Dial It In! BOSS KATANA II - Tone Studio Tips & Tricks
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Its amazing how good little amps sound these days. We have come a long way from the 10watt Marshall practice amp I started out with.
It's mental. I had one of those lead 12 mini stacks with a Zoom 707 back in the day. T0aN!
Lol, its not fair...these modern kids have access to good tone from day 1. Much more inspiring to play, and way easier to emulate what you hear when you're already close. My first amp was a USA Peavey Rage. Sounds like canned farts, its so grainy and harsh. Yuck. I thought it was brutal at the time. 🤣🤣🤣
@@rickfeith6372 the other side of it is that it is so easy now to get lost in messing with settings instead of playing! I know because I catch myself doing it all the time. At least back then I knew the sound wouldn't get any better or worse. If I wanted effects, I had to go to my local shop and buy a pedal (which I could rarely afford back then).
@@rickfeith6372 lol man i had the same. i also used it at some gigs . That was pathetic :D
Seriously! It’s crazy and awesome! I watched a couple of Leon’s videos on the MKII. Needless to say I just bought the 50 watt combo. I can’t wait to check this out!
Your channel is criminally under subscribed. Everything you do is top notch!
Much appreciated 😃
Wow, mind blown. I followed along on my new Katana 50 using my janky Squire Strat with stock pickups and was still able to go right along just by adding more gain. This is my first new amp in a long time and it is just so more responsive than everything I'm used to that you really can tweak for days in a million directions. In the past it was pretty much dime everything to find that "best" tone, always using too much gain just to breath in some life, pretty much always on my bridge pickup but this thing just sparkles and when it doesn't its your fault, not the amps, just tweak some more :) And being able to overdrive the clean channel for even more gain tones is too cool.
This tech is total game changer (pardon phrase). Being able to sculpt a perfect chain, with great versions of non-Boss classics too (?!@), save and control it (w/ GA-FC) and eliminate all the cable gack and potential areas of noise/failure, and record direct w/ great cab em AND tear the head away to go into another room of your house with the little on-board speaker AND AND AND...my pedal-per-sound old pedalboard is going in the closet...or on Reverb to fund another guitar. :) oh...and great demo Leon!
And it's affordable. What a time to be alive!
Ceriatone, yay! But on the topic of the video, I just want to compliment you Leon on how in-depth and detailed your "Dial It In" series have been - I have learned a lot just watching you tweak the knobs - you are killing it, mate, fantastic job! I've started earlier with the GT-1000 series first, and now I've been enjoying the Katana Mk II series so much! If this is not a good tone, I don't know what is. You make the whole dial-in process sound so coherent, and purposeful - love it!
BOSS, if you are listening, this is your man for any future official BOSS "Intro " video - he absolutely needs to be in! Not only elaborate, yields tones oozing sonic goodness, c'mon!
Thanks mate! It’s so much fun doing vids like this so I’m glad they’re useful too.
Not to diss on the ME-80 from Boss but the Katana is tenfold over the ME-80 to be honest. As i was saying, not dissing the ME-80, it has carried me through a roughly made EP and stuff, jammed a lot with mates and it was fun. But tomorrow my Kat Mk2 50 will be in and already i am feeling so much more inspired and hyped to get back to writing tunes. Was already stuck in a block for about 6 months now, watching this humble yet very informative video gives me so many ideas to shape my favorite tones. Thanks and much love!!
I bought one, the internal speaker stopped working the same day! Sweetwater replaced it. The new one seemed ok, until I connect anything to it (FX RTN/ REC OUT) then the internal speaker stops functioning.once I reinstalled the firmware, the speaker started to work again, just to fail again yesterday! I’ve tried reinstalling the firmware, resetting the unit a few times without any luck! I wonder if you’ve experienced any of that?
Thanks, again. I just bought my 3rd one of these amps. I keep selling them, thinking I can do better. I did get a Quilter Mini Reverb 101, which sounds great, as a clean platform, but it doesn't work well with the Looper. This amp works great for that, because of the Master volume. Maybe this time, I'll stop thinking I don't need it, because I have pedals. I can get stuck messing with internal settings, if I'm not careful. I like that the MK2 has the cab setting on the outside. I have a Marshall DSL1, which is great, but I can only run it through the 4X12, which is really what I got it for, so, I needed something to run the delays and the looper through., since I have 2, 2X12 cabinets, and 2 1X12, on either side of the room. I know..it's a lot..but when it's working, it sounds really great. 😃
Katanas rock! I've had a 1x12 100 for about a year and a half. As soon as I learned about the MKII, I ordered the 1x12 100 model. So much to work with. Can't help but wonder what updates may bring. Enjoyed this video. Thanks
A very good demo of what can be done. My MkII head will arrive this week and I'm going to run it through my Zilla 2x12 populated with a Neo Creamback and a G12 Creamback.
Zilla do some great stuff hey
Nice Leon, you played the Saigon Kick "Love Is On The Way" chords at 11:54
Leon it looks like you either spend alot of time playing around with Boss stuff or you use their amps alot..I just recently purchased a Katana mk2 100 watt and all I've done is played with the settings on the controls and I've got to say its really a great amp and very loud to be so small..I've always been a Crate amp guy,I grew up in the 80s as a teenager and play the hair metal stuff..But this katana is more than I expected..Thanks for this video tutorial on it..
gonna watch this many times
Best demo of the new Katana II I've seen.
Thankyou!
Just got one of these ,it’s pretty epic.
Sounds like a hot rodded to the max jcm 800. And yep the dual delay via replacing reverb spot adds some serious dimension to lead lines.... The best I've heard katana dialed in, even sounds massive through my phone's tiny speaker's, excellent tones you've dialed in..👍👍
Cheers!
@@LeonTodd cheers to you as well my friend, you put out some reliable accurate review's that are greatly appreciated.
Hey Leon. Finally my fx3 arrived. I had played 6 hours non stop that day. Amazing unit. Your Lt Ecstacy preset is out of this world.
That's so awesome! You're going to love it even more once it settles in.
Thx. Awesome tones. I have the Mark II Artist 1 x 12 with the Waza. I've "borrowed" some of your settings. And a lovely PRS!!
Thank you for the demo Leon, after nearly a year playing my boss, roland, marshall solid state amps I decided to play my Ampeg GVT 15 combo(valve amp) ooh no that Baxnandall EQ makes you be more articulate. In other words you can't hide behind a wall of distortion or overdrive. Feel and tone plus Sag seems to be a valve amp thing jthat ust speaks to you. I do love my solid state amps they do a great job in replicating my FAv valve amps at low volumes or bedroom studio but getting them in a real band mix they have this were did that great tone go? Solid State amps are getting so much closer to a valve amp. In my humble opinion valve amps are not worth purchasing once they have conceded to the new technology. I personally believe that the valve tone and break up is just 2/3rds of the equation. The rest is player feel and touch and lastly if you have ever experience that wall of 100 watt full stacks in a band mix back in the 70's and 80's you start to think oh my ears are ringing my heart felt ever power chord struck as if they wanted you to come closer to the stage. even when Array speakers started to appear on stage that gut sh-t feeling of pure power seems to be missing these days IMO.
Hell Yeah. That Para EQ a d dual delay just make it sing. Love it..
So glad the tone studio has those options. Game changer!
Great video Leon. Subed. Love your personality as a presenter!
Awesome Tutorial very informative!!
Thanks so much, this was really helpful.
Pleasure!
12:37 brings echoes of Neil Young's work on the soundtrack of the Jim Jarmusch move Dead Man. (Starring Johnny Depp)
Brilliant movie and soundtrack if you ever get the chance.
Owning the smaller watt KATANA-AIR I’m sure you know I’m a big fan of this amp! If this K II had the use of battery power and the cordless (Built in) adapter I’d be sold! And I’m already sold lol
Thanks Leon,
Cheers
Great video man. I hadn't thought to chuck an EQ in the position you did but it sounds awesome. Will definitely try it.
Glad it was helpful!
Very helpful video...thanks for sharing...
Leon dial in the katana mkII with with the new 2.0 update. There more to play with!
Thanks uploader that was great stuff 😎
A usb recording without post processing would be great . You can make any amp sounds great for sure .
Awesome vid Leon, thanks man - gonna try out some of those settings with my Epi Les Paul & Katana Artist later tonight. Did you have your guitars tone and vol on 10 most of the time too?
I played my first katana the other day and was blown away. I don't think I can justify not buying one...
I justified not buying one by buying a Bugera Trirec instead...
I have five amps but this amp is so versatile
I'm interested in the unique stereo function of Katana II.
Once you go stereo its REAL hard to look back 🤘
Thanks for the video!
I like to know your eq settings.
If i try this setting its absolut different.
I love the sound you make. Amazing
Yeah, I think on his EQ tab he's got the Amp In level raised 10-12db throughout, in addition to the Parametric EQ in the FX slot he toggles on.
I use Katana Artist mk2 and there is a waza speaker and a coutur controll. I turn it off and It works with now with a bit other settings 👍👍👍
Could it dial in an early ty tabor kings x tone?..... now there’s a challenge
I'm going back and forth on if I should trade my Block Letter 5150 6 watt tank for the boss combo. It's been impossible to do recordings at home with the 5150, I mostly if not always have a date I sat djent sounding distorted sound. What Should I do? Makes it even harder is I'm the original owner and I've had that 5150 for 23 years. I do plan on playing live again asweel.
Well done and thanks for sharing brother! Be Well Leon!
Hey Leon have you tried the blackstar silverline? Would be great if you could borrow one! Haven't been convinced by the demos I've seen... Love bud!
Thx for the tips
the 3.15khz cutoff is a great 💡
Hey Leon - just FYI, you can run the two delays AND reverb at the same time :)
ha, i actually need that exact set up for something im doing next year
How please?
@@shanewallace4294 you can have a delay in the delay section, and then in the reverb section select the drop downs under "mode" and you get the choices of reverb, delay, and delay + reverb. So if you have a delay on in the delay section and in the reverb section have it on delay + reverb, you have 2 delays and a reverb.
can you enable the variation only on the software or on the unit itself?
Wow! What a tone!! Who needs valves eh...
Hi, great videos! I've got the MkI's and the GT1 and the sound synthesis is the same (apparently they were released at the same time). One thing I really miss in my MkI's is the ability to move everything in the signal chain around freely (as one can do in the GT1). Specifically I would like to have the option of compressor/limiter in front of the booster. But having watched this video, maybe I'm going about this in the wrong way. Would you say that having the compressor after the booster is always the right way to go about it? Also, I'd like to ask about two more things here. Having tried my 100W 212 in a rehearsal room with either external or internal boosters or eq boosters in front of the preamps, I couldn't avoid feedback (which actually also happens with e.g. a JCM800 half stack when I'm doing it). Where am I going wrong there? Seems like the amount of gain I need (together with the volume I need) just doesn't work. Second thing is about the cab resonance settings. Can one actually save individual setting per patch in the MkII's? Cheers!
Great video! Now if they would just make a non-powered rackmount stereo preamp version.
That's a pretty rad idea!
@Leon Todd, could you please upload a link to the patch you are using in this video? I really dig the tone of the settings you are using. Please?
There's some odd noises in the background around 3:22. Or perhaps I'm hearing things.
Thanks for your help. One thing I am getting frustrated with is that I cannot seem to be able to save different settings in the tone studio for each of my three booster types on one single channel. I am currently using overdrive, 60s fuzz, and muff fuzz, and would like to have different bottom levels and tone levels for each of these. But for some reason, every time I change the level for these settings for one boost type, it changes for every boost type in that channel. Am I doing something wrong, or is it just not possible to have different values for each boost type in one channel?
What is the best way to record out of the Katana II? I am using the output on the Fucusrite input but it doesn’t sound right.
I really enjoyed this review!
Im thinkin in buying one, but i cant deicide between the 50 and the 100.
Whats your oppinion?
Cheers from Portugal 🍺🤘
Portuguese Beer: buy the 100 as the 50 does not have the effects loop.
@@ananymouboy7914
Hi,
Thanks!
Yes, i think ill go for the 100.
Cheers from Portugal 🍺🤘
You will enjoy this amp. Very nice. Did you buy it.
@@ananymouboy7914
Hi!
Thanks!
Not yet, but i think ill go for the 100.
Cheers from Portugal 🍺🤘
Where do you have your master set?
I’m gonna have to get one of these. I’ve got the GT-1000 so I’d like to see how they work together. The Katana sounds damn good. I saw a band (Journey tribute band) a few months back and the lead guitarist was using the Katana mk 1 and it was fantastic. It seriously surprised me.
Side note, how good are Journey?!
Leon Todd they’re good if you’re into the “Arena Rock” type of rock music. They definitely have some good stuff guitar related. I think they’d definitely be a band that would be awesome live to hear how they do some of the things they do. They have a lot of ballads if you’re into that lol (one of my guilty pleasures haha)
Great playing and tips. I have a first generation KAT 50, and set it exactly to your specs. It didn't sound near as good. Did you do anything with the global eq?
The cab and speakers he's using make it different. That being said, my 50 sounds pretty damn great with these settings.
@@DroneCorpse I reset my global awhile back. I may have to go back to the original settings. Thanks!
He is using the Brown Channel Variation, which doesnt exist on the first gen Kat50
Any chance you have your LiveSet exported somewhere for download?
I was following you for just a nice Shred solo Tone but you lost me somewhere while showing off other capabilities ?? HELP ? I had the MK I it was simpler to use... I just got the 50 watt MKII and was looking for a good Shred Tone until I'm more comfortable using the Tone Studio as it does A LOT !!!!!!!!!!!!
What are the price variations and the comparisons when it comes to music equipment from where you're at compared to the United States? I've noticed a lot of people order outside of the USA and get the same product at a lower cost. My only concern was the mailing issue and the odds of not getting a damaged product and having to send it back or is that far and few in between. I see a lot of amazing products online that are so cheap but don't know if I want to take the chance or save up and buy one from the store I can see on hand? What do you think is more worth it?
Across The fire
Ordering from abroad is usually a bad idea, you have customs tax, returns complications and output variations (power supplies). Just my opinion but I wouldn’t do it.
@@stephenrochester6309 rock on thankyou good sr.
Across The fire
Rock on :)
Stephen nailed it
Why didn’t you just use the eq tab for the parametric instead of using your mod slot?
Excellent León!!! Which pickups have your PRS?
It's a stock 2008 SC245
Leon Todd I think he meant What pups are on the custom 24 you are using in this Vid :-) Are they the stock as well ?
@@LeonTodd sounds amazing!!! 🤘😎
@@jerryratpack hahaha my bad! i get that so much about the SC I forgot I used the CU24 here. Duncan JB/Jazz in this one.
Really tempted to get a Katana. The only thing stopping me is that for the price they go for I can grab a cheap tube amp.
I just got a mk2 head and put together a celestion 15” fullback in a custom enclosure and Im havin a great time with it... and I own 2 boogies... Its incredibly versatile and lots of fun! I just got it last night & my fingers are sore as shit, hahaha
@H Kay I have some great tube amps but they are very large. I want to get a Katana but for the price they go for there seem to be a lot of competing amps that are really good.
Crimson Ghost I just bought one and I’m not happy so far. There’s just no thickness to it. Extremely thin sounding. I like a lot a distortion and this amp has it but there’s just no fat bottom to balance the really crisp highs. I’m going to keep playing with it but I’m not stoked yet
@@jimlucero2267 I feel the same way so far. Have you been able to get a good saturated tone out of it? Sounds very digital to me.
Are these available as files to add to my amp?
You are convincing me to pull the trigger on one of these.
Do iiiiiit!
@@LeonTodd Background: I have a Randall RT50 (26L6's) head driving a mesa 4x12 recto cab (I sold the dual recto head two years ago) and a wonderful old two channel solid state Fender combo that honestly takes pedals so well that it has been my gigging amp even before COVID because for a few years now it seems like "big" rigs have become so uncool that it isn't worth lugging the mesa around anymore. But I still want to be able to go big if I want to, and I am looking for something that offers a little more than my Randall head. There, so, seems like a dumb question maybe but I am on the fence. Do I get the Katana head that is basically an inexpensive modeler that nevertheless sounds and looks killer, or do I spend over 2 times as much to get into Marshall (again, after a decade) with the DSL 100HR? The DSL is also somewhat of a Swiss army knife of an amp, I'd say more than my old recto or the Randall. I used to have a 1978 JMP 50 watter with preamp (single channel, no switching, but God I wish I still had it), and then a JCM 600 going into a 2x12 1936 cabinet. Then I went Mesa, but was massively disappointed - I never got along with my dual recto.
I guess I could get both. Then the question becomes Katana combo and Marshall head, or vice versa? I love how you turn the Katana so the knobs are facing sideways and plug in the computer It actually all looks fairly easy, but not so limitless that you get lost in the possibilities - no paralysis by analysis.
Is the amp circuitry for the head different from the combo? I’m only asking because I modified my combo with a 1/4 jack so I can bypass the speaker and hook up a cabinet when I want
I imagine it's identical
@@LeonTodd I just got my wiring and connectors today and making the mod right now actually.
@@phantumgrey awesome, let me know how you like it when finished!
@@LeonTodd It worked really well.
Is there an option to tell the head to route some of the built in effects (specifically the EQ and the phaser) in front of the amp instead of in the loop?
Yes, you can have different fx chains
Hey Leon, I have a doubt, what is the difference of tweeking the parametric eq in the FX section, the parametric eq in the EQ section, and the Global EQ in the system settings?
Depends on placement in the chain - a PEQ before the main amp block or after it will yield very different results.
@@LeonTodd thanks!!
@@LeonTodd You can set the EQ (not the FX/Mod section) amp-in or amp-out anyway
Could someone tell me if tone Studio allows you to have the tone contour and solo capabilities of the mkii artist on a lesser model as let's say, the katana mkii head?
if you werent connected to the pc by usb, you could also have those same efects saved on the amp?
yes it saves them after you've changed it once it stays
will return once im familiar with the controls - great video production and sound though!
liked and subbed
Thanks mate
Does the amp start to "hizz" alot when activating t-screamer?
I know your comment is pretty old but in case anyone else is reading this or you still have this problem, in the Boss Katana Tone Studio software there is the "NS" buttong on the right between EQ and SEND/RETURN. It stands for Noise Suppressor and helped me get rid of the buzzing/hizz.
Compressor on the katana is legit.
3:21 Sounds like your chair is haunted haha
Hahaha
Do know if you have access to any weird delays on the amp like Tera Echo?
What does the amp sound like when recording direct? Can you use your own IR?
I use the USB output to record straight into a mac. I have to put the usb level to 200% in the system settings n have the channel volume at max to get a decent signal but it works. I have noticed that that the sound never needs compression in the mixing stage on the DAW. Probably as a result of having the volume at max. I also record bass this way, i just tweek the eq a bit.
Can not help but feel a bit left out. I bought an original Katana 100 and it seems that updates will most likely stop for it due to the new model. This is one reason I’m going Fractal Audio soon.
No one does updates like Fractal, their development is amazing
Thanks for the setup lesson!! Let me just say that I have the Katana Artist Combo amp with the 12" Green Waza... and let me tell you, even following your setup here, sounds NOTHING like your head and Marshall Cab!! hahaha!! This Artist, with your same settings, sounds thin, nasally, lifeless, digital, total crap. Sounds like one of those little 9 volt carry amps you clip to your belt buckle why you practice. That's what my $600 Artist Amp sounds like. Glad I found your video. I've seen several Katana videos, and following along as well, NEVER sounds like it does when youtubers demo it. I need to rethink this whole tone thing I've been chasing! Cheers!
Have you tried to choose 4x12 cab in the options?I am also waiting a katana artist mkii and I look around some things just to be ready when it arrives.
@@nickkosmas7954 There is no 4x12 cab IR on this amp. It sounds good great for Leon in the video, only because of his REAL Marshall Cabinet. As a combo amp, it's crap. I've since removed the head from the amp cabinet, and use it for it's effects only, plugged into my UAD Apollo. That seems to work quite well, actually! But for an amp, it gets zero stars.
Firmware update file corrupted. Boss will not reply.
just wanna make sure, downloading this software is free, right?
Yes
The noise gate is Good ?
it does the job.
I use 2 609s on my main rack, that head doesn't sound to bad, I'm getting my axefx3 today and I'm buying 2 Laney lrts 1x12 for the stereo thing should be great
That should be AWESOME
Did it come?? Axe FX in stereo is glorious. You'll never want to go back to mono again, it FILLS the room and you can't tell where its coming from.
@@rickfeith6372 yes it came today and I played through some presets but that's it so far and I love it already thanks for asking
Sick...have fun with your new spaceship. Make sure to name your favorite patch Wayne's World.
@@rickfeith6372 thanks and I will name it that
LOL @ MetalZone. I have one modded by Mark Humphries that has a good sound, much better than a stock one.
NudnikShpilkus how much did he charge you? This amp sounds like a game changer
It was about 15 years ago, and I don't remember. :/
Still no: Ch Volume to max and adjust the Master Volume on the right(according to boss). feelsbadman
Followed along with the brown sound tone with my Les Paul - holy crap, sounds NOTHING like what your putting out here - mine sounds shrill and take your head off!!! Yours sounds chunky, thick and warm.
awsome I have got the katana 50 more ridiculous 249€
If you down load the Android "Katana Librarian" you get additional amp simulations!!!!
Really ??
@@scavenom2008 Really: With the Android app I get the additional 5 amp types and their variation and then I get additional ones: Here is the complete list. Not tried them all but the ones I have tried are different from the standard types. Really like the BG ones!
Acoustic
Acoustic (Variation)
Clean
Clean (Variation)
Crunch
Crunch (Variation)
Lead
Lead (Variation)
Brown
Brown (Variation)
Natural Clean
Combo Crunch
Stack Crunch
Hi-Gain Stack
Power Drive
Extreme Lead
Core Metal
Clean Twin
Pro Crunch
Deluxe Crunch
VO Drive
VO Lead
Match Drive
BG Lead
GB Drive
MS1959 I
MS1969 I+II
R-Fire Vintage
R-Fire Modern
T-Amp Lead
And then for each variation there is a Bright Switch!
@@madhatter1789 awesome! I hope more people see this as well. This amp was good without the computer interface but it has gotten better with this software for sure. Thanks for the reply!
@@scavenom2008 No probs: If you do a search for "boss katana hidden amp types" then there is a lot more info and people have created patch files for them so they can be used with the boss tone studio. Looks like the Katana uses the same processor as the GT100 so you can download the GT100 manual and that describes the amp types. I reckon that the 10 standard katana amp types are just variations of the GT100 amp types.
Thanks for pointing this out. The additional amps are the same as in the BOSS GT-1 effects processor. Just created a patch using the MS1959 I+II (Marshall type) and it sounds great.
My katana 100 sounds harsh no matter what I do with the eq
11:28
Apologizing for a dimed MT-2? Never!
it actually had some proper chainsaw about it!
/chuckle...the ole metal zone was the staple of my tone in 1990
Why won't Boss let you have both delays in front of the amp?? Fix this, Boss :(
You don't know much about this amp do you? Delays are select-able in the "mod" and "FX" as well. You can technically have 4 delays. 2 in front and two in the back. I have a Mk1 and the triple delays you can get out of it are angelic.
I really wish people like you would do more research before proclaiming how terrible something is.
@@RobertMurphy-wm3ge teach us how to!!
I have the 100 Watt model.
The software does not work.
I've tried everything.
This is not new.
Hundreds of angry customers don't mean anything to these guys.
The official Boss help, glosses over the problem, makes not very good jokes, then leaves you with nothing.
That really bugs me. I was really hoping to have some software with it, to control the tones.
I don't have any more money, and my amp is junk.
Meanwhile, I guess there are not any actual good employees at Boss.
hmm, forget about playing the guitar,just use the buttons :(
What? You still have to play.
Terrible guitar. Ugly and flat. No amount of processing can make it sound good.