Jake Bowen made his way to DiMarzio a few years ago and hit the stage with the Titan humbucker set. I’m glad he did. Having checked out some of what he was using previously, Jake’s signature DiMarzio Titan set is much more defined, versatile and… well, just… better.
This Titan neck model works very well with the Titan bridge, as well as offering a very productive contrast. Middle position tones are excellent for a backing rhythm with a dirty amp. That same middle position with a clean amp is very nice for chords and single note lines…and I’m talking about regular series wiring. I generally find I have to go to a split or parallel wiring for clean tones that meet my needs, especially on a pickups with specs like the Titan…but not so in the middle position, or the neck position.
In a neck-only standalone environment, the Titan neck can be big and punchy and authoritative. Working your way down to the low end of the neck will reveal a deep voicing that remains defined. I like that the mids walks along the fine line of a traditional neck voicing, but seems to strut more toward a clarity more than some of the “honk” that many neck models have. The high end really is a lead player’s stomping ground, with a firm presence and a nice bite.
On a clean amp setting, the Titan neck commands a lush, rich vibe that has a transformative depth. Although up in the 10k resistance territory, the more moderate output allows a wider range of right hand dynamics without breaking up. When in parallel wiring, the clean tones are a little more chimey, articulate and focused.
DiMarzio is cool enough to include an allen wrench for pole adjustment. I also dig that they include normal and Phillips screw sets for overall height adjustment….other manufacturers, please take note. lol! Back to the point, the Titan set are both really sensitive to pole piece adjustments. Tread lightly, if your path leads that direction…maybe a 1/4 turn at a time.
Overall, the Titan set is a well-voiced and versatile set. A lot of ground can be covered with either an adjustment in picking style or a couple of small tweaks to amp settings. While I personally like a bit more constraint in the low end of the neck position, there’s enough punch in the Titan neck to keep things happening. I’ve checked out several of the pickup sets across a few brands associated with the different Periphery guitarists. The way things stand, the Titan set from DiMarzio is the one that I’d suggest.
series – 10.52k
split – 5.09k
split – 5.43k
parallel – 2.63k
T – 5.5
M – 6.0
B – 5.5
280mV output
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Darth Phineas is a long time music industry insider who provides his readers with unbiased reviews on musical instrument and guitar gear. You can read more of his reviews and check out industry news on his Facebook community Darth Phineas, Twitter or his website is darthphineas.com
