I have a Marshall code 50, at first I was influenced by videos like this one that made me feel I had purchased the wrong amp but after having it for a while I managed to get great sounds, and have never malfunctioned
I have the Code 100 head and 1 cab and I love it but I think it's a pain in the ass to use so I'm lazy and I only have a couple GREAT settings....I gotta get some help to get more sounds....I had a few of the smaller Katana amps and I REALLY DON'T like them.....
I agree with you 100 percent. I came to find that most of the people with negative comments never even owned the amp or spent any time trying to fidget with it
@@dRk419 my buddy has the marshal code at our shop and I played it for about a month straight,his also crashed a handful of times, Marshall doesn’t have a long experience with modeling unlike boss. It has some good points and has some nice low end but can get pretty muddy and it has a lot of preset slots, but I found myself only really liking the jcm800 setting which is not a bad thing because you can’t go wrong with a jcm800 tone for that price. The other down side is how digital the marshal sounds to me at times. It sounds like a modeler. I ended up going with a katana mk2 in the end because of the better panel options. I didn’t need all those preset slots and I liked how the Katana felt more like it’s own amp and less like a modeler and also had that old 5150 tone ( I always regretted selling my peavey years ago) I also liked the panel options and effects far more then the marshal which the katana has far more of. Both take some tweaking to really get a good sound but since I also use synths through the katana I found it a better option with all the boss pedals at your disposal, it’s size,power and it only cost me $150 used. They are both great budget friendly amps and it’s always a matter of taste to each person. But for the price tag and the accessibility I went with the katana.
@@MSNGR415 At near the top of your comment, you say "Marshall doesn't have a long experience with modeling, unlike Boss". I'm new to guitar and amps, and I was just wondering what do you mean when you say "modeling"? I need to understand what that is, in the music industry, thanks.
This has got to be one of THE BEST comparison of these 2 amps Ive seen and heard. Most of the videos Ive come across here are more of a "look what I can do" rather then what the comparison Im looking for. Nice job, thank you.
LOL Ok THE best! It has tremendously, and youre welcome. Ive been looking for a smaller amp to take places (my buddies house) and had heard a Katana at a guitar shop in montana. Was pretty impressed but Ive always wanted a Marshall so...….. I poked around and got frustrated with the comparisons until I'd found yours. Only difference is I'm looking at the Code 100 2x12
Cool, thanks for the help. By the way, I love the way you flip back and forth between amps playing the same thing on the fly over and over again. That's what really makes a difference. Thanks again! Peace
A deciding factor for me were the foot switches. As far as I could tell, the katana offered an A and B bank switch for a total of 4 saved tones to switch among. My Marshall has I believe 10 banks of 3 for 30 saved tones. And by stepping and hold any of the 30, you enter a mode that allows you to turn off and on the distortion, modulation and reverb settings for that 1 tone. More like a true pedal board. That versatility sold me over the katana. Been happy with the code 50 for over a year.
In the early 90s, Marshall sponsored my band which meant they let us borrow gear and return it at the end of our 2 week tour of UK. I got a full Stack that went to 20(Nigel Tufnel edition) and someone had taken a black Sharpie and drawn lines on the gold plates for the sweet spot. So much fun to push so much air 1st night my ears were ringing. By the third night they stopped ringing. :0
I tested the two for 2 hours side by side and ended up buying the katana 50, the katana is plug n play, the simulations are cool to feel the breakup of the speaker in the simulations clean and crunch and much definition and gain in the Brown and Lead channel , in the Code 50 test in some simulations it demands more time to regulate, and it seemed to me to have more scooped average like the DSL, but has an incredible power looks like a amp of greater power, I enjoyed the simulations of vintage amps and the American od and JVM , in DSL I did not get to good sound. Overall conclusion is 2 amps very cool!
Had the Code 50 for a while, and just traded it in 3 days ago for the Katana 100. The Code sounded good for the most part but the katana so far sounds great. I'm happy that I traded.
The Code 50 I have sounds nowhere near that muffled. It did take a few days for the speaker to break in though. And the noisegate has to be below 2.5 even on high gain tones or it sounds muffled and loses definition. It is a bit boomy and directional though. I have a Spider V60 too which is quite good for general purpose practice and works well as a computer speaker. The ASIO drivers mean you can use it with VST's like Scuffham and amplitube too. In the end, just when the Katana came out, I tried one and just bit the bullet and got a small 1x12 tube amp. (Wifes surprise Birthday present) costs 3x as much with a couple of good pedals, so not cheap. But blows all the modeling stuff away. Even if the modeling amps sound good in recordings, they don't feel as good to play. If you can't afford or don't want a tube amp. The Katana is probably a good bet for budget modeling. You don't really need a ton of presets, just 3-4 good ones will get you through most genres with minimal fiddling.
Adrian Tysoe hi Adrian, thanks for your input. I did spend a lot of time playing with the marshall outside of this video and I still experienced problems. Maybe mine was a lemon? Who knows. I can only say that I didn't like it. The noise was completely open on both amps
I have both of these amps. I personally prefer marshall code. You can't get any good sounds from it if you work on it for like 30 minutes. But Katana would give you the sound you want in a few minutes. However if you work on marshall for like 2 hours, it'll totally crush Katana. It takes some time to get the sound but when you get it only an original marshall amp could defeat it. So if you're in a hurry or just want to plug and play Katana is the right amp for you but if you want to take your time and experiment with your sound, like me, Marshall is the right amp. After like 2 hours or even more I got a killer stoner sound from Marshall that only a real JVM could defeat.
Got the code 50... fiddling with the presence / resonance is pretty important to give it the mid/high range it needs to sound lively, even with the big cab emulation on. Got very good tones once I realized that.
I bought the Katana after trying a lot of 100 watt transistor amp's including Fender and Marshall it really does deliver and the price doesn't matter it's not just good value for money it sounds as good as any amp I've tried.
Just bought the Katana 50 2 days ago - its versatility, its ability to surprise with its subtle and not so subtle nuances, surprises me each time I play. It really allows each different guitar and each different pick up setting to stand out from one another, just as they should. I have lots of guitars, including a 2013 Fender American strat, but my go-to guitar is a simple Yamaha PAC012 Pacifica. When I play the bridge and the middle single pickups together on my Mustang II, I get a muddy sound that's nowhere good enough to be a humbucker sound. However, I can use this setting with the Katana 50 amp and get syrupy smooth and edgy tones that are really rewarding. Keep the vibrato up on the high end of the nexk, and the note will just keep ringing like a bell until you decide to stop. The Mustang II will expose your guitar's deficiencies by causing the note to embarrassingly fade away before it should. One the other hand, the Mustang II is quite a forgiving amp, in that it can mask playing that's not so perfect, which is great for most players, including me. The Katana exposes every note - it will reward the best players but brutalize the amateurs! Also, why no tuner on the Katana? Surely it was not to save money!
I have had the marshall code 50. It's wonderful. You can record on your pc with it also. Somehow the marshall just sounds better and has more to it. Also the phone app is really great.
I've got a Marshall Code 25 and have found some interesting findings. First, the built in speaker is pretty horrendous. Many people, even in this video, have commented that the Marshal is bassy, even mushy. There are 2 things going on here. First, nearly all of the default patches have too much bass on them. Second, the low mids on the stock speaker are pretty poor. I switched out the stock 10" on the Code 25 with a $45 Jensen speaker and there's a world of positive difference. Much of the woofiness goes away, and mids open up and sound livelier. Second, some of the higher gain models on the Marshall do have digital artifacts. These are reduced with the speaker change as well as they seem to manifest most prominently around the low mids and bass. Third, I also experienced several times when I saved a patch and the sound dropped out. So, giggable? No way. Reboots solved the issue, but there's really no excuse Marshall. Fourth, the Plexi and the JCM800 models on the Marshall are worth the price of the amp alone. They are spot on, and neither of those models manifest much in the way of artifacts. The DSL model, by contrast, is nearly unusable at higher gain settings because of artifacting. In fact, most of the time if I need a high gain sound, I take the JCM800 model and add in the Marshal G'uvnor pedal emulation that is stock in the Code in front of it. Even for clean sounds I wind up going back to the Plexi at a low gain setting. The fact that I can get real Plexi-esque sounds and not peel paint is very appealing at the Code's price point. Fifth, despite its flaws, I keep the Code around because it is a very good recording tool. I use the emulated headphone out to record into my DAW. The sound coming out is very good compared to many competing modeling amps (I've had most of them), and waaaaay better than the Code's USB interface, which I only use for modding patches. Last, the FX are of middling quality. But, the parameters are easily editable, and they are easily good enough for practicing. When I record, I do it dry and add FX in post, except for a bit of the spring reverb in the Code which I leave on all the time.
Hey Peter thanks for your input! The plexi was my favourite but I was disappointed by all the others. I really didn't like the sound of the speaker apart from on the clean tones. Ultimately, having the sound drop out when I saved a patch is unforgivable and leads me to believe that some of these digital amps have too much tech in them. The Katana however, seems to have just enough but not too much.
Best comparison between amps I’ve seen online yet. Using a looper is a brilliant idea. I’m not sure where I land between the two amps yet, especially based on other’s comments, but nonetheless a great video that helps us all have a better understanding. Thank you!
A comparison between the Boss Katana Artist 100 and the Marshall Code 100 would be a great contribution using the way you do these great videos. Thanks a lot for your comparisons which are the best in UA-cam
Hey guys I got the code 50 and within 25minutes returned it for the Boss.. I don't regret it at all. Some presets are cool, The Marshall is a bit tech savy with android and iOS with it, but it's definitely more of a beginners amp. Sounds very boxed compared to the Boss. Save up an extra $60 for the boss. Go to 6:15 to help with your decision.
You can't touch the Katana in clarity department, and it's more obvious in distorted sound. The Code sounds muffed with too much low midrange. Another easy win here :) I don't think there is a better buy than Katana 100 under 300,00 EUR at this point, maybe the Vox Vtx100 or a Peavey Bandit Red Stripe are the only competitors. Nice big muff sounds!
Fabio Rocks the Katana just keeps on going man. I'm using it at a rehearsal next week, it's going up against a couple of valve amps. I expect another win
I find the Marshall better for British dirty sound, but anything else, the Katana wins. And if you want the British sound without breaking the bank, surely an Orange solid state will give more bang for the buck than the Marshall...
I got a Code 50 recently, so it might be a newer production with those bugs and issues fixed. Works like a charm. Still figuring out how to get the tones I need but there is A LOT of options to play around with.
This is the first of your reviews I've watched and I just loved it. I like the straightforward style and that there's no screaming hyped-up crazy person in front of me trying to get my attention.
I can do crazy, hyped up! Nah, I'll leave it ;) thanks very much. I do get excited but I can't contain myself sometimes. I won't lie for the camera though. More on the way!
The Marshall with the Washburn sounded pretty good, but for all the other loops the Katana sounded better to me. Thanks for putting this comparison out.
Anyone wanting to buy a CODE, mine is a 25. I heartily recommend it.The updated Firmware and App (2022/3) made me love it for the first time ! Go for creativity, experiment.All the cabs and amps are great.
i was surprised when i saw this video! Ive tried them both in store and the marshall sounded light years better! Dude 6:30 how did you even get the marshall to make that sound? Even the volumes are completely different! Anyway, i liked your video just thought after playing the code myself, i couldnt get a bad tone out of it and like i said, i thought of it as a few steps up from the boss
@@mattesb4281 yes i agree now as a friend has a katana and its much better than previously thought, i still believe this guy somewhat sabotaged the marshall tones for the comparrison (free boss amp maybe?) I say that because these guys know their shit and it would actually take effort to make that marshall sound that shit. That being said the boss probably did trump that code 50
@@mattesb4281 just an update on the kitana if your interested (if you own one) i watched a gig sat night and the guy (who i know)struggled big time to get his to be heard in the mix, i even tried to help him, this thing is loud enough it just doesnt seem to have any push power, just cant cut through a mix, have you experienced this?
I must say that after testing these two models IN PERSON, I actually liked the Code more. Mic'd amp reviews can be very misleading for someone who will never really mic an amp while playing it. On the other hand, I stand by my viewpoint that the Marshall Code is mainly for those who enjoy the Marshall type sound. The Marshall Code forum had an official post stating that the software will be updated to version 2 shortly so it might be nice to revisit this review when it is released.
On the cleans there's a few minor difference, but on the distortions, the Katana crushes the Marshall. The Marshall sounds all "tinny" like you're listening to it through a telephone.
Marshall modelled their own amps as accurately as they could. They have always been well known (some might say notorious) for tending to have muffled sounds. That's why Jimmy Page, Rory Gallagher, and thousands of other guitarists used Treble Booster pedals from the 60s onwards. I think the best thing about the Code 100W Head, which I've used, is being able to select the classic Marshall sounds of a JTM45, JCM800, 1959 Plexi or 1962 Bluesbreaker, and experiment with all the 14 different preamps, 4 power amps and 8 cabinet models. The inbuilt effects are not great, so to get the best effects, as with using real classic amps, then use your favorite pedals such as a Tubescreamer, Big Muff, Rat, and / or your choice of Overdrive, Delay, Reverb, Phaser, Flanger, etc., not forgetting a good Germanium-loaded Treble Booster too!
Honestly, most of the differences are a minor EQ’ing away from each other. They both sound pretty good to me. The Boss sounds like it needs a bit more low-to-mid boost and the Marshall a bit more mid-high. Otherwise, you’d be happy with either IMO. The Boss does have some impressive features though. Especially with the Tone Studio.
Awesome video. Its helped a lot in choosing my first guitar amp. I was pretty sold on the katana already because of the amazing reviews, but wanted to find out how it compared to a marshall in the same price range because of how much recognition they get, and the code reviews have been good as well. So thank you!
Marshall is selling like hot cakes for a reason. It does Marshall very well and some surf too. I was skeptical but the 50 was so cheap I jumped ............. its awesome ! its great at heavy sounds and clean too.Gain Can be controlled by volume on guitar which is important
I had a Marshall code 50 and sold it and now i have a Katana Head 100 Mk2. Much easier for me to change sounds and the dedicated footswitch is far better than the Code series from my point of view. Some users on YT and internet feels that this Marshal Code series are not real Marshall. I don't know. But Katana series embedded much more kind of amps from acoustic to heavy brown. It is more easy to change for me. And the bluetooth capability of the Code series is a plus but the app is ugly for me. Thanks for this video. Cheers
That's a good idea. I'd recommend everyone to do that. To be fair, I'd make the proposal to make something like a paid channel or personal service for gear collectors or so. From my point of view you can do that easily. And of course only the best for your business!
The Marshall CODE requires a LOT of tweaking and then it will sound great! Katana is more a plug in and play amp whereas the marshall is a actual Modeler. it can sound really good.
The software included really adds to the versatility of the katana. The amp's given presets aren't what are being pushed in marketing, it's the software that allows you to make the sound your own. I own the 100w and damn, it sounds awesome. But to my ears, it only sounded awesome after tweaking thru the pedals, fx, and included noise gate of the software (just to name a few things).
+Guitargeek, I was stating a fact that IF you really want to get a good tone from a CODE it needs a lot of tweaking whereas the Katana does not require as much fiddling with. I can get the CODE to sound amazing but i would have to go into the software and dial things in that amps panel does not have onboard. The Katana has more on panel control
I have a Katana Artist Mk2 and a Code 100 head with the Marshall SV 2-12 vertical bottom I'm always " drawn to the Marshall." The Marshall is more musical and easy to get good sounds dialed in as where the Katana sounds flat and dull, I could go on but that's enough for now .
You should listen with your ears and not with your harth. I love Marshall too, but in this case, Boss sounds mutch better, in my humble oppinion. Cheers from Portugal 🤘🍺🇵🇹
Katana 100, it's a great clean for the price of a pedal. A bit flat on the nose, and not glassy at all, but I run the front end full on and the master fairly low. Makes my tele round and bright. The effects are a bit amateurish but I just plug in a couple of strymons (Blue Sky and Deco)and the amp puts saturation in the fingertips. After 30 years of spending on tubes and service repairs, it's very nice to have a great clean for such modest money. My other amps are a Red Plate Black Verb, Magnatone 260 all original from 1962, Fender Super Champ 1982 and a daily use Fender BassBreaker 15 with the EL84's. BTW the Marshall to my ear just sounds like crap. Thanks for the vid.
in my opinion the marshall is better. But it depends on what kind of music you like. I just think that the boss is too shrill and aggressive. the marshall feels warmer and bluesy
I'm just responding to the sound conveyed over this UA-cam video. To my ears, the Katana sounded live; the Marshall sounded like I was listening to a recording. It had that canned sense to it, like the sound was inside the speaker rather than "out here."
Negative.... I mic' mine up at practice and have used it at gigs before the shit virus hit and if you know how to run levels through a mixing board properly it's more than enough.
@@Pewtooyou yeah. I use in open spaces. Now in my country U can play live with restrictions. And with a 91009 pedal is a keeper. I'm thinking on sell my vox ac15c1. Too heavy. And have to use pedals. I know that it's a struggle to set a good sound in the code. But for me it's fun. I don't use the fx. Jtm45, plexi, and jcm800. 1936, 1960v or 1960hw
I think the main problem with modelling amps is how they are developed. The Marshall, as I say, is developed by Softube. The Fender Mustang GT isn't really a Fender (although I can't remember who designed the amp computer). The Vox VT and Boss Katana have an edge in that they are designed wholly by their own parent companies (Korg and Roland respectively) so the amps are built as one unit from ground up, rather than in modules by different companies
i have both a Marshall code 100 combo and a Boss katana artist combo. I just can't get a nice sounding patch with the Marshall. I've tried getting rid of the cab emulation, messed around with the settings, but it keeps sounding harsh, even with the treble turned down completely. The Boss on the other hand sounds sweet. Yes, it has fewer memory slots but it makes that up with a sweet sound. I'd recommend a katana every time.
I think the Katana's speaker is a full range speaker that gets an eq cut applied when not on the acoustic channel, it might be dropping out all the bass, probably why it can be adjusted in software. By the way did you scribble on the headstock of your Washburn HB?!
For buyers considering these 2 options, worth considering the BOSS GT-1 too. The sound is as dynamic (it was released as the same time as Katana) and way smaller and has more effects. You need to BYOS(peaker) but it might not be a bad thing considering how many we probably got lying around the house. That whole product category deserves more love.
When I first started jamming with a bass player, other guitar players and a drummer, I noticed the scooped sound I liked on my amp was getting drowned out. Emphasizing the mids using the parametric equalizer solved that problem. It was a strat copy through a Fender Super Twin Reverb. So in retrospect, I believe most any amplifier can be tweaked and therefore useful.
Theres something cute about a 50 year old asking his wife to buy him an affordable amp for his birthday. Obviously nothing wrong with that. Kinda sweet
Sorry I don't agree. All the sounds from the katana to me sound thinner and not full enough. Just a sound preference I think. I enjoy my code 50 and wouldn't sell it for anything. No I don't work for Marshall. I just love the sound of my amp.
Hey Doug. It's really great when one finds the tone they love. I couldn't find it with the Code 50 but I miss my blues breaker dearly. I will get another one soon.
Music-Man No, not out of the box. I've seen UA-cam vids that show it being done though, you may need to change the internal speaker ( which I did by default to a veteran 30 ) and go for the 8ohm instead of the 4 that's in it. Then you could drive a second 8ohm speaker, do some research first though to make sure your comfortable with how speakers work etc.
While I understand that this is an out of the box comparison, a speaker change on the code 50 makes a noticeable improvement. After doing some research I went for the Warehouse Veteran 30 4ohm, this really improves the code 50 sound. I'm sure the same would apply to the Katana too.
I was looking for a new combo amp in the 200-500 dollar range! I tried lots of different amps out including the Marshall code 50 and I liked some of the tones but it didn't really sound that great at band volume! I've always been and still am a Marshall fan! Best amp I ever owned was a Marshall JCM 800 from the 1980's! I ended up buying a Boss Katana 100 2/12 it has the best solid state tone that I've ever heard ! Even at high volume levels! You could definitely use this amp in a band! I'm very impressed with it ! Way to go Boss!!!!!!
Hey! You're right. When I bought the Marshall code I found it a little disappointing at first, not being able to bring out the tones I wanted. But with the application that comes with it I've learnt my way through. I believe I can totally bring out tones you demonstrate on the Marshall equally good if not better than the Katana. Yes it's true it's more work on Marshall but it can actually do much better than your demo here. The flaw with Marshall is that it gets you a choice paralysis.
That's a good point. I'd love to spend more time with the Marshall but I really don't believe it should be a fight to dial in good tone. The code also crashed a few times and that's just not acceptable. I hope they have rectified that in the latest updates.
A bit more bass on Katana and would be an easy fix so not sure comparison is accurate. To be fair guitar geek does mention issues with marshall and likes the Katana and Marshall has some weird phase warbling going on. Keep pushing Katana it's a great amp and love my valve amps but saving on tubes a great bonus. Had fender mustang and its fizzy but Katana is natural. If Boss can keep improving on this tech they are on to a long term winner. Bought 100 combo but suspect 50w could gig ok but 100w is plenty loud enough for any drummer.
First off, great video. Secondly, I think a lot of players are missing what Marshall was trying to do with this line of amps. Ive owned and played everything from the 80s Bandit to Mesa duel and triple recs. Im a bit out of the loop since I dont gig or tour much any longer. Anyways..... Marshall designed this amp with not only the 15 year old bedroom rocker in mind, but also those of us that still wanna hear and feel the power of a 100 watt amp and a 4x12. With that being said, this is much better than any thing I had when I started playing guitar back in 1991. Its loud, inexpensive and lets us relive our rock star dreams. As far as the sound goes, its a marshall. The modeling is spot on, the effects are...... O.K. but the response is amazing. I plugged my 2002 PRS McCarthy in and the amp was like butter. would I gig with it? No! But its a great amp to practice with. As far as the BOSS K goes, I found it lack luster in sound, tone and Feel.
Hard Rock to Jazz. I found that the cab modeling got muddy with anything other than the 1x12. Im a fan of solid state cleans. they are more consistent and fluent. I picked this amp up over an AVT since it was more versatile.
I still do not understand what was compared to what. Katana has one tone, the Сode has a bunch of amps and preamps and cabinets, so you can get any sound you want, even Katana :). For lazy plug in and play - Katana, for any sound you want - Code. I do not see any superiority of Katana in this "comparison"
Obviously the tones you can get from one of the amps were compared to the ones that you can get from the other. Really not that hard to understand. Reliability was tested, as the Marshall freaked out a couple of times, whereas the katana does not have to deal with that
Artec619 man, I understand, but In the code there is no such thing as a clean, a crunch, an overdrive. There emulation of different channels of different amplifiers and the sound of the same crunch depends on what you choose for comparison Plexi, Bluesbreaker, Crunch American or something else, they all sound differently with the same settings. Can for example crunch on Katana sound differently with the same EQ settings, that's the question. I do not see any more sense of wasting time among the fans of Katana, I think when comparing the Katana against any amplifier in this world always will be "Katana wins" 😁
You are thinkin of it as a direct comparison, and it's really not. He is not comparing how close to a proper Marshall any of the two amps sounds, or how similar they do sound between them. He is comparing what can they do in a similiar situation/style and stating his opinion. If you had to have the exact same conditions and options and parameters on any 2 amps to compare them you'd be lost. Following your logic I'd say "there's no point in comparing a Fender to a Marshall, because this specific Fender amp doesn't have a drive channel" when that is a BIG point of comparison. And then you could also compare the clean sounds, but well, that's expected. Im not even a fan of the Katana (haven't got my hands on it) but seeing how it seems to be the best in its category and how it has such a low pricepoint I'm thinkin about buying it.
Since the Marshall code only focuses on Marshall amps, wouldn’t it be better to compare how both amps match up to the original sound of Marshall amps? If someone doesn’t really like Marshall amps, it may be hard to like the code. Just a thought...
I've since picked up the Marshall code 100 combo, you should review if possible, as the 100 has an effects loop and a speaker out option. BTW, the combo is a 2 x 12.
With the Code 100 Combo, being a 2 x 12, one does need to turn the little beggar up. IMHO no amp sounds good at 'bedroom level', not even a tube amp. Plus for the Code, the stock presets are exactly that, stock presets. One needs to roll up the sleeves and get in there and perform some tweaking. Granted, it's not as straight forward as some other amps, but technology is like that. It progresses. I also have an issue how you actually did get such a bad sound from that Code, did you really try in improve it at all? I'm just chucking a Gibson Flying V through my Code 100 combo and my sound is just excellent IMHO, also my band mates think the same.
I tried the code in store for about one minute after the katana and it sounded really digital and pod like. Like a first gen pod through an amp. The katana sounded great. I didn't really like the tones in the video, but we reached the same conclusion. The katana can totally fool me for being a tube amp if I was blindfolded, where the code quickly breaks down once distortion is added. With light break up it sounds good, but the katana's break up is amazing.
It's a pretty simple end result... If you like "Marshall", get the Code 50. You can mic it up live, but on stage/rehearsal it'll get lost in the room sound. The Katana will cut through nicely, mic'd or not, and will give you pretty much everything else except "Marshall" tone. And if you upgrade the speaker, or get the Artist, you'll have an amp that's superior to some of the low/moderate tube amps out there.
Thinking of a getting a Boss amp. I've been playing guitar for 3 years now and I have a Squier Bullet Mustang. I painted the pick guard black on it because I wanted it to match a Stratocaster I saw at Guitar center.
Yip, I have the Katana 100 combo (and many valve amps)..... and what a lovely little peach of an amp. I'm not in a band right now, but suspect the Katana would perform admirably. I'm really intrigued by the Katana 2x12.... I wonder if that would sound even better....
I've seen those videos but as they are trying to sell something, I am skeptical about whether the videos can be trusted. One of the reasons I started this channel.
Eduardo Simoes i buy this mp yesterday, mainly because in my country you dont have many options and i got a very good price, i will try it, and i'll tell you. Stay in tune!
Man, I wish I had send this video yestraday. I just order a the code 100 head and I was considering the katana but at the last moment I decided to get the Marshal. I always wanted a marshall amp but I own the GT6 boss multi effects processor before and I was very pleased with that I should have just stayed with the boss LOL
if marshall to you sounds better first download this video and then listen to it and if after that too marshall is good then go for suicide or ear check up hahahah every marshall that is not tube sucks so much because i have one it has no capacity for solos clean is good no break heavy metal only rythm is good dont ever think of solos or something that is good sounding
I have both these amps and the Marshall sounds way better. It has a nice big, room filling sound. My Katana is the 100/212 and it just sounds like a small cab with no warmth to it.
Great video! I was split between the two, but ended up buying the Marshall yesterday. I was having the similar thoughts to the ones you expressed in the video while playing around with it today. I'm going to trade it in for the katana for sure.
I have a Marshall code 50, at first I was influenced by videos like this one that made me feel I had purchased the wrong amp but after having it for a while I managed to get great sounds, and have never malfunctioned
I have the Code 100 head and 1 cab and I love it but I think it's a pain in the ass to use so I'm lazy and I only have a couple GREAT settings....I gotta get some help
to get more sounds....I had a few of the smaller Katana amps and I REALLY DON'T like them.....
You have purchased the wrong amp...
I agree with you 100 percent. I came to find that most of the people with negative comments never even owned the amp or spent any time trying to fidget with it
@@dRk419 my buddy has the marshal code at our shop and I played it for about a month straight,his also crashed a handful of times, Marshall doesn’t have a long experience with modeling unlike boss. It has some good points and has some nice low end but can get pretty muddy and it has a lot of preset slots, but I found myself only really liking the jcm800 setting which is not a bad thing because you can’t go wrong with a jcm800 tone for that price. The other down side is how digital the marshal sounds to me at times. It sounds like a modeler. I ended up going with a katana mk2 in the end because of the better panel options. I didn’t need all those preset slots and I liked how the Katana felt more like it’s own amp and less like a modeler and also had that old 5150 tone ( I always regretted selling my peavey years ago) I also liked the panel options and effects far more then the marshal which the katana has far more of. Both take some tweaking to really get a good sound but since I also use synths through the katana I found it a better option with all the boss pedals at your disposal, it’s size,power and it only cost me $150 used. They are both great budget friendly amps and it’s always a matter of taste to each person. But for the price tag and the accessibility I went with the katana.
@@MSNGR415 At near the top of your comment, you say "Marshall doesn't have a long experience with modeling, unlike Boss". I'm new to guitar and amps, and I was just wondering what do you mean when you say "modeling"? I need to understand what that is, in the music industry, thanks.
The Code is a great amp but you need to turn off the speaker emulation if you're using the built in speaker.
This has got to be one of THE BEST comparison of these 2 amps Ive seen and heard. Most of the videos Ive come across here are more of a "look what I can do" rather then what the comparison Im looking for. Nice job, thank you.
ONE of the best??? 😎
I hope it helped and thank you so much
LOL Ok THE best! It has tremendously, and youre welcome. Ive been looking for a smaller amp to take places (my buddies house) and had heard a Katana at a guitar shop in montana. Was pretty impressed but Ive always wanted a Marshall so...….. I poked around and got frustrated with the comparisons until I'd found yours. Only difference is I'm looking at the Code 100 2x12
HA HA HA! 😆😆😆
For a small amp to take around, I would take the katana 50 for sure
Cool, thanks for the help. By the way, I love the way you flip back and forth between amps playing the same thing on the fly over and over again. That's what really makes a difference. Thanks again! Peace
A deciding factor for me were the foot switches. As far as I could tell, the katana offered an A and B bank switch for a total of 4 saved tones to switch among. My Marshall has I believe 10 banks of 3 for 30 saved tones. And by stepping and hold any of the 30, you enter a mode that allows you to turn off and on the distortion, modulation and reverb settings for that 1 tone. More like a true pedal board. That versatility sold me over the katana. Been happy with the code 50 for over a year.
In the early 90s, Marshall sponsored my band which meant they let us borrow gear and return it at the end of our 2 week tour of UK. I got a full Stack that went to 20(Nigel Tufnel edition) and someone had taken a black Sharpie and drawn lines on the gold plates for the sweet spot. So much fun to push so much air 1st night my ears were ringing. By the third night they stopped ringing. :0
Boss is more clean but I personally prefer the Marshall sound
I tested the two for 2 hours side by side and ended up buying the katana 50, the katana is plug n play, the simulations are cool to feel the breakup of the speaker in the simulations clean and crunch and much definition and gain in the Brown and Lead channel , in the Code 50 test in some simulations it demands more time to regulate, and it seemed to me to have more scooped average like the DSL, but has an incredible power looks like a amp of greater power, I enjoyed the simulations of vintage amps and the American od and JVM , in DSL I did not get to good sound. Overall conclusion is 2 amps very cool!
Had the Code 50 for a while, and just traded it in 3 days ago for the Katana 100. The Code sounded good for the most part but the katana so far sounds great. I'm happy that I traded.
You made the right choice Tracey. Best amp in the price range at the moment
Shoulda got a code 100🤷🏼
@@isaiahaldridge2824 Nah
So, 4 years later, what did you trade the Katana on??
@@TheGuitarGeek Katana is the Boss
I enjoy my code 50 and its my favorite practice amp for home and for concert it do a nice work
The Katana is great amp for the money..... Top of it class in Price and Tone! I love mine. Katana Powah!!!!
Absolutely. I expected more from this Marshall. It's not bad at all but I really feel the Katana is better.
Could you use it on live presentations?
I have a code 50 and it’s amazing 😂I mean the presets aren’t the best but once you tweak it’s amazing.
I think Marshall did a firmware update that helped a lot.
i am also happy with my own code 50 :D
I know I'd use these two amps completely different than you would.
CODE is not worth so much money. It sounds awful.
@@PaleCaretaker its under 200 bucks. absolutely worth it, given its versatility
The Code 50 I have sounds nowhere near that muffled. It did take a few days for the speaker to break in though. And the noisegate has to be below 2.5 even on high gain tones or it sounds muffled and loses definition. It is a bit boomy and directional though.
I have a Spider V60 too which is quite good for general purpose practice and works well as a computer speaker. The ASIO drivers mean you can use it with VST's like Scuffham and amplitube too.
In the end, just when the Katana came out, I tried one and just bit the bullet and got a small 1x12 tube amp. (Wifes surprise Birthday present) costs 3x as much with a couple of good pedals, so not cheap. But blows all the modeling stuff away. Even if the modeling amps sound good in recordings, they don't feel as good to play.
If you can't afford or don't want a tube amp. The Katana is probably a good bet for budget modeling. You don't really need a ton of presets, just 3-4 good ones will get you through most genres with minimal fiddling.
Adrian Tysoe hi Adrian, thanks for your input. I did spend a lot of time playing with the marshall outside of this video and I still experienced problems. Maybe mine was a lemon? Who knows. I can only say that I didn't like it. The noise was completely open on both amps
I have both of these amps. I personally prefer marshall code. You can't get any good sounds from it if you work on it for like 30 minutes. But Katana would give you the sound you want in a few minutes. However if you work on marshall for like 2 hours, it'll totally crush Katana. It takes some time to get the sound but when you get it only an original marshall amp could defeat it. So if you're in a hurry or just want to plug and play Katana is the right amp for you but if you want to take your time and experiment with your sound, like me, Marshall is the right amp. After like 2 hours or even more I got a killer stoner sound from Marshall that only a real JVM could defeat.
I have to disagree but it would be a terrible world if we all thought the same thing.
Only you can decide that
If you got such a good sound you should upload it so that others don't have to spend 2 hours trying to make it and can just download your preset
That's a damn fine idea
Jesus 2 hours. I would wanna buy an amp like that just based on design principle alone. Good design m8s, thats where its at.
Got the code 50... fiddling with the presence / resonance is pretty important to give it the mid/high range it needs to sound lively, even with the big cab emulation on. Got very good tones once I realized that.
I bought the Katana after trying a lot of 100 watt transistor amp's including Fender and Marshall it really does deliver and the price doesn't matter it's not just good value for money it sounds as good as any amp I've tried.
John Carlo I totally agree man. Feels like I stole mine
Just bought the Katana 50 2 days ago - its versatility, its ability to surprise with its subtle and not so subtle nuances, surprises me each time I play. It really allows each different guitar and each different pick up setting to stand out from one another, just as they should. I have lots of guitars, including a 2013 Fender American strat, but my go-to guitar is a simple Yamaha PAC012 Pacifica. When I play the bridge and the middle single pickups together on my Mustang II, I get a muddy sound that's nowhere good enough to be a humbucker sound. However, I can use this setting with the Katana 50 amp and get syrupy smooth and edgy tones that are really rewarding. Keep the vibrato up on the high end of the nexk, and the note will just keep ringing like a bell until you decide to stop. The Mustang II will expose your guitar's deficiencies by causing the note to embarrassingly fade away before it should. One the other hand, the Mustang II is quite a forgiving amp, in that it can mask playing that's not so perfect, which is great for most players, including me. The Katana exposes every note - it will reward the best players but brutalize the amateurs! Also, why no tuner on the Katana? Surely it was not to save money!
I have had the marshall code 50. It's wonderful. You can record on your pc with it also. Somehow the marshall just sounds better and has more to it. Also the phone app is really great.
how is for fender telecaster?
Really dig the jazzy piece around 2:53, or so! Bravo ‼️
Thank you!
i feel like these amp reviews dont do justice though, ive played through both and i think they both sound amazing in my opinion
Trust me I’ve had more amps than guitar offcenter, The Katana kicks major ass.
Nah
@@sway5719 Yeah
I've got a Marshall Code 25 and have found some interesting findings.
First, the built in speaker is pretty horrendous. Many people, even in this video, have commented that the Marshal is bassy, even mushy. There are 2 things going on here. First, nearly all of the default patches have too much bass on them. Second, the low mids on the stock speaker are pretty poor. I switched out the stock 10" on the Code 25 with a $45 Jensen speaker and there's a world of positive difference. Much of the woofiness goes away, and mids open up and sound livelier.
Second, some of the higher gain models on the Marshall do have digital artifacts. These are reduced with the speaker change as well as they seem to manifest most prominently around the low mids and bass.
Third, I also experienced several times when I saved a patch and the sound dropped out. So, giggable? No way. Reboots solved the issue, but there's really no excuse Marshall.
Fourth, the Plexi and the JCM800 models on the Marshall are worth the price of the amp alone. They are spot on, and neither of those models manifest much in the way of artifacts. The DSL model, by contrast, is nearly unusable at higher gain settings because of artifacting. In fact, most of the time if I need a high gain sound, I take the JCM800 model and add in the Marshal G'uvnor pedal emulation that is stock in the Code in front of it. Even for clean sounds I wind up going back to the Plexi at a low gain setting. The fact that I can get real Plexi-esque sounds and not peel paint is very appealing at the Code's price point.
Fifth, despite its flaws, I keep the Code around because it is a very good recording tool. I use the emulated headphone out to record into my DAW. The sound coming out is very good compared to many competing modeling amps (I've had most of them), and waaaaay better than the Code's USB interface, which I only use for modding patches.
Last, the FX are of middling quality. But, the parameters are easily editable, and they are easily good enough for practicing. When I record, I do it dry and add FX in post, except for a bit of the spring reverb in the Code which I leave on all the time.
Hey Peter thanks for your input! The plexi was my favourite but I was disappointed by all the others. I really didn't like the sound of the speaker apart from on the clean tones.
Ultimately, having the sound drop out when I saved a patch is unforgivable and leads me to believe that some of these digital amps have too much tech in them. The Katana however, seems to have just enough but not too much.
Best comparison between amps I’ve seen online yet. Using a looper is a brilliant idea. I’m not sure where I land between the two amps yet, especially based on other’s comments, but nonetheless a great video that helps us all have a better understanding. Thank you!
GuitarGeek, well done, this is really really good content, thanks for doing such excellent videos.
Jesus the heavy tone around 6:20 coming from the Marshall is absolutely awful!
The amp is malfunctioning at that point. The Marshall did this a few times.
TheGuitarGeek yeah, I read the banner on the screen just before it.. but Christ it's just so horrible lol
James Colohan it was even worse in the room with it
Yes, yes it was... wow
Sounds like a MIDI
A comparison between the Boss Katana Artist 100 and the Marshall Code 100 would be a great contribution using the way you do these great videos. Thanks a lot for your comparisons which are the best in UA-cam
Thanks Javier. I will see what i can do
The Katana sounds real thin.
Hey guys I got the code 50 and within 25minutes returned it for the Boss.. I don't regret it at all. Some presets are cool, The Marshall is a bit tech savy with android and iOS with it, but it's definitely more of a beginners amp. Sounds very boxed compared to the Boss. Save up an extra $60 for the boss. Go to 6:15 to help with your decision.
You can't touch the Katana in clarity department, and it's more obvious in distorted sound.
The Code sounds muffed with too much low midrange. Another easy win here :)
I don't think there is a better buy than Katana 100 under 300,00 EUR at this point, maybe the Vox Vtx100 or a Peavey Bandit Red Stripe are the only competitors. Nice big muff sounds!
Fabio Rocks the Katana just keeps on going man. I'm using it at a rehearsal next week, it's going up against a couple of valve amps. I expect another win
Fabio Rocks I don't think the Marshall was correctly tuned.
its the closed back on the marshall....but it can be eq'd to not be mushy at all....I know I have two of them
I find the Marshall better for British dirty sound, but anything else, the Katana wins. And if you want the British sound without breaking the bank, surely an Orange solid state will give more bang for the buck than the Marshall...
That's a good shout on the orange!
I got a Code 50 recently, so it might be a newer production with those bugs and issues fixed. Works like a charm. Still figuring out how to get the tones I need but there is A LOT of options to play around with.
That code has some character. The opening bit with hendrix....the code hell yeah
This is the first of your reviews I've watched and I just loved it. I like the straightforward style and that there's no screaming hyped-up crazy person in front of me trying to get my attention.
I can do crazy, hyped up! Nah, I'll leave it ;) thanks very much. I do get excited but I can't contain myself sometimes. I won't lie for the camera though. More on the way!
Omg I was trying to compare these two amps to see which one to buy. I think I might go with the marshall code :)
I think you shouldn't
look at most of the comments and make a decision. I think you should. great buy and youll be happier. TheGuitarGeek is wrong
Most of the comments?
get the Katana artist. I just took mine to band practice and I/band thought it rocked. Much lighter than my old tube amp too.
What a awesome review
I believe that the Marshall sounds quite muffled whereas the Katana sounds very clear but still lacks a bit of low end.
SomeGuyNamedErnest I agree totally. In a situation with other musicians, the Katana just sounds right though
Good review, and you equalized as much as you could between the with features, speakers, etc. Very helpful. Thank you!
Thanks very much
1:20 WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CODE 50
thanks for your review,keep them coming.
You're welcome :)
The Marshall with the Washburn sounded pretty good, but for all the other loops the Katana sounded better to me. Thanks for putting this comparison out.
Hey Isaac. I agree. I really enjoyed playing the Washburn through the Marshall. I though it may have been its saving grace.
Anyone wanting to buy a CODE, mine is a 25. I heartily recommend it.The updated Firmware and App (2022/3) made me love it for the first time ! Go for creativity, experiment.All the cabs and amps are great.
i was surprised when i saw this video! Ive tried them both in store and the marshall sounded light years better!
Dude 6:30 how did you even get the marshall to make that sound? Even the volumes are completely different! Anyway, i liked your video just thought after playing the code myself, i couldnt get a bad tone out of it and like i said, i thought of it as a few steps up from the boss
I think there must be a problem with your ears. Or the Katana you've tested was damaged. The Katana wipes the floor with this Marshall...
@@mattesb4281 yes i agree now as a friend has a katana and its much better than previously thought, i still believe this guy somewhat sabotaged the marshall tones for the comparrison (free boss amp maybe?)
I say that because these guys know their shit and it would actually take effort to make that marshall sound that shit.
That being said the boss probably did trump that code 50
Lmao same, I tried the Marshall and sound like heaven
@@mattesb4281 just an update on the kitana if your interested (if you own one) i watched a gig sat night and the guy (who i know)struggled big time to get his to be heard in the mix, i even tried to help him, this thing is loud enough it just doesnt seem to have any push power, just cant cut through a mix, have you experienced this?
I must say that after testing these two models IN PERSON, I actually liked the Code more. Mic'd amp reviews can be very misleading for someone who will never really mic an amp while playing it. On the other hand, I stand by my viewpoint that the Marshall Code is mainly for those who enjoy the Marshall type sound. The Marshall Code forum had an official post stating that the software will be updated to version 2 shortly so it might be nice to revisit this review when it is released.
IslandSoundz Do you know if has been updated yet?
On the cleans there's a few minor difference, but on the distortions, the Katana crushes the Marshall. The Marshall sounds all "tinny" like you're listening to it through a telephone.
The Katana has more dynamic range. I really need to try the Code with the new firmware
Marshall modelled their own amps as accurately as they could. They have always been well known (some might say notorious) for tending to have muffled sounds. That's why Jimmy Page, Rory Gallagher, and thousands of other guitarists used Treble Booster pedals from the 60s onwards. I think the best thing about the Code 100W Head, which I've used, is being able to select the classic Marshall sounds of a JTM45, JCM800, 1959 Plexi or 1962 Bluesbreaker, and experiment with all the 14 different preamps, 4 power amps and 8 cabinet models. The inbuilt effects are not great, so to get the best effects, as with using real classic amps, then use your favorite pedals such as a Tubescreamer, Big Muff, Rat, and / or your choice of Overdrive, Delay, Reverb, Phaser, Flanger, etc., not forgetting a good Germanium-loaded Treble Booster too!
Honestly, most of the differences are a minor EQ’ing away from each other. They both sound pretty good to me. The Boss sounds like it needs a bit more low-to-mid boost and the Marshall a bit more mid-high. Otherwise, you’d be happy with either IMO. The Boss does have some impressive features though. Especially with the Tone Studio.
Awesome video. Its helped a lot in choosing my first guitar amp. I was pretty sold on the katana already because of the amazing reviews, but wanted to find out how it compared to a marshall in the same price range because of how much recognition they get, and the code reviews have been good as well. So thank you!
so what did you buy at the end? if you bought the code 50, have you had any technical issues so far?
Marshall is selling like hot cakes for a reason. It does Marshall very well and some surf too. I was skeptical but the 50 was so cheap I jumped ............. its awesome ! its great at heavy sounds and clean too.Gain Can be controlled by volume on guitar which is important
I had a Marshall code 50 and sold it and now i have a Katana Head 100 Mk2. Much easier for me to change sounds and the dedicated footswitch is far better than the Code series from my point of view. Some users on YT and internet feels that this Marshal Code series are not real Marshall. I don't know. But Katana series embedded much more kind of amps from acoustic to heavy brown. It is more easy to change for me. And the bluetooth capability of the Code series is a plus but the app is ugly for me. Thanks for this video. Cheers
mmm ... why don't you show the equalization of each amplifier? I just played the Marshall just like the katana.
Outstanding work dude, this saves me a tons of time. Thx & regards.
You're welcome. Maybe you could join my patreon and help me justify the time I spent
That's a good idea. I'd recommend everyone to do that. To be fair, I'd make the proposal to make something like a paid channel or personal service for gear collectors or so. From my point of view you can do that easily. And of course only the best for your business!
Thanks! I haven't sorted out the rewards properly but I'm at www.patreon.com/TheGuitarGeekYT
The Marshall CODE requires a LOT of tweaking and then it will sound great!
Katana is more a plug in and play amp whereas the marshall is a actual Modeler.
it can sound really good.
Sounds like you're trying to be positive here. Are you?
The software included really adds to the versatility of the katana. The amp's given presets aren't what are being pushed in marketing, it's the software that allows you to make the sound your own. I own the 100w and damn, it sounds awesome. But to my ears, it only sounded awesome after tweaking thru the pedals, fx, and included noise gate of the software (just to name a few things).
+Guitargeek, I was stating a fact that IF you really want to get a good tone from a CODE it needs a lot of tweaking whereas the Katana does not require as much fiddling with. I can get the CODE to sound amazing but i would have to go into the software and dial things in that amps panel does not have onboard. The Katana has more on panel control
I have a Katana Artist Mk2 and a Code 100 head with the Marshall SV 2-12 vertical bottom I'm always " drawn to the Marshall."
The Marshall is more musical and easy to get good sounds dialed in as where the Katana sounds flat and dull, I could go on but that's enough for now .
The boss sounds digital and the Marshall sounds ....Marshall.
You should listen with your ears and not with your harth. I love Marshall too, but in this case, Boss sounds mutch better, in my humble oppinion.
Cheers from Portugal 🤘🍺🇵🇹
@@portuguesebeer5069 hellyeah
How to spot a biased comment: he praises the brand, not the details.
@@joaoaugustolandim How to spot a half wit with negative aspirations.
@@vaughanpower4538 Was it a self roast? Damn. I respect that.
Katana 100, it's a great clean for the price of a pedal. A bit flat on the nose, and not glassy at all, but I run the front end full on and the master fairly low. Makes my tele round and bright. The effects are a bit amateurish but I just plug in a couple of strymons (Blue Sky and Deco)and the amp puts saturation in the fingertips.
After 30 years of spending on tubes and service repairs, it's very nice to have a great clean for such modest money. My other amps are a Red Plate Black Verb, Magnatone 260 all original from 1962, Fender Super Champ 1982 and a daily use Fender BassBreaker 15 with the EL84's.
BTW the Marshall to my ear just sounds like crap.
Thanks for the vid.
in my opinion the marshall is better. But it depends on what kind of music you like. I just think that the boss is too shrill and aggressive. the marshall feels warmer and bluesy
I'm just responding to the sound conveyed over this UA-cam video. To my ears, the Katana sounded live; the Marshall sounded like I was listening to a recording. It had that canned sense to it, like the sound was inside the speaker rather than "out here."
that Code will be drowned in a band mix - does not sound like a guitar amp
Spot on
Negative.... I mic' mine up at practice and have used it at gigs before the shit virus hit and if you know how to run levels through a mixing board properly it's more than enough.
@@Pewtooyou yeah. I use in open spaces. Now in my country U can play live with restrictions. And with a 91009 pedal is a keeper. I'm thinking on sell my vox ac15c1. Too heavy. And have to use pedals. I know that it's a struggle to set a good sound in the code. But for me it's fun. I don't use the fx. Jtm45, plexi, and jcm800. 1936, 1960v or 1960hw
I think the main problem with modelling amps is how they are developed.
The Marshall, as I say, is developed by Softube.
The Fender Mustang GT isn't really a Fender (although I can't remember who designed the amp computer).
The Vox VT and Boss Katana have an edge in that they are designed wholly by their own parent companies (Korg and Roland respectively) so the amps are built as one unit from ground up, rather than in modules by different companies
I'd say the Marshall has a bigger sound while the katana has a more dynamic sound
i have both a Marshall code 100 combo and a Boss katana artist combo. I just can't get a nice sounding patch with the Marshall. I've tried getting rid of the cab emulation, messed around with the settings, but it keeps sounding harsh, even with the treble turned down completely. The Boss on the other hand sounds sweet. Yes, it has fewer memory slots but it makes that up with a sweet sound. I'd recommend a katana every time.
I honestly think the Katana is a bit...thin and lifeless sounding? I own neither but have played through a katana. Just an unbiased opinion!
Hi Craig, I agree with you that it lacks bottom end but it sounds amazing in a band situation.
I thought the same thing...the Marshall sounds fuller, has more balls!
I think Rev 2.0 of katana’s software allows for speaker resonance tuning, that way you could adjust bottom end a little bit...
I think the Katana's speaker is a full range speaker that gets an eq cut applied when not on the acoustic channel, it might be dropping out all the bass, probably why it can be adjusted in software. By the way did you scribble on the headstock of your Washburn HB?!
I am pretty sure it's not full range....
Nope the washburn is scribble free
I just bought the Kata Artist Mark 2 and I must say I love it. What a fabulous amp.
Is there really any comparison? Only takes a few seconds or maybe I am biased but I really enjoy the sounds of the Marshall.
Your ears worry me
For buyers considering these 2 options, worth considering the BOSS GT-1 too. The sound is as dynamic (it was released as the same time as Katana) and way smaller and has more effects. You need to BYOS(peaker) but it might not be a bad thing considering how many we probably got lying around the house.
That whole product category deserves more love.
You're spot on there!
Marshall sounds really nice, killer headroom.
But I like the Katana better.
When I first started jamming with a bass player, other guitar players and a drummer, I noticed the scooped sound I liked on my amp was getting drowned out. Emphasizing the mids using the parametric equalizer solved that problem. It was a strat copy through a Fender Super Twin Reverb. So in retrospect, I believe most any amplifier can be tweaked and therefore useful.
It’s good to have beliefs
The Marshall just sounds flat all the way around. I'm glad I asked the wife for the Katana 212 for my 50th birthday.
Congrats Tommy. The Marshall is not a bad amp but the Katana outperforms it for sure.
Theres something cute about a 50 year old asking his wife to buy him an affordable amp for his birthday. Obviously nothing wrong with that. Kinda sweet
Thank you mate! For being honest! Appreciate it. Maybe you should do a comparison between the Fender GTX 100 and the BOSS Katana 100.
Sorry I don't agree. All the sounds from the katana to me sound thinner and not full enough. Just a sound preference I think.
I enjoy my code 50 and wouldn't sell it for anything. No I don't work for Marshall. I just love the sound of my amp.
Hey Doug. It's really great when one finds the tone they love. I couldn't find it with the Code 50 but I miss my blues breaker dearly. I will get another one soon.
TheGuitarGeek I have one question. Can I connect the Marshall code 50 to an external speaker when playing on a concert?
Music-Man No, not out of the box. I've seen UA-cam vids that show it being done though, you may need to change the internal speaker ( which I did by default to a veteran 30 ) and go for the 8ohm instead of the 4 that's in it. Then you could drive a second 8ohm speaker, do some research first though to make sure your comfortable with how speakers work etc.
While I understand that this is an out of the box comparison, a speaker change on the code 50 makes a noticeable improvement. After doing some research I went for the Warehouse Veteran 30 4ohm, this really improves the code 50 sound. I'm sure the same would apply to the Katana too.
Lee Perry thanks for the feedback but I felt more comfortable with the katana and been using for a week and I'm loving it it is perfect for me
I was looking for a new combo amp in the 200-500 dollar range! I tried lots of different amps out including the Marshall code 50 and I liked some of the tones but it didn't really sound that great at band volume! I've always been and still am a Marshall fan! Best amp I ever owned was a Marshall JCM 800 from the 1980's! I ended up buying a Boss Katana 100 2/12 it has the best solid state tone that I've ever heard ! Even at high volume levels! You could definitely use this amp in a band! I'm very impressed with it ! Way to go Boss!!!!!!
Randy Frazier I still haven't tried the 212. I must do it soon
Hey! You're right. When I bought the Marshall code I found it a little disappointing at first, not being able to bring out the tones I wanted. But with the application that comes with it I've learnt my way through. I believe I can totally bring out tones you demonstrate on the Marshall equally good if not better than the Katana. Yes it's true it's more work on Marshall but it can actually do much better than your demo here. The flaw with Marshall is that it gets you a choice paralysis.
That's a good point. I'd love to spend more time with the Marshall but I really don't believe it should be a fight to dial in good tone. The code also crashed a few times and that's just not acceptable. I hope they have rectified that in the latest updates.
Is it just me(unprofessional opinion) but doea the boss sound very "digital" and computery ??
where the marshall sounds grittier and raw?
A bit more bass on Katana and would be an easy fix so not sure comparison is accurate. To be fair guitar geek does mention issues with marshall and likes the Katana and Marshall has some weird phase warbling going on. Keep pushing Katana it's a great amp and love my valve amps but saving on tubes a great bonus. Had fender mustang and its fizzy but Katana is natural. If Boss can keep improving on this tech they are on to a long term winner. Bought 100 combo but suspect 50w could gig ok but 100w is plenty loud enough for any drummer.
Some good points here
Thanks a lot for posting this!
You're welcome dude
the Marshall just can't do it. Katana all the way. they didn't pay me (much) to say this! 😉🎸👍
lando27music I almost feel bad that I'm so happy with the Katana. It just keeps winning
TheGuitarGeek honestly I think the only amps that will compare will be the Blackstar ID series
I'll have to try one out. Is there a direct comparison?
TheGuitarGeek I'm not sure which exact model would be a good comparison for the Kat 50. I just know they have similar options/settings.
I'll see what I can get my hands on man.
First off, great video. Secondly, I think a lot of players are missing what Marshall was trying to do with this line of amps. Ive owned and played everything from the 80s Bandit to Mesa duel and triple recs. Im a bit out of the loop since I dont gig or tour much any longer. Anyways..... Marshall designed this amp with not only the 15 year old bedroom rocker in mind, but also those of us that still wanna hear and feel the power of a 100 watt amp and a 4x12. With that being said, this is much better than any thing I had when I started playing guitar back in 1991. Its loud, inexpensive and lets us relive our rock star dreams. As far as the sound goes, its a marshall. The modeling is spot on, the effects are...... O.K. but the response is amazing. I plugged my 2002 PRS McCarthy in and the amp was like butter. would I gig with it? No! But its a great amp to practice with. As far as the BOSS K goes, I found it lack luster in sound, tone and Feel.
Hi!can i ask what sort of music you play through it?
Hard Rock to Jazz. I found that the cab modeling got muddy with anything other than the 1x12. Im a fan of solid state cleans. they are more consistent and fluent. I picked this amp up over an AVT since it was more versatile.
I still do not understand what was compared to what. Katana has one tone, the Сode has a bunch of amps and preamps and cabinets, so you can get any sound you want, even Katana :). For lazy plug in and play - Katana, for any sound you want - Code. I do not see any superiority of Katana in this "comparison"
It's a shame you see hear that. I recommend watching it about 100 times and sharing it with your friends so that they can help you.
What preset or what amp/preamp did you use in CODE? (think it was Plexi)
Obviously the tones you can get from one of the amps were compared to the ones that you can get from the other. Really not that hard to understand. Reliability was tested, as the Marshall freaked out a couple of times, whereas the katana does not have to deal with that
Artec619 man, I understand, but In the code there is no such thing as a clean, a crunch, an overdrive. There emulation of different channels of different amplifiers and the sound of the same crunch depends on what you choose for comparison Plexi, Bluesbreaker, Crunch American or something else, they all sound differently with the same settings. Can for example crunch on Katana sound differently with the same EQ settings, that's the question. I do not see any more sense of wasting time among the fans of Katana, I think when comparing the Katana against any amplifier in this world always will be "Katana wins" 😁
You are thinkin of it as a direct comparison, and it's really not. He is not comparing how close to a proper Marshall any of the two amps sounds, or how similar they do sound between them. He is comparing what can they do in a similiar situation/style and stating his opinion. If you had to have the exact same conditions and options and parameters on any 2 amps to compare them you'd be lost. Following your logic I'd say "there's no point in comparing a Fender to a Marshall, because this specific Fender amp doesn't have a drive channel" when that is a BIG point of comparison. And then you could also compare the clean sounds, but well, that's expected.
Im not even a fan of the Katana (haven't got my hands on it) but seeing how it seems to be the best in its category and how it has such a low pricepoint I'm thinkin about buying it.
Since the Marshall code only focuses on Marshall amps, wouldn’t it be better to compare how both amps match up to the original sound of Marshall amps? If someone doesn’t really like Marshall amps, it may be hard to like the code. Just a thought...
I owned a Katana and I thought it WAS OK but kinda thin and cheap....LOVE the Code way better...love ALL the different sounds and effects
Excellent review. Thanks
just turn the cab off on the code 50 . done you're welcome
I've since picked up the Marshall code 100 combo, you should review if possible, as the 100 has an effects loop and a speaker out option. BTW, the combo is a 2 x 12.
Chris Davies hey man. I'm going to put it on the list
With the Code 100 Combo, being a 2 x 12, one does need to turn the little beggar up. IMHO no amp sounds good at 'bedroom level', not even a tube amp. Plus for the Code, the stock presets are exactly that, stock presets. One needs to roll up the sleeves and get in there and perform some tweaking.
Granted, it's not as straight forward as some other amps, but technology is like that. It progresses.
I also have an issue how you actually did get such a bad sound from that Code, did you really try in improve it at all? I'm just chucking a Gibson Flying V through my Code 100 combo and my sound is just excellent IMHO, also my band mates think the same.
4:49 what song is this?
Just something I played
@@TheGuitarGeek It sounded nice
I tried the code in store for about one minute after the katana and it sounded really digital and pod like. Like a first gen pod through an amp. The katana sounded great. I didn't really like the tones in the video, but we reached the same conclusion. The katana can totally fool me for being a tube amp if I was blindfolded, where the code quickly breaks down once distortion is added. With light break up it sounds good, but the katana's break up is amazing.
Agree.
I think its a good and fair comparing video. Well done and well played - thanks! 👍
Have Guitar thank you
I have the code 50. I can honestly say it sounds like its in a box not a bright and leaves you wanting those crisp highs
They are both great amps, I have both, the Marshall is easier, more to play with, no humming sound and sounds much much better
It's a pretty simple end result... If you like "Marshall", get the Code 50. You can mic it up live, but on stage/rehearsal it'll get lost in the room sound. The Katana will cut through nicely, mic'd or not, and will give you pretty much everything else except "Marshall" tone. And if you upgrade the speaker, or get the Artist, you'll have an amp that's superior to some of the low/moderate tube amps out there.
Thinking of a getting a Boss amp. I've been playing guitar for 3 years now and I have a Squier Bullet Mustang.
I painted the pick guard black on it because I wanted it to match a Stratocaster I saw at Guitar center.
SYNDRIC that would be a killer combination for a relatively small budget. What did you paint the pick guard with?
I don’t like the Katana’s distorted sound. It sound kind of plastic. The Code has a more natural amp sound i think.
Agreed
Sounds like he has no idea how to edit the Marshall
But, but, he spent a whole 10 minutes with it.
Tru
Yip, I have the Katana 100 combo (and many valve amps)..... and what a lovely little peach of an amp. I'm not in a band right now, but suspect the Katana would perform admirably. I'm really intrigued by the Katana 2x12.... I wonder if that would sound even better....
Great amps. the 212 pushes more air but this 112 does the job for me. If you get a 212, please let me know!
I´ve heard better sounds from the Code on other videos.
I am really glad that other people can get a better sound out the Code 50. Could you tell me what videos so I can check them out please.
TheGuitarGeek hi! Check the video of chappman (i dont know exactly how you write it) the name of the video is "code amps" something like thag
I've seen those videos but as they are trying to sell something, I am skeptical about whether the videos can be trusted. One of the reasons I started this channel.
Eduardo Simoes i buy this mp yesterday, mainly because in my country you dont have many options and i got a very good price, i will try it, and i'll tell you.
Stay in tune!
I posted one in my chanel.
I was trying it at guitar center and Found the "Half stack" preset very usefull.
Man, I wish I had send this video yestraday. I just order a the code 100 head and I was considering the katana but at the last moment I decided to get the Marshal. I always wanted a marshall amp but I own the GT6 boss multi effects processor before and I was very pleased with that I should have just stayed with the boss LOL
Napoleon Dynamite plays guitar!
I dunno. He doesn't look or act like ND to me. Never saw the connection. In this video the only thing I was thinking was "Grow the Fro!"
Great channel, you deserve way more subs 👍
The Marshall feels warmer and the Katana seems a little... robotic.
The Marshall sounds much warmer, and has more balls!
if marshall to you sounds better first download this video and then listen to it and if after that too marshall is good then go for suicide or ear check up hahahah every marshall that is not tube sucks so much because i have one it has no capacity for solos clean is good no break heavy metal only rythm is good dont ever think of solos or something that is good sounding
7:43 that's because the Code is a modeling amp... The Katana is not, it is simply a solid state amp (and a really, really good one!)
The Katana is most certainly a modelling amp. Not sure why’d you say that. It’s even marketed as a modelling amp.
I have both these amps and the Marshall sounds way better. It has a nice big, room filling sound. My Katana is the 100/212 and it just sounds like a small cab with no warmth to it.
I plugged my katana into a 4x12 of mine and it made me almost shit myself, it's amazing
Boss should definitely use that in their marketing
.
Great video! I was split between the two, but ended up buying the Marshall yesterday. I was having the similar thoughts to the ones you expressed in the video while playing around with it today. I'm going to trade it in for the katana for sure.
Hi, thanks very much. Did you also try the Katana in the shop?
I think the katana wins
Kyle Maloney na