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My Boss Katana 100 MK2 Review - Was it Worth Buying?
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- Опубліковано 16 сер 2024
- This is my review video on the Boss Katana 100 MK2. Was the Boss Katana 100 MK2 worth it?
Best Price on the Katana 100 MK2.
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This is my review of the Boss Katana 100 MK2 Guitar Amplifier. I paid full retail price for this amplifier and was it worth it? Let's find out!
0:00 - intro jam
2:28 - Amplifier Overview
5:36 - My Tone Setup
10:27 - Amplifier Tones & Variation
12:45 - Room Sound (3D Projection)
14:03 - 0.5 Watts Power Setting
15:22 - My Katana 100 MK2 Review
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Let me know what you think of these amps for home use/jamming etc. I cover everything with time codes in the description. Please let me know what you think of these amplifiers. Just to let you know I paid for this amplifier a few weeks back. The shootout with the Mustang is the next video coming up. 😎
Best Price on the Katana 100 MK2
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I love mine. I have the 100w 1x12. It has a small footprint, is very flexible, takes pedals like a champ and easy to gig/practice. I never found the need to use the tone studio. EQ from the panel is super easy and you can bypass the pre-amp through the effects loop with a tube pre-amp (i.e. Victory Kraken pre-amp). My only complaint is that it’s just not as open sounding as a tube amp...but still great.
Looking forward to your shootout with the Fender Mustang GTX Shane. I had a first gen Katana and couldn’t get it to sound great live, it seems like the mkII sounds better. Still don’t think I’ll go back to one though. I’ve recently invested in a Strymon Iridium, would love to see you do a video on one and share your thoughts.
I have the 50 watt for home use and practicing. Which is plenty loud. Normally run in 0.5 watt mode 90% of the time. If im playing with a drummer, i still prefer something like a marshall dsl 40. Just my option. Katana def sounds better than marshall for low volume. But for actual playing gig volumes well the marshall sounds like a marshall..
I got the Kantina artist 100 a little while back sounded okay in the room but there just wasn't anything there to cut through. I ended up returning it. I may try one again to see if they've gotten better.
@@markerf16 Same here. I ended up with a Nextone Artist and after hours of tweaking on its editor, it sounds great and stands up in the live mix with a band better than the Katanas for some reason, but the Kats are top amps for the money.
I have many regrets. I have made many mistakes. Buying a Boss Katana wasn't either of those!
Harcourt Mudd They had us first half, not gonna lie.
I just bought one earlier today and ever since I've had this persistent natural high of excitement. This thing is amazing!
Store had all these amps. Guy highly suggested the Katana 100.
His eyes kinda lit up when talking about it. I was sold. Lol.
Thank god I bought it and people praising it makes me excited
Incredible demonstration. Bought a guitar. Bought the Katana 100 amp. Some picks.
Still tinkering around with the dials. So glad these videos have been filmed.
Shaking off the rust, you could say, after a 15 year hiatus.
I sold my roland cube 40xl for this and I could not be happier. As an intermediate player this was my first gear purchase that will allow me to excel as a musician. Great demo loved the intro jam
I just purchased this amp and a 2020 PRS SE Standard in the past week. I’m delighted not only with the Katana MKII 100 1x12 but the SE Standard played through this amp. I’m flabbergasted. I took advantage of the Memorial Day sales and managed to get the PRS SE Standard for $448 US, shipped and the Katana MKII 100 for $300 US shipped. $800 US for this setup is a major win with major tone and playability!
I’m a recent subscriber but frequent visitor now. Keep them coming!
I think people lose sight of just how cheap a Katana actually is compared to any other great amp. For the quality you get, the versatility, the ability to play at .5 watts without buying an expensive attenuator is a huge plus for me. A Two Rock Bloomfield, possibly my dream amplifier cost around $6,200.00. Compare that to around $400 for the Katana which I could buy a 2nd Katana 100watt and run them both in true stereo is an amazing feature and something I plan on doing in the near future
You literally legally robbed whoever you bought that stuff from lmao. That's an insanely good setup and you got it for $30 less than I payed for just my PRS SE Custom 24 back in june.
I have the PRs standard se a s2 American PRs. I’ll NEVER get rid of the SE. it’s one of best guitars I’ve ever had in my 34 yrs of playing and I’ve owned a lot of guitars.
Great review. One thing to note though, the Katana 50 is more than loud enough to play in a live band on stage. I currently use the Katana 50 for everything. I play in 3 gigging bands including a rock power trio. The 50 has no problem getting loud enough with the drummer and bass player. Even the clean channel is plenty loud in that situation. The only major difference I've noticed between the 50 and 100 other than a bit more volume, is the 100 has a bigger low end. The 100 offers an FX loop and far more footswitch capability than the 50 as well which is appealing. But, if cost is an issue and you just want a Katana, the 50 will be just fine in nearly any modern band situation. For reference, I am well experienced with all the big tube amp brands and models and have used most of them live and in rehearsals and in many different senarios so it's not like I'm a beginner without any point of reference. The Katana 50 is no DSL or dual rectifier or rockaverb. However, it is a simply excellent sounding guitar amplifier that will not just do the job, but do the job extremely well. It's light, reliable and good and loud. It also makes for a really good acoustic guitar amplifier. Surprising, but it does.
Great comment, really covers what people want to know
I got the 50 mk2 . I am an intermediate player, I've had an Epiphone 15 watt amp and then a marshall 25 amp.and lately I had bought the mk 2 because I wanted all in one amp. I have a new Born I don't need padels and cables running around.and damn! Wow what great sounding amp! And the cherry on top you can connect it via USB to a computer and get amazing clean and hi quality recording. It's just a no brainier this one
Great written assessment much appreciated
Bought this same model 2 months ago. Great tones, functionality for the price that cannot be matched. It's the king of amps below 400 bucks. The best part is the feel/response
Bought one . Set it up . Turned to 100 Watts . I was damn near deaf for a couple of days . Make no mistake . This Amp packs a Punch with endless amounts of Tone to mess around with . Love it .
I debated for a long time about which new amp to buy, and whether to get a new tube or a SS. For my situation, I opted for the Katana 100W MkII and couldn't be happier. More than I expected. I traded in my old amp and caught a sale at GC, so got mine for $100 less, which I used to get the GFAC. After twiddling in the EQ to match my guitar, I can play Clapton, Black Sabbath and the blues on the crunch channel, just changing my pickup switch and maybe adding in a blues driver as needed. Don't have a flattop but want to play those acoustic songs you know? Set the amp to acoustic and use the acoustic sim - makes my Gretsch sound like a Martin. Very versatile, sounds great, and barely need to take it off half watt. Wife is home? Half watt at around eight o'clock. Wife is not home? Half watt at noon and master cranked. Plenty good. Love it.
As a fellow Gretsch player and diving into the tones of the amp with the app, the Katana 100 MkII is perfect. I had a 50 my brother gave me, but he told me to trade it in because the low end would flub out on me. Very happy with my purchase!
Thanks for the take on the 100w I’m looking to buy myself the boss Katana mkII 100w today so I’m looking to see how people like the amp
@@xaivermccoy269 you will love it, and I suggest investing in a GAFC foot controller as well. MAKE SURE YOU ALSO GET THAT SUCKER ON THE COMPUTER TOO! Best modelling amp app I've used.
@@raycerx87 Definitely gonna have to get me one! And yes I can’t wait to have the option to use my computer with it because my fender champion 20w was not it for me😂
@@raycerx87 just picked one up yesterday for $200. Is it really a modeling amp? What amps does it model?
I have to laugh ‘it’s good for home practicing’ comments. Are most people touring the country or playing Madison Square Garden?
😂 😂
@Russell Aaron if you’re making a living off touring god bless you. But, I can’t imagine touring life is very good with Covid virus right now.
@Russell Aaron I assume it’s not because of your guitar skills.
Believe it or not, most gear is not designed with the hobbyist player in mind. If they were, things wouldn’t cost thousands of dollars. They’re made with working musicians in mind. That’s why most amps come with so many speakers that are way too loud for anyone at home. These amps have everything in one with a single low db speaker. Personally, I have a space where I jam with other musicians and keep all my loud, expensive shit there and I have something like this at home with a couple guitars.
Playing at The Garden is so last week. Lately I have been gigging out by the pool. My wife's new rule.
Good to know that there is another left handed guitarist out there..
Im a lefty tooo
To me, the Katana really comes alive with pedals. If doesn’t need them but when I play my KOT through the amp or Bonsai or AT +, TS9 or 808... all turn the amp from great to amazing. A Cali 76 compressor with the KOT on the crunch setting with tape delay and plate reverb is an perfect tone. Don’t forget, every 100 watt Katana can be connected with a guitar cable to another 100 watt Katana to be ran in true stereo which also really increases the sound quality.
Have you tried any Fuzz pedals through the amp? In my experience, that's the effect that sounds far better into a valve amp. However, Fuzz can work well with a modeler or profilers so I guess the tech behind the development of the Katana series is way better than the older SS amps.
I tried a Mustang and my Fuzzfaces, Muffs, and various other Fuzzy toys all sounded like ass.
I bought a second mk2 2x12 100 just to try that out and I have to agree! It is farking amazing in the room in separate corners. Phenomenal!
Thanks Shane. I reckon the Katana and the Mustang are two different beasts. I’m certain the Katana uses a class A/B solid state configuration and the Mustang uses a class D. Where it really matters in theory is how they behave with external effects, especially distortion and overdrive. Class A/B should be a better platform for those wishing to use external effects. It could be an interesting exercise to explore?
I have the Katana MK2 100 watt and I'm really pleased with it. The foot switch is a must!!
Note: The foot switch will not work with the Katana 50.
Mortal Kombat 2 is still my fav. Can't help but see that everytime :). Man it sounds great!
😂🤣😂🤣
I’ve always preferred Street Fighter!!🤪🤪
finish him..!!
Shane, your killing it man. Your guitar playing is more of a rock tone, and man is it ever great, not that your blues is not great also. Thanks for all the time you put into these videos. Cheers from Rusty in Reno NV
Well lets just be honest.
Your playing and chord progressions are what sounds amazing. I'd rock this in my car all day long. The amp? Of course it sounds great, you kicked its ass and told it who's boss.
For the price, features, and the sound. Definitely worth buying for those looking for an amp on a budget
50 doesn’t support GAFC footswitch. So definitely get the 100 👌🏻🌹
Thanks for the heads up! 😄
I have the 50. 2 button footswitch 4 different sound. I am satisfied with it. I use it for clean and light overdrive. Some onboard reverb and delay. I am all set
The biggest issue I have is choosing between the Katana 100 and the Katana Artist. I’m curious to know how drastically different they may or may not sound in comparison
I've had the MK2 for a few months now, "really" pleased with the tones I am getting. I sold a (very heavy) 1 12' tube combo and replaced it with this Katana. Before going into the amp I am running first into keeley 4 knob comp. and then into a an EHX Soul Food for a bit more clean boost. Those 2 pedals really changed this amp for me, it actually feels better in response to any tube amp I have ever owned and I have owned a lot over the last 40 years. I'll go ahead and say it ... (it sounds better too.) Digital is wicked good these days, I'm tired of being a slave to tubes in both maintenance and weight. Are there things I would change about this amp, yea, a few, but none of them are deal breakers.
Returned my fender champion 50xl and bought this amp. I have to say the Katana kills the Fender. The fender has nice cleans but lacks in the drive, mid gains. Love the versatility, sweet tones of the Katana. Great amp for home use or gigging. The hype is real about these Katana amps, very happy I bought this amp!
Without having seen the video: it's definetely worth it. For me a Boss Katana MK2 is the best you can get for the money. And even if you pay a significantly higher amount, you woun't automaticly get a better amp.
I got the 100W head version of this and the footswitch and I am impressed as well mate ! I still like my Roland Blues Cube Hot for blues though. On the subject of items not included I got the Katana Air Headphone amp and does come with the cord but ,no charger ! You have to charge both the headphones and the wireless unit separately so there should be 2cords and a charger with dual connections imho.
Nice demo and review as always mate 😎🎸
How is it for Roland blues cube? I'm also want to buy one but I'm between this katana mkii and blues cube? Can you share your review for these amps?
I’m not in the market for an amp like the Katana ,however I do see the value of its functionality. It seems to be a great choice for either a practice amp or even someone’s first amp. I do appreciate you doing a room sound with this amp and I feel that doing that with future reviews helps understand how it sounds in the real world.. Thanks for a fair, unbiased review Shane!🎸🎸🎸🤙🏾
Yes and NO. You can clearly see there is plenty of experienced guitar players gigging with this amp. Its tiring how "old guitar players" always consider anything cheaper than 600 dollars is only for practice and room playing. Silly thinking tbh. This amp can easily hold its own with some very good tube amps but most musicians are scared of digital and the more futuristic stuff.
@@asant90 I take it that you own a Katana 😁. Hey in the end it’s about the music and what inspires us to play.
Just bought the amp , it’s a great platform at a good price for my home use
Great Demo 😍
I got this beautiful amp the past month, EQ response is great and the knobs for effects are magnificent.
I mainly use it at home, so I rarely get past the 0.5w or the 50w at 10 o'clock while praying that my neighbors don't get mad on me.
Trying to get the GA-FC, but apparently its out of stock here in Egypt.
Still wonder if an external OD pedal like the blues driver or Distortion like the Fender full moon will interact well with this amp or not.
Bishoy Mikhail Hey man, you could try giving Distingo Music Store (search up on Facebook) a call or a message, they are in Maadi (they have other branches too)
@@omarqabbani27 I bought the katana 100 mk2 from there indeed, beautiful staff and stores btw. Asked them about the GAFC a couple of days back, and it wasn't in stock.
It will definitely take pedals great!
Bishoy Mikhail stuff comes and goes, you could like tell them to message you when ones available, they have delivery I think so that’s great
I had the combo but got the head because the combo sounds thin. If you have a closed back cab and go into the global eq you can make it awesome. I have 11 Amps and this one sounds best overall. Another good cheap amp is the champion 40. You only get like four good tones out of it but they cover most bases and it can get loud plus it's easy to carry now that I'm old.
Another honest and accurate review Shane, thank you. Its a shame the footswitch is not included as that adds a lot to the price, waiting to see how it compares with the Fender Mustang or a future 100 watt Artist amplifier.
Great playing on the intro Shane 0:37
The effects loop make the 100 well worth the extra cost. It's the only way to really be able to use a looper with the amp.
I literally got this amp for the "amp in" connection and let me tell you, the speaker works as a very versatile and flat frfr. I use pod go as modeler and I get really juicy tones.
Highly considering getting one - as a new guitar player this will probably be my next amp, with the foot switch.
These are a lot more fun with the foot switch. I am really enjoying this one as well. It ticks a lot of boxes for a lot of folks. :)
Fender GTX 100 has more in my opinion. WiFi, Bluetooth, Fender Tone App, and a quality foot switch with looper. Better clean sound and about the same crunch, you can dial it in to your taste. GTX 100 sounds great with my Fender 50's Ventera Telecaster Modified.
First, I love that you do NON metal tones. Also great, close mic'ed and mic'ed in the room. I'd like to see you compare the Katana to the Blackstar Silverline.
Just bought one of these. Having alot of fun with it, plenty of amp/gain options and FX sounds, as well!
Just starting the vid but the lick at about 2:13 is epic! Nicely played Shane!
Ive been satisfied with the tones and convenience of the 100 Katana MkI head Ive had for a year or so now, would like to upgrade to the MKII sometime maybe.
Intro proves one thing. the Boss has great tones period. MAybe another amp may siut you but cant denigh the Katana is a BOSS for sure.
I love these video when I can't get inspired. I always have to try and copy your playing and it usually leads to making my own stuff out of it. 🙂
I bought one of these in January and although I am happy with it wrt tones, there are a few irritations.
For example, no built in tuner, no bank switching of patches like the Boss floor boards have and most annoying by far, the firmware update process which is akin to; wear something blue, hold down the button, eat a banana, sing La Bamba and turn on the power. Just ridiculous, especially compared to the firmware update on Marshall CODE amps.
That software update will give you heart flutters! I really thought I killed mine but it was just testing me..
Lol
do you need to have wifi to use the amp?
@@unknownuser38 the update is downloaded so that needs either WiFi or ethernet but the update itself is via a cable connection to your computer.
seriously dig that intro jam! 🎸
Great review, I use my Katana on the clean channel and use my Boss ME80 for the effects.I programed the onboard effects so i can use them with the Boss foot controller. On stage i control everything from my pedal board setup,great amp.
I really like your playing man. I also enjoy your reviews and you have even 'fluenced me to buy a guitar. An Artist LP style, which I love. I like that you have no prejudice against cheaper guitars. So, thanks for your channel. BTW I own a katana 50 watt amp and I love it too, and yours was one of the reviews that decided me. I'm looking at getting an Artist valve amp next. Thanks again.
It sounds really nice and gives the impression that it allows your Guitars to have their native tone rather than just producing a standard noise with anything like many Modelling Amps do. Would be interested to hear a Neck P90 on this and the GTX...
I got Boss Katana 100 MK2 this is amazing amp, you get surprise for the quality and also you can use loop and add more to loop without changing the guitar sound that set to any effect which Katana 50 does not. You do not regret for getting this amp and I am happy to have it.
Great tones- love my Katana. I just wanted to comment that this is not a digital modelling amp- it is an analog amp same as a Bandit etc. The internal effect pedals are models, but not the amplifier signal chain. Also, I'd like to see a mention of the Acoustic channel- one of the main reasons I bought a Katana was to be able to plug an acoustic guitar into the dedicated acoustic amp channel instead of having to carry a separate solution. Can't think of many other amps that allow you to do this and have a killer rock amp plus all the effect and excellent quality direct recording/PA connections at the same time. Cheers!
No, whilst the power amp is analogue, pre amp is digital modelled.
@@smashmash From Anderton's blog: "In addition, the combination of analog preamp and class A/B power amp means that the Katana MkII’s dynamics are alarmingly responsive."
Where have you read otherwise?
Now well known it's a GT-100 under the hood, hence all the so called sneaky amps that were available til Boss locked them out in firmware upgrade. I know the guy on vguitarforums who created the unofficial editor that allowed you to select all the other GT100 models within Katana.
@@smashmash it's not known, it's just your idea, wrong
Shane, I agree 100% with you on everything you said except I have 0 experience with the Nexttone so I can not speak to its having any difference between the two! Your demo was better than any amp demo that I've seen at NAME or at any Guitar Show. (and I've been to a few!) The MKII Katana 100 1x12 is light and easy to carry is about the only I did not hear you say. (32 lbs). As far as durably and such I've had other Boss and the Roland Blues Cube Artist amps thru the years and had 0 problems with them even when taking them on international flights! For the money (A plug for Sweetwater) @ $359.99 USD THE AMP you demonstrated, is going to be hard to beat! Did I mention the price and how much it weighed 32 lbs = 14.5 kilos, ( I remember picking up those Fender Deluxes and even the Peavey Bandits, thats why my back is in the shape it's in now!). I did notice that Boss has an Artist MKII out now. I'll need th ck it out, it looks even more virsitile with a front control panel and a upgraded speaker! It weighs 41 lbs so that and $200.00 more may not offset the deal enough. Blessings Dave
The most interesting aspect for me with this amps is how they work with
drive pedals, Katana 100 Mk2 VS Nextone as a clean pedal platform would be interesting.
Man every time I hear you play that Little Crow I want one!
I just bought a Katana 100 mk2 head 4 days ago and have played at least 15 hours and I am so happy with this amp! I also own a JCM 800, Blackstar ht club 50 and 6505 and I primarily bought this amp for its presumed versatility and for practice in my small apartment and to not have to deal with tubes and high volumes. I must say that the Boss does crunch better than my JCM 800, clean/pushed clean way, waaay better than all my other amps and heavy/modern high gain way better than my Blackstar and at least on par with my 6505.
So I can really recommend this even without considering all the digital effects thats built-in to the amp (I am not much of an effect guy and just use reverb and one of the boosters). But if you want an amp that practically is yours for free (I paid like $470) and that literally can play any style really well, this is definitely the amp for you! I must admit that I was a bit prejudiced against solid state since I been "taught" that the tube sound is what you "want" but now I realize that the solid state technology really has come a long way. I remember sound engineers saying that "digital recording and plugins will NEVER replace analog bands and effects" back in the 90s when I started to play music. Guess its the same with tubes vs SS =)
PS
In all honestly; I haven't tried it in a rehearsal situation, i.e at high volume, but it seems loud enough. I usually play at 0.5 watt with both master and channel volume at like 10 a clock and thats plenty loud for my apartment.
Great video again Shane. For me, its a bit muddy when playing both clean and distorted..
Its May 2024 The mk3 Katana just got released, and i just scored a good deal on a mk2 100w 1x12 a week or two ago and i am super happy with it coming from a vox and a myriad of stomp boxes. Connecting to the laptop and tone studio is a MUST for me, i dont even touch the physical panel and with a ten band eq in the fx loop its about as versatile as it gets. For the money im giddy and the previous owner even redid the grill with a nice silver tweed with no name plate, it looks sharp
The footswitch adds almost 30 or 40% to the price. That's a lot.
It's a top quality piece of kit , well worth it, so is the expression pedal
Jimmy Bonhamassa well worth the money. I have one for my Katana Artist and 50 mkII..👍🇦🇺
If you are planning to use the onboard effects or multiple preset channels, you better get one. I opted to build out my pedal board instead so I can get to the controls without a laptop. I’ve got a 50w MK I.
Its worth it. Its real metal and its solid. I got one for my 100 watt MK1 from American Musical in a bundle price that at the time lowered the cost to about $400.00 Amp and Pedal. May or may not be listed that way now but... Ask your dealer for a bundle price in person on the phone on in a online chat with a rep. They can do what they want to then All dealers have a Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) to be a dealer. At least here in the States. Business models tend to follow products. If you want to buy and they want to sell its dealing time. Different counties have different business plans. They can also sell as open box or a return cheaper. I have bought open box guitar at a huge discount that were still factory sealed when it arrived. A rep told me they called that inventory control.. sell it... Some prices can be up or down. You can look on the Thomann site in the USA version of the page and see prices in dollars on Fenders and Gibson MUCH lower than advertised in the US. Try to buy one at that price and you get a pop up telling you agreements with (****) won't allow them to sell into the US market.. Now that hurts to see USA products cheaper in Germany than I can get one here. Might make you mad too. It did me.. but that is another story.
@@homeboyjon4885 Note: The foot switch will not work with the Katana 50.
The Waza speaker in the Artist series crushes the standard Katana speaker.
An old Messa Buugie Celestion 90 I had helped with the boxiness and rattiness in the highs . Love my Katana 50 but for 200 bucks there are limitations .
Couldn't stand the Katana.. but loved the Katana Artist (and bought one). They are THAT different..
Random Stuff Artists are just phenomenal.
Great review Shane. It would be good see a follow up on how you dial your sounds in and using the footswitch. Owning a MK1 Katana myself, the footswitch was a must have just to switch between channels (especially if you want to play live with it). Although the Katana for me doesn't get as much love as the Blackstar TVP I got around the same time. I just found it a lot easier to dial in and play. The Katana throws me off a little too with the Crunch sounds clean and the Lead sound is crunch for me. The Katana's really should have a speaker out too so that you can connect it to another cab if you so choose.
BTW I'd agree to go the 100W as that model has all the options while the 50W is lacking some expanding options. And as you said, you can always knock the 100W down to 50W.
Katana amps are great amps for the money. Right up there with the Fender Mustang series.
Is like almost all solid state amps nowadays have a tubey sound in comparison to the ones in the 70' s, 80's and 90's but the Boss Katana is a beast and a joy to play.
This is *just* my totally honest opinion after my and several friends experience with the amp... I don't mean to sound harsh, I'm just being totally honest. It's just my opinion. The Katana kult are going to hate this. I tried to like it, i really did.
I recently bought the 100W mkii Head... I was really excited to try this amp and wanted to love it so much... I'm certainly no audio snob, but after trying it for a while, I have to honestly say, this is the first amplifier in my life that i've ever wanted to really send back... very disappointed. Some of the basic sounds are even pretty offensive. Those frequency spikes can be nasty, and the low end is boxy as hell.
The clean channel works, but that's not saying much really, but the rest... the overdrives are terrible.
THIS > There is a big difference between good playing and an amp actually sounding good. A good player can make a broomstick come to life... This doesn't make the Katana a good amp, it can be quite nasty sounding even on it's default settings, that's not cool.
Firstly, although it's not something I would usually use as I would run through my other cabs, the internal speaker on the head version just did not work at all... wouldn't come on. After some searching, quite a few people have had this problem with the head version... Common thing seems to be the little metal leaf switch inside the speaker jack just not contacting when the cable in pulled out and turning the internal speaker on. Mine never even worked to begin with. Bummer right from the start...
I've tried really hard to love this amp, and I won't deny, it can make some cool sounds, and it's some pretty crazy value for what you get. It could make a good amp for practice or maybe writing *IF* you don't care what it sounds like... it's just not that good. Here's the thing... at practice levels it really falls apart, it's even worse... to get the best sound you do need to crank the master full, 50 or 100W... and that is not really practice levels or no longer a practice amp... But there are some other issues...
We've tried with a band, tone studio, the sneaky amps, different guitars, cabs, everything...
It's not all bad, don't get me wrong...
The clean channel with the gain cranked for bluesy stuff is def the best, but even then the frequencies are all over the place... There are a few odd effects that are cool, but most are actually fairly average/rubbish, nothing like any boss pedals we compared to.
It can make some amazing sounds, but if you want to do anything more than some basic smooth bluesy type stuff it just falls apart very quickly and sounds terrible. Forget it for heavy rock or metal... Fizzy nightmare. It's well known for it's almost unbearable fizzy and harsh almost whistling frequencies it can strangely put out (This is well talked about online, not just me) The crunch channel is particularly horrible, almost unusable at least in my opinion. The others are not much better. Brown channel showed promise but turned out to just be more of fizzy over cooked mess. Way to much extreme lows and highs, even the mids are full of fizz.
I've tried the master on full, 100W, tone studio, sneaky amps, all sorts you name it... it's just so horribly fizzy and harsh sounding even with things rolled back, and can actually produce some pretty nasty frequency spikes in some instances, even on the base settings. I even checked this with a few friends to see if it was just me... we tried comparing to a bunch of amps and it just doesn't cut it... Id nearly say my cube actually holds up better... and it's a battery powered busking amp.
I know that sounds pretty brutal, and it is. I want people to hear both sides of the fence and make an informed decision. Sometimes it's not possible. but make sure you try before you buy, as you should always if you can. It's not a total loss, there are some amazing sounds in there, just prob not the ones you might be after, the rest is pretty crap. The effects are not much good either, the reverb is *really bad*. You don't even really need most of them...
Id honestly give it maybe two out of five. It's cheap, but you get what you pay for and there are better units these days to invest your money on with no regrets.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion, this is just mine. I tried, I really did guys. I feel bummed.
Where did you have the master volume?
@@mista335 I actually talked about this in the comment. I've tried it cranked full on 0.5 watts all the way to 100 Watts, i agree it sounds it's best like this. I've also tried it the other way around, which gives you a more compressed sound, some people actually like this, and it depends on context really.
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I've also tried balancing the levels. The problem is the harsh fizz is right in the mid range. If you EQ the really excessive lows and highs out it just gets worse in my opinion. I know several people that have has this same experience. We did a pretty deep dive on this.
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Ironically its marketed as a practice amp (of course you can use it for what you like), but actually sounds pretty bad at low volumes and comes to life only when really cranked, but those sorts of levels are far too loud for most people's needs unless you are gigging a big stage and can crank the full 50 or 100 watts to make it sound alright.
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It's just not what the somewhat controlled youtube hype makes it out to be. It just seems silly when I can plug into my 40W Egnater tubeamp or 60W Laney and hit the guitar and it sounds great - just that easy, and at low or high volumes.
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I wanted to really like it, but i'm not going to make excuses for it, I have no personal investment in it if you get me. Some of the effects are good, but most are actually pretty poor and behave or sound nothing like their physical counterparts which was pretty disappointing this day in age.
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It's not all hate, it has some good sounds and does certain things better than others, it's just not that amazing. And it's just my personal opinion at the end of the day, im only trying to be honest about it.
Glad you like it 😀 worth mentioning that you have to go 100 watt if you want to use the bigger footswitch (gafc)
For the price of an average boutique pedal this amp is out on it’s own. Unless you live in a castle the 0.5W mode is fine for home use. The Clean channel with overdrive is the way to go.
But for some reason, when no one else is home, taking the watts up sure is satisfying!!
I’m here because I’m excited mine is arriving tomorrow.. lol awesome vid btw. I love that you to a mic in the middle of the room to show the true sound of things, a lot of review channels don’t do that. You got a new subscriber.
I have the 50watt mk1 and like it. It does almost as much as the mk2 but you have to Hook it up to your laptop to take advantage of all the effects and settings. It’s no big deal as Once you program your presets, your good to go.
Have it and love it. Footswitch too which as you said is essential if you play out, which I do. Cheers 🍻!
I bought a Fender Tone Master Deluxe reverb and I haven’t played my Katana since!! The Tone Master kills it for tone
I'm sure it does but then again its 450 dollars more
I don't own either. But I have heard both on Uchube. The Tonemaster does indeed sound great! But there's no way it "kills" the Katana. No way. But as the InTheBlues dude says "tone is subjective!" I have ordered the Katana 100MKII. I also own a 1969 Fender Twin Reverb- and a bunch of other tube amps.
I was on the fence about buying this before this video and this convinced me. My name being Shane too convinced me a little
Great video… thank for being so detailed… you may have tipped me over the edge as I have been researching so much regarding a new amp… going to go pick one up on my way home from work now… :)
People moan about the foot switch,
It's a separate boss product so are the expression pedals, I suppose they should Chuck in a free laptop too, for what you get with all the features this amp is a bargain! the amp sounds fabulous with that tokai I think you're fan boy now
Wait till you gig it and see how well it cuts through, I do find the speaker to be very directional, losing top end sizzle as you move off Axis
Haha so true. God everyone expects everything for free these days. This amp is so good for the money.
People don’t realise how good they’ve got it getting tones like these for the price.
I’ve got the 50 MK2 and without a thought bought an FS-6 footswitch to go with it.
Same goes for recording gear. People moan about that being expensive. It’s ridiculously cheap to set up a home studio these days. Everyone expects Universal Audio quality but don’t want to spend the money. It cracks me up.
I really enjoy your videos on products I bought the echo paddle made in Italy on my board and the amplifier you demonstrated I think is a very nice a.m. and they’ve come along way from older transistorized amplifiers you’re a good player and I can tell you’ve been a musician so am I Keep doing the videos
I have an artist series I combo and an Artist MKII head and they're both outstanding. The MKII added tons of great features that IMO were sorely lacking on the MKI and I would consider the artist MK II combo one of the best gigging amps if you're in a cover band that doesn't do a ton of modern metal like djent. It doesn't really do the djent thing all that well (at least I can't get it to do it) but for everything else, it's really great.
IMO the software unlocks a TON of extra potential you can't get from just turning the knobs. The EQ in the software being able to put it before and/or after the tone stack makes a HUGE difference (specifically in being able to bump up the low end to give the combo a bit more oomph)
Another feature I really like on the MKII (specifically the artist) is there is a switch jack on the back letting you connect a simple 1 button switch to always have a solo boost no matter what setting you may have the GAFC controller set to. That's a huge deal for me as a 99.9% stage musician.
Also, I would highly recommend skipping the GAFC controller and just getting a midi controller and spending a bit of time programming the midi controller. I have a morningstar controller and I have each button set to exactly what I want to do and don't need to fool with changing modes, holding footswitch buttons, etc using the GAFC. It also takes up less pedal board space than the GAFC. I'd love for boss to build a 6x6 version of the controller.
One thing that would really put the Katana over the top is regarding the effects. Say you want to adjust one effect. All the other Effects knobs and buttons should be allowed to modify parameters of the effect. That would make things so much easier. The Mk II did add the dual-gang pots which is nice.
Cracking intro jam. 👍🇦🇺
Nice video. I have USB cables coming out of my ears so that wasn't a big problem for me but the fact that you have to buy the footswitch separately is frustrating especially as the Mk 1 had it included and it's not cheap to buy separately. Having said all of that though, it's great footswitch and my 100w 2x12 Mk II is great and so versatile!
Hi Shane, once again an exceptional video:-)
My decision now is really simple, my new amp is on the road:-)
Thank you for great video, time and effort to made it:-)
Do the speaker out mod, get a good 2x12 (I have a Marshall 2x12), get the GA-FC and an expression pedal and you are set.
Perfect for home, loud enough to gig!!!
Had my morning coffee with your cool south paw playing.😎
Ok my purchase of the Katana seems to be holding up. Thanks Shane for the video.
Nice as always !! That doubling + delay sounded really nice !!
That effect at 946 is sickly cool
This amp is face-meltingly loud... I was blown away!!!
I own the MK II head and run it into a Harley Benton 2x12 with V30's and it sounds magnificent.
I got the exact same thing. My HB 212 vintage cab arrived yesterday. It cranks with the MK II 100 watt head on it
If you’re a new player pick up a katana 100 as your first amp, it’s good for practice and can be used live when you get there, and it’s a good practice and backup amp for those of us further down the rabbit hole, set it up how you like it and if you blow up your amp it’ll see you through.
Love my mk1 100w. I set the output to rec/vintage and it sounds great DI'd into the pa. For recording I use the usb as its in stereo. Its also not too heavy carting it around to gigs.
Great review again, thank you! I might be wrong but I think that this footswitch model don’t work with the 50w and also that the 50w don’t have an fx loop. It’s sad because the 100w check all my criterias except that 100w is overkill for my home use.
I think that was totally true for the MK I, but maybe the 50w MK II is different? I use an old $15 Fender channel switching pedal with my MK I, but it won’t change banks, and only selects between the two channels. Sad. So I built up my pedal board instead!
Great review. And yeah the lack of footswitch needs to be addressed
I have a bunch of tube amps, Mesa Dual Recs, EVH 5150 iii, Peavey 5150, Peavey 6505+, PRS Sonzera 50, Peavey Classic 50 and Mesa DC-3, the Katana MK2 100 watt head is amazing!!! More versatile than any of my tube amps, much lighter, no tubes to worry about, much, much cheaper and sounds amazing!!!
I think having a physical knob to change effects is better than scrolling through menus, but having to remember what effect is linked to each colour LED would annoy the hell out of me! I’d need to then have a printed out menu of what is what. And linking up to a computer to change things sounds good but I have a 10 year old Mac that’s too old to install the software, much prefer amps that use android/iOS
The 50 doesn't have an effects loop so if you want to use a looper and change effects for different layers you need the 100.
Sounds flipping g deadly..also appreciate ur demos n demeanor brother
I absolutely LOVE my MKII 100. It was a bit of a pain in the ass to get the firmware update, as he stated in the video but, once I did it is a spectacular piece of equipment. The footswitch is a must, I had the amp without one and, it only took about a week before I ordered the foot switch. You could actually load this thing up in an isolation box and tour with it, the sound is that good. For smaller gigs, 8 presets with, your choice of any 5, from 99% of the pedals BOSS makes will do the trick. Wirth every penny.
Good gear isn't cheap and, cheap gear isn't good.
I like the idea of the smaller Katana50, but what sells me on the 100 is the GA-FC. As a compact all-in-one amp + 5 switchable FX rig with the ability to switch over to an acoustic simulator/acoustic amp via a piezo pickup on the same electric guitar I'd say that's a lot of flexibility in a small package. I just wish the GA-FC would work with the Kat50. I wonder if any geniuses out there can work out a mod for the USB port to make it controllable via MIDI or something?
Thanks for the great reviews. Would love to see a comparison of the Katana and DSL40. I know they’re not exactly in the same price bracket, but I find I tend to try to get my Katana to sound Marshall-like. So it would be hear the two head-to-head.
I know that this response is late but I have a DSL 40CR and just purchased the mk2 100 in white so I don’t have to use the Marshall all the time. Far as sounds go the katana gets close but not spot on. But it’s full of good stuff and let’s me keep the Marshall in reserve and not have to be used as my daily driver.
I don't care what you are reviewing i just like to hear you play!
Boss Katana for gigging, Yamaha THR10II for longly bedroom guitarists.
Why spend more for a bedroom amp than a gigging amp?
i loved that intro jam
Awesome timing. I got the first view! Keep it up. Love the channel.
Thanks, Zack! :)
It sounds GOOD Shane! Certainly respectable an amp!
I bought the 50w, which as an amplifier, I really love. Works great for everything I do. I do agree with you though, that buying a footswitch (and extra TRS cable to connect it), and a USB cable is a downer and really adds to the price, especially when only the Roland footswitch will work and isn't cheap. I guess Roland's argument is that this is how they can get the unit itself down into a lower price bracket, but I don't know, still seems dodgy to me.
Thanks for the review. I really have to get me one of those Little Crow Raven guitars. *sigh*. keep dreaming.
You can buy the special Airstep KAT now if you really want a footswitch for the 50!
Hey Shane I just got my hands on the Katana MK2 Head. Sound big running through 2x12 box. I went from a 5150, running my effects through the return on that to running the clean channel on the Katana. It responds like my tube amp. So far love it surprisingly. Running my boss Me3 switcher which the katana has the same effect pre loaded. Very cool so recording i can use the katana interface without pluging in my effects. Easy. By the way love the show
I’m on the fence with this. I like it a lot, but I don’t want to constantly tweak stuff, I do have an HX Stomp, but I find myself with option paralyze at times and I dread deep diving into menus if I’d ever use it live. The Katana seems a bit more straight forward, more like an amp than a modeler. Does it have a tuner?
Great review Shane