Boss Katana Amps any good?
- Thread starter KyleM
- Start date
treyhaislip
Well-known member
Re: Boss Katana Amps any good?
I like the tone the Katana gets but prefer the Yamaha THRs.
Should be a great amp though–enjoy!
I like the tone the Katana gets but prefer the Yamaha THRs.
Should be a great amp though–enjoy!
justFred
Well-known member
Re: Boss Katana Amps any good?
great amp...make sure you get the 23 hidden amps and pedal board...loads of added tonal ops...
https://github.com/katana-dev/docs/blob/master/how-to/use-28-amp-types.md
Have had a DOA Pignose 7-100 sitting around for a couple years...finally took it completely apart...checked the voltages all the way thru....all good....put it back together without changing a thing and it came to life!
Point is, used one of these for years as a practice amp...forgot what a fantastic little amp they are...
great amp...make sure you get the 23 hidden amps and pedal board...loads of added tonal ops...
https://github.com/katana-dev/docs/blob/master/how-to/use-28-amp-types.md
Have had a DOA Pignose 7-100 sitting around for a couple years...finally took it completely apart...checked the voltages all the way thru....all good....put it back together without changing a thing and it came to life!
Point is, used one of these for years as a practice amp...forgot what a fantastic little amp they are...
Last edited:
Re: Boss Katana Amps any good?
Superb amp-
My 'not break my back' rig is a Mustang 2, and it does the job, but if I was buying today I would have chosen the Katana-
It's more versatile and does not seem to suffer from the 'cocked wah only' crunch tones that plagued the rest of Boss's cosm series-
Not sure if they changed the cosm chip or somehow balanced the mids, but everyone I have tried have been excellent-
I love these amps for their flexibility- the in between tones (that take a lot of work with tubes- (but don't get me wrong I love my tubes
) are so easy to find. And as covered in other threads, I end up saving unusual combinations live on a regular basis that I wouldn't have thought of pregig (and couldn't have easily controlled the pedal/amp interactions).
So long story short, I expect you are about to have a lot of fun!
Superb amp-
My 'not break my back' rig is a Mustang 2, and it does the job, but if I was buying today I would have chosen the Katana-
It's more versatile and does not seem to suffer from the 'cocked wah only' crunch tones that plagued the rest of Boss's cosm series-
Not sure if they changed the cosm chip or somehow balanced the mids, but everyone I have tried have been excellent-
I love these amps for their flexibility- the in between tones (that take a lot of work with tubes- (but don't get me wrong I love my tubes
) are so easy to find. And as covered in other threads, I end up saving unusual combinations live on a regular basis that I wouldn't have thought of pregig (and couldn't have easily controlled the pedal/amp interactions).So long story short, I expect you are about to have a lot of fun!
PS412
Well-known member
Re: Boss Katana Amps any good?
I have the 100 head. I have only fooled with the downloads slightly. I like the amp. I have to say for the what you spend/get ratio, it is a good deal.
It seems to do many sounds pretty good, as opposed to one really well.
That's my two cents anyhow.
I have the 100 head. I have only fooled with the downloads slightly. I like the amp. I have to say for the what you spend/get ratio, it is a good deal.
It seems to do many sounds pretty good, as opposed to one really well.
That's my two cents anyhow.
Empty Pockets
BadHairDayologist
Re: Boss Katana Amps any good?
As a vintage tube amp afficianado, i ****in love Boss Katanas.
They are absolutely fine as bedroom / small jam / demo track amps. Zero complaints.
Not selling my tube amps to get one but if i wasn't 15 years deep in the vintage game I'd use one.
As a vintage tube amp afficianado, i ****in love Boss Katanas.
They are absolutely fine as bedroom / small jam / demo track amps. Zero complaints.
Not selling my tube amps to get one but if i wasn't 15 years deep in the vintage game I'd use one.
Cobra1957
New member
Re: Boss Katana Amps any good?
I have the Kat 50 and with my limited knowledge of the electric guitar and the amps that go with them I will say this- I friggin love the amp. I am having a blast with this thing and I haven’t even connected it to a computer yet.
The one thing that separates it from the Kat 100 is it does not have a line out and it’s 50 watts less powerful.
You can play the 50 at bedroom levels or blow the windows out and if you get so far out there looking for that tone, you can do a factory reset that will take you back to the original boxed configuration.
I have the Kat 50 and with my limited knowledge of the electric guitar and the amps that go with them I will say this- I friggin love the amp. I am having a blast with this thing and I haven’t even connected it to a computer yet.
The one thing that separates it from the Kat 100 is it does not have a line out and it’s 50 watts less powerful.
You can play the 50 at bedroom levels or blow the windows out and if you get so far out there looking for that tone, you can do a factory reset that will take you back to the original boxed configuration.
Re: Boss Katana Amps any good?
I got the Katana 100 about a month ago and it is a great tool for my needs. I also own a Mesa Boogie DC-10 but found it too heavy to be humping around up and down stairs to gigs. Great cleans, lots of in between tones that I can go from sparkling clean to full out crunch just by digging in or cranking the volume knob in the guitar. Loving this amp for what I need it for.
For heavier tones this thing is no slouch either. Then there’s the built in boosts...really addictive amp. Which is the main reason I chose to get it. I wanted something for home that would inspire me to practice and play out again after some 10 years sitting at home.
Hope that helps. If you’re interested I could put up a few examples of other tones I used during the gig above.
I got the Katana 100 about a month ago and it is a great tool for my needs. I also own a Mesa Boogie DC-10 but found it too heavy to be humping around up and down stairs to gigs. Great cleans, lots of in between tones that I can go from sparkling clean to full out crunch just by digging in or cranking the volume knob in the guitar. Loving this amp for what I need it for.
For heavier tones this thing is no slouch either. Then there’s the built in boosts...really addictive amp. Which is the main reason I chose to get it. I wanted something for home that would inspire me to practice and play out again after some 10 years sitting at home.
Hope that helps. If you’re interested I could put up a few examples of other tones I used during the gig above.
Last edited:
NecroPolo
New member
Re: Boss Katana Amps any good?
It is a great functional tool and the 50W-er is a pretty good value for the money. The Yamaha THR100 does a better job IMO but also it needs an external cab to get a full sound. For direct recording / injecting a Mooer Live Pre is also a better call tonewise but it also needs some sort of powered speaker, just like a Laney IRT-X or a TX FX150.
The Katana 50 is just more practical and for the money it kicks major ass. If my live gear burned out or was stolen and I was short on money to replace the tube stuff at the time - I'd replace it with a Katana 50 without hesitation. Also, you don't need to be a sportsman to lift it.
It is a great functional tool and the 50W-er is a pretty good value for the money. The Yamaha THR100 does a better job IMO but also it needs an external cab to get a full sound. For direct recording / injecting a Mooer Live Pre is also a better call tonewise but it also needs some sort of powered speaker, just like a Laney IRT-X or a TX FX150.
The Katana 50 is just more practical and for the money it kicks major ass. If my live gear burned out or was stolen and I was short on money to replace the tube stuff at the time - I'd replace it with a Katana 50 without hesitation. Also, you don't need to be a sportsman to lift it.
Re: Boss Katana Amps any good?
I'll be trading mine for an orange cr60 this week.
The effects are maybe great but like I said useless without hooking it up to a computer.
Tone is also good, but I prefer a simpeler Amp with more character in it's sound than the katana
Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk
I'll be trading mine for an orange cr60 this week.
The effects are maybe great but like I said useless without hooking it up to a computer.
Tone is also good, but I prefer a simpeler Amp with more character in it's sound than the katana
Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk
Re: Boss Katana Amps any good?
JA, I've played with them a lot and found everything from big headroom blackfaces, snappy ACs to wonderful plexi punch- good fx-
I'm a long time BOSS COSM modeler and they have always been at the forefront (most forget that the Roland VG (Boss is a Rolland company) was one of the first modelers- way before line 6)
As mentioned, you need a computer to set up practically any modeling amp- But once I have my 'goto tones' programmed I've probably gone as much as a year without connecting to a computer.
I'm a classic rock, blues, country guy, so I didn't spend time on the metal side- but for a versatile amp that will get you pretty much any sound you can think of, the value point for the Kats are hard to beat.
JA, I've played with them a lot and found everything from big headroom blackfaces, snappy ACs to wonderful plexi punch- good fx-
I'm a long time BOSS COSM modeler and they have always been at the forefront (most forget that the Roland VG (Boss is a Rolland company) was one of the first modelers- way before line 6)
As mentioned, you need a computer to set up practically any modeling amp- But once I have my 'goto tones' programmed I've probably gone as much as a year without connecting to a computer.
I'm a classic rock, blues, country guy, so I didn't spend time on the metal side- but for a versatile amp that will get you pretty much any sound you can think of, the value point for the Kats are hard to beat.
PAPADON
New member
Re: Boss Katana Amps any good?
I've only had the head version for a little over a week but I'm extremely pleased with the cleans that I can get out of this amp. Being a Country, Blues and Americana player my main amps up till now have been a Twin, a Mesa Express 550 and a Blues Jr. I've never been much into modeling amps but given the rave reviews all over the net I decided to give this one a try figuring I'd just return it if it didn't work out. Suffice it to say she's a keeper. It's amazing how tube like it sounds. For the Americana side of my amp needs an added bonus is the dedicated acoustic amp setting which sounds really good as well.
I've only had the head version for a little over a week but I'm extremely pleased with the cleans that I can get out of this amp. Being a Country, Blues and Americana player my main amps up till now have been a Twin, a Mesa Express 550 and a Blues Jr. I've never been much into modeling amps but given the rave reviews all over the net I decided to give this one a try figuring I'd just return it if it didn't work out. Suffice it to say she's a keeper. It's amazing how tube like it sounds. For the Americana side of my amp needs an added bonus is the dedicated acoustic amp setting which sounds really good as well.
Last edited:
jamesmaurois
New member
Re: Boss Katana Amps any good?
I've tried Katana and its pretty good for bedroom jamming however, I prefer computer based system for home sessions. Thumbs up for UAD Arrow.
I've tried Katana and its pretty good for bedroom jamming however, I prefer computer based system for home sessions. Thumbs up for UAD Arrow.
allbutromeo
Well-known member
Re: Boss Katana Amps any good?
Short of the high end digital modeling, like Kenper and Fractal, this is probably the best SS amp on the market, and definitely the best in its price range.
I'll go ahead and be the one to say it, the Katana is the new Bandit.
Short of the high end digital modeling, like Kenper and Fractal, this is probably the best SS amp on the market, and definitely the best in its price range.
I'll go ahead and be the one to say it, the Katana is the new Bandit.
