar strings. There will not be much difference in sound if you play a cheap $50 guitar or a handcrafted $5,000 instrument. With the Pure Western pickups, not only are each of the three transducers designed to pick up a specific string pair, but they also "listen" to the sound of your soundboard. The transducer elements are not under pressure and therefore do NOT sound percussive or harsh or quacky no matter if you play hard or soft. The Pure Western reproduces all strings nicely balanced. Undersaddle pickups often have problems with string-to-string balance. Unlike undersaddle pickups which passively often sound thin and trebled-only, the passive Pure Western puts out a nicely balanced, warm, full range signal.

Some disadvantages of undersaddle pickups:

•Hard, percussive tone, because it is under high pressure.
•Picks up mostly strings and hardly any sound from the soundboard.
•Chance of unbalanced individual string-loudness can result in work-intensive balancing procedure.
•Needs special preamp to compensate for the hard sound.

How safe are the Pure pickups with feedback?

Due to the location on the bridge plate under the bridge, feedback resistance is comparable to undersaddle transducers, though the under-the-saddle pickups still have the edge here. Technically, a pickup installed in or on the bridge plate is a lot less likely to feedback than one which is attached to the open sound board. The 1/8" (or less) thin sound board can act like a diaphragm and vibrate along with loud sound-signals from speaker cabinets. This is the kind of booming low end feedback you experience on an acoustic guitar. The thicker bridge area is a lot harder to be set into vibration from an outside source simply because of its mass. In our tests with both, steel string and classic guitars equipped with an under-saddle pickup plus a Pure pickup, we were able to achieve about the same gain-before-feedback with both systems, but of course an under-saddle pickup with their very "direct" and string driven tone cuts better through a loud mix.

customer review on sd1 leftie and belcat gt-5

Sean Wee with a stagg cajon demo.

Errik Wong on the ED2 with an original song.

my good friend and maestro ambassador Errik Wong on an ED2. :) enjoy.

-isaiah

HEY ROCKERS.... Something for you lot...

demo of stagg s350



demo of a stagg bc300bk.



demo of stagg double bass.



demo of stagg cymbals

Wanted Seasoned Acoustic Guitar Players!

Hello all,
we are looking for 6 seasoned acoustic guitar players to test out and review a new product. you will get to keep the product after the review. interested parties please email me @ isaiah@maestroguitars.com cheers!

Spider Capo Demo!

hey guys an amazing demo of the spider capo. check out the hinging and unhinging action through the song. cool stuff.
-isaiah

Equator 2010 Model.

Hi all,

Please check out our new equator model for this year. it features a new bracing technique that will improve overall tone. it retails with a hardcase @ S1099 but will not be part of our current custom/masterclass sale. Limited pieces as with our Victoria model. So hurry down whilst stock last.

Regards,

Isaiah

Guitar of the month: FEB

EA2 (usual price s$599)
Detailed Specifications

Top: Solid Sitka Spruce Grade A+
Back: Ovangkol
Sides: Ovangkol
Neck: Nato
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Nut: Cow Bone
Saddle: Cow Bone
Machine Head: Grover Chrome
Finishing: Natural, Matt
Truss Rod: Double Action
Body-Neck Joint: Bolt-on
String Length: 650mm
Fret Board Marker: 4mm Pearl
Fret Board Side: 2mm marker
Body Shape: Grand Auditorium
Bracing: X-Bracing
Pickguard: NIL
Bridge: Rosewood
Strings: D'addario Strings EXP16

PROTEGE GUITARS ARE IN STOCK.

Hi all,

sorry for the long wait, the protege dg1032($149) and dg1032ce($199) guitars are now in stock. all guitars come with cases.

cheers,
Isaiah

Bodies and necks at 50% Discount.

Hi,
Strat copy bodies and necks at Zen Guitarwerkz are now at 50% discount. Do come down and take a look. While stocks last.

Cheers.

Discount on Customs and Masterclass!

Hi,

We will be having a store-wide discount of 10% for all the custom and masterclass guitars. Members get an additional 5% off the discounted price. Whilst stocks last.

Regards,

Isaiah

Graphtech: Low-cost, High-Value Upgrades!

We all love our guitars, and we are constantly looking to improve it and maximise its potential. And for me, one ideal avenue for fulfilling that need is through Graphtech.

Graphtech's guitar part upgrades are all about the concept of 'high-value with low-cost'; upgrades that will bring out the maximum potential of your guitar, without burning a big hole in your pocket.

So if you are looking to realise all the untapped potential of your guitar and make it play, feel and sound better, then it would be worth exploring what Graphtech has to offer.

STRING-SAVERS

The Graphtech String-savers are basically high-quality replacement saddles and whole bridge assemblies for your guitar. They are made with a unique combination of materials made to enhance tone and dramatically reduce string breakage.

How do they work?

A string resting on a metal saddle binds and locks the string in place. As the string vibrates, it stresses the string on a very specific point producing metal fatigue and then string breakage. Each String Saver saddle is impregnated with Teflon, the slipperiest substance on earth. The Teflon in String Savers eases the grip between the saddle and string spreading the stress over a greater portion of the string just enough to drastically reduce string breakage. Teflon is 500% more slippery than graphite and is impregnated throughout the String Saver material, so its lubricating properties will never wear out. For string breakage reduction the difference is dramatic. Strings that last and last, no matter how hard you play.

What do they sound like?

Metal saddles have a pronounced 2 KHz treble spike that dominates the tonal spectrum. String Saver Originals have a more balanced tone with sizzling highs, full mids, and big open lows. You will also notice an increase in sustain by up to 25% over brass saddles and 15% over steel.

- Reduces string breakage

- Increases sustain

- Improves midrange depth

- Super lubricating

- Improves tuning

- Corrosion resistant

TUSQ: MAN-MADE IVORY

For the guitar nut, bridge-pins and saddle, exotic materials such as ivory, bone, horn and even fossilised mammoth ivory are much sought after by guitar enthusiasts all over.

Think of the nut and saddle as the direct conduits between your strings and your guitar, in a nutshell, you want the maximum transference of the strings' vibrations to the body.

And because bone and ivory are very hard, they transfer the vibrations a lot better than cheaper materials such as plastic which are much softer, which tend to dampen the vibrations of the strings, thereby affecting your tone detrimentally.

However, the problem with organic materials such as bone and ivory are that they are not consistent, and they sometimes have dead spots in them. This is where Graphtech's TUSQ comes in; they retain the hardness and tonal qualities of ivory but without the inherent problems of these organic materials. So you get to enjoy the rich, crystal clear bell-like high end and big open low-end of ivory without all the hassle.

- Laboratory-proven to enhance harmonic content (up to 200%)

- Engineered for maximum vibration transfer.

- Used by the world's finest guitar manufacturers.

- Consistent quality from piece to piece

- Laboratory-proven to enhance harmonic content (up to 200%)

- Engineered for maximum vibration transfer.

- Used by the world's finest guitar manufacturers.

- Consistent quality from piece to piece and within each piece.

- No flat or dead spots that can be found in bone or ivory.

- Easy to work with - can be filed and sanded; will not chip or flake.

Phil

Preview to the 2010 series

Here's a peep at what we are cooking in the cauldron for the 2010 range. Trust me, you will be tempted. *slurp

B-Stock Clearance at Zen Guitarwerkz.

Hi,
there are still a few B-Grade guitars available at Zen Guitarwerkz. These guitars didn't pass our QC standards and have a few blemishes/dings, depending on the model. And have no warranty. But they still sound good.

They are:

Protege C120 @ $249 (Minor cosmetic flaw)

Protege C120 @ $249 (Couple of dings on the top)

Iberia @ $510 (2007 model. No cosmetic flaw)

Francisco Bros B10N @ $480 (A ding on the top)

Torres @ $699 (Ding at the side of the guitar)

Artista @ $699 W/ BBand A3TY ('08 model)

SD2 @ $220 (Light scratches on top of guitar)

ED-3s @ $499 ('06 model. Few stains at the side of the fretboard.)

EJ-3 @ 499 ('05 model. Glue stains beside the fretboard.)

Cheers.

New Prices.

Hello,

I would like to to wish everyone a Happy 2010!!! New prices have kicked in. All guitars now come with bags as requested by you! thanks for your continued support.

Regards,

Isaiah

Guitar Of The Month JAN:

ED-1

The entry level model for our solid tops, the ED-1 is the archetype for a solid top guitar; nice projection, great volume and tone. Compared to our laminated Standard Series, the difference in overtone content would be quite apparent. For players who want a biting, strong sound.

Detailed Specifications

Top: Solid Sitka Spruce Grade A

Back: Mahogany

Sides: Mahogany

Neck: Nato

Fingerboard: Rosewood

Nut: Cow Bone

Saddle: Cow Bone

Machine Head: Grover Chrome

Finishing: Natural, Matt

Truss Rod: Double Action

Body-Neck Joint: Bolt-on

String Length: 650mm

Fret Board Marker: 4mm Pearl

Fret Board Side: 2mm marker

Body Shape: 41" Dreadnought

Bracing: X-Bracing

Pickguard: NIL

Bridge: Rosewood

Strings: D'addario Strings EXP16