Boss KATANA Love?

[donaldr]

Re: Boss KATANA Love?

I wonder how these would compare to the new Fender Mustangs coming out....

There will always things better, one after an other :-D

[Guitarmaster3000]

Re: Boss KATANA Love?

There will always things better, one after an other :-D

So I caved and bought the Cannabis Rex and installed it in my 50w. Wow much smoother high end and brought down that spiky high mid jump. Gave a lot more bottom end and thickness too as it weighs probably twice as much as the stock speaker. Only thing is, is that the speaker BARELY fits in that small space. I'm sure the 100w wouldn't have any issues but man it's metal on metal back there. But it works perfect and sounds better than ever. Makes the clean sound fuller and smoothed out the brown sound. All around a great upgrade and can't wait to see how it brakes in. Made a quick little YouTube vid of it here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9afD19Q6dz4

[atf]

Re: Boss KATANA Love?

So I caved and bought the Cannabis Rex and installed it in my 50w. Wow much smoother high end and brought down that spiky high mid jump. Gave a lot more bottom end and thickness too as it weighs probably twice as much as the stock speaker. Only thing is, is that the speaker BARELY fits in that small space. I'm sure the 100w wouldn't have any issues but man it's metal on metal back there. But it works perfect and sounds better than ever. Makes the clean sound fuller and smoothed out the brown sound. All around a great upgrade and can't wait to see how it brakes in. Made a quick little YouTube vid of it here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9afD19Q6dz4

How does it sound in the acoustic setting?just wondering

Sent from my SCV33 using Tapatalk

[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?

[T-Bone-BBQ]

Re: Boss KATANA Love?

I'm certainly no pro player (REMEMBER THAT), but I've had great luck with my Katana 100 combo amp. I swapped out the stock speaker for a WGS Liberator 80. I know the WGS is only rated at 80 watts, but I've never had to play this amp at higher than the 50 watt setting as it's really loud. Even on the 50 watt setting I normally have the master volume at around 1/4-1/3 volume. I do have the GA-FC foot controller (hard to find) that I use with the amp and I've hooked it up to my computer to try dial in the settings for my effects and boost pedals.

Here's a few videos of me playing some different guitars through the amp using the built-in Tube Screamer and also using my Biyang X-drive (TS clone) to show it takes pedals well.

https://youtu.be/JO5o5DQiZTU

https://youtu.be/UUjFkZBPwK4

https://youtu.be/Ix4q27c5O1E

[Guitarmaster3000]

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?

There are 2 things that will defiantly help with dialing in the clean channel especially. 1: run the channel volume down low and run the master volume up a bit. Noticeable dynamic difference that way and helped with that lifeless feel it can have. 2: keep it away from the .5 sweeping as the 50w will really help it breath. New speakers will also sound a bit sterile as they are tight and take some hours to unstiffen. Even with the better speaker I still prefer pedals in front of it clean rather than using any of the gain channels. Hope this helps!

[donaldr]

Re: Boss KATANA Love?

Thanks for the info, but I returned the Katana. I might try the Katana 50 instead of the Katana 100. My main goal was to replace my Roland Micro Cube using the 0.5w setting, and have a grab-and-go combo for little jams with friends when there's no PA for my Eleven Rack (that's why also I tried the Katana 100 as it has an effect loop to connect my 11R when no PA but result is only "usable").

[T-Bone-BBQ]

Re: Boss KATANA Love?

Something to think about also is that there's hidden amp models in the amp that you can access via the computer.

[atf]

Re: Boss KATANA Love?

Something to think about also is that there's hidden amp models in the amp that you can access via the computer.

Correct. You can pretty much tweak the channels themselves with the software.

Sent from my SCV33 using Tapatalk

[Dusty.Rhoads]

Re: Boss KATANA Love?

Thanks for the info, but I returned the Katana. I might try the Katana 50 instead of the Katana 100. My main goal was to replace my Roland Micro Cube using the 0.5w setting, and have a grab-and-go combo for little jams with friends when there's no PA for my Eleven Rack (that's why also I tried the Katana 100 as it has an effect loop to connect my 11R when no PA but result is only "usable").

Thought about trying omen of then new mustang GTs? I have a GT40 and am really happy with it. Lots of great tones and tweakability.

[T-Bone-BBQ]

Re: Boss KATANA Love?

Correct. You can pretty much tweak the channels themselves with the software.

Sent from my SCV33 using Tapatalk

No I mean there are about 28 total amp models hidden in the amp. Do a Google search for katana hidden amps.

[BRHGM]

Re: Boss KATANA Love?

I tried out a Katana 100 at the local GC after being disappointed by a Blues Jr Limited Ed with hemp speaker, a Bassbreaker 7 watt and a Blackstar HT 1RH. The Boss Katana sounded great. It was plenty loud at 1/2 watt mode and the speaker stayed clear and bright from clean amp to Brown sound. That much headroom in a SS amp is amazing. The best part was near every cool Boss pedal was on tap in easy to use controls. I disliked the Mustangs, ID Cores and Codes because they were too gimmicky and complicated. This amp you could gig with or record in a studio. I want one in a 212.

[Masta' C]

Re: Boss KATANA Love?

I'm getting close to pulling the trigger on a new office/practice amp, but I'm rather torn on the Katana vs the new Mustang GT series! This is a good year to be in the market for a new SS amp, but the competition is fierce!

Has anyone played both a Katana AND a newer Mustang GT (note: not the older Mustangs)?

[Dusty.Rhoads]

Re: Boss KATANA Love?

I'm getting close to pulling the trigger on a new office/practice amp, but I'm rather torn on the Katana vs the new Mustang GT series! This is a good year to be in the market for a new SS amp, but the competition is fierce!

Has anyone played both a Katana AND a newer Mustang GT (note: not the older Mustangs)?

Yes.
Katana 50 with Cannabis Rex speaker best sound overall. If you can connect to computer in your office so that you can pick the mix of effects for your style of the moment it would be my first choice.

Mustang GT 40 sounds very good too. If you want the convenience of selecting literary hundreds of different sounds from your iPhone and want something that you can use as a fairly good quality stereo for streaming music it would be a good choice.

What did you think of the Duality set you bought?

[Masta' C]

Re: Boss KATANA Love?

I just watched a handful of reviews on the new Mustang GT amps now that they've been out a few weeks.

Most guys seem to like 'em, but those who didn't gel as well with the GT series seemed to have the same complaints across the board... weird filtering/out-of-phase effects in the overall voicing, not as pedal-friendly as the Katana, harder to adjust on the fly, etc.

They both seem very capable, but those reviews make me lean more toward the Katana, which I know has a clear sound and seems to take pedals as well or better than its old "Cube" bretheren.

BTW, whatever happened to Peavey's "Vypr Pro" from a year or two ago? I didn't really keep track of it, but it was supposed to best the rest of the "VIP" series. Haven't really heard/seen it brought up anywhere since!

Lastly, who's betting we see a new take on Yamaha's THR series this coming year at Winter NAMM? Something to compete with the Katana/Mustang, perhaps? A proper, larger version of the THR5/10 series is long overdue, IMO...

As for the Duality pickups, I just installed a bridge model in my Washburn Outlaw superstrat (originally made for George Lynch) and I'm putting new strings on it as I write this. I'll update you shortly