The Maestro Titan Boost is a clean boost pedal, part of the second wave of five pedals Gibson's revived Maestro brand released in November 2022, alongside the Arcas Compressor Sustainer, Orbit Phaser, Agena Envelope Filter and Mariner Tremolo. It provides over 25dB of clean boost, enough to push the front end of a tube amp into overdrive, and its two tone controls work in two distinctly different modes. It listed for $159 at launch1234.
What it does
The Titan Boost is a booster, not an overdrive: the pedal itself stays clean, and the gain comes from hitting your amp harder. GuitarPlayer's Art Thompson described it as a pedal that will "give your guitar signal a girthy boost of 25dB or more to overdrive the front end of a tube amp"1. Pedal of the Day likewise describes it as providing over 25dB of clean boost2. Used more gently, it can simply lift a solo above a band mix; MusicRadar's demo of the second-wave Maestro pedals, with Matt Webster of Let's Play All playing, found it also handles "a great blues punchy blues tone too"7.
Controls
The pedal keeps things simple: a level-style output, two tone-shaping knobs and a mode switch. The Tone control is a variable low-pass filter, working like a traditional tone control, and the HPF is a variable high-pass filter that cuts low frequencies below an adjustable point65.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Tone | Variable low-pass filter, functions as a traditional tone control62 |
| HPF | Adjusts the high-pass filter, cutting low frequencies63 |
| High Pass/Flat switch | Selects between Flat mode and Hi Pass mode1 |
Delicious Audio summed the layout up as "a Tone knob and a High Pass filter"8.
Flat mode and Hi Pass mode
The High Pass/Flat switch is what sets the Titan apart from a one-knob booster. In Flat mode the pedal simply adjusts tone and level. In Hi Pass mode it operates with the HPF knob, so you can shape the tone by cutting lows as well as rolling off highs: GuitarPlayer's review points to uses such as taming single-coil shrillness or eliminating humbucker low-end muddiness1.
Art Thompson's verdict: "The Titan is a very capable boost pedal that gives you two distinctly different ways to shape your tone"1.
Price and where it sits
The Titan Boost listed for $159 when the second wave of Maestro pedals was announced in November 20224. gearnews reported a Thomann price at launch of $108.00 / £98.00 / 111.00€3, and Gibson's own product page currently lists it at £115 including VAT for UK buyers9.
For players comparing boosters, one related pedal is the JPTR FX High Voltage TITAN Boost, a separate pedal inspired by the TITAN amp, with fully adjustable Low and High EQ curves and an additional gain knob10. For more on the type, see Boost Pedals.
Videos
Pedal of the Day
gearfever
American Musical Supply
Questions
How much gain does the Maestro Titan Boost add?
The Titan Boost provides over 25dB of clean boost. GuitarPlayer's Art Thompson described it as giving your guitar signal a girthy boost of 25dB or more, enough to overdrive the front end of a tube amp. It is a boost rather than an overdrive: the gain comes from pushing your amp harder, not from a distortion stage in the pedal itself.
What does the HPF knob do on the Maestro Titan Boost?
The HPF knob adjusts a variable high-pass filter, which cuts low frequencies below a chosen point. GuitarPlayer's Art Thompson noted it is handy for tone shaping, such as taming single-coil shrillness or eliminating humbucker low-end muddiness, while the Tone knob works as a regular variable low-pass filter.
What is the difference between Flat mode and Hi Pass mode?
In Flat mode the Titan simply adjusts tone and level. In Hi Pass mode the pedal operates with the HPF knob, so the high-pass filter comes into play and you can shape the tone by cutting lows as well as rolling off highs with the Tone control.
Is the Maestro Titan Boost a clean boost or an overdrive?
It is a clean boost. Pedal of the Day describes it as providing over 25dB of clean boost, and it is classed as a boost pedal. It can drive a tube amp into overdrive by hitting its input hard, but the pedal itself does not add distortion.
How much does the Maestro Titan Boost cost in the US?
The Titan Boost listed for $159 when the second wave of Maestro pedals was announced in November 2022. Gibson's own product page currently lists it at £115 including VAT for UK buyers, and gearnews reported a Thomann price of $108.00 / £98.00 / 111.00€ at launch.
Sources (10)
- Maestro Agena Envelope Filter, Arcas Compressor Sustainer, Mariner Tremolo, Orbit Phaser and Titan Boost Reviews, GuitarPlayer (www.guitarplayer.com), 2023-01-05
- Maestro Orbit, Pedal of the Day, 2022-12-07
- Maestro releases second wave of effects pedals, gearnews.com, 2022-11-08
- Filter, tremolo, phaser and more: Maestro launches five new pedals, Guitar.com, 2022-11-08
- Gibson Expands Maestro Pedal Line with 5 New Models, Premier Guitar, 2022-11-08
- Maestro Knocks Out Another Batch of Classic Analog Stompboxes, GuitarPlayer, 2022-11-09
- It sounds like Gibson's new Maestro pedals are good for grunge and alt rock tones, MusicRadar, 2022-11-09
- 5 New Maestro Pedals, Delicious Audio, 2022-12-06
- Maestro Titan Boost, Gibson (www.gibson.com)
- JPTR FX High Voltage TITAN Boost, JPTR FX
