Maestro Alex Gregory

Maestro Alex Gregory

Maestro Alex Gregory is a UK-born heavy metal guitarist, mandolinist, luthier, composer and inventor associated with instrumental progressive metal, heavy metal and neo-classical metal. His work is strongly shaped by influences including Ritchie Blackmore, Allan Holdsworth and Ian Akkerman. He is also described as a musical inventor and a “guitar god” among peers.

Electric mandolins and instrument design

Gregory spends around a decade advocating electric mandolins and becomes increasingly focused on the instrument in the early 1990s. His first electric mandolin is an old Fender Mandocaster that previously belongs to Sam Bush. He later designs his own mandolins, beginning with a model similar to the Mandocaster, then creating an Explorer-style mandolin, a matching mandola, an octave mandolin and a mandocello. These are built as one-offs by Gibson.

He also holds a patent for a 7-string electric guitar design. After moving further into mandolin design, he develops the Pentasystem, a family of five-string instruments from bass to mandolin, all tuned in fifths. Gregory argues that fifths provide the best intonation for stringed instruments. The Pentasystem is briefly licensed to Schecter and later to B. C. Rich, with some early prototypes resembling B. C. Rich guitars. His later design is closer to the Fender style. Fewer than a hundred hand-built Pentasystem instruments are sold, and the system does not succeed commercially.

Recordings

Gregory’s 1991 CD Paganini’s Last Stand features a cover image of him holding an electric mandolin beside graves marked for Steve Vai and Yngwie Malmsteen. His recording 13 Jokes for Heavy Metal Mandolin showcases both the instruments and his playing, while Bach on Steroids reflects a classical influence. He continues to work on guitar-related projects alongside his mandolin work.