Dave, Great comparison of these amps! I now have the Fender Deluxe and for me it's what is doesn't do that I like in particular. Whereas the other amps can be tweaked endlessly, the Fender Tonemaster, like its valve-wielding brother, is very much about switching on and playing. I now spend with the amp playing my guitar as opposed to hunched over an amps controls, to-ing and fro-ing between nano tweaks! Malcolm.
Maybe too late to join the party, but will chime in anyway. Thanks for the review. Your opinions, both subjective and objective at the end were great. Needless to say, great playing too. A Kat 50 owner here who's looking to maybe get the Kat Artist - for rehearsals and gigs. Been a guitarist for about 30 years but primarily stuck with the acoustic, vocals and harp for playing and performing. Two years ago committed to trying to get good on the electric. Wow, what a rabbit hole you can go down with trying to dial your sound. For someone who tries to keep it minimalistic its a battle, and not cheap. Over the years went through some real nice tube amps and pedals but whoa, compared to a Kat with one simple foot switch, its a no brainer - especially if you are also working on vocals, harmonica, and acoustic - the Kat keeps it simple. Pedal boards, power supplies, finicky tube amps - what a hassle compared to the Kat. I dump the Kat in the back of my pickup in zero degree weather drive to rehearsal pull it out - bang, ready to roll. After having the Kat for well over a year I finally dug in with the Tone Studio. Lots of fun, but oddly I didn't end up changing much on my four presets. What I can dial in on the Kat amp itself seems plenty. Clean, clean w/ dirt, Crunch, Crunch plus delay (for lead) is all I seem to need for our/my covers. The Kat 50 takes an A-B latch type pedal so lets you call up your 4 presets easily on the go. Finally, the Kat is still better than me. So my time is better spent practicing rather than poking through settings, buying pedals, coddling tube amps, etc... Anyway, thanks again for the great review. I'd like to hear a "year later" follow up if you still feel the same on the Kat vs the Nextone.
This was really interesting. I was honestly shocked at your subjective ranking. I picked the Fender lol the way! Not only that, it seemed like you were having the most fun playing it. I thought the Fender had the most character, snap, and live vibe. Would love to hear these in a mix. Thanks for a great vid!
I think I liked the Nextone best on clean and overdrive today, but my opinion could easily change tomorrow. They're all awesome amps and capable of great sounds. Just depends on what flavor you're in the mood for. The quality is there on all of them IMO, which is awesome. We're lucky to live in an era of so many great options.
Just something about that Katana.. my pick of the bunch. Great video as always Dave, you've been a real inspiration for me lately. 21 only just now picking up a guitar for the first time, and I've already learned so much from your videos. Even copied your strat setup haha :) appreciate the good music & opinions, keep doing you brother.
I know this is an old video, but I’ve been digging through your Nextone and Katana Artist videos because I’m looking for an upgrade to my Katana 50. I also happen to have a Tone Master Deluxe and love it for that Fender clean. I have to agree though. The Katana Artist really kicks the Nextone’s butt. I found for every sample, the Katana just feels fuller, rounder, and richer, for lack of a better word. It’s absolutely fantastic. I think it’s going to be my new amp!
All three are very usable. I kinda lean towards the Nextone for what it is meant to be and that it does it. That said, the Katana is obviously the most flexible, and again does it all well, while the Fender is what it is and does its own thing well. It's a matter of what you want that specific combo for and what you as an individual find the most satisfying to make music with rather than good vs bad. Despite the last two years and the parts shortage there's never been a better time to be a guitarist. So many choices between good gear that is easily available. Guitarists from back in the 60s would have had your arm off if you offered them any of these three.
I'm happy with the Katana Artist mk2 been using it live just plug and play no pedals and been getting complements on the tone I'm getting out of it. Much lighter then the hot rod deville I had been using for 20 years I'm glade to hear you prefer it too. Your such a wicked player.
The Deluxe Reverb Tonemaster for me, it just has a ‘twinkle’ on the break up, it’s awesome, it has a clean/dirty thing that is hard to describe, but is just ‘that tone’, it nails it in a very good way. (I’m saving for one,this has just made me want it more😀).
ive played the tonemaster in the store. they still do not sound as good as the real tube deluxe reverb and the price is crazy. they are better than the past solid states but still a bit dull/stale compared to tube.
The Nextone came across the best sound to me, the Katana really didn't light my fire and the Fender.. Hmm. I think we should all come to your house for an actual real world demo. If you set up a tea stall on the street and possibly a cake and scone table for us as we wait in line, that would be nice.. If you don't mind?
Spot on advice about choosing what sounds right to you, and of course it requires that you try these yourself. They all sound great with Dave's fantastic playing, but the Artist sounds more punchy and dynamic. The Fender is more limited in the sounds available (it's purpose is to mimic the tube version), and lacks features such as an FX loop, so unless the particular Fender sound (for you) is significantly better than the others, then I think it quickly drops into 3rd place.
So, I finally followed David's path and recently for around $140 I purchased a used Marshall MG100HFX 100 watt solid state guitar amp head. It has two speaker outputs and a 4 ohm min. load. Perfect! I have it connected to two Marshall 8 ohm 212 cabs in a vertical stack. Perfect. It sounds great BTW! If I wanted I could connect it to a single 112, two 112's, 212 , two 212's, 412 or even two 412's. That makes for a great deal of versatility. It came with the Marshall Pedal and it has two channels that in effect operate as 4 channels. Reverb, FX loop, chorus, flanger etc etc.
I definetely go for the katana Artist for the capable of overall tone, fender is to clean, and Nextone is a bit harsh but get really the Hendrix bluesy tone. But the KAtana Artist does everything. THank you so much for sharing awesome things !! you're really one of my main mentor!
Boss needs to give you 20%, you sold me on Katana way back, started with a 50w mk I, had to get the Mk I head/cab, now you sold me on the Artist Mk II, really Dave, they need to send you some more love! Thanks!
Katana clean sound was wonderful! Really like the crunchy Nextone, too. I liked the Deluxe both ways. I recently traded in my Katana 50 Mk II for a Tonemaster Deluxe bc I found the feel and the reverb so much more exciting and inspirational... I still think of it as an upgrade, but they are very different animals and the Katana really is great.
Ha yes, the review I was waiting for. :-) First of all thanks for this one Dave. Personnaly I thought the Fender just gives something special in the clean sound for me. But as you mentioned the Katana could have been set up a bit trebly maybe. But the Jenssen speaker in that clean Fender makes me happy. Personally I thought the nextone was the least appealing to my ears ( in this review anyway). But all in all if I also consider my 💷💷💷 I do have to stay with the Katana also. And they have an MK2 ow ;-)
I had a 100 and an Artist. Really hard to beat those amps. I'm "Nextone Curious", but with the Kat, you can just grab the foot switch and leave any modelers at home. The Kat sounded best to me, but maybe because I'm already used to it.
The Boss Katana can pair up with another for stereo. It's not a deal breaker but that's why I went with the Katana Artist over the Nextone. I preferred two Bosses vs the 2x12. My uncle, who plays classical guitar, made a comment to me back in the day, "It's all about what you get used to". "Do you like brighter tones, deeper tones, harmonics and resonance or clean piercing notes? Whichever guitar you buy, you are the one that makes it work." Skill is more important. They all sounded great with head phones. And, as we are wont to say, "it's all opinion."
You mean preference? I think is a better way to say it.what is so great about these three is you really don’t have to turn the volume up all the way like I had to with my 212 hotroddeville
Dave, I really wish you would have given us some Les Paul and Telecaster samples, some of us are just not Strat guys. By the way you sound great on a Strat no matter what you plug into.
Dave is a hoot and a half to watch and listen to! Even if I’m not researching gear to buy, he makes it so entertaining. I have to say that this video proved something to me - the Katana just is not for me at all. Sonically, it just doesn’t do it for me. Clearly, Dave has a different feeling but that is just what the player hears and speaks to him or her. I’ve owned Deluxe’s a few times and they are awesome overall, but where they are weak, there is nothing that can be done to shore it up. The Katana is too sterile to my ears and just doesn’t react well under my fingers. Just acquired a Nextone because it is the best compromise I’ve found between the lovely tone/feel of tube and the reliability of solid state. Thanks, Dave! Appreciate your work and words of wisdom!
To me, the Fender sounded a bit too low on the clean setting, which was already unfair compared to the volume of the Katana. To me, everything in this video is between the Katana and the Deluxe. For cleans, I liked the Katana the best here, but again, it might be because of the volume. Katana sounded more "in the face", clear and loud, while the Deluxe was kind of mushy and quiet. Now, on the overdriven sounds, I liked the Deluxe the best by miles. It sounded warm, jangly, big and nasty, although it was -obviously- far from being a heavily distorted sound. But that's the thing: more distortion doesn't always mean better tone. When overdriven, the Katana had far more clipping going on, and thus sounded unarticulated, muffled and dull. And what about the Nextone? Well, I honestly didn't hear anything special going on there. It was good, I suppose, but nothing surprising. Great comparison, tho!
Overall.. that are all great. Fender sounds (close enough) like a Fender, which is the most important thing. Next-Tone is ruthless in the overdrive, I kinda like that. Katana is nice and mellow (kinda)...so Katana for me. Just. But these 3 are all amazing, it's almost impossible to pick. Also nice to hear about the Blues Album.
I love the teeth of the nextone;) i have the 1rst gen nextone and its my main practice amp! Thank you for the comparaison and the katana win today i think clean/overdrive!
Katana for me on all settings, then Nextone followed by the Tonemaster( which would have moved up if it had the sound you had in your review on it...) Loved the Greenie sound when dialed to 10.
The Nextone is very good at the cleans and can get me in the Vox sound that I've always loved, then there is the Katana followed by the Fender, but as you said each to their own.
All three are great amps, but Nextone for me, Sir! It´s a tone beast. I owned the Katana Artist MK I and changed to the Nextone Artist. The Katana to me sounds more "processed". By the way, you might get warmer tones out of the Nextone with the Master Volume up and the Channel Volume low. This is the way I prefer the Nextone Artist to be set.
Nextone wins on both for me. Fender last. Cleans was very close between katana and nextone. Overdrive sounded more open on the nextone. Dammit. May want buy one.
Nextone and Katana for the clean sound and the Nextone for the overdrive. Loved the tone on both but thought the Nextone had more clarity over the different notes being played.
All three sound great in the rooms they are in. I think the nextone Deluxe and Katana are definitely modern sounding vs the Fender. Especially overdrive tones.
That ToneMaster is great and the boss sounds amazing to me as well so a tie between those followed by the katana. They all sound great for garagey psych nonsense though!
Just like you Dave I had all three the Katana Artist and the Nextone Artist are different beasts and beasts they both are in their own right. Personally love both, I’ve had the Fender and sold it not that it’s a bad amp. It’s just when you’ve got all 3 you quickly realise which one you can manage without. The Nextone & Katana both have their own mojo even though they are from the same stable.
Damn, I liked all three for different reasons. I agree the Katana Artist is probably best all around, but all three are great. Thanks for the comparisons!
I love the Nextone but I am into clean to crunch pedal platforms. The Fender is one (beautiful) trick pony and the Katana is the Swiss army knife of amps.
BTW Dave, if my fingers start to behave (early arthritis) I will sent you a home brew point to point handwired treble booster. I don't sell them but just gift them around.
Love the Nextone but have to say as an all rounder the Katana takes it. Not sure the Fender did that well against the others yet I normally like Fender amps especially their clean tones. Great Vid Dave as always .
Dave, Something very strange , on the clean sound the Deluxe sounded like it had a blanket over it sounded muffled, Katana Artist and Nextone about even on clean sound , Deluxe on overdrive sounded surprisingly Good!
Fender, sounded exactly like i expected, bold bass,mid,treble. Nextone, similar to Fender less bold bass,mid. Katana, cardboardy mids, very flat, (like JC120). BUT, the Katana in previous videos sounds like I want two of them! Speaker voicing? Three amps, same speaker Test could be interesting.
Sorry I should have broken it out - if I had to choose, I'd say Fender for its cleans and reverbs, and the Katana for the overdrives. I'd put the Nextone in the middle for each.
Great comparison. I have the nextone and the katana and you can obviously get a massive range of tones, other than what we hear here. So we are literally only hearing a drop in the bucket. The tonemaster basically does what it does, and sounds great, but you need pedals to get it to do much more. Value for money? I will stick with the Boss amps.
its funny because other channels mention the katana is better for metal and next and fender for blues / classic but here the next and fender are angrier and katana is more chill . . . I like fender and then nextone because I'm a big fan of tube tone and fender cleans (first electric amp was tweed champ) and playing is inspiring 2
Dave, have you tried the new Fender amPlug yet, the one for headphones? Captain Anderton has one and demoed it with Pete. I think you'd like it or hate it but it would be good to see you demo it :)
To my ear the nextone stood out on the clean side, but I think If you would have eased the treble back a bit on the katana it would have been a close call. Fender hands down on the dirty side for me. I just loved the warm tone.
Fender. I have the fender and the katana and the katana has been reduced to being used for the acoustic now. I also have a hot rod deluxe which beats them all hands down (in my opinion) but I have always preferred valves over solid state.
Hey i want to say hello, i like this video and your honest conclusion, i can see you choice about the artist amplifier, on this video i liked the clean tone so about this from nextone amplifier can this help me to use external pedals? I have the GT1000, or still better the artist amplifier for this?
The Katana wins hands down, I think if the Fender would have run a better race if the shoot out was done with a LP. The Fender/Orange stereo rig is the best tone to my ears. Thanks for the great demo shoot out looking forward to the Blues tracks
Katana for me, I have 2 a mk1 head and mk1 100 combo would like to try an artist, but of my budget , sell my Marshall TSL 100 and JVM half stacks maybe?
Maybe I'm deaf or something, wouldn't be that surprised - but I really enjoyed the "clarity" of the Nextone in both cases - by comparison, the others sounded like the high end was rolled off a bit. Speaking as a complete amateur by the way. My opinion counts for little. But seeing as you asked.
your opinion is solid and valued, tone is entirely subjective, so there is no real right or wrong, just what you like the sound of. I kinda liked the katana artist best, it felt like dave sounded more at home through it. If i'd played through the amps myslelf though, i think i'd have preferred the fender, because they're the sort of the amps i feel suit me best
@@crabbtrixexp it really is subjective. I think all 3 of these amps are quality amps, but their aimed at different players. The Fender is a very specific sound for specific players who enjoy that sound. The katana to me is a catch all, jack of all trades, type of amp. The nextone is honestly very peculiar. I have no idea what it’s supposed to be doing, but I like what Dave gets out of it. Cheers.
Dave Sir! They all sound good. But I am a tube guy. Can you use the katana, for arm chair practice, and also run it like an effects unit through your tube amp? That would really increase the value for me, if it can double duty. Quiet practice, and double as fx for my tube amp. Can you do that? Just use the FX with your tube amp?
I notice while on "auto-play" that an "Anderton's" video comes up immediately after Dave's video here. Could they be using Dave's video as a leader into and a pathway to viewing their video? You know as in, oh look Dave has made another video and I shall click on it. Then as a sort of trailer, up next is the Andertons commercial video. It seems like that to me. How clever of them. If this is true then Dave should be financially compensated by Lee Anderton.
Dave my dear friend,where is your Katana 50 mk1/ 2 ,to make a comparision. I'm still using my Katana 50 mk 1 without any side equipment. And i'm sooo interrested what a tube amp can bring to the table. What,s your fav " handsdown ??? Love your style and honesty.🎸🎼🎶🎶Your friend from Holland Frans.
for me the nextone is the better , middle range and clarity and punch ! The strat sound is very wouayesss ! the katana have a lot of bass , but for rock is cool but ... yes a lot of bass , but carity and punch like the nextone in much more bassy . the fender , it's a bit bland in clear , not punchy like the nextone but with near the same touch , in crunch it s good like the nextone . i think i want a nextone 🤔 thanks for the comparaison !
For me, the Katana wins. But I’m biased because I have a Mii 50. It’s the best amp I’ve ever owned. Incredibly versatile. I just wish Boss offered a Tweed looking model....
I think when talking clean tones the Fender was streets ahead and Katana a long way down the ladder. Perhaps having the treble on 9 didn't help the Katana (I had no idea until you told us later in the vid); I just though it sounded thin..like really thin. To my ears the Fender was much fuller/warmer whilst remaining clean. Otherwise the Katana won the battle in the other 2 clips. The nextone (or whatever that amp was called) was solid all round, but not the best in any of the 3 categories. It was an interesting comparison and well done thank you Dave. I often think tho, how does...'insert name' sound in a mix? 👀 So, for example the Fender clean, which I thought was the select clean tone, how would it sound with other instruments? Perhaps as it sounded fuller (midcentric maybe?), that could get lost in certain styles of music whilst others, like a more ambient track really add to the music. Always so hard to tell. Cheers man. 🎸🎸🎸
Feel is everything so if the katana feels good that's your amp. I listened with speakers and headphone, clean all sounded good. My preference goes to the fender, sounded fuller to me. With crunch, I don't know why but with headphones it's was for me painful to listen to the katana. It was a real relief when you switched to the Fender. That is with crappy speakers and headphone and after youtube audio conversion, i'm sure the sound in the room was very different. In the end the Boss amps are a lot more versatile than the Fender and are for an average Joe like me the best buy. But to be honest, like you play you can make a Pignose amp sounds great.
If we're the "people of the tube", does that make Dave the "person of the solid state"? 🤔
Dave is just a solid dude!
@@orvilfarley7861 that's a solid statement my friend.
YT should become YouValve in Britain. That would be siiiick, mate.
You make him sound like North Korea
You transistor is another site 😆
Love my Katana 100 MKII, always curious about the Nextone. Katana, in general is a great clean amp and a splendid pedal platform.
Definitely ur best thumbnail.
That thumbnail has a lot of teeth!
Dave, Great comparison of these amps! I now have the Fender Deluxe and for me it's what is doesn't do that I like in particular. Whereas the other amps can be tweaked endlessly, the Fender Tonemaster, like its valve-wielding brother, is very much about switching on and playing. I now spend with the amp playing my guitar as opposed to hunched over an amps controls, to-ing and fro-ing between nano tweaks! Malcolm.
All 3 amps sound fantastic! I bought the artist mk2 when it came out and I am in love with it! So many amazing options these days...
Katana Artist for me. It sounds great both clean and overdrive. Such a versatile amp that checks so many boxes.
So close that in a band session it wouldn’t matter.
Nice playing and a great video.
Maybe too late to join the party, but will chime in anyway. Thanks for the review. Your opinions, both subjective and objective at the end were great. Needless to say, great playing too. A Kat 50 owner here who's looking to maybe get the Kat Artist - for rehearsals and gigs. Been a guitarist for about 30 years but primarily stuck with the acoustic, vocals and harp for playing and performing. Two years ago committed to trying to get good on the electric. Wow, what a rabbit hole you can go down with trying to dial your sound. For someone who tries to keep it minimalistic its a battle, and not cheap. Over the years went through some real nice tube amps and pedals but whoa, compared to a Kat with one simple foot switch, its a no brainer - especially if you are also working on vocals, harmonica, and acoustic - the Kat keeps it simple. Pedal boards, power supplies, finicky tube amps - what a hassle compared to the Kat. I dump the Kat in the back of my pickup in zero degree weather drive to rehearsal pull it out - bang, ready to roll. After having the Kat for well over a year I finally dug in with the Tone Studio. Lots of fun, but oddly I didn't end up changing much on my four presets. What I can dial in on the Kat amp itself seems plenty. Clean, clean w/ dirt, Crunch, Crunch plus delay (for lead) is all I seem to need for our/my covers. The Kat 50 takes an A-B latch type pedal so lets you call up your 4 presets easily on the go. Finally, the Kat is still better than me. So my time is better spent practicing rather than poking through settings, buying pedals, coddling tube amps, etc... Anyway, thanks again for the great review. I'd like to hear a "year later" follow up if you still feel the same on the Kat vs the Nextone.
This was really interesting. I was honestly shocked at your subjective ranking. I picked the Fender lol the way! Not only that, it seemed like you were having the most fun playing it. I thought the Fender had the most character, snap, and live vibe. Would love to hear these in a mix. Thanks for a great vid!
I think I liked the Nextone best on clean and overdrive today, but my opinion could easily change tomorrow. They're all awesome amps and capable of great sounds. Just depends on what flavor you're in the mood for. The quality is there on all of them IMO, which is awesome. We're lucky to live in an era of so many great options.
Just something about that Katana.. my pick of the bunch. Great video as always Dave, you've been a real inspiration for me lately. 21 only just now picking up a guitar for the first time, and I've already learned so much from your videos. Even copied your strat setup haha :) appreciate the good music & opinions, keep doing you brother.
Boss nextone, then Katana and then Deluxe for me. Love the "theeth" you mention. I guess you could dial the Nextone to be more warm?
I prefer the Katana Artist by a lot. I bought a Katana MKII 50 and an Artist MKll because of your earlier videos . Thanks for the excellent advise.
I know this is an old video, but I’ve been digging through your Nextone and Katana Artist videos because I’m looking for an upgrade to my Katana 50. I also happen to have a Tone Master Deluxe and love it for that Fender clean. I have to agree though. The Katana Artist really kicks the Nextone’s butt. I found for every sample, the Katana just feels fuller, rounder, and richer, for lack of a better word. It’s absolutely fantastic. I think it’s going to be my new amp!
Your Fender Strat and the Fender Deluxe are a match made from Heaven. It has the better sounding reverb and brings out the best of the Strat.
All three are very usable. I kinda lean towards the Nextone for what it is meant to be and that it does it. That said, the Katana is obviously the most flexible, and again does it all well, while the Fender is what it is and does its own thing well.
It's a matter of what you want that specific combo for and what you as an individual find the most satisfying to make music with rather than good vs bad.
Despite the last two years and the parts shortage there's never been a better time to be a guitarist. So many choices between good gear that is easily available. Guitarists from back in the 60s would have had your arm off if you offered them any of these three.
Therapist: Dave footballer isn´t real, He can´t hurt you.
Dave footballer: 8:58
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🤣🤭🤣😛🤣🤗🤣😏
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I'm happy with the Katana Artist mk2 been using it live just plug and play no pedals and been getting complements on the tone I'm getting out of it. Much lighter then the hot rod deville I had been using for 20 years I'm glade to hear you prefer it too. Your such a wicked player.
The Deluxe Reverb Tonemaster for me, it just has a ‘twinkle’ on the break up, it’s awesome, it has a clean/dirty thing that is hard to describe, but is just ‘that tone’, it nails it in a very good way. (I’m saving for one,this has just made me want it more😀).
ive played the tonemaster in the store. they still do not sound as good as the real tube deluxe reverb and the price is crazy. they are better than the past solid states but still a bit dull/stale compared to tube.
Katana for clean and overdriven. That Fender has a pretty spicey overdriven bluesy tone too.
Like yourself Mr S Katana every time... But they all offer something different really impressed by the Fender!😮👍🎸☺
preferred the fender deluxe, but was amazed by the sound of the katana. i did a blind test myself and only looked once i decided which one i preferred
Clean, I liked the third one. Very nice clarity. Rich, not tinny.
The Nextone came across the best sound to me, the Katana really didn't light my fire and the Fender.. Hmm.
I think we should all come to your house for an actual real world demo.
If you set up a tea stall on the street and possibly a cake and scone table for us as we wait in line, that would be nice..
If you don't mind?
Spot on advice about choosing what sounds right to you, and of course it requires that you try these yourself. They all sound great with Dave's fantastic playing, but the Artist sounds more punchy and dynamic. The Fender is more limited in the sounds available (it's purpose is to mimic the tube version), and lacks features such as an FX loop, so unless the particular Fender sound (for you) is significantly better than the others, then I think it quickly drops into 3rd place.
I love the Fender Deluxe most. Don't ask me why, I'm rubbish at describing sounds and why I prefer them!
So, I finally followed David's path and recently for around $140 I purchased a used Marshall MG100HFX 100 watt solid state guitar amp head. It has two speaker outputs and a 4 ohm min. load. Perfect! I have it connected to two Marshall 8 ohm 212 cabs in a vertical stack. Perfect. It sounds great BTW!
If I wanted I could connect it to a single 112, two 112's, 212 , two 212's, 412 or even two 412's. That makes for a great deal of versatility. It came with the Marshall Pedal and it has two channels that in effect operate as 4 channels. Reverb, FX loop, chorus, flanger etc etc.
I definetely go for the katana Artist for the capable of overall tone, fender is to clean, and Nextone is a bit harsh but get really the Hendrix bluesy tone.
But the KAtana Artist does everything.
THank you so much for sharing awesome things !! you're really one of my main mentor!
You gave it the ol Hollywood ending. Katana!!
Boss needs to give you 20%, you sold me on Katana way back, started with a 50w mk I, had to get the Mk I head/cab, now you sold me on the Artist Mk II, really Dave, they need to send you some more love! Thanks!
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Boss KATANA in the morning 🎶
Boss KATANA in the evening 🎶
Boss KATANA all night long 🎶
Yeah baby ✌😎🤘
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Katana clean sound was wonderful! Really like the crunchy Nextone, too. I liked the Deluxe both ways. I recently traded in my Katana 50 Mk II for a Tonemaster Deluxe bc I found the feel and the reverb so much more exciting and inspirational... I still think of it as an upgrade, but they are very different animals and the Katana really is great.
Ha yes, the review I was waiting for. :-) First of all thanks for this one Dave. Personnaly I thought the Fender just gives something special in the clean sound for me. But as you mentioned the Katana could have been set up a bit trebly maybe. But the Jenssen speaker in that clean Fender makes me happy. Personally I thought the nextone was the least appealing to my ears ( in this review anyway). But all in all if I also consider my 💷💷💷 I do have to stay with the Katana also. And they have an MK2 ow ;-)
Gotta say that nextone just sounded mint
I had a 100 and an Artist. Really hard to beat those amps. I'm "Nextone Curious", but with the Kat, you can just grab the foot switch and leave any modelers at home. The Kat sounded best to me, but maybe because I'm already used to it.
For me, the Katana has the most consistently full tone, it sparkles in a way the other two don't manage - however I like the Fender!
The Boss Katana can pair up with another for stereo. It's not a deal breaker but that's why I went with the Katana Artist over the Nextone. I preferred two Bosses vs the 2x12. My uncle, who plays classical guitar, made a comment to me back in the day, "It's all about what you get used to". "Do you like brighter tones, deeper tones, harmonics and resonance or clean piercing notes? Whichever guitar you buy, you are the one that makes it work." Skill is more important. They all sounded great with head phones. And, as we are wont to say, "it's all opinion."
You mean preference? I think is a better way to say it.what is so great about these three is you really don’t have to turn the volume up all the way like I had to with my 212 hotroddeville
I liked the Nextone’s clean sound the best a the Fenders breakup. What tube setting did you have the Nextone set to ?
The Nextone acquitted itself very well here
i have the Katana mk 1 thanks to Dave and love it so thats my choice but love the fender deluxe sound and can't wait for you're Blues album Dave
Dave, I really wish you would have given us some Les Paul and Telecaster samples, some of us are just not Strat guys. By the way you sound great on a Strat no matter what you plug into.
For the fender was awesome, but can't argue with the way the katana sounds, especially given the price.
Dave is a hoot and a half to watch and listen to! Even if I’m not researching gear to buy, he makes it so entertaining.
I have to say that this video proved something to me - the Katana just is not for me at all. Sonically, it just doesn’t do it for me. Clearly, Dave has a different feeling but that is just what the player hears and speaks to him or her. I’ve owned Deluxe’s a few times and they are awesome overall, but where they are weak, there is nothing that can be done to shore it up. The Katana is too sterile to my ears and just doesn’t react well under my fingers. Just acquired a Nextone because it is the best compromise I’ve found between the lovely tone/feel of tube and the reliability of solid state.
Thanks, Dave! Appreciate your work and words of wisdom!
To me, the Fender sounded a bit too low on the clean setting, which was already unfair compared to the volume of the Katana. To me, everything in this video is between the Katana and the Deluxe. For cleans, I liked the Katana the best here, but again, it might be because of the volume. Katana sounded more "in the face", clear and loud, while the Deluxe was kind of mushy and quiet. Now, on the overdriven sounds, I liked the Deluxe the best by miles. It sounded warm, jangly, big and nasty, although it was -obviously- far from being a heavily distorted sound. But that's the thing: more distortion doesn't always mean better tone. When overdriven, the Katana had far more clipping going on, and thus sounded unarticulated, muffled and dull. And what about the Nextone? Well, I honestly didn't hear anything special going on there. It was good, I suppose, but nothing surprising. Great comparison, tho!
Overall.. that are all great. Fender sounds (close enough) like a Fender, which is the most important thing. Next-Tone is ruthless in the overdrive, I kinda like that. Katana is nice and mellow (kinda)...so Katana for me. Just. But these 3 are all amazing, it's almost impossible to pick. Also nice to hear about the Blues Album.
I love the teeth of the nextone;) i have the 1rst gen nextone and its my main practice amp! Thank you for the comparaison and the katana win today i think clean/overdrive!
Katana for me on all settings, then Nextone followed by the Tonemaster( which would have moved up if it had the sound you had in your review on it...) Loved the Greenie sound when dialed to 10.
Fender up to now on clean lovely sound
The Nextone is very good at the cleans and can get me in the Vox sound that I've always loved, then there is the Katana followed by the Fender, but as you said each to their own.
All three are great amps, but Nextone for me, Sir! It´s a tone beast. I owned the Katana Artist MK I and changed to the Nextone Artist. The Katana to me sounds more "processed". By the way, you might get warmer tones out of the Nextone with the Master Volume up and the Channel Volume low. This is the way I prefer the Nextone Artist to be set.
Dave should call an album "The Subjective Nature of Tone".
Nextone wins on both for me. Fender last. Cleans was very close between katana and nextone. Overdrive sounded more open on the nextone. Dammit. May want buy one.
Nextone and Katana for the clean sound and the Nextone for the overdrive.
Loved the tone on both but thought the Nextone had more clarity over the different notes being played.
All three sound great in the rooms they are in. I think the nextone Deluxe and Katana are definitely modern sounding vs the Fender. Especially overdrive tones.
Thought I was gonna like the Fender, but that Nextone pipped it for me.
Nextone sounded best in these recoedings (maybe mic placement?), but I agree that I would go with the Katana based on experience.
I'm a boss guy but that fender amp had my preference every time!
I’m a Fender guy.... and thought the Fender sounded like shit here.
That ToneMaster is great and the boss sounds amazing to me as well so a tie between those followed by the katana. They all sound great for garagey psych nonsense though!
Just like you Dave I had all three the Katana Artist and the Nextone Artist are different beasts and beasts they both are in their own right. Personally love both, I’ve had the Fender and sold it not that it’s a bad amp. It’s just when you’ve got all 3 you quickly realise which one you can manage without. The Nextone & Katana both have their own mojo even though they are from the same stable.
Damn, I liked all three for different reasons. I agree the Katana Artist is probably best all around, but all three are great. Thanks for the comparisons!
They all sound great. I found the Katana the most pleasing in the comparison. The Katana seems more "in your face" to me.
I love the Nextone but I am into clean to crunch pedal platforms. The Fender is one (beautiful) trick pony and the Katana is the Swiss army knife of amps.
That jimi clean riff was so sick, definitely would love to learn it
Sounded like it was a jam to "wait until tomorrow"
@@flylilpyro1 definitely, also it reminds me of pretty little ditty
Always use DRTM for clean/ slight breakup, or with TS for blues.
Katana for distortion and fuzz.😎👍
Great video 😎👍
😎👍❤🖖
Love brother
BTW Dave, if my fingers start to behave (early arthritis) I will sent you a home brew point to point handwired treble booster. I don't sell them but just gift them around.
Love the Nextone but have to say as an all rounder the Katana takes it. Not sure the Fender did that well against the others yet I normally like Fender amps especially their clean tones. Great Vid Dave as always .
Love the idea of the Blues album!!!!
Dave,
Something very strange , on the clean sound the Deluxe sounded like it had a blanket over it sounded muffled, Katana Artist and Nextone about even on clean sound , Deluxe on overdrive sounded surprisingly Good!
Fender, sounded exactly like i expected, bold bass,mid,treble.
Nextone, similar to Fender less bold bass,mid.
Katana, cardboardy mids, very flat, (like JC120). BUT, the Katana in previous videos sounds like I want two of them!
Speaker voicing?
Three amps, same speaker Test could be interesting.
Sorry I should have broken it out - if I had to choose, I'd say Fender for its cleans and reverbs, and the Katana for the overdrives. I'd put the Nextone in the middle for each.
I liked the katana clean, even though I struggle with mine, And weirdly the tone master for overdrive.
Great comparison. I have the nextone and the katana and you can obviously get a massive range of tones, other than what we hear here. So we are literally only hearing a drop in the bucket. The tonemaster basically does what it does, and sounds great, but you need pedals to get it to do much more. Value for money? I will stick with the Boss amps.
its funny because other channels mention the katana is better for metal and next and fender for blues / classic but here the next and fender are angrier and katana is more chill . . . I like fender and then nextone because I'm a big fan of tube tone and fender cleans (first electric amp was tweed champ) and playing is inspiring 2
Is the Katana Artist featured here the original Boss Artist from a few years back? Is there even a version II?
Dave, have you tried the new Fender amPlug yet, the one for headphones? Captain Anderton has one and demoed it with Pete. I think you'd like it or hate it but it would be good to see you demo it :)
To my ear the nextone stood out on the clean side, but I think If you would have eased the treble back a bit on the katana it would have been a close call. Fender hands down on the dirty side for me. I just loved the warm tone.
Great stuff as always man! I'm curious what you think about the Katana compared to the Orange Crush Pros or Super Crush 100?
Katana Artist Mk2 rules in my realm.
The Nextone sounded clear compared to the Katana, which had a bit of a mid honk. The Fender is too limited for the price.
Fender. I have the fender and the katana and the katana has been reduced to being used for the acoustic now. I also have a hot rod deluxe which beats them all hands down (in my opinion) but I have always preferred valves over solid state.
Hey i want to say hello, i like this video and your honest conclusion, i can see you choice about the artist amplifier, on this video i liked the clean tone so about this from nextone amplifier can this help me to use external pedals? I have the GT1000, or still better the artist amplifier for this?
The Katana wins hands down, I think if the Fender would have run a better race if the shoot out was done with a LP. The Fender/Orange stereo rig is the best tone to my ears. Thanks for the great demo shoot out looking forward to the Blues tracks
Katana for me, I have 2 a mk1 head and mk1 100 combo would like to try an artist, but of my budget , sell my Marshall TSL 100 and JVM half stacks maybe?
Maybe I'm deaf or something, wouldn't be that surprised - but I really enjoyed the "clarity" of the Nextone in both cases - by comparison, the others sounded like the high end was rolled off a bit. Speaking as a complete amateur by the way. My opinion counts for little. But seeing as you asked.
I thought the next tone won the clean tones and fender won the crunch tones… the boss next one is a very nice amp.
your opinion is solid and valued, tone is entirely subjective, so there is no real right or wrong, just what you like the sound of. I kinda liked the katana artist best, it felt like dave sounded more at home through it. If i'd played through the amps myslelf though, i think i'd have preferred the fender, because they're the sort of the amps i feel suit me best
@@crabbtrixexp it really is subjective. I think all 3 of these amps are quality amps, but their aimed at different players. The Fender is a very specific sound for specific players who enjoy that sound. The katana to me is a catch all, jack of all trades, type of amp. The nextone is honestly very peculiar. I have no idea what it’s supposed to be doing, but I like what Dave gets out of it. Cheers.
Dave Sir!
They all sound good. But I am a tube guy. Can you use the katana, for arm chair practice, and also run it like an effects unit through your tube amp? That would really increase the value for me, if it can double duty. Quiet practice, and double as fx for my tube amp. Can you do that? Just use the FX with your tube amp?
Nextone for me. I like agry amp....
Question...because I was intrigued with your comments around this, what can the Fender do that the others can't Dave?
To me the katana sounds the best and fullest clean and overdriven, even though I love the clean Fender tone too :)
I notice while on "auto-play" that an "Anderton's" video comes up immediately after Dave's video here. Could they be using Dave's video as a leader into and a pathway to viewing their video? You know as in, oh look Dave has made another video and I shall click on it. Then as a sort of trailer, up next is the Andertons commercial video. It seems like that to me. How clever of them. If this is true then Dave should be financially compensated by Lee Anderton.
They all sound the same to me…. But then again, I’m not in the room, I’m watching on my iPad in my kitchen while frying sausages 🤔 🤷♂️ 😂
That was a grrroovy crooner-like Lincolnshire grrrreeting.
Maybe because I have a katana but I honestly liked the katana for all of the sound examples. 😜😁🤘👍
Dave my dear friend,where is your Katana 50 mk1/ 2 ,to make a comparision.
I'm still using my Katana 50 mk 1 without any side equipment.
And i'm sooo interrested what a tube amp can bring to the table.
What,s your fav " handsdown ???
Love your style and honesty.🎸🎼🎶🎶Your friend from Holland
Frans.
My favourite is the katana artist
Dave your the best
for me the nextone is the better , middle range and clarity and punch ! The strat sound is very wouayesss !
the katana have a lot of bass , but for rock is cool but ... yes a lot of bass , but carity and punch like the nextone in much more bassy .
the fender , it's a bit bland in clear , not punchy like the nextone but with near the same touch , in crunch it s good like the nextone .
i think i want a nextone 🤔
thanks for the comparaison !
I’d like to find the fender with the broken cabinet for cheap that I can convert to a head
For me, the Katana wins. But I’m biased because I have a Mii 50. It’s the best amp I’ve ever owned. Incredibly versatile.
I just wish Boss offered a Tweed looking model....
I think when talking clean tones the Fender was streets ahead and Katana a long way down the ladder. Perhaps having the treble on 9 didn't help the Katana (I had no idea until you told us later in the vid); I just though it sounded thin..like really thin. To my ears the Fender was much fuller/warmer whilst remaining clean.
Otherwise the Katana won the battle in the other 2 clips. The nextone (or whatever that amp was called) was solid all round, but not the best in any of the 3 categories.
It was an interesting comparison and well done thank you Dave.
I often think tho, how does...'insert name' sound in a mix? 👀 So, for example the Fender clean, which I thought was the select clean tone, how would it sound with other instruments? Perhaps as it sounded fuller (midcentric maybe?), that could get lost in certain styles of music whilst others, like a more ambient track really add to the music. Always so hard to tell.
Cheers man. 🎸🎸🎸
Feel is everything so if the katana feels good that's your amp. I listened with speakers and headphone, clean all sounded good. My preference goes to the fender, sounded fuller to me. With crunch, I don't know why but with headphones it's was for me painful to listen to the katana. It was a real relief when you switched to the Fender. That is with crappy speakers and headphone and after youtube audio conversion, i'm sure the sound in the room was very different. In the end the Boss amps are a lot more versatile than the Fender and are for an average Joe like me the best buy. But to be honest, like you play you can make a Pignose amp sounds great.
I love boss katana 50w mk2, so fender clean,