Boss KATANA Love?

[BRHGM]

Re: Boss KATANA Love?

You really have to play them all until you find what you like. I like simple controls and the sturdiness that Boss offers on their products. The prices were also reasonable. Although, I disliked the Cannabis Rex with the Blues Jr, it could work with a Kitana. Which ever amp you get, if you get a head and a 212 cab, you can always return or sell the head and get a different amp. Good luck.

[Masta' C]

Re: Boss KATANA Love?

I was a bit disappointed to see that the new Mustang GT series isn't available in a head format (yet)!

[Dusty.Rhoads]

Re: Boss KATANA Love?

I was a bit disappointed to see that the new Mustang GT series isn't available in a head format (yet)!

My big disappointment is that they do not connect to Fuse or any desktop app. Fuse really is a powerful tool that made the old Mustang tremendously easy to tweak even on the fly.

[Masta' C]

Re: Boss KATANA Love?

After doing even more research, I went ahead and pulled the trigger on a Katana 100 combo!

It's currently on a 2-week back-order. Yeah, waiting sucks, but I simply couldn't pass up the screamin' deal I got!

Pretty darn excited!

[T-Bone-BBQ]

Re: Boss KATANA Love?

I did a practice with a band I'm helping out this evening with the katana 100 combo only on the .5 watt setting with the master volume around half way and it did fantastic. Plenty of good tones in that amp.

[Hartattack]

Re: Boss KATANA Love?

After doing even more research, I went ahead and pulled the trigger on a Katana 100 combo!

It's currently on a 2-week back-order. Yeah, waiting sucks, but I simply couldn't pass up the screamin' deal I got!

Pretty darn excited!

Congrats! You won't be disappointed

[donaldr]

Re: Boss KATANA Love?

Just picked up a Katana 100w this weekend. Not at all what I was hearing from youtube videos.
I tried first with my Strat (single coils). 0.5w output. Clean and crunch channels. The sound was shrill, 2 dimensional and like a cheap solid state combo. A lot of highs even with presence control all the way down. Brown channel was not really better.
I then tried with my Les Paul, a bit better but still lifeless. My Roland Micro Cube in the Blackface setting is warmer and more inspiring to play.
Tried 50w and 100w setting: same sound just louder.
I don't think giving a breakdown period to the speaker will help that much either.
Was expecting a lot from this amp but I'm disappointed :-(
Other suggestions to 1) replace my Micro Cube as practice amp (1-2watts) and 2) small grap and go combo (15watts) for jamming with friends?

Ok wanted to update my post.
I picked-up a Katana 50w this Friday. After reading a lot of threads I found how to use the amp. The secret is really the Master Volume which should be fully clockwise to "simulate" power amp distortion as with a real tube amp (and also depending on the sound you want). 0.5w reacts the same as a 0.5w tube amp, 25w reacts the same as a 25w tube amp, etc. So if you like your 25w tube amp cranked, you need to crank the Katana. After deciding on power output (0.5w, 25w, 50w) then you start to experiment with the sound you want to have. Gain and Volume seems to be for preamp only.

To be honest the Katana feels like a tube amp: use your guitar volume to cleanup the sound and play softer/harder for dynamics. Clean channel is really good, Crunch channel can go from "almost clean" to real Crunch, Lead is a bit disappointing for now but I haven't spent enough time to tweak, and Brown is also good. Effects are usable but you really need to use Boss Tone Studio or Katana Floorboard apps to take full advantage of them. After 2 hours of playing at 0.5w, I achieved better results on clean/crunch channels with single coils playing blues/rock (and that's what I bought the Katana for). So no gigging for me with this amp, only fiddling in my living room with a strat when I don't what to go down in the basement.

I don't understand the SO big rave about the Katana, I think it's equal to a tube amp about 2-3 times the price and nothing more. Maybe equal to an old Peavey Bandit but with builtin Boss effects and much lighter. A good amp for players on a budget. Sound erring on the "EL-34" topology.

[rustyjones13]

Re: Boss KATANA Love?

i have the 50watt & love it but should have got the 100watt as that one has and effects loop, just a little more usable. but love the 50watt can't go wrong with either!

[donaldr]

Re: Boss KATANA Love?

I prefer the compact size and lower weight of the Katana 50. Once broken the speaker is really, really good.
And the Katana 100w is too loud for my home playing ;-)
But you are right depending of player needs, the Katana serie are really good amps for the money.
I which they make a 2u rackmount head.