 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Musical instruments |
| Founded | 2004; 22 years ago (2004)[1] |
| Founder | Ho Zen Yong[2] |
| Headquarters | , |
| Products | Steel-string acoustic andclassical guitars,ukuleles |
| Website | maestroguitars.com |
Maestro Guitars is aguitar manufacturing company based inSingapore. It is best known for creating custom-madeacoustic guitars andukuleles. The founder is Ho Zen Yong, a former Singapore Management University (SMU) graduate.[2] Their instruments are used by professional Italian musicianFranco Morone and were also used by guitarist Paul Ponnudorai.[3]
The founder of Maestro Guitars, Ho Zen, started off learning how to fix guitars in his father’s piano shop.[4] In 2004, he improved his guitar-making skills by learning them from an Englishluthier Chris Horton, in Goa. He further understudied with the famed Ervin Somogyi in 2015 in a bid to increase the responsiveness of his guitars.[2] Upon his return in 2006, Ho Zen started Maestro Guitars Singapore's workshop in Kaki Bukit.[2][4]
The company's name, Maestro, was inspired by theSpanish word of the same spelling which translates to mean "master". In music, a "maestro" refers to someone who is a master in his art, especially a composer, conductor or music teacher.[citation needed]
In 2015, Maestro Guitars launched two new acoustic guitar models and showcasing a few models from their Double Top Series and Island Series ukuleles at theNAMM Show.[5]
Maestro Guitars is best known for its custom-made guitars. The guitars are handcrafted in a 100% humidity controlled facility to ensure its stability and dependability.[6] They also use new technology such as the flame-resistant material,Nomex, to craft their guitars.[2][7]
The company is presently looking to expand to Asian countries such as Hong Kong and Malaysia. Their products are also available in Australia, Belgium and France.[2]
The company works with various companies to provide materials for their custom-made guitars, such asElixir Strings,Grover Musical Products andd'Addario.[citation needed]
