Boss Katana Air - Tips and beautiful tones
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- Опубліковано 17 сер 2018
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Equipment used:
Various guitars
Boss Katana AIR
No pedals, laptops, computers, or DAW
Recorded via iPhone to iMovie to UA-cam
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![[Eng Sub] Boss Katana Air guitar amplifier (no more wires)](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/ymIo4wHf4zA/mqdefault.jpg)
I think the AIR wireless feature is what makes this app awesome as well as the stereo speakers being separate to the guitar speakers. Awesome little jam amp. Up to12hours of play time too when fully charged in that little wireless plugin. That ain’t a gimmick
Terrific tones and playing technique Paul. I just love your material.Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Jonathan! Maybe my choice of material shows my age, ha ha! Thanks for listening to my clip :-)
As always great review and spectacular guitar playing! Cheers man!
Thank you so much Mark! 👍
Really nice tones and super good articulated playing! Amazing.
Thanks Douglas! Appreciate your compliment :-)
Excellent playing Paul. And with a lot of feeling.
Thank you BrandOdyssey 🙏
Inspirational! Great Paul! 😄😄😄
Thanks Dad. Forever indebted to you for that glorious Les Paul (which is my most “featured” guitar on UA-cam). If you’re missing it, then at least know that it is being used to the full and appreciated by me and my 437 subscribers!
Great playing you covered the globe with that presentation
Thank you shashank rao 👍. Appreciated
Savage tone for telegraph road 👌👌👌..played to perfection
Ah, thank you David! Appreciated
You have a gift paul, it’s very strong and full of emotion, it inspiring to watch and listen to 🎸🎸🎸🎸
Thank you Paul, your compliment is appreciated 😊
Great covers and great tone! Very inspirational :)
Well thank you Jason 👍. Appreciated
Great tone and technique Paul. Came for some tips and got a concert. Just sat back and enjoyed it. Thanks Mate🙏👏👏👏
Ah, thank you Keith, delighted you enjoyed my wee vid. Appreciated 👍
Seriously great playing dude, subbed.
Thank you Casey! Appreciate you subscribing 👍
Awesome upload👍wonderful playing and tone! it is great👍 thanks for sharing👍
Thank you! Great to read nice comments like that :-)
Well made video. Great playing too.
Thank you Brian 👍
thumbs up for the playing, and the katana air of course.
Thank you Christopher! Appreciate you listening to my clip :-)
Definitely need a Brother’s in Arms video after hearing that!
Yeah, I will see if I can put something together, I’m a huge Knopfler fan :-)
Absolutely lovely playing mate, about to pickup the new air ex and thanks for mentioning the busking, keen to give it a go!
Very nice. I think i will pick one up today.
Thank you billybobtexas. I still use mine regularly, and still think it’s a cool sounding little amp. And I can’t think of a better option if you’re playing outdoors in the street to backing tracks on Bluetooth (like I sometimes do). Cheers for watching 😀
The brothers in arms tone and playing! That’s amazing!
Thank you Wayne5354! Appreciate you watching 👍
Right! That wide vibrato just takes it over the edge.
Great playing, great song choices, nothing better than Knopfler. The amp tones are also well dialed in. Thank you.
Thank you Alex, appreciate you watching. Cheers 😀
Got mine two months, love it..
Yeah, it’s surprisingly good. Glad you’re enjoying it :-)
I know they are different but would u go for katana 100 instead of katana air?
Good sound !
&
Good play !
Thank you 🙏. Cheers for watching
I treated myself to the air a few days ago as a convenient practice amp. I too have a L.P and a Strat - that I’m afraid is where any similarity ends 😩 that was magnificent and I can only assume the pink towel is doing all the work 👍 I really enjoyed that well done Sir 👌
Thank you Steve! Delighted you enjoyed it. 😀
Fantastic wee amp. Your playing helps tons. 👍
Thank you Gordon!
Paul Stafford Cook: cheers 👍
I just got this amp the other day. I ordered an extra transmitter for it. I’m really happy with it. It’s a phenomenal & completely portable amp that sounds amazing. Nice video & excellent playing. 😊👍🏻
Thank you Blkjakk, I agree. I use it to play outside in the summer for the Edinburgh tourists, and it’s ideal for that. Glad you’re liking the amp! And thanks for watching :-)
ive got katana 100watt and my mate wanna buy it and thinkin to get katana air but still havent decide ,
Hi Arda, thanks for your comment on my clip. Yes, if I read it correctly, you’re thinking of selling your Katana 100 and replacing it with the Air....? I guess there’s definitely some sense in that, because you’ll certainly save space and gain lots of easy portability :-). However if you play all the time, you might miss the sheer depth of the 100.... I play most days and so I’d dearly miss the “wallop” that the 100 gives :-)
Paul Stafford Cook your very welcome and i know what you mean but i think katana 100 is too loud for a house and i usually play with headphones and cant do loud cause neigbours , i think 30 watt still pretty strong for a house but still wanna go store amd wanna try one
Sounds like you Paul. Good job. Will look out for you next year st the Festival. Thanks.
Cheers Aidan, say hi if you see me :-)
Epic dire straits 🙏🙏🙏
Just bought meself an air amp
Tnx !
Thanks Stefan 👍. And I hope you enjoy your new amp
Thanks for this review. I've been looking at picking up this amp. I have a Kat100 right now and love it. I also love your playing. I hope you're in a band and sharing your talent with the public (drunk as they may be at times...)
Thanks so much Steve, it’s great to read nice comments like that! And yes, I don’t think you’ll regret the purchase - it’s NOT as tone-full as the 100, but it’s way better than the mini (which ain’t bad).
Hi Paul, i know this video was a while now but thinking of getting the katana air ex and could you tell be if all these tones are stright from katana air without any pedals sounds amazing.
Listening to your Dire stratis playing is amazing could listen all day to that. I just trying to learn some but its not easy and you make it look so easy. Many thanks Peter
Hi Peter, and sorry for late reply. Pleased to say these tones are straight from the Katana Air. No pedals, no Tone Studio, no laptops or DAW. Just recorded straight to iPhone. Hope this helps 👍
AMAZING!!! Brothers in arms blew me away!!!!!! LESSON ON THAT ONE!!!! You HAVE to do it even if you already told the masses you dont do lessons :) Make ONE exeption....PLEASE!!!! Cheers
Thank you so much Guitar Rehab! Mark Knopfler is one of my earliest influences.... I spent 2 years of my young life immersing myself in Alchemy. Wonderful stuff. And yes, maybe I’ll put a “Brothers in Arms” video up soon :-)
Excellent sounds/playing Paul! Question: as you played, did you keep those settings just as you showed us in the beginning of your video? Please let me know.
Hi 👋. Glad you liked my wee vid! And the answer is 85% yes. The reason it’s not 100% is because of the Strat clip.... whilst I can’t remember for sure, it sounds to me like I’d have switched to Clean channel, Gain Full and maybe a little twist of the Booster knob. The overall effect of that is to have a slightly cleaner sound. Hope this helps. 😀
Hello.
About the strereo "rec out" jack: any idea how I connect it to an audio card for recording from the katana ? special cable ? it will record mono, right ?
Hi Frida. Unfortunately I’ve no idea. I don’t even have a laptop or PC. 🤣. Hopefully someone reading this can help.....
I love watching people play that don't just sit there looking bored.
Thanks man. Glad you liked my wee vid 👍
very good! divine touch ... can you tell me what kind of settings do you use in the katana on Brothers in arms?
Thank you Cristian, glad you liked the clip. Yes, the settings for Brothers in Arms were actually the settings shown when I tipped the amp to the camera. The only thing to note however was that my guitar’s volume control was mainly around 80%, which cleans up a little of the distortion. Cheers :-)
I think the AIR being wireless is what makes this amp what it is! Great playing man, love the white strat!! I just bought an American pro olympic white myself but maple neck and board :) and ordered this as a practice amp! Cant't wait to get it!!!! Awesome vid and your Guitar Face is Killer man!!!! \m/ - - \m/
Thanks haus05 ! Delighted you liked my playing and my Strat. Yes, I saw that Strat in the shop a couple of years ago and it just looked so dam old! The relic job is just lovely, very tasteful, and it just looks like it’s been around since 1960. Anyway, I digress. Enjoy your Katana Air. I take mine outside and play it (with batteries) for the Edinburgh summer tourists. I love that it can play my backing tracks at the same time as handle my guitar playing. Have fun man 😀
@@paulstaffordcook8799 Wow thanks for the reply Sir! Much love from Frozen Canada! on a side note i also want a tele 2 tone burst with a black guard / maple neck and board ... birthday coming up fingers crossed
Love my mini - worth it’s weight in gold
What did you use to record the audio for this if you don’t mind me asking? I Want to start doing covers and recently brought one of these for my birthday.
Hi Crawty. Yes, I’m a super simple kinda guy. Just an iPhone. That’s it. No Computer, no DAW, no microphones. So my set up has always been to have my iPhone on a selfie tripod (landscape, not portrait), and point the mic part of the iPhone to the amp’s speaker.... around 10 inches away. I play at bedroom volume 99% of the time so this set seems fine. Hope that helps 😀👍
Paul Stafford Cook Blimey sounds incredible! Thanks for the tips as well, love your tone as well! Gave it a blast today 😁 Great playing mate, thanks for your reply!
Never watched before anyone demoing a gear playing Dire Straits. Man, you nailed it!
Thank you Sergio! Cheers 😁
You play a mean guitar dude. Glad I found you. Fabulous touch feel dynamics notes and tone. In fact. You’re awesome. I e never heard a better still got the blues for you. And the Beck and knopfler stuff… 🙏🏼💕👍🏼🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸 You’re the musical child of Beck and Gilmour.
Ah, thank you so much HAFALUMPA. Your words had me smiling from ear to ear. Cheers mate 👍
sounds great! i have the 50 and the mini also. most likely will trade the mini in for this soon.
Yes, I reckon you won’t regret that. The Air is certainly more expensive, but worth it for the extra Tone shaping. Cheers for watching my clip :-)
I really have to copy & paste my comments on every one of your videos because I will always comment: amazing!!
Ps. Really nice Harlem Nocturne-play on the Telecaster:) you don’t hear this song often and it’s one of my faves* take care Paul and again.. great music/video.)
Thank you Stylianos! So chuffed you like my clips. And I agree that Harlem Nocturne is a fantastic track, particularly by Danny Gatton. Cheers :-)
Do you know if 2 guitars can be played? one on the wireless and 1 through the input Jack??
Ah..... no idea. I chucked the wireless bit away, as I’ll never use it, so I’ve no idea. Sorry.....
Hello, nice song. I'm looking for a patch approaching his brother in arms. Is it possible to know the setting that gives you this sound? please help...
Hi Nicolas, glad you like my vid 😀. I have never used Tone Studio, and so I don’t get involved with pre-set patches..... I just plug in, twist a few knobs, and play. So on this clip, I was using the Crunch channel and a good bit of the Gain knob (but no booster knob). But I did do a video called “Brothers in Arms tone” ua-cam.com/video/LYutAwHGyrY/v-deo.html and so hopefully you’ll see the exact settings I use. Cheers 👍
Hi Paul, I was wondering how this amp playback music quality is. Does it have enough base just for the music? I can hear the guitar tones are amazing so no doubt there but how does it get along as a Bluetooth speaker for just streaming and listening to your music?
Good question, and one that I’ve not been asked before. Actually, I’m going to compare it to a couple of Anker Bluetooth speakers that I have.... I would have to say that whilst the Katana Air plays music way LOUDER than both my Anker Bluetooth speakers, the actual quality of playback isn’t quite as “lush” as my little Anker A3143 (20W). I use my Katana Air to play to the public, outside, so I value volume over quality in that scenario. Hence why I don’t bring my Ankers to my busking gigs anymore. Hope this helps :-)
It does a bit. The reason why I would like to know is because if the playback is great then instead of buying a Marshall Stanmore for example one could go for the Katana air which is also a great amp. That way Personally i could justify the price. I have a THR5 for a practice amp and while the sound is great for practice when it comes to music it lacks a lot of base comparing to a similar dimension Bluetooth speaker. That’s why I was wondering how the Katana air performs in this area and I haven’t seen any review commenting on that. Thanks for your reply and great review and playing by the way!
@@panagiotismatsikoudis8039
My suggestion would be the following:
The Katana Air is great for guitar, but not for music playback. It just lacks the bass foundation. I myself have the Kilburn and it is much better than the Air as far as the music playback is concerned! The THR are also not good for music playback.
So go with the Stanmore, or Kilburn!
Or do it like me:
Buy a Katana 50 -199 or a Katana 100- 299 and use it for music playback or as a speaker for the Katana Air with Speaker out. Like a head but wireless !! In addition, you get a second full-length guitar amp with a lot of bass and power if you need it! With the Katana Liberian app, you can also control the Katanas with your phone or tablet and play music. Then you have a small portable amp and one for the stage! And that for the price of a Stanmore!
HI PAUL. what a beautiful playing strait from the heart . i wonder if there is a difference in sound quality between the katana air and the mk2 head?
Thank you irisv1233 👍. I’d imagine a significant difference….. whilst the Katana Air is very capable (for clean to slightly overdriven tones), the Katana 100 is noticeably warmer and more luxurious sounding.
Great tone and playing!!!Congrats. From where do you get your backing tracks? Cheers 👏🏼
Hi Marcos. Thanks for your nice compliment 🙏. I get my backing tracks from UA-cam, just by scrolling through the various “backing track” sites. If there’s a particular track you’ve heard me play, and want to jam along, then let me know and I’ll give you the link. Cheers Marcos
I have katana 50 and never used tone studio either this video proves you don’t need it sounds amaze balls on its own
Thanks, and cheers for watching 😊
Awesome video! AMAZING guitar playing! WOW!!! Thank you for your video, it has helped me a ton getting a better sound out of my Boss Katan Air. I am mostly after a Marshall Plexi sound, and with the help of watching The Studio Rats and Juca Nery, I have gotten a sound I like. I have found two interesting things that help with improving the sound. *One, is to turn up the Master Volume all the way and use the Channel Volume to control the volume of the amp*, and number two is to get the base of the amp off the ground, to either tilt it back so it is sitting at an angle, or to set it on it's side, so it is standing straight up. Not sure why thie helps, but you might want to see if you notice a difference. It could be just changing the heigh of the speakers is the difference I am hearing. I also went an gently tighten up all the screws on the amp with a very slight turn for the screwdriver, until the screws start to resists. My screws were a little loose. *edit: It should read turn up the Channel Volume and use the Master Volume for controlling the volume of the amp. Sorry for the error.
Some good info from you, thanks JDStone 👍
@@paulstaffordcook8799 I made a mistake, I should have said Channel Volume turned up and manage overall sound with the Master Volume. Also I just discovered that you can get some more bass in the amp if you go to the Global EQ and turn up the Bass to +20 DB, and also change the Low Cut to Flat, plus playing with the Low Mids level and frequency, helped a ton.
@@paulstaffordcook8799 Also another tip is for the Crunch and especially the Lead and Brown channels, turn the Gain all the way down to zero and go from there. Otherwise they will be an over-saturated mess of frying, sizzle, fizz and hissing sounds
Had not noticed you have this toy Paul. Do you think it would be loud enough to play outside in the wild? And have you tested how long it can last on battery? Thanks.
Hi Nikoo033. Yes, I’m actually still a big fan of that amp. I play outside every summer, and I use this amp every time. I love it! Ok, it can’t compare “tone-wise” to its 100w big brother. But it has enough tone to still make me sound like me. I play backing tracks via its Bluetooth function, whilst playing lead guitar over the top. And the tourists walking by seem to dig the sound. The batteries seem to last for ages.... Mind you I’m paranoid about running out “mid song” so I always carry spares. But genuinely impressive piece of equipment.
@@paulstaffordcook8799 thanks for the feedback. On my “next to purchase” list then 😁.
Hey Paul: Nice tips. The towel is an excellent suggestion. What do you do when you play live? My settings are very similar. Bass all the way up and treble at about 45 (through the app). I have the mid at 0. There is also another EQ and some other useful settings in the app that I use to boost the bass a bit more. There's also a signal chain that can be changed to change the tone a bit too. Thanks! You apparently don't need that as you are happy with just the knobs. Regards!
Thanks man, I appreciate your tips from the App. Others reading these comments will also potentially benefit, so cheers. When I take the Air outside, I leave my pink towel at home 🤣.
I was enjoying your playing Paul,when all of a sudden the video just stopped. Did you have a power cut?
Ha ha, yes it DOES sound a bit like a sudden power cut..... truth is I decided to cut it off at that point as the next bit contained bum notes :-)
This has got me SUPER excited to receive the Katana Air I just ordered! Gorgeous playing, especially your vibrato on Brothers in Arms. Quick question, what's the song after BoA?
Hi Jon, delighted you liked my video 👍. Yes, the song after Brothers in Arms is called Harlem Nocturne. To my ears, the best version is by the great Danny Gatton (you can stream that version on Apple Music) - just awesome. I did my version a couple of years ago on my Katana 100: ua-cam.com/video/v7EUlGsLEfM/v-deo.html. Hope you enjoy your Katana Air. I still use mine 😀. I find that staying away from the Lead and Brown channels is best.... the best “warmth” is to be found on the Clean and Crunch channels, Bass knob up high. Happy practicing 🤘
@@paulstaffordcook8799 Thanks for the info, Paul! Always happy to check out something by Danny Gatton.
Hi Paul, great tones as always. What a great piece of kit the Air is!! Mine arrives tomorrow!! By the way, where are you getting your backing tracks from onto your phone? ABC how are you Bluetoothing them to the amp? Surprised you are not using the App for the amp on your phone as that really helps control it. Also I wouldn't worry about the wireless transmitter running out of power. I have a WL-50 on my pedalboard that uses the same one and it's never let me down, and sounds as good as a cable. Cheers Johnny 🎸
Hi Johnny, sorry for late reply. When upgrading my iPhone contract, I always keep the previous phone. I make sure my old iPhone has Bluetooth turned on and is connecting to my Katana Air. So now I can play a backing track from UA-cam (on the old phone) and have it come out the Katana Air. Then I can plug my guitar into the Air and jam along, using my current (new) iPhone to film the results. It’s great that I can have a crunchy distorted guitar tone whilst the backing track seems unaffected, thus it stays clean. Hope your Katana Air has safely arrived!
@@paulstaffordcook8799 Hi Paul, thought so. Just been doing the same through my katana air!! Do you download the tracks or play them "online"? Cheers stay safe John
Actually, I do something that probably breaks copyright etc. Streaming from UA-cam is fine, but after repeated stop, start, pause, scroll back.... even with the strongest WiFi connection, streaming can stick and “freeze”. So if I really like a backing track and want to keep it and play over it for my own UA-cam channel, then what I do is this: I stream it from UA-cam through my Katana Air, or other Bluetooth device (as we’ve discussed already), but I record it by placing a 2nd iPhone about 10 inches away from my Bluetooth speaker. I record it using “voice memos” on my 2nd iPhone. Now I have my own “hard copy” that will never stick or freeze, no matter how many times I stop/start/rewind. From voice memos you can then email that voice memo to yourself. I then save the email / voice memo to an email folder that I’ve named “busking” 🤣. I can now play that voice memo / backing track, via my Katana Air, anywhere in the world, not requiring any 4G or WiFi. I could even do it in an underground cave 🤣. This is essential for me because I like to busk in the summer time for the Edinburgh tourists walking by (with my Katana Air) and I can enjoy a reliable playback. Hope that helps 👍
@@paulstaffordcook8799 funnily enough that's enough that's exactly what I am planning to do so was wondering how you do... especially for busking...👍😁🎸
Recently sold mine and bought a Vox Adios air gt. have you ever tried one ? there a big step above the katana air in tone and I own 4 katana amps
Hi Karl. No, I haven’t tried the Adios... Actually, I haven’t even heard of it, so I’m gonna have a little look on UA-cam for some info. Cheers Karl 👍
@@paulstaffordcook8799 plenty of reviews on the tube, I even did one myself. keep up the good work, I love the channel
Damn that first tone was incredible
Thank you Florian! Appreciate you listening to the clip :-)
@@paulstaffordcook8799 Can you give me any advice on how to achieve some similar tone? I run a Gibson Les Paul Studio through a Katana 100 Watt.
I guess you used the neck pickup? Which channel on the amp did you use? How were the other settings?
I would be very happy about that! That is quite the tone i was looking for for a long time... thank you in advance!
Hi Florian. Firstly, assume we’re talking about the Les Paul & Brothers in Arms (not the intro clip with PRS). Yes, these settings were actually the settings shown when I tipped the amp to the camera, which is the Crunch channel. The only thing to note however was that my guitar’s volume control was mainly around 80%, which cleans up a little of the distortion, and then that allows me to “swell” certain notes with the volume knob. And of course, I copy Knopfler by NOT using a pick, just fingers. Gives a much softer attack to the note. And yes, neck pick up. I also recommend similar settings on the Katana 100 combo to achieve the same sound. Hope that helps. Cheers for watching the clip, appreciated :-)
Sorry to be a pain but could you detail what settings (tone and vol) you had your guitars on? Beautiful playing and an amazing sound. Thanks.
Hi, and sorry for late reply. It was a while ago, so the best I can do is: Les Paul / brothers in arms - neck pickup and volume pot to max but tone pot rolled back to half.
Telecaster / Harlem Nocturne - bridge pickup, volume to max, tone half way
Strat / Telegraph Road - probably bridge & middle pickups together (position 2), volume probably full up.
Les Paul / Still Got the Blues - neck pickup but swapped to bridge for most of the Solo
Hope this helps. And thanks for watching my clip 😀
@@paulstaffordcook8799 Thank you so much!
Love the wireless lead (it's not a gimmick imho) and the only issues I've had with the connection are when it's right near the house WiFi. Other than that it's been super stable.
Cheers Luke. Good to know. 😀
Hi Paul, I have the Katana 100 1x12. Do your settings work the same for this Amp? Best demo on UA-cam! Thanks.
Ah, thank you for the compliment! Delighted you liked the demo. To answer your question - no, my settings are different on the Air when compared to the 100. I find the 100 to be just naturally lovely sounding.... whereas the Air.... I really have to work harder with the EQ, typically pushing the Bass up, yet turning the middle way down. My Katana 100 settings are probably best described on my “My 3 tips for good tone” video. Hope you like. Cheers Tony 👍
Thanks Paul. My 57 Strat sounds a touch Fizzy on high gain settings due probably to early designed pickups. I will have to delve a little further with th EQ. Was your dad a pro Guitarist? His collection is amazing! Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year. Tony, @@paulstaffordcook8799
Hi Tony, sorry for late reply. No, my Dad would be the first to admit that he was never really a lead player.... he loves chords and The Beatles, and songwriting and singing. He’s played in a few bands but never secured any record deals. But his love for The Beatles really fired up his excitement for these Gretsch’s and Rickenbackers. Cheers for watching and Merry Xmas! 👍
I'd say the best Katana Air review on You Tube.
Thanks so much Simon! Great comment and that will have me smiling 😀
@@paulstaffordcook8799 Thanks Paul. I've been back onto that Telegraph Road solo now I've seen you play it. I saw them live at Wembley arena on Live Aid day, I also heard them before in the stadium. I'll never forget it.
How jealous am I !! I’d love to have seen that. Mark Knopfler is a hero of mine.
@@paulstaffordcook8799 My father told me that I also saw Dire Straits before they were famous at the Putney Half Moon in 1978 when I was a kid on a Sunday lunchtime.Don't remember that one though. Still, great demo, on the Katana I'm going to get one.
will it chug?
Awesome tones, would u plz share the settings for still got the blues and brothers in arms?
Thanks Ahmed, appreciated. Yes, the amp settings were pretty much the same for both Brothers in Arms and Still Got the Blues (see the part early part of the clip where I tip the amp forward so you can see the settings) - BUT..... my Brothers in Arms has the guitar’s volume Pot rolled off a little which cleans things up a bit and adds warmth. Plus, I’m using fingers on that track, just like Mark Knopfler does, which softens the attack and warms the tone. In addition, I’ve probably got the guitars tone pot rolled back a little (can’t remember). In contrast, for Gary Moore, I’ve got my guitar’s neck pick up ALMOST on full, and the bridge pick up DEFINITELY on full. Plus I’m playing with a pick. When I switch from neck to bridge you hear a very definite volume boost, during that particular sustained note. That’s no accident. I’m copying Gary Moore, where the neck pickup is at a slightly lower volume than the bridge, hence the subtle volume jump when switching. Hope that helps. Thanks again for watching man, appreciated :-)
Paul Stafford Cook thank u for the very detailed reply, awesome channel and awesome music, looking forward to more videos sir :)
You should try the Yamaha THRII :) I am sure you will love it more
Ho Paul, would you kindly share your Knopfler settings? Great job!!!
Hi TheFoxx82. Cheers for watching my wee vid 👍. Yes, the Les Paul / Knopfler stuff would have been Crunch channel and the amp’s Gain knob turned past half way. Probably zero booster / Mod. For the Strat stuff, then still Crunch channel but the Gain a good bit lower to reduce saturation / compression. Hope that helps :-)
Can you recharge the batteries in the unit, or do you have to take them out?
Hi Astro. You have to take them out. Whereas in the Yamaha THR, I think you can just plug in and recharge. I use the Air for busking (playing outside for tourists). I’m paranoid about running out of power so I carry spare batteries (although I never need them). But if I had the Yamaha I’d be very nervous of running out of power and nothing I can do but go home. Just a thought 😀
I bought this and the new thr10 mk2. Sent the katana back. Both were awesome but the thr sounded more like cooking tubes.
Hmm.... yes, it seems my suspicions are correct then! Dam, because I don’t really want to shell out cash for a new toy just yet. I’ve not tried the THR series yet, but your comment makes me want to, as soon as possible. Cheers for watching 👍
@@paulstaffordcook8799 amazing little amp.
Could you tell me the tone setting for Brothers in arms, please?
Hi Robbie. Yes, the settings for Brothers in Arms were actually the settings shown when I tipped the amp to the camera. The only thing to note however was that my guitar’s volume control was mainly around 80%, which cleans up a little of the distortion, and then that allows me to “swell” certain notes with the volume knob. And of course, I copy Knopfler by using fingers, not a pick. Hope that helps. Cheers for watching the clip, appreciated :-)
@@paulstaffordcook8799 Thanks Paul, cracking channel..
Where can we get the background music?
Hi Anak. Sorry for late reply. You asked where you can get the backing track..... basically, all the backing tracks are from UA-cam. But if you tell me which song specifically then I’ll let you know. Cheers for watching Anak.
Telegraph Road 😍
Thanks man, cheers for watching 👍
Awesome Paul, I've got the Yamaha THR10 that I bought several years ago so I can play without disturbing the rest of the family at times. No Bluetooth which is kind of a bummer but, it has an AUX port to hardwire a player to it. I can see this going on camping trips and play to the "WILDLIFE", or with headphone plug in so not to disturb the campers next door... But, will it fit in youR backpack? Not the AIR, but the guitar??? "ROCK ON AND CHEERS! 8-)
Cheers Bill, I’ve heard good things about the THR10.... I’ve never tried it though. Yes, believe me, I’ve tried to figure out ways to combine a camping vid with a guitar vid.... but I’d need a dedicated team of helpers I guess, ha ha. Anyway, greetings to you from Scotland, where it’s currently lashing rain!
04.Aug/2022 Cool thank you!
If you are looking for a Bluetooth pedal that can control the Katana Air, here's some clarification:
When switching the sound from crunch in mode 2 to clean with the Airstep BW on the panel, the Xsonic Airstep BW needs up to 1 second to switch from crunch to clean sound, which is too long for me personally! The Airstep Update App also runs stable on Android, but the update almost always fails! I can only recommend the Airstep BW if you accept that the switching time is 1 second when switching to the clean channel on the Katana Air's panel. The problem is not with the amp but with the Xsonic Airstep BW Bluetooth controller pedal.
Besides this one latency switching problem, the Airstep BW controller is very good!
Xsonic manufacturers: Can you fix this issue in the next update?
Good to know: The Boss Katana Librarian App does not support the Katana Air! Can Roland- Boss solve the problem?
Question for you musicians: Have any of you tested the Boss EV-1-WL with Boss FS6 or FS-7 and what is the switching time before switching the Katana Air?
Thank you for your willingness to help. (guitar teacher and repair service)
Why you went through the input cable instead wireless? Is there a reason?
Hi Adolf. Yes, when I think about the wireless aspect, I just think “gimmick”. And so I just never bothered to even try it. I’m probably just old fashioned, hence why I’m using a lead.
@@paulstaffordcook8799 Using main power line 220v AC I am getting cracking noise (when touching strings, knobs, etc. on the electric guitar) from the speakers ( Boss cube street 2) - with the 8 AA batteries there is no such thing. Have you tried one or both busking amps (katana mini or/and katana air) you tested here using batteries also by running them on main power line (wall socket)? Did the problem I mentioned occure?
Hi Adolf. I have tried the Air with both batteries and also just the mains lead…. No noise issues…. I also have the Katana Mini, and again, no noise issues regardless of how I power it. Hope this helps 😊
@@paulstaffordcook8799 Now I tried another Cube street 2 in a music shop - the same story with the cracking noise when using 220V power line. It's sounds like someone taking powered plus and minus wires and scratching them over the speaker. I am returning it. I am thinking of katana head. Thanks for your help. Admiring your guitar skills!
Thanks Adolf, and good luck with those strange noises 🤞
At last good sounding amps, with manageable bedroom volume levels !!! the hard part is to choose from the Boss Katana Air and the Yamaha THR ... What made you choose the Boss, Paul ? great Dire straits covers by the way !
Thank you Franck! Delighted you liked my vid. As regards the Yamaha THR versus the Katana Air.... I have not tried the Yamaha.... although I think that popular opinion puts it slightly ahead of the Katana Air on sound quality..... The reason I picked the Air was because I knew I loved the Katana 100 and so I knew I’d like the Air. I still use my Air when I play outside for tourists. I use it with batteries, and it’s still a great wee amp!
Yes, I'm in the same position, wanting a great high quality sounding small bedroom amp. Also, adding to the choice between Katana Air and Yam THR10, there'e also the Spark!!!
One day someone will add a speaker out mod to the Katana Air!
At this day the Air is going to be outstanding!
You can use a cabinet that you want like the Head but wireless for home and its still portable and with 30w more than enough for home use! 😉
You can get the Katana 100w Head? It has a 5 inch built in speaker for home use..
@@andremalmgrenjensen4105
No .i like the wireless system which the Head doesn't have! And the Bluetooth conectivity! Now i bought the Katana 100 because its cheaper then the Head .Now i only must install the speaker out to the Air!
So i have one portable and one full amplifier or i use the Air like a Head with the Cabinet of the 100 but totally wireless!
Robi Lu Obviously a late response but should be the same process as this...though you have 2 speakers but these should go back to a central point. ua-cam.com/video/ywDo2s6DRbM/v-deo.html
I just use frfr speakets out of line out headphone and use cab resonance choices and you can gig as big as you want
Do anybody have an Idea how this can handle pedals?!
Hi Ibrahim. Good point, I’ve never thought to try! So I will try that tomorrow, with a couple of overdrives and I’ll let you know :-)
@@paulstaffordcook8799 thank you so much that would be great 😁😁
Hi Ibrahim. I finally got around to trying a few overdrive pedals through the Katana Air. In conclusion, yes your pedals WILL sound good through the amp - however, only up to a certain point. In other words, the speakers will be quickly overpowered if the overall volume / output goes much beyond unity. Hope this helps 😀
This is amazing video, I have watched it for the hundredth time. I copied your amp settings from the beginning of the movie, just tell me you have delay and reverb enabled there
Thank you Robert! Delighted you like my wee video! And yes, a little delay plus a healthy splash of reverb in all clips 👍. I still have this amp and I’m looking forward to using it again to play outside this summer for tourists 😁
Between a Boss and a Paul. Poor Fern : " )
Hey Paul! Absolutely beautiful playing, well done mate! A non-guitar related question - how do you think it holds up as a bluetooth speaker when it comes to just streaming music? A lot easier to sell the concept to the wife if it can double as our BT speaker in the living room... :-)
Hi Mattias. Thank you for your lovely compliment 🙏. Yes, it performs very well as a simple Bluetooth speaker, I can highly recommend it for that purpose. In fact, it can be turned up WAY louder (if you’re so inclined) than my two little Anker Bluetooth speakers. So if ever you hear me jam along to backing tracks on my channel, it’s usually the Katana Air that plays the backing track, and one of my big amps that handles my guitar. I also love that it can do it all with batteries. I also bought the power cable for connection to the mains. Cheers for watching 👍
OK, great. Thanks a lot for your reply!
Here's a proof that with a (very) beautiful fingering, a great feeling and some wonderful guitars, there is no need for a great 3000 bucks tube amp to catch the greatest guitar-heroes sounds 😎
Thank you Phyloo14 ! Appreciate your compliment. Smile now on my face, ha ha. Cheers :-)
Katana Air としての使いかたとして良いのか？
Brother in arms. You nailed it. That is a all time fav.
Thank you Robert! Yes, Mark Knopfler is a hero of mine, and so it’s great to hear that you think I nailed that sound. Cheers man!
@@paulstaffordcook8799 Him and Gilmour are my faves. Both have their own original sound. Can always tell who they are. Lol
I'm thinking about getting one of these. Or the katana ...50. I need an all in one that can take pedals too.
If you’re thinking about getting one, it would be good to try it first, and the Katana 50. I own the Mini and the Air, i’ve played the 50 and I own the 100 (1x12). And that’s pretty much the pecking order in terms of sound quality. I have a suspicion that the 2x12 would sound even better, but I haven’t tried that yet. Nor have I tried the Artist or the Nextone. The 100 is just lovely. I have a new “hand wired” Marshall Astoria that just cost me £1,200.... and I keep going back to my Katana 100. That’s how good it is.
@@paulstaffordcook8799 nice!!!!!!
i've had mine for a bit over a month now... fantastic little thing.. actually its amazingly DECEPTIVE as to how much VOLUME comes out of this thing . i wanted a truly wireless little practice amp that was ALL INCLUSIVE; meaning it had its own wireless transmitter, battery or elect, self charging transmitter, etc. it is scary to hear how much and how many incredible tones you can get out of this unit. which, kind of, reinforces the issue of 'anything you can plug into a modeling amp will come out sounding the same..even a playskool guitar..' In other words, its been said that these types of amps dont care about pickups or wood tones etc... i'm not sure about all that.. but i know that without using any of the pre programmed 'tones', different guitars DO sound different and the amp acts differently as well. GREAT unit.. does what i needed. Oh! the blutooth issue(s). my answer to that is, keep the amp closer just in case you lose connectivity.. but heck.. lock in a tone and just go!
I agree, it’s amazing how far technology has come. I use mine for playing outdoors in the summer time, where I play to tourists walking by in the streets. Great wee thing. Definitely not as toneful as its big brother (Katana 100), but way better than you think it’ll be. Cheers for watching my vid 👍
What can I say?
You know I love your videos. I have to say I tried a brown towel and it sounded rubbish. It seems pink is the way to go. 😉
Cheers Al, I agree. “Aim for the pink, avoid the brown”. Great tip that has served me well over the years!
@@paulstaffordcook8799 Paul, how've you been man? Great video and awesome playing!!!
Same with Telegraph Road. Please
Hi Kevin, thanks for watching the clip. Yes, i’ll probably do a UA-cam video just on Mark Knopfler’s tone soon. But in the meantime, the Telegraph Road settings were actually the settings shown when I tipped the amp to the camera, which is the Crunch channel. The only thing to note however was that my Strat’s volume control was mainly around 80%, which cleans up a little of the distortion. And of course, I copy Knopfler by NOT using a pick, just fingers. Gives a much softer attack to the note. Cheers :-)
The Bluetooth connection is great but occasionally it crackles.
Thanks for your comment BrandOdyssey. So far I haven’t noticed that..... but hey, anyone else out there noticed that?
Beautiful sound an skillful playing. However taking a wireless £330 pound amp on the streets in this day an age. Is sheer guitar folly!
Good point.... It’s funny, robbery does cross my mind.... I keep a good hold of the guitar but the amp could easily be snatched.... Anyway, cheers for watching 👍
Best vid on this amp....everything else makes this amp sound crappy and or they are altering the true sound by sticking a microphone that cost waaay more than the amp in front of it......
Thank you for compliment T Dodak, appreciated! Yes, I’m looking forward to Spring / Summer again, which is when I take the amp out busking with me. So I’ll play along to backing tracks for the Edinburgh tourists. Cheers for watching 😀
Thats true. First Video with a realistic tone. Love it
...can I have your guitars please? It's not lost on me that you're playing a Custom Shop Strat, a Private Stock PRS and USA Tele and LP...through a plastic £350 amp 😂
Nothing against the amp by the way....gonna buy one. Just bamboozled that you demoed probably 15K's worth of guitars through it 😂
You’re comment has me smiling :-). You’re spot on, and very observant. You are 100% correct in your identification of each guitar, I’m impressed. Whilst you cannot have my guitars, you’re more than welcome to help me with my debts.... But yes, the quality of guitars does kind of jar with the plastic amp! I think you’ll enjoy the amp, I’m genuinely impressed with the jump in tone quality when compared to the Mini. And yes, I’m a lucky boy to have such lovely stuff. Hope you have many happy hours with your Katana Air. And thanks for watching the clip, appreciated.
@@paulstaffordcook8799 no problem buddy. Love the Brothers in Arms and Still got the Blues pieces, sounded awesome.
No way of loading Tone Studio patches from the PC on to this amp. Such a let down.
Why didn’t you save $200 and just buy the Katana 50?
If you’re talking about the Katana Air versus the ‘50..... I already have the 100 combo, and so the Air is just to allow me to play outside in the streets for the Edinburgh tourists. But if you’re talking about my purchase of the 100 v’s the 50.... I tried both back to back, in the shop and to my ears the 100 sounded warmer.... maybe the bigger cabinet....
I’ve got to disagree with you brother, EVERYONE knows that the best tones come from the pink towels!😅😊
Wise words!!
4:40 does anybody else feels like this should be banned for sexual content?
Just scrolled through to 4:40..... er, yes you have a point, I have to admit it....
Four hundred bucks for a bluetooth amp??
Yes, but it’s way louder than most other Bluetooth speakers, certainly way louder than either of my Anker Bluetooth speakers. So it copes outside with wind etc. very easily. And I don’t know if any other Bluetooth amp exists? And lastly, the tone shaping available is great, with it’s many knobs, and that’s even before you start with possibilities on Tone Studio. So I can’t see any alternative product coming close...
Seems as if you like yourself much more than the amp.
Yes, indeed. But still a helpful video nonetheless I feel :-).
Paul Stafford Cook Its not, actually. You should rename the video “Me, Myself and I with amp” so people don’t think this is a real review.
Ooo.... someone’s jealous.
Paul Stafford Cook just being honest. Just another jam video. Snore.
@@paulstaffordcook8799 The point is that you show that the amp really is useful in a musical context and not just a "toy".
Would love to hear you compare the tone you get with your cable compared to the wireless. :)
Lol, that “gimmick” (even though wireless systems are used by most professional, touring musicians) lasts for over 10 hours. And if you aren’t using the app, you aren’t getting anywhere near the most out of it.
Hi Joose. Yes, I agree that there is so much more you can do with the Air, via the app. And if you’re into that, then there’s loads of vids showing the options. But old fashioned guitarists like me, who just like to plug in and play, will hopefully be reassured that the Air can sound pretty good straight out the box. I like it because I play for the Edinburgh tourists in the city streets and love the fact it’s battery powered and can play my UA-cam backing tracks via its’ bluetooth. Thanks for watching 😀