I always buy the head version, but I did not realize that the higher end Artist head does NOT have the built in practice speaker. So I ‘upgraded’ to the less expensive standard Katana head with the speaker included. Much better.
The Katana speaker is definitely it's biggest weakness, and it doesn't help that they use an irregular hot wire clip size so it's a pain to replace. It's a completely different amp going into anything else, a truly irregular experience to keep the treble/presence knobs away from zero
I had a 4x12 already, so with the volume attenuation and the phones out and the panel front so I can control it while sitting next to it instead of standing up, I went with the artist head. But that built in speaker on the normal head did catch my eye off the bat.
IMHO any Katana without a foot switch makes access to all those lovely effects/ patches very awkward. You’re really then committing to have a pedalboard in that case. I don’t have the Airstep or the 50, but the Airstep seems like a good option
Nice playing, love the intro, got a lovely ambience 👍🤘 If people insist on buying or upgrading to a Gen 3 model, I recommend at least waiting for the Artist or the Artist head. The knobs on the top of the amp (any amp) are so annoying. I traded my 100W Mk2 2x12 for an Artist Mk2 two years ago. The extra features, the WAZA speaker and the knobs on the front make so much difference. With the BTS version 2.1.0, it does virtually everything I've ever wanted out of an amp and it sounds great. OK, no tuner or Bluetooth, but I've got workarounds for those. Nothing I've seen so far on the Gen3 models warrants upgrading IMO.
@D4rkSt3lla that's a hard question, really depends what you want. Everyone is different and I wouldn't want to recommend something to you that you might get pissed off about later. What I can tell you is that Mk2 Artist prices (both new and used) have dropped on average by about 30%, so what was already a fantastic amp is now even more of a bargain. I'd suggest you do a bit of research to fully understand the differences and then decide whether they mean enough to you to buy a Gen3, or if you can live without those features, buy a Mk2 for virtually half the price 🤷♂️
@@D4rkSt3lla The Studio Rats did a review of the 100 Watt standard head. He demonstrated the bloom feature. You can hear a difference. The next question is did it make enough difference for you. I personally liked what it did. But you may not. I'm planning on either the standard 100 Watt head of the Artist combo. It's just $40 USD more and you get the speaker. But if the bloom and other new features don't matter to you, then buying a 2nd hand Mk II would be the way to go saving a bunch of money.
If you’re patient you can wait a year or so and buy a Katana Artist at a good price and have all you’ll ever need. Ton of flexibility. All the bells and whistles. Plenty loud for any gig. That’s exactly what I did for my Artist purchase a few ago. And yes, the GAFC is the way to go to really get the most out of your Katana. Still love it!
The Katana Artist Head 3 Gen is already being sold at major retailers. At least they are already taking orders and the specs are already listed on its webpage.
Mark 2 head does the job for me. Use it through a mic-ed up 2x12 Marshall cab in my wedding band, use the phones-out into PA for my 2-piece (retains use of master vol, line out does not), and have the internal speaker for home practice.
The Katana head would be my preferred model as it has more advanced features and flexibility. Between the Standard and Artist, the trade-off IMO is that the standard has the 5" built-in speaker whereas the the Artist doesn't - I think this comes as a cost of having the Artist's controls front-mounted vs. the Standard head's top-mounted ones. It's nice to be able to easily see and tweak controls without having to get closer and look downwards. I've seen some players actually position the Standard head with the controls pointing frontwards - but then that causes the 5" speaker to be pointing downwards.
@@CreepyCat. The speaker is certainly a very nice to have, and allows the head to play standalone as a practice amp - unique in heads. "Love" is a bit strong don't you think
I can't recommend the Artist line enough. I know the head model doesn't have a "practice" speaker in it, but I really can't see too many situations where that would be necessary (although it's a pretty cool feature). What sold me initially is the standard, front-facing panel. I found out the hard way that I HATE the top-loader style. I can't even really tell you why, but I had gotten an amp like that and it just really rubbed me the wrong way and I couldn't get past it. So, I spent the extra $ for that aesthetic/convenience. Well. I got the Artist MKII combo and all I can say is that it's a complete monster, and a big player there is definitely the Waza speaker. That little guy is doing the Lord's work while all the attention gets paid to the features and interface. I can crank this sucker on whatever power setting with whatever tone settings using whatever effects I want, and no matter how hard I push it, it sounds amazing and always seems like it's just begging for more. It's honestly kind of unreal and I don't think I've heard any discussion about it on TH-cam outside of basically reading the label, like: "The artist model also includes xxxxx Waza speaker..." Now, I don't want to act like I'm poo-pooing the feature set. This thing delivers, for sure. I've never even hooked it to a computer and the options are plenty and I don't have any problems finding the sounds I'm looking for. I'm doing high-gain metal crunchy rhythm stuff, so I can't really comment on the "tubey-ness" of the delay or anything, but everything I've messed around with has been at least adequate, right out of the box. Anyway, you should definitely see if you can at least either get one to demo, borrow from a friend or maybe even see if you can demo that Katana 2x12 Waza cab (which I'm seriously thinking about picking up). That speaker is a total BOSS and needs some more love.
I have a Katana Mk II 100 watt. I loved the clean, but could never dial in an overdrive or distortion that I felt was really good. So…..I leave on clean and run my pedals through it. Sounds brilliant. Anybody else having that problem?
I think it’s cool that they give options, the only thing I absolutely do not agree with is the missing fx loop on the 50 and 50 EX. That absolutely negates the worth of the lower end models and the fact that they DO include a power amp in actually makes it worse. They could have easily, with almost no extra cost have included the preamp out and it would have been fully featured. It limits beginners in an artificial way and is just a stupid way of forcing more experienced users to buy the higher end models. I bet it was an accountant that came up with that idea…
I have a Katana 50 first gen and decided to give it a “better” speaker. I changed it back to stock, because I think Boss has the right one in there. A more efficient speaker reveals the solid state nature of the Katana. What sounds good with a tube amp doesn’t mean it’s going to sound good with the Katana.
Not sure I agree with this. My Artist MKII sounds awesome with a 12" Celestion Greenback inside Vox cab. I mean really awesome, better than my Kantana MKII 100w Combo with the Waza speaker. But these are different amps of the same heritage but not identical. I am sticking to other cabs although the Waza speaker is acceptable.
Beyond adding a pushed amp model did they actually improve anything? Are the effects improved in any way or is this just the new "lets release a low range amp with good sound every 2 years to inject capital into the company"?
@@TheMasonator777 Knowing Boss I seriously doubt they rebuilt anything. Their signal chain for the GT1000 looks exactly like the GT100 and has the same slot limitations. Should they? Yes - they used to be an industry leader and are way behind Helix, Fractal, etc.
@@TheMasonator777Have you found any good shootouts comparing the "rebuilt" sounds to the old ones? I too am of the opinion that Boss has been slipping. I've had some bad experiences. So I don't take statements like that at face value.
Note - The Cat 60 also has MIDI, but it is via USB - not as convenient as you need a MIDI USB Host box or a WIDI USB Host or similar. Also, rather than use the $140 Boss footswitch, a MIDI controller would provide more flexibility at potentially a lower cost (M-Vave) or a little higher cost (Morningstar, Pirate MIDI, etc.).
I'm stuck on the Katana head and the artist head, like the Artist head is "top of the range" but is way more money for what seems like barely any additional features. Plus, the little Katana Head has that speaker inside and is super small/lightweight
I purchased a WIDi Uhost for my Katana 50 MK2 months ago so I can use Bluetooth and the Katana Librarian wirelessly with my IPad. Works great, I don’t have any plans to upgrade to Gen3 unless it’s as you said the Artist Head but that will many moons from now when it gets released and the price comes down eventually.
Agreed on the head format, torn a bit between the artist and the normal 100, the practice speaker I think could win that one over . The katana air EX with stereo line outs however is still nothing to be sneazed at, these all get to be pricey but in the long run I think they’d do the job. I do also still wonder here about just tacking the AIRD tech from a Core1k or M90. Any idea if that’s a significant improvement vs the Gen3 ?
The Boss Katana 50 is sweet & easy on the wallet .. The only thing they did not do , which amazes me , is why not add Bluetooth in it's original development .. Such an easy thing to do in an otherwise purrfect amp for beginners & accomplished musicians alike 🤔
I like the 50 EX Mk II with GA-FC-EX I got on sale. I can carry my amp, guitar, and backpack in one load. I have a perfectly good tube amp and pedal board, but it is heavy and awkward. The EX has the line-out to feed the front of house which is important to me. Traveling light means I don't care about the effects loop.
Jonathan have you tried the L6 Spider Valve? I just got the 212 used for $323 - all tube modeling amp with 2 V30’s. Cheaper than the Katana!! On TH-cam it sounds ridiculously good demoed by Chappers and the Line 6 guy! You can control it with Helix and it adapts to the amps. I’m going to use it with my Axe 3! I’ll let ya know if you’re curious!
yeah but...For a few $ you can easily install an extension speaker jack on the combo to run external cabs and save money on the head. instead of having a tiny crap sounding 5 watt speaker for practise you get the 12" speaker which sounds much better.
The lack of a review is probably all the review you need. The Spark was one of my worst guitar purchases, and PG doesn't really update stuff after release. (Apart from adding ads for DLC pedals.)
@@tom.m That's your experience, and 100% valid. However, I've had great experience with PG, even with their support team. I find it weird that even when JNC talks about plugins, and BIAS being one of the 1st well known ones, they are never mentioned. It's like Voldemort in HP's world...
Katana is so affordable... just get the Artist head. It does everything, and you can use your own favorite speaker cabs with it. Or go direct. Artist head is the best choice. ( The 50 is only good for a beginner player to practice with. )
I have two Artist combos running in stereo and recommended the Waza speaker. But I would rather have the 100 Head with built-in speaker for bedroom practice.
@@markdouglas8073 Artist has more of the features that I have come to depend on. I don't personally believe the integrated tiny speaker is good enough practice, although I can see it's convienence factor. Plenty of good comparable speakers on the market in the 5" to 8" range that one could keep in the bedroom. Of course that means that hauling a fairly sizable amp into room. Extra tiny cabs are inexpensive and ultra portable, but again, they would not meet my practice needs.
how does the 50 sound going through your mesa boogie cab , same as the head ? and how does it compare to stock speaker , feel like the elctro voice would be a great speaker for the katana but have not seen anyone do it ...
They made phones/rec out stereo on the Gen 3 and I believe it does mute the speaker when you use it. You can use the line out plus the internal speaker however the line out still remains mono which is a really dumb choice more so considering that many people want this feature.
Another great video! In your opinion does the upgraded cab make a huge tonal difference? A lot of people complain the katana combos sound boxy. I have a 50 katana combo, I don't giggle with it but love playing it at home. In theory you running the mesa cab open back with one 12" speaker in it is the same set up as the katana combo but with the upgraded speaker. I was just curious on how much of a difference that made totally for you.
It makes a huge difference but at the end of the day it still sounds like a katana..... I personally like the sound my katana gives me through my 2x12 speakers but to each their own. Yes it makes it better
Tell us more about the EVM "one of the best speakers ever made." I borrowed a cab in early 1970's with an EV 15" and still feel it was the best speaker I ever played through. But I've never been able to find anything like it and have no idea why it was so good. You might be able to solve a mystery for me if you know.
I appreciate the video. But, I think buying the N-ux G-400 would solve many limitations that Katanas have. You would just need an amp to go with it cheap or expensive or even a Katana 50. I am a Katana fanboy but only because it is an excellent amp. But people will still put a heap of Fx through the FX loop. The Nu-x G400 will give you almost everything you need to go into the front of any amp, fx loop, or line out. It's mostly down to making your rig as small as possible which the katana does well but a multi-fx will do it better in some cases. And yes I still have my eye on a katana head.
Lots of amazing features and sounds but, when just playing by oneself in a room, there’s just not that tone that REALLY satisfies with a nice rich complexity and that reacts well to playing dynamics. Its versatility overcomes its lack of nuance, however, in certain gigging situations.
I have the Katana 50 MK II EX and it’s great. I’m not sure there is enough new stuff in the Gen 3 for me to consider upgrading but a Boss Katana is all the amp anyone would ever really need for most real world situations, particularly the head version with all of its additional connectivity and power.
I bought the 50mk 2 EX and I should have just bought the katana go with a powered speaker of some sort. Well I bought the katana go anyway because there's no way to loop on the 50 EX for the Gen 3. So I'm just using the katana go plugged in to the aux input on the 50 EX. That way I can put a looper between the go and the amp.
One big disappointment across the whole range is that, while the headphone output is stereo (so clearly the underlying architecture has the ability to push a stereo signal to an output socket), the Line Out is mono. How much would a TRS Line Out have added to the manufacturing cost?
That's a big gripe of mine too. I was thinking maybe buying a usb to audio converter and using the usb out. I'm assuming it's stereo. Wonder if that shuts off the internal speaker when in use?
I have the 50 MkI and 50 MkII connected ABY via Radial Big Shot for wet/dry glory. Do I need a Gen 3? Not really but of course yes I do. The Pushed is cool, the re-voicings of the others would be nice. But this time I think I’d save for the Artist, just get all the bells and whistles this time instead of trying to guess what I’ll need of not. Go big or go home lol.
I bought the 100w 1x12. It is really annoying that stereo headphone output mutes the speaker (there is already a mute available in the power output switch). I’d like to feed the stereo to the PA whilst using the amp for onstage monitoring. Boss has gone to some length to knobbled his ability. Methinks I’m going to mod the amp by disabling the mute signal from the headphone output
the 100 or a fender fr12? if its that good, and has the power amp in i could run my QC through it, and have the option of just using the amp...vs strictly a speaker
It doesnt piss you off turning it to see the hidden top controlls hidden in a groove at the top rear pannel ? I have the kat mk2 ex and the boss mk2 , they take the 5 switch foot switch , them buttons really bug the crap out of me , leaning over the kin things
I would prefer the 50 watt head to add to my rig as I will also have a pair of custom vertical/tower 4X12 cabs with internal power supplies and amp board each to get even more power. I built them for my Blackstar ID Core stereo 40 to get deeper and louder tones. the custom Strat i call the "Stellarcaster" because of the way extensive P/U's and electronics and well as the stainless steel pick guard and space theme paint. well that's a little bit of it anyway. but there are many more features and upgrades. I like it oud and proud as I am a child of the '70's at 65 and retired i like to make cool things. the guitar is but the first of my soon to grow hand made guitar collection i'll make myself to my liking. I went all out on my very first ever guitar build/mod project to challenge myself and get whqt I want. at a lw pricwe and learning new skills along with it. ADHD all my life makes me want to always have something new and interesting to do and/or learn as much as I can. I chose the guitar hobby as an outlet for that need and because I like guitars , want to "build" a collection of cool and unique instruments. with the pride of having done them myself as well. Wanna Play??? Oh the name of my over the top Strt is the "Stellarcaster"" begun life as a Starcaster-Strat electric guitat By: Fender (said it right on the had stock.
Echoing some thoughts in these comments.... why is the Gen 3 Katana 100 Artist Head almost $200 more than the Gen 3 Katana Head (NON-artist), when the latter has a built in speaker? Not sure I understand.
Question. While using the GAFC with the katana to use the 4 channels (eg ch1-clean ch2-grit ch3-od ch4-lead), is there a gap in-between switching channels?
Had one and I’ll never buy again. You don’t know what effects are what unless you are actually using or tweak any settings without a USB cable and PC. Very very annoying for me. If it has a Bluetooth app then i might have kept it Also i did not like the fact my fuzz pedals didn’t sound great into it at all. Into my other two amps it sounded great. No biggy, just sold it
I still think the 212's are the more cooler'r ones. For an additional $79-99 dollars, you get the 212 speakers and cab. How is that NOT the best deal of the bunch? You can always upgrade the speaker cones if you want different character from the combo. I've got 2 of the mkii units and a GAFC footswitch. If I buy the new GAFC ex footswitch, I'll have full control of both units in stereo. I wonder how much money I've saved in fx pedals and speaker cabs, by just running the two 212 combos? Bank, tall bank. Hey, to each his own. I'm a cheap bastard. If I took the Boss Katana badges off the grills, and covered them with say, tan or grey grill cloth. I'd bet nobody would be the wiser? People would most likely ask what brand they are, and say they sound great. Its my humble opinion, with the 212's wired to run at 16ohms resistance, they have a bit softer character. Not as harsh or brittle. None of the 112 combos sound as good to my ears.
@@shadowulf I'm a beginner, so looking through options. But I'm limited in budget which many beginners are for various reasons. Therefore the modelling amps are great but "only" if you can use the effects as a pedal board. Buying a lot of pedals on top, because of such limitations, would kill the budget and maybe stop a potential beginner guitarist.
Ive got 2nd gen, i use it as a SLAVE amp for a FACADE of STERO.. ( Ditto looper output ,last in line) n its AWSM< i might like it a tad better than the Jet City combo as a slave when running fx pre phase inverter..n NOT using the dumbleaor n intellifex, ......
I always buy the head version, but I did not realize that the higher end Artist head does NOT have the built in practice speaker. So I ‘upgraded’ to the less expensive standard Katana head with the speaker included. Much better.
The Katana speaker is definitely it's biggest weakness, and it doesn't help that they use an irregular hot wire clip size so it's a pain to replace. It's a completely different amp going into anything else, a truly irregular experience to keep the treble/presence knobs away from zero
I had a 4x12 already, so with the volume attenuation and the phones out and the panel front so I can control it while sitting next to it instead of standing up, I went with the artist head. But that built in speaker on the normal head did catch my eye off the bat.
What's the point in buying a head with a speaker built in when you're running it through a cab?
@@beefnacos6258 Lets it double as a very portable practice amp, I think it's one of the best parts of the head.
The option to not _have_ to.
Airstep Kat pedal works with the 50 and allows patch switching and effects switching. Has more functionality than the GAFC and is cheaper.
IMHO any Katana without a foot switch makes access to all those lovely effects/ patches very awkward. You’re really then committing to have a pedalboard in that case. I don’t have the Airstep or the 50, but the Airstep seems like a good option
I’ve got one that I use with a MkII. It’s great.
Nice playing, love the intro, got a lovely ambience 👍🤘
If people insist on buying or upgrading to a Gen 3 model, I recommend at least waiting for the Artist or the Artist head. The knobs on the top of the amp (any amp) are so annoying.
I traded my 100W Mk2 2x12 for an Artist Mk2 two years ago. The extra features, the WAZA speaker and the knobs on the front make so much difference. With the BTS version 2.1.0, it does virtually everything I've ever wanted out of an amp and it sounds great. OK, no tuner or Bluetooth, but I've got workarounds for those.
Nothing I've seen so far on the Gen3 models warrants upgrading IMO.
Yeah. I have the same set up as you and I don’t see the need to upgrade. The Katana Artist MKII is a solid piece.
So I should buy the artist mk2 instead the Gen3?
@D4rkSt3lla that's a hard question, really depends what you want. Everyone is different and I wouldn't want to recommend something to you that you might get pissed off about later.
What I can tell you is that Mk2 Artist prices (both new and used) have dropped on average by about 30%, so what was already a fantastic amp is now even more of a bargain.
I'd suggest you do a bit of research to fully understand the differences and then decide whether they mean enough to you to buy a Gen3, or if you can live without those features, buy a Mk2 for virtually half the price 🤷♂️
@@D4rkSt3lla The Studio Rats did a review of the 100 Watt standard head. He demonstrated the bloom feature. You can hear a difference. The next question is did it make enough difference for you. I personally liked what it did. But you may not. I'm planning on either the standard 100 Watt head of the Artist combo. It's just $40 USD more and you get the speaker. But if the bloom and other new features don't matter to you, then buying a 2nd hand Mk II would be the way to go saving a bunch of money.
If you’re patient you can wait a year or so and buy a Katana Artist at a good price and have all you’ll ever need. Ton of flexibility. All the bells and whistles. Plenty loud for any gig. That’s exactly what I did for my Artist purchase a few ago. And yes, the GAFC is the way to go to really get the most out of your Katana. Still love it!
The Katana Artist Head 3 Gen is already being sold at major retailers. At least they are already taking orders and the specs are already listed on its webpage.
So the Xsonic Katana footswitch will work with the 50 and its also cheaper than the GAFCEX. It also has more features.😅
I wish they made a stereo version of the head. Would be handy as a stereo poweramp for modelers too.
If you need a power amp for a modeller you're better off getting a Seymour Duncan Powerstage anyways.
Yeah the PS700 is pretty dope with my axe fx
I am absolutely in love with my two Katana Artists using Stereo Expand or Dual Link and controlled by MIDI.
@@markdouglas8073That's what i was thinking of doing. It's the only optio. Where you get 2×12 speakers and 200 watts between the two.
All good points. I’m leaning toward the Artist Gen3 combo.
I still use a line 6 spider four that came out like 16 years ago
lol. I'm still playing thru a fender mustang IIIv2
That was a great amp
Line6 Flextone Duo I bought new in 98 still gets the job done.
Mark 2 head does the job for me. Use it through a mic-ed up 2x12 Marshall cab in my wedding band, use the phones-out into PA for my 2-piece (retains use of master vol, line out does not), and have the internal speaker for home practice.
I finally bit the bullet and bought a Katana Mk2 100 head. A month later, the Gen 3 came out.
I nearly did the same thing, only to find out that the mkII head was no longer available.
Burn
Is there a big difference between the two?
If you buy the wrong Katana you have to do 50 pushups. That's the rule.
100 push-ups if you bought the 100w
50 push-ups while listening to your ex’s nonsense if you bought the 50 EX
😂
I thought it meant doing a giveaway?
I think it means you have to buy another.
The Katana head would be my preferred model as it has more advanced features and flexibility. Between the Standard and Artist, the trade-off IMO is that the standard has the 5" built-in speaker whereas the the Artist doesn't - I think this comes as a cost of having the Artist's controls front-mounted vs. the Standard head's top-mounted ones. It's nice to be able to easily see and tweak controls without having to get closer and look downwards. I've seen some players actually position the Standard head with the controls pointing frontwards - but then that causes the 5" speaker to be pointing downwards.
You really love that 5” speaker don’t you
@@CreepyCat. The speaker is certainly a very nice to have, and allows the head to play standalone as a practice amp - unique in heads. "Love" is a bit strong don't you think
I can't recommend the Artist line enough. I know the head model doesn't have a "practice" speaker in it, but I really can't see too many situations where that would be necessary (although it's a pretty cool feature). What sold me initially is the standard, front-facing panel. I found out the hard way that I HATE the top-loader style. I can't even really tell you why, but I had gotten an amp like that and it just really rubbed me the wrong way and I couldn't get past it. So, I spent the extra $ for that aesthetic/convenience.
Well. I got the Artist MKII combo and all I can say is that it's a complete monster, and a big player there is definitely the Waza speaker. That little guy is doing the Lord's work while all the attention gets paid to the features and interface. I can crank this sucker on whatever power setting with whatever tone settings using whatever effects I want, and no matter how hard I push it, it sounds amazing and always seems like it's just begging for more. It's honestly kind of unreal and I don't think I've heard any discussion about it on TH-cam outside of basically reading the label, like: "The artist model also includes xxxxx Waza speaker..."
Now, I don't want to act like I'm poo-pooing the feature set. This thing delivers, for sure. I've never even hooked it to a computer and the options are plenty and I don't have any problems finding the sounds I'm looking for. I'm doing high-gain metal crunchy rhythm stuff, so I can't really comment on the "tubey-ness" of the delay or anything, but everything I've messed around with has been at least adequate, right out of the box.
Anyway, you should definitely see if you can at least either get one to demo, borrow from a friend or maybe even see if you can demo that Katana 2x12 Waza cab (which I'm seriously thinking about picking up). That speaker is a total BOSS and needs some more love.
Love your style mate!
Bro I absolutely love your legato runs. 🔥 That‘s Tom Quayle territory right there. Any suggestions on how to practice improvising those?
So good. If you search “cordy legato” you might find something interesting
I have a Katana Mk II 100 watt. I loved the clean, but could never dial in an overdrive or distortion that I felt was really good. So…..I leave on clean and run my pedals through it. Sounds brilliant. Anybody else having that problem?
I think it’s cool that they give options, the only thing I absolutely do not agree with is the missing fx loop on the 50 and 50 EX. That absolutely negates the worth of the lower end models and the fact that they DO include a power amp in actually makes it worse. They could have easily, with almost no extra cost have included the preamp out and it would have been fully featured. It limits beginners in an artificial way and is just a stupid way of forcing more experienced users to buy the higher end models. I bet it was an accountant that came up with that idea…
I have a Katana 50 first gen and decided to give it a “better” speaker. I changed it back to stock, because I think Boss has the right one in there. A more efficient speaker reveals the solid state nature of the Katana. What sounds good with a tube amp doesn’t mean it’s going to sound good with the Katana.
Not sure I agree with this. My Artist MKII sounds awesome with a 12" Celestion Greenback inside Vox cab. I mean really awesome, better than my Kantana MKII 100w Combo with the Waza speaker. But these are different amps of the same heritage but not identical. I am sticking to other cabs although the Waza speaker is acceptable.
I really don’t know why so many want to change the Japanese engineered speaker. I think the Waza one in my Artist is optimal.
@@markdouglas8073 I think Waza is an acceptable speaker. I much prefer other brands when pairing to the Artist head. Matter of taste and tone style.
I got the artist combo...Im thinking on getting a gen 3 artist later on so i can run both in stereo...
Beyond adding a pushed amp model did they actually improve anything? Are the effects improved in any way or is this just the new "lets release a low range amp with good sound every 2 years to inject capital into the company"?
They added a whole amp with two variations. They rebuilt the modelling of all the amps from the ground up. That’s a huge improvement.
@@TheMasonator777 Knowing Boss I seriously doubt they rebuilt anything. Their signal chain for the GT1000 looks exactly like the GT100 and has the same slot limitations. Should they? Yes - they used to be an industry leader and are way behind Helix, Fractal, etc.
@@TheMasonator777Have you found any good shootouts comparing the "rebuilt" sounds to the old ones?
I too am of the opinion that Boss has been slipping. I've had some bad experiences. So I don't take statements like that at face value.
Nice intro Mr. John. Have you ever done a video showing how you make and mix tracks like these?
Note - The Cat 60 also has MIDI, but it is via USB - not as convenient as you need a MIDI USB Host box or a WIDI USB Host or similar. Also, rather than use the $140 Boss footswitch, a MIDI controller would provide more flexibility at potentially a lower cost (M-Vave) or a little higher cost (Morningstar, Pirate MIDI, etc.).
I'm stuck on the Katana head and the artist head, like the Artist head is "top of the range" but is way more money for what seems like barely any additional features. Plus, the little Katana Head has that speaker inside and is super small/lightweight
I purchased a WIDi Uhost for my Katana 50 MK2 months ago so I can use Bluetooth and the Katana Librarian wirelessly with my IPad. Works great, I don’t have any plans to upgrade to Gen3 unless it’s as you said the Artist Head but that will many moons from now when it gets released and the price comes down eventually.
Agreed on the head format, torn a bit between the artist and the normal 100, the practice speaker I think could win that one over . The katana air EX with stereo line outs however is still nothing to be sneazed at, these all get to be pricey but in the long run I think they’d do the job. I do also still wonder here about just tacking the AIRD tech from a Core1k or M90. Any idea if that’s a significant improvement vs the Gen3 ?
I'm unsure on what they've actually done but they are saying they've reworked all the sounds - but not mentioned AIRD?
The Boss Katana 50 is sweet & easy on the wallet .. The only thing they did not do , which amazes me , is why not add Bluetooth in it's original development .. Such an easy thing to do in an otherwise purrfect amp for beginners & accomplished musicians alike 🤔
I messed up not researching the Gen 3 Combos enough. The Bloom feature isn't on the 50W and 100W(mine) combos. Only the Artist! 😡 Ugh
I’m waiting for the gen 3.2 with in built Bluetooth.
I have the katana artist mk2 combo and love it.
The Artist Combo Mark II with the WAZA speaker Sounds great 😊
Great advice about the BOSS KATANA HEAD GEN 3
Great, informative video. I’ll take the one without flowers (bloom).
I like the 50 EX Mk II with GA-FC-EX I got on sale. I can carry my amp, guitar, and backpack in one load. I have a perfectly good tube amp and pedal board, but it is heavy and awkward. The EX has the line-out to feed the front of house which is important to me. Traveling light means I don't care about the effects loop.
Jonathan have you tried the L6 Spider Valve? I just got the 212 used for $323 - all tube modeling amp with 2 V30’s. Cheaper than the Katana!! On TH-cam it sounds ridiculously good demoed by Chappers and the Line 6 guy! You can control it with Helix and it adapts to the amps. I’m going to use it with my Axe 3! I’ll let ya know if you’re curious!
yeah but...For a few $ you can easily install an extension speaker jack on the combo to run external cabs and save money on the head. instead of having a tiny crap sounding 5 watt speaker for practise you get the 12" speaker which sounds much better.
Still waiting for JNC reviews of Positive Grid's stuff...
The lack of a review is probably all the review you need.
The Spark was one of my worst guitar purchases, and PG doesn't really update stuff after release. (Apart from adding ads for DLC pedals.)
@@tom.m That's your experience, and 100% valid. However, I've had great experience with PG, even with their support team. I find it weird that even when JNC talks about plugins, and BIAS being one of the 1st well known ones, they are never mentioned. It's like Voldemort in HP's world...
Smooth man. Cheers!
Katana is so affordable... just get the Artist head. It does everything, and you can use your own favorite speaker cabs with it. Or go direct. Artist head is the best choice. ( The 50 is only good for a beginner player to practice with. )
I tend to agree strongly with this. Although have not played the 50, only the 100 combo, the Artist kills.
I have two Artist combos running in stereo and recommended the Waza speaker. But I would rather have the 100 Head with built-in speaker for bedroom practice.
@@markdouglas8073 Artist has more of the features that I have come to depend on. I don't personally believe the integrated tiny speaker is good enough practice, although I can see it's convienence factor. Plenty of good comparable speakers on the market in the 5" to 8" range that one could keep in the bedroom. Of course that means that hauling a fairly sizable amp into room. Extra tiny cabs are inexpensive and ultra portable, but again, they would not meet my practice needs.
No se para que tienes tantos cacharros si a todos les sacas el mismo sonido...
Spot on! 😆😁👍
🤣🤣
how does the 50 sound going through your mesa boogie cab , same as the head ? and how does it compare to stock speaker , feel like the elctro voice would be a great speaker for the katana but have not seen anyone do it ...
I feel the new Cat 60 CX might be a better option in this market segment.
The bloom feature can be accessed in the software for the 50
where??
They made phones/rec out stereo on the Gen 3 and I believe it does mute the speaker when you use it. You can use the line out plus the internal speaker however the line out still remains mono which is a really dumb choice more so considering that many people want this feature.
Another great video! In your opinion does the upgraded cab make a huge tonal difference? A lot of people complain the katana combos sound boxy. I have a 50 katana combo, I don't giggle with it but love playing it at home. In theory you running the mesa cab open back with one 12" speaker in it is the same set up as the katana combo but with the upgraded speaker. I was just curious on how much of a difference that made totally for you.
I agree that my Mk2 sounds boxy - get a bit better through poweramp and Hlx combi but overall Im not really happy with the sound, too boxy for me .
It makes a huge difference but at the end of the day it still sounds like a katana..... I personally like the sound my katana gives me through my 2x12 speakers but to each their own. Yes it makes it better
Tell us more about the EVM "one of the best speakers ever made." I borrowed a cab in early 1970's with an EV 15" and still feel it was the best speaker I ever played through. But I've never been able to find anything like it and have no idea why it was so good. You might be able to solve a mystery for me if you know.
I appreciate the video. But, I think buying the N-ux G-400 would solve many limitations that Katanas have. You would just need an amp to go with it cheap or expensive or even a Katana 50. I am a Katana fanboy but only because it is an excellent amp. But people will still put a heap of Fx through the FX loop.
The Nu-x G400 will give you almost everything you need to go into the front of any amp, fx loop, or line out. It's mostly down to making your rig as small as possible which the katana does well but a multi-fx will do it better in some cases. And yes I still have my eye on a katana head.
I was sold on the bloom feature with the presence and resonance dials with the cab resonance on the face on the Artist.
Lots of amazing features and sounds but, when just playing by oneself in a room, there’s just not that tone that REALLY satisfies with a nice rich complexity and that reacts well to playing dynamics. Its versatility overcomes its lack of nuance, however, in certain gigging situations.
I have the Katana 50 MK II EX and it’s great. I’m not sure there is enough new stuff in the Gen 3 for me to consider upgrading but a Boss Katana is all the amp anyone would ever really need for most real world situations, particularly the head version with all of its additional connectivity and power.
I bought the 50mk 2 EX and I should have just bought the katana go with a powered speaker of some sort. Well I bought the katana go anyway because there's no way to loop on the 50 EX for the Gen 3. So I'm just using the katana go plugged in to the aux input on the 50 EX. That way I can put a looper between the go and the amp.
Have played this along side your Mesa combo or cab option? If so how did it sound along side it and did you have to tweak it much?
It is actually criminal to do an amp without effects loop in 2024.
Then you get millions question about how to use loop pedal.
One big disappointment across the whole range is that, while the headphone output is stereo (so clearly the underlying architecture has the ability to push a stereo signal to an output socket), the Line Out is mono. How much would a TRS Line Out have added to the manufacturing cost?
That's a big gripe of mine too. I was thinking maybe buying a usb to audio converter and using the usb out. I'm assuming it's stereo. Wonder if that shuts off the internal speaker when in use?
the line out is TRS - but only if you have stereo expand and another katana ;)
I have the 50 MkI and 50 MkII connected ABY via Radial Big Shot for wet/dry glory. Do I need a Gen 3? Not really but of course yes I do. The Pushed is cool, the re-voicings of the others would be nice. But this time I think I’d save for the Artist, just get all the bells and whistles this time instead of trying to guess what I’ll need of not. Go big or go home lol.
I bought the 100w 1x12.
It is really annoying that stereo headphone output mutes the speaker (there is already a mute available in the power output switch).
I’d like to feed the stereo to the PA whilst using the amp for onstage monitoring. Boss has gone to some length to knobbled his ability.
Methinks I’m going to mod the amp by disabling the mute signal from the headphone output
the 100 or a fender fr12? if its that good, and has the power amp in i could run my QC through it, and have the option of just using the amp...vs strictly a speaker
It doesnt piss you off turning it to see the hidden top controlls hidden in a groove at the top rear pannel ? I have the kat mk2 ex and the boss mk2 , they take the 5 switch foot switch , them buttons really bug the crap out of me , leaning over the kin things
It makes it difficult to demonstrate them too lol
I would prefer the 50 watt head to add to my rig as I will also have a pair of custom vertical/tower 4X12 cabs with internal power supplies and amp board each to get even more power. I built them for my Blackstar ID Core stereo 40 to get deeper and louder tones. the custom Strat i call the "Stellarcaster" because of the way extensive P/U's and electronics and well as the stainless steel pick guard and space theme paint. well that's a little bit of it anyway. but there are many more features and upgrades. I like it oud and proud as I am a child of the '70's at 65 and retired i like to make cool things. the guitar is but the first of my soon to grow hand made guitar collection i'll make myself to my liking. I went all out on my very first ever guitar build/mod project to challenge myself and get whqt I want. at a lw pricwe and learning new skills along with it. ADHD all my life makes me want to always have something new and interesting to do and/or learn as much as I can. I chose the guitar hobby as an outlet for that need and because I like guitars , want to "build" a collection of cool and unique instruments. with the pride of having done them myself as well. Wanna Play??? Oh the name of my over the top Strt is the "Stellarcaster"" begun life as a Starcaster-Strat electric guitat By: Fender (said it right on the had stock.
Buy once. Cry once. The flagship stuff hardly dissappoints.
Wouldn't a Power Amp In allow you to use external pedals, as long as you included some sort of preamp?
No FX loop, a Boss LS-2 would more or less fix that?
I am waiting for the new artist release .. crap it’s like August … what the hell
With the midi input on the head, couldn’t you use a midi controller instead of the boss foot switch?
I love them all...
I’m tight on space and want the effects loop. Any thoughts on using the head only for practice without a cab? Is the inbuilt speaker good enough?
I prefer the head! I have the Mk i and the MK II
I wish you'd put which Pickups are in each guitar that you are using ( in the show notes above ).
This music makes my bawz tingle
I have the katana head v2 and the artist mk2 head. Next i'll be buying the gen 3 head.
Echoing some thoughts in these comments.... why is the Gen 3 Katana 100 Artist Head almost $200 more than the Gen 3 Katana Head (NON-artist), when the latter has a built in speaker? Not sure I understand.
Built in speaker of limited value. Artist head has extra tone shaping capabilities, sounds better, IMHO
Because who the hell buys a 100 watt head and not use it through a cab?
Oh bedroom levels
Ummmm you know that the katana has a built in attenuator?
Bought mk 2 head new speaker never worked any ideas?
The 50 EX should have had an FX loop.
Looks like the 8s have stayed on the Cordy caster?
Question.
While using the GAFC with the katana to use the 4 channels (eg ch1-clean ch2-grit ch3-od ch4-lead), is there a gap in-between switching channels?
Nope, no gap.
Had one and I’ll never buy again. You don’t know what effects are what unless you are actually using or tweak any settings without a USB cable and PC. Very very annoying for me. If it has a Bluetooth app then i might have kept it
Also i did not like the fact my fuzz pedals didn’t sound great into it at all. Into my other two amps it sounded great.
No biggy, just sold it
I still think the 212's are the more cooler'r ones. For an additional $79-99 dollars, you get the 212 speakers and cab. How is that NOT the best deal of the bunch? You can always upgrade the speaker cones if you want different character from the combo.
I've got 2 of the mkii units and a GAFC footswitch. If I buy the new GAFC ex footswitch, I'll have full control of both units in stereo. I wonder how much money I've saved in fx pedals and speaker cabs, by just running the two 212 combos? Bank, tall bank. Hey, to each his own. I'm a cheap bastard. If I took the Boss Katana badges off the grills, and covered them with say, tan or grey grill cloth. I'd bet nobody would be the wiser? People would most likely ask what brand they are, and say they sound great. Its my humble opinion, with the 212's wired to run at 16ohms resistance, they have a bit softer character. Not as harsh or brittle. None of the 112 combos sound as good to my ears.
Have you ever demo'd a Marshall Code 100 Combo?
Holy shit. Pls. What are your EQs in the beginning
If my reading is right the catalyst can only take 2 effects at the same time
The catalyst is limited to 2 on board effects. The 60 has no effects loop, the 100 and 200 have an effects loop.
@RidgebackHQ you are correct.
It's the 5-pin midi the 60 doesn't have
@@shadowulf I'm a beginner, so looking through options. But I'm limited in budget which many beginners are for various reasons. Therefore the modelling amps are great but "only" if you can use the effects as a pedal board. Buying a lot of pedals on top, because of such limitations, would kill the budget and maybe stop a potential beginner guitarist.
What’s the “catalyst”?
@@jimmcdougall9973 Line 6 is the brand
That guitar solo at the beginning of this video is bloody brilliant!
this is why i have a D28
here is what you should know before buying the amp, proceeds to just play for 2 minutes.
I’m gonna buy the Gen 3 head.
Boss software makes my brain bleed. Utter cr4p user interface. Until they fix that I can't use it. Sent my Katana back.
i still want to know why i had to pay 200 dollars for the foot switch
Why would anyone buy a Boss amp that has just about every Boss pedel ever Made in it and then want to use a pedel Board with it ❓❓❓❓❓
Ive got 2nd gen, i use it as a SLAVE amp for a FACADE of STERO.. ( Ditto looper output ,last in line) n its AWSM< i might like it a tad better than the Jet City combo as a slave when running fx pre phase inverter..n NOT using the dumbleaor n intellifex, ......
Yes, you bought the wrong amp...
Another freaking amp, seriously?
mud on it
100 does not have midi in. stereo out on all models mutes speaker out.