I just want to personally thank you for the great content you post, your videos are some of the best guitar tutorials on TH-cam, you taught me how to play the guitar over the past two years. I love your your ability to explain everything little thing you do on the fret board in a way that anyone can follow and understand. Thanks again for everything you’ve taught me
This amp is a no brainer. Cheap and delivering a great sound and loaded with features. Lightweight and easy to transport for gigs. Home use and gigs. Loads of effects to try, acoustic amp. Really my best purchase ever. No more tub replacement
JP. My go to amp every time. I feel like I have a pile of redundant amps of assorted branded names in my possession. I gig this all the time,it’s light and I haven’t even scratched the surface with it yet.
Hold up, this can be used to play with my acoustic guitar also? Idk if Marty covers it yet because I just started the video; watching it now. Because I’m in search of a acoustic amp and a electric amp but if I can use both guitars with this it might be the winner.
@@thatoneguy5191 I feel you I’ve had a marshal 30fx solid state for about a year and it’s a solid state, the clean sounds amazing but since I’ve learned that it’s digital effects I can hear the huge difference. Plus it doesn’t like distortion very much
The slightly older Boss Katana Artist is also a phenomenal amp. It features the versatility of the amp itself with an upgraded Waza speaker and sounds incredible.
It’s encouraging to see a well-known and respected player such as yourself who has some very high end equipment demonstrating a cheaper amp that is more likely to be found in a modest player’s arsenal! Thank you for demonstrating its features!
@@james.kaloki I agree, its very useful for small gigs/rehearsal and practice. The 12' speaker can handle tons of volume and breakup, its quite a decent one. And of course, it has very useful features like the Power Amp in and the Boss tone control software
My dad and I went to a guitar shop today and he bought this amp for my birthday, we just thought it sounded really good when I was playing in the store. Had no idea how much it could do. I was just wanting something that could maybe do a few cool effects because I thought you’d need a massive price range to get something with crazy access to numerous effects. One of my buddies said this was Marty’s go to amp so I looked up a review. I am shocked and so freaking excited to play on it now.
I've had my MKII for about a year, LOVE IT, I'm an old man and it is easy enough for me to navigate, how old? Two days older than dirt! 68 yrs! It is the best amp I've had in 59 years of playing! Thx, Marty! You are a Gr8 teacher!
I have the 50W version of this and absolutely love it. I use it with my Les Paul and with my Taylor Electric-Acoustic and it works well with both. In fact, I never raise it past the 0.5W setting because I live in a studio apartment and it's still plenty loud there. Great value.
I have the 100w version and I never turn it past 3 usually since I try to be courteous to my neighbors lol. But when they tell me they’re going out of town or something I try to turn it to 11, but only for about a minute lol. Just to feel the maximum for a few moments before I blow my eardrums out lol. It’s nice to know that your amp can be loud enough to play small venues which your 50w is probably capable of. My 100w is more than enough so even at half power I’m sure yours could. I used to think I would have to buy a tube screamer if I ever had a solid state but boss knows what they’re doing and right out of the box I think these katanas can compete with some vintage tube amps, with half of the weight and cost to maintain. Keep on rockin 🤘
@@SpitefulGoose so in your opinion is the 100 suitable for home use? Because I would rather get the 50 but the 100 has an FX loop and I would much rather the 100. Lmk thanks
@@jaquillahillahfoodstamps If you want the effects loop then get the 100. It takes pedals and a looper very well. It has the .5 watt setting as well. You can find them very inexpensive used.
Great demonstration, very helpful to me as a beginner. I just bought the Katana 50 Mk II and an Epiphone Les Paul Special to start learning, and have been messing around with it not really knowing what the effects were. I now have a much better understanding, can't believe how much you can do with this!!
I walked into Guitar Center during the summer with around a $250 budget for my first amp purchase. I had a line 6 in mind thinking I would not get better for the price, then the guy tells me they don’t have any line 6 but they just got a Boss Katana MKII. I had never heard of this amp so naturally I was interested. I picked up a strat, hooked it up to the amp and started messing with the tones, it was the ideal amp. I didn’t want to just buy the first amp I tested, so I told him I’d be back the next day. When I got home I did some research on the Katana and discovered all of these benefits. I couldn’t believe it! It seemed like a steal. I dab into the electrical guitar here and there, nothing too serious... So it was perfect as I did not have to go around spending more money on pedals as I have the tone studio. Definitely recommend if you want to buy a quality starter amp with a budget. I’ve had mine for around 5 months now and have no issues with it. Definitely helps out my Squire and Taylor.
For the longest time, I could not figure out how to achieve those heavy-chug tones. I thought my beginner squier guitar was just trash. I had my katana on max volume and was using the guitar volume knob on 1-3 😂. The other day I switched things out- maxed out the guitar volume knob and instead lowered the amp volume. What an incredible difference!
Just got a 50 watt mk1 Katana. Used to switch to my Les Paul to get a nice metal tone and now I just leave my Jazzmaster plugged in. Lol the Katana is making my Jazzmaster the only guitar I need 😂
Marty, this by far was the best video on you tube on explaining how this amp and software works! I just bought the 100 watt head on the advice of two friends who are studio musicians in Nashville. At 56 years of age I was a little intimidated about using the software, but you just clarified it so easily. Thank You!!
I started using a Katana MKI head with my Mesa cab a few years ago and was very happy with it, even for gigs. Earlier this year I went and got the MKII 100 watt 212. The head and cab never leave the rehearsal studio and the 212 is now my gigging amp. Plenty of power and with the GAFC controller it's easy to switch presets and turn effects on/off.
I have the Katana 50w. It's hands down the best amp I've owned. The clean sound is brilliant with some moderate gain and reverb. Can easily gig with the 50w. I use the 0.5w setting for practice and even that can be too loud!
Best advice I have for this amp is to make yourself comfortable with the software. It's straight forward and really adds so many options for dialing in your tone
I’ve been a tube amp guy my entire life and have seen solid states as lesser and have been very prejudice against solid states. But after needing a lighter amp to gig with since my shoulders and back aren’t what they used to be I decided to order a boss katana 100 mk2. It is the first solid state amp I’ve owned besides when I was 8 years old and got a small practice amp with my very first cheap electric guitar, and it honestly is my favorite amp for practicing and smaller venues. On my tube amps I loved the fact that I never would turn the volume past 4 in fear of shaking the whole house but with my katana I have that same volume capability, which a solid state amp 20 years ago would have to be much more than twice the wattage. If I feel like channeling Spinal Tap and try to push my katana past 11, the sound quality is very consistent which is something I struggled with on tube amps. The sound is still clear and I don’t get any crackling or hiss like I did on my 99’ mesa boogie. I get hissing in my ears after playing at loud volume but that’s my fault completely for ignoring the dangers of tinnitus lol. If someone told me that a solid state amp like the katana can sound as good as a vintage tube amp right out of the box then I would have said they were crazy, but I’m now a believer in the quality of solid states and love that I don’t have to keep shelling out for new tubes every few months or so lol. If anyone is on the fence about these amps then I urge you if you can to go try one out at your local music shop, but if you’re like me and your local music shop doesn’t have one to try, I would take the plunge and get one cuz you won’t be disappointed. The only bad part is that the foot switch is sold separately and it cost about $125-$150. It definitely comes in handy and personally a necessity for me when playing gigs but the bright side is there are 5 channels to switch between and you can save 5 distinct tones/settings at once. To wrap up Ive been a huge fan of boss products for a long time, I mainly have boss pedals on my main pedal board and am very happy with my decision to purchase an amp by them. I don’t really even have to bother hooking up my pedalboard to my katana when practicing because of all the built in effects like clean, crunch and lead plus the overdrive, delay, reverb, chorus, phaser, and even an octave effect. I’m not a sound and tone purist or expert by any means but I know enough to know that this $500 solid state can hold its own against my more expensive tube amps…. And it’s hard to admit this but it sounds better than some of my precious vintage tube amps lol
I've had my Katana 50 MKII for almost a year, has me covered perfectly...my first downloaded patch was the Megadeth Simphony of Destruction patch you made a while back (tho I toned it down a bit to make it less "unwieldy" for me), still one of my favs!!!
Something that never gets covered. With the USB input, you can plug your headphone into the amp, play something from your computer music collection, or online video and accompany with your guitar. No delay. You have to direct your speaker output on your computer to the Katana, but that's it. Great for online lessons.
@juha2031 Of course. I use the usb because it requires no conversion back to digital and it provides access to unprocessed as well as processed signals. The Katana is a great amp
Great video! My wife bought me one a few weeks ago. I have been out of the guitar scene for probably at least 10 years, but getting back into it now, and I must say, this amp absolutely blows my mind! The only other pedal I would ever buy is a loop, but the katana does everything else! I'm absolutely loving it and it's the perfect amp to get me excited about guitar playing again
solid and informative video. one thing you missed regarding the loop pedal, is that you can plug it into the loop effect inputs in the back of the amp to circumvent the recorded loops changing tone when you mess with the amp effects. it's an great feature.
I was looking for an Orange earlier in the year, but the model I wanted wasn’t in stock. Dude suggested a Katana MkII 50w as it was the same wattage as the Orange I wanted, similar price and way more versatile. Turns out it’s the best little amp I’ve ever had. Hopefully next week I’ll finish building my Explorer and I can demo the two together.
I've had the 50watt MKII for awhile, just got a 100 watt 1x12 last week. I gotta say, its definitely worth the extra money in terms of both sound and features.
I am looking for a better amp (beginner player) ... we have a Marshall MG30CFX that is nice for now, but my son is also learning and we want to play together... we would also like to get an amp that will be usable jamming along with others and a drummer, and eventually with pedals or a multi-effects unit like Helix or Headrush... Do you think we should save a bit and go with the 100w instead of the 50w?
Just got a mk11 head , not expecting whole lot , I'm a old school high gain tube guy , and I was blown away at not only the great solid state tones but the incredible versatility of the amp and so many useful features for the price of some of my single pedals it's crazy , for value you can't beat these amps awesome setup and I bought it from your videos (Mr) Marty
Marty, I've been following you for years my brother and I'm glad to see you've mastered the faces (@ 6:18) as well as become a powerhouse guitarist ! ! Great video my friend !
HA! Thanks for throwing in the bit about radio presets. That brought a smile to my face. BTW, EVERY tone you've been getting out of that Katana in your lesson vids has been SOOO good, IMO. Core tone is MOST important to me.
I bought the 50 watt version for under $200 new. More than enough amp for a bedroom player. Plus you can download a DAW and use the Katana as a recording interface and create your own music.
Just got mine yesterday.. pitty i broke my elbow the day before so i can't play. Those one armed clean tones though wooof! Me and katana here are going to have some fun
Based on your review and the review of other. I used some Christmas money to get myself one at Guitar Center about an hour ago. I've only started with it about an hour ago, but it is sounding great. I am excited, Marty. Thanks.
I've got a 2 12" 100w Katana v1 really versatile amp, after playing tube amps since the seventies this is a revelation. Dynamic and responsive, just great sounds ;0)
@Punk RockerMaybe it was supposed to have come with it, or maybe they just changed it after reviews/complaints. I dunno. Someone else could answer that.
Just picked mine up a little over a week ago. Local G.C. had a listing for a used mk2 50 for $150 without a picture. Went up and waited for them to open ran in picked it up and it ended up being a 100watt and they listed it wrong and didn’t catch it by the time a got there and snagged it up. Still had the cardboard features insert on top of the amp hooked under the handle. Not a scratch on it. Super deal👍👍
Almost kind of. Marty's not going to know what you NEED to learn to be a complete guitarist. Nor will he know what kind of guitarist you WANT to be. Nor will he reach thru the computer and give you an encouraging slap on the back for a lesson well learned. Nor will he be able to listen to what you're doing and give you suggestions for improving. No, asynchronous on-line/DVD lessons are not as good as having a in-person guitar teacher. Not at all.
I bought the MkII Head along with the 212 Cabinet back in September. Awesome amp. I agree with Marty about the on-board effects being a huge plus. It's good for someone who maybe doesn't have knowledge or money to buy each kind of effect pedal. I've gotten passed the honeymoon phase & I run the amp clean 85% of the time with my TS9, Dimebag Crybaby, Blues Driver & MXR EQ. There's nothing that compares to actually having the standalone pedal like a TS9 versus a digital copy
In the ten years I've been trying to play guitar, Marty has been a great influence and tutor. I've watched him get better whilst getting grey. Thanks dude, you've sold me an amp.
Bought a Katama 50 last week for my guitar and my Yamaha keyboard also sounds excellent through the 'acoustic' input. Double value to me. Thanks Marty!
Literally went from practicing in my room to on stage with the same katana 100 and it held its own against our obnoxious drummer. Best bang for your buck amp our there.
Marty, Always refreshing to watch you as you go through all the motions to teach others what they need to hear !! You are definitely one talented guitarist !!! Thanks for all the hard work you put into making your excellent videos. You helped me make up my mind to try the Boss Katana 100 watt !!!!
You just made my playing a lot easier, sound wise. I've been looking for the extras, and it's just now sinking in. I can't wait to make the blends! Thanks Man! I am now a subscriber.
Matty Burrows: I have played nothing but tube amps ... I hate to sound like a snob, but very few solid state champs ever feel good, to me. What didn’t you like about this amp? It seems SO convenient ... esp for practice...
@@mattyburrows9059 That HB tube is blues junior rip off, it's an average one too, I tried it at Thoman. I've been playing for 40 years, I've had every amp under the sun. The Katana is perfect for home use, rehearsals, and small gigs purely for versatility. No-one knows the difference in a band situation and the audience doesn't care. Of course, cork sniffers and gear snobs will disagree, I don't care though ;)
@@mattyburrows9059 Like I said, I have played it, I live 70k from Treppendorf so I visit Thomann Regularly. Its not bad, but it can't touch the Katana for versatility, It's a one trick pony and the Katana can do that trick too. I have used a Katana in the studio, and it holds its own, nearly every guitar player I encounter is impressed by the Katana, even the valve heads. Just because something is popular doesn't mean its no good. I'm not saying it can replace something like a plexi for live, but you don't need something like that for everyday stuff.
@@Gramasz It's really that noticeable? Is there more lag from the speakers than through headphones? I just got some 5" monitors but haven't gotten around to setting them up yet.
@@51MontyPython yes not much but you can feel it. Katana has asio driver but the lag is noticeable. If you go through Katana headphones jack there is no lag of course. The lag is just from the USB
JUST GOT MY FIRST GUIATAR AT 55 AND BOUGHT THE 100 BOSS BUY ONCE CRY ONCE LOVE YOUR STUFF YOU DO, CANT WAIT TO GET STARTED ONCE MY AMP COMES TODAY, PLAY AROUND WITH IT
I personally just got the katana 100 head and it definitely comes with more Bells and whistles than any other amp out there that's the reason why I went with it for the money! The price I paid was $400 that was with plus tax For brand new one!
Whoever is looking for a new amp, this is it. Im an intermidate player, had a tube marshal, black star, peavey, and finally Katana. Loved them all, but I feel like Katana has it all: quality, choice, sound.
I purchased the 100w Mkii head paired with an single 12 orange cab. I just love it. It has rekindled my passion for playing and learning new techniques and new music. I love to play my new PRS Silver Sky SE with it.
The only thing I think is BS with the Katana's is the 100w you get eight preset channels and the 50w you get four preset channels. Both should have eight.
Great description! I have been considering this for live use but wasn't completely sure how to access Boss effects. Very clear on how it works. Thanks!
The MT-2 sucks if you use it as advertised (straight into amp), but is okay if you use it with an FX loop, which of course, only high end amps have, sort of defeating the whole purpose of the pedal, which theoretically is so you don't have to buy a high dollar high gain amp.
This is about the 10th review video I'm watching and finally someone mic'd the app properly. So many guys just praising the sound and then uploading a video with crazy low transients bc of wrong position, a boomy room, a shitty mic, a crazy expensive mic in a bad position,... Thx for uploading this!
I really hate that the 50 doesn't have an effects loop. I feel like they did that just to force you to buy the 100 if you have any time based pedals you want to go after the distortion, which I so do. I love my DD6
Maybe, but if you want a more feature-filled car you have to pony up to the Deluxe model. Save your $ and move up to the 100. You’ll not get the FX loop, but a dedicated line out to send to the mixing board or interface, 3dB more headroom for gigging, and the 100 is a little less boxy sounding, IMHO, compared to the 50. The price difference isn’t that much if you ever plan to rock live.
@@Studio1215 Meh, I'm pretty much retired from live gigging. And I have a Marshall Half cab for that if I ever choose to play live again. I'm just very picky about my delays going after the distortion. But I'll just make a preset with the exact same Boss pedal I use for delay.
I got the Katana 50 for a couple of years. You can get any tone with it. Brilliant little amp but i wouldn't recommend it for an acoustic setup. I don't personally like the acoustic channel.
![เปิดใจ "อาจารย์เบียร์ คนตื่นธรรม" อดีตเคยสุดทุกทาง ถ้าใช้หนี้หมดไปบวชแน่ l [Nickynachat]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/IxeE0xVhy08/mqdefault.jpg)
Thanks to Boss for sponsoring this episode! Check out the Katana 100W that I use here: amzn.to/2IRZGUg
I'm 12 and I've got one, and i feel proud that you have one too! 🤗
Oh. But I have a BOSS KATANA-50
I just want to personally thank you for the great content you post, your videos are some of the best guitar tutorials on TH-cam, you taught me how to play the guitar over the past two years. I love your your ability to explain everything little thing you do on the fret board in a way that anyone can follow and understand. Thanks again for everything you’ve taught me
@@askabarananek2973 No worries, still a great amp!
You said yours came with that little foot pedal thing. I don't think mine came with one, do you know if they are sold separately?
This amp is a no brainer. Cheap and delivering a great sound and loaded with features. Lightweight and easy to transport for gigs. Home use and gigs. Loads of effects to try, acoustic amp. Really my best purchase ever. No more tub replacement
JP. My go to amp every time. I feel like I have a pile of redundant amps of assorted branded names in my possession. I gig this all the time,it’s light and I haven’t even scratched the surface with it yet.
I have to rip out my tub, and I agree, it's a pain!
@@jamesprisciandaro3144 that’s why i installed a shower 😄
okay what it is NOT lightweight lmfao but its amazing in every way
Hold up, this can be used to play with my acoustic guitar also? Idk if Marty covers it yet because I just started the video; watching it now. Because I’m in search of a acoustic amp and a electric amp but if I can use both guitars with this it might be the winner.
I am an intermediate guitarist looking for a better amp by Christmas or my birthday, and this video couldn’t be more perfectly timed
I'm in the exact position, I've been debating this or the fender mustang
@@thatoneguy5191 I feel you I’ve had a marshal 30fx solid state for about a year and it’s a solid state, the clean sounds amazing but since I’ve learned that it’s digital effects I can hear the huge difference. Plus it doesn’t like distortion very much
The slightly older Boss Katana Artist is also a phenomenal amp. It features the versatility of the amp itself with an upgraded Waza speaker and sounds incredible.
@@thatoneguy5191 get the Boss Katana
Had mine 2 years. I use nothing else as it really does everything so well
It’s encouraging to see a well-known and respected player such as yourself who has some very high end equipment demonstrating a cheaper amp that is more likely to be found in a modest player’s arsenal! Thank you for demonstrating its features!
There paying him !!
@@ajcajc5429 soo? Everybody gotta make money read his description.
Marty ain’t from the hood stop talkin like that
Bro this amp is no joke regardless of it's price
@@james.kaloki I agree, its very useful for small gigs/rehearsal and practice. The 12' speaker can handle tons of volume and breakup, its quite a decent one. And of course, it has very useful features like the Power Amp in and the Boss tone control software
My dad and I went to a guitar shop today and he bought this amp for my birthday, we just thought it sounded really good when I was playing in the store. Had no idea how much it could do. I was just wanting something that could maybe do a few cool effects because I thought you’d need a massive price range to get something with crazy access to numerous effects. One of my buddies said this was Marty’s go to amp so I looked up a review. I am shocked and so freaking excited to play on it now.
Crunch setting with a little drive and reverb, love it.
I've had my MKII for about a year, LOVE IT, I'm an old man and it is easy enough for me to navigate, how old? Two days older than dirt! 68 yrs! It is the best amp I've had in 59 years of playing! Thx, Marty! You are a Gr8 teacher!
68 years young brother!
I have the 50W version of this and absolutely love it. I use it with my Les Paul and with my Taylor Electric-Acoustic and it works well with both. In fact, I never raise it past the 0.5W setting because I live in a studio apartment and it's still plenty loud there. Great value.
I have the 100w version and I never turn it past 3 usually since I try to be courteous to my neighbors lol. But when they tell me they’re going out of town or something I try to turn it to 11, but only for about a minute lol. Just to feel the maximum for a few moments before I blow my eardrums out lol. It’s nice to know that your amp can be loud enough to play small venues which your 50w is probably capable of. My 100w is more than enough so even at half power I’m sure yours could. I used to think I would have to buy a tube screamer if I ever had a solid state but boss knows what they’re doing and right out of the box I think these katanas can compete with some vintage tube amps, with half of the weight and cost to maintain. Keep on rockin 🤘
@@SpitefulGoose so in your opinion is the 100 suitable for home use? Because I would rather get the 50 but the 100 has an FX loop and I would much rather the 100. Lmk thanks
@@jaquillahillahfoodstamps If you want the effects loop then get the 100. It takes pedals and a looper very well. It has the .5 watt setting as well. You can find them very inexpensive used.
@@jaquillahillahfoodstamps the 100 also has a 12 " with a larger magnet and sounds more rich
Two years later is it still holding up well. I’m always a little worried about these gadgets that do a million things.
Great demonstration, very helpful to me as a beginner. I just bought the Katana 50 Mk II and an Epiphone Les Paul Special to start learning, and have been messing around with it not really knowing what the effects were. I now have a much better understanding, can't believe how much you can do with this!!
I walked into Guitar Center during the summer with around a $250 budget for my first amp purchase. I had a line 6 in mind thinking I would not get better for the price, then the guy tells me they don’t have any line 6 but they just got a Boss Katana MKII. I had never heard of this amp so naturally I was interested. I picked up a strat, hooked it up to the amp and started messing with the tones, it was the ideal amp. I didn’t want to just buy the first amp I tested, so I told him I’d be back the next day. When I got home I did some research on the Katana and discovered all of these benefits. I couldn’t believe it! It seemed like a steal. I dab into the electrical guitar here and there, nothing too serious... So it was perfect as I did not have to go around spending more money on pedals as I have the tone studio. Definitely recommend if you want to buy a quality starter amp with a budget. I’ve had mine for around 5 months now and have no issues with it. Definitely helps out my Squire and Taylor.
For the longest time, I could not figure out how to achieve those heavy-chug tones. I thought my beginner squier guitar was just trash. I had my katana on max volume and was using the guitar volume knob on 1-3 😂. The other day I switched things out- maxed out the guitar volume knob and instead lowered the amp volume. What an incredible difference!
Better than late never 😆
Lmao
@@Abenson1983 have you tried getting a pimp?
Just got a 50 watt mk1 Katana. Used to switch to my Les Paul to get a nice metal tone and now I just leave my Jazzmaster plugged in. Lol the Katana is making my Jazzmaster the only guitar I need 😂
Yeah the power of an input signal is not to be overstated.. 😂
Marty, this by far was the best video on you tube on explaining how this amp and software works! I just bought the 100 watt head on the advice of two friends who are studio musicians in Nashville. At 56 years of age I was a little intimidated about using the software, but you just clarified it so easily. Thank You!!
Great gear to gig as well. I'm loving Marty's face when he goes with heavy riffs (lead, brown, octaver, etc)
I proudly own a 100 wt Boss Amp, and they still are a charm to play 2 years later! Great showcase!
Love my BOSS 100W
AMP TOO!
I started using a Katana MKI head with my Mesa cab a few years ago and was very happy with it, even for gigs. Earlier this year I went and got the MKII 100 watt 212. The head and cab never leave the rehearsal studio and the 212 is now my gigging amp. Plenty of power and with the GAFC controller it's easy to switch presets and turn effects on/off.
I have the Katana 50w. It's hands down the best amp I've owned. The clean sound is brilliant with some moderate gain and reverb. Can easily gig with the 50w. I use the 0.5w setting for practice and even that can be too loud!
Best advice I have for this amp is to make yourself comfortable with the software. It's straight forward and really adds so many options for dialing in your tone
I've seen many demonstrations of this amp on You tube. Marty's was one of the best. Thank You Marty.
Yes, I agree wholeheartedly!
Marty could teach Greek language to an Egyptian........and they'd be fluent the next day!
🤣
Seriously!
I’ve been a tube amp guy my entire life and have seen solid states as lesser and have been very prejudice against solid states. But after needing a lighter amp to gig with since my shoulders and back aren’t what they used to be I decided to order a boss katana 100 mk2. It is the first solid state amp I’ve owned besides when I was 8 years old and got a small practice amp with my very first cheap electric guitar, and it honestly is my favorite amp for practicing and smaller venues. On my tube amps I loved the fact that I never would turn the volume past 4 in fear of shaking the whole house but with my katana I have that same volume capability, which a solid state amp 20 years ago would have to be much more than twice the wattage. If I feel like channeling Spinal Tap and try to push my katana past 11, the sound quality is very consistent which is something I struggled with on tube amps. The sound is still clear and I don’t get any crackling or hiss like I did on my 99’ mesa boogie. I get hissing in my ears after playing at loud volume but that’s my fault completely for ignoring the dangers of tinnitus lol.
If someone told me that a solid state amp like the katana can sound as good as a vintage tube amp right out of the box then I would have said they were crazy, but I’m now a believer in the quality of solid states and love that I don’t have to keep shelling out for new tubes every few months or so lol.
If anyone is on the fence about these amps then I urge you if you can to go try one out at your local music shop, but if you’re like me and your local music shop doesn’t have one to try, I would take the plunge and get one cuz you won’t be disappointed.
The only bad part is that the foot switch is sold separately and it cost about $125-$150. It definitely comes in handy and personally a necessity for me when playing gigs but the bright side is there are 5 channels to switch between and you can save 5 distinct tones/settings at once.
To wrap up Ive been a huge fan of boss products for a long time, I mainly have boss pedals on my main pedal board and am very happy with my decision to purchase an amp by them. I don’t really even have to bother hooking up my pedalboard to my katana when practicing because of all the built in effects like clean, crunch and lead plus the overdrive, delay, reverb, chorus, phaser, and even an octave effect.
I’m not a sound and tone purist or expert by any means but I know enough to know that this $500 solid state can hold its own against my more expensive tube amps…. And it’s hard to admit this but it sounds better than some of my precious vintage tube amps lol
I've had my Katana 50 MKII for almost a year, has me covered perfectly...my first downloaded patch was the Megadeth Simphony of Destruction patch you made a while back (tho I toned it down a bit to make it less "unwieldy" for me), still one of my favs!!!
The Marty "intimate" setting. When things get deep and real. ;)
Something that never gets covered. With the USB input, you can plug your headphone into the amp, play something from your computer music collection, or online video and accompany with your guitar. No delay. You have to direct your speaker output on your computer to the Katana, but that's it. Great for online lessons.
Wow. That’s an awesome feature.
Awesome!
Isn't there 3,5mm plug also?
@juha2031 Of course. I use the usb because it requires no conversion back to digital and it provides access to unprocessed as well as processed signals. The Katana is a great amp
Had my katana 2 50 watt for over a year. I love it. Like $230 at the time, and it's never let me down. Always sounds amazing.
Great video! My wife bought me one a few weeks ago. I have been out of the guitar scene for probably at least 10 years, but getting back into it now, and I must say, this amp absolutely blows my mind! The only other pedal I would ever buy is a loop, but the katana does everything else! I'm absolutely loving it and it's the perfect amp to get me excited about guitar playing again
something about marty saying "crunch" is satisfying
crunch
cronc
solid and informative video. one thing you missed regarding the loop pedal, is that you can plug it into the loop effect inputs in the back of the amp to circumvent the recorded loops changing tone when you mess with the amp effects. it's an great feature.
I’m amazed. I just got this amp and then you posted this video
Lol same
Told my parents i wanted world peace for christams, but if i couldn't get that, Id want the amp instead lol
Well, that's exactly what a feckless kid would say to their parents. Enjoy it, the real world will come crashing down on you soon enough.
Haha that’s insanely manipulative
@@JeighNeither jesus bro its a joke.
@@EeDJeeH nah they knew i was playing around lol
@@JeighNeither Damn you sound really frustrated with life, hope it gets better, wishing you all the best.
I was looking for an Orange earlier in the year, but the model I wanted wasn’t in stock. Dude suggested a Katana MkII 50w as it was the same wattage as the Orange I wanted, similar price and way more versatile.
Turns out it’s the best little amp I’ve ever had. Hopefully next week I’ll finish building my Explorer and I can demo the two together.
Do you wish you would have went with the 100w?
Yes!
Appreciate your being straightforward about Boss sponsoring this useful episode. Not everyone is as transparent about sponsorship.
ive got the 50 and i have alot of fun with it, it makes a re-emerging player like myself sound alot better than i am. lol much fun in this amp.
I've had the 50watt MKII for awhile, just got a 100 watt 1x12 last week. I gotta say, its definitely worth the extra money in terms of both sound and features.
I am looking for a better amp (beginner player) ... we have a Marshall MG30CFX that is nice for now, but my son is also learning and we want to play together... we would also like to get an amp that will be usable jamming along with others and a drummer, and eventually with pedals or a multi-effects unit like Helix or Headrush...
Do you think we should save a bit and go with the 100w instead of the 50w?
Just got a mk11 head , not expecting whole lot , I'm a old school high gain tube guy , and I was blown away at not only the great solid state tones but the incredible versatility of the amp and so many useful features for the price of some of my single pedals it's crazy , for value you can't beat these amps awesome setup and I bought it from your videos (Mr) Marty
Great to hear!
I bought this amp recently, WOW, the tones you can get from it are crazy.
Is it loud enough for gigs?
@@sufferyt3879 Yeah for sure! i literally have to have it on like volume 2-3 at home cause it’s crazy loud. so perfect for giggin
just ordered this. ive been watching this guy so long his beard and my hair are now grey. Keep going love it.
Marty, I've been following you for years my brother and I'm glad to see you've mastered the faces (@ 6:18) as well as become a powerhouse guitarist ! ! Great video my friend !
Marty you sir are a savior. I just got the boss katana and had no idea how to make it sound like I want it. THANK YOU! From Nashville
I've had it for for many months and I'm still not there yet
Me too! I’m going to have to play with it.
Purchased the 100w Boss Katana after watching you and hearing the great sounds. Thanks for the video. Love your videos!
These are excellent amps, I love mine as it has completely eliminated the necessity of a lot of pedals.
Great video Schwartzy❤️
Just ordered one as my first amp. Looking forward to trying it out.
It arrived. It sounds great but damn is it loud, I doubt I'll leave the 0.5w setting.
@@Brewer_ ha ha get some headphones too
Why did i wait so long to get on the Boss train? Picked one up today and im blown away by all the tones and effects. So easy to use!!!
HA! Thanks for throwing in the bit about radio presets. That brought a smile to my face.
BTW, EVERY tone you've been getting out of that Katana in your lesson vids has been SOOO good, IMO. Core tone is MOST important to me.
Do cars no longer have them?
This is the most encompassing review I have seen of the Katana MKii .
I bought the 50 watt version for under $200 new. More than enough amp for a bedroom player. Plus you can download a DAW and use the Katana as a recording interface and create your own music.
What DAW would you recommend? I want to start getting into this. I have a Macbook Pro. Thanks!
@Samuel Gonzalez
Thank you!
@@stephenrochester6309 i like fl studio its awsome i highly recommend
@@gg.thalll
Thanks!
Good on u mate
I've had the 50 watt Katana for over a year ...always finding new sounds ..love it !
Acoustic setting is the perfect pedal board setting
Seriously? You mean even for electric?
I used to be a Vox guy for decades but i have been a Boss Katana guy the last few years. Great amps both of them.
Just got mine yesterday.. pitty i broke my elbow the day before so i can't play. Those one armed clean tones though wooof! Me and katana here are going to have some fun
Based on your review and the review of other. I used some Christmas money to get myself one at Guitar Center about an hour ago. I've only started with it about an hour ago, but it is sounding great. I am excited, Marty. Thanks.
I've got a 2 12" 100w Katana v1 really versatile amp, after playing tube amps since the seventies this is a revelation. Dynamic and responsive, just great sounds ;0)
Boss K is my desert island amp. I have many variety amps but this is the one I keep coming back to
FYI the foot switch doesn’t come with the amp.
Yeah, that foot switch costs some money but I’m glad I have it for my 100 v1 (single speaker).
@Jew Adolf when I bought mine it came with the USB cable.
@Punk RockerMaybe it was supposed to have come with it, or maybe they just changed it after reviews/complaints. I dunno. Someone else could answer that.
@Jew Not fucking stupid...its called having a choice. Choice is a very good thing.
It does if Boss gives you free gear to YT content creators. Civilians have to pay...
Just picked mine up a little over a week ago. Local G.C. had a listing for a used mk2 50 for $150 without a picture. Went up and waited for them to open ran in picked it up and it ended up being a 100watt and they listed it wrong and didn’t catch it by the time a got there and snagged it up. Still had the cardboard features insert on top of the amp hooked under the handle. Not a scratch on it. Super deal👍👍
I swear you’re better than my in person guitar teacher and you’re free to learn from! Thanks so much Marty!
This was slightly offensive to your "in person" guitar teacher....
Buy Marty's DVDs maybe...? That is what I did before good internet was available in my rural location.... glad that I have them...
Almost kind of. Marty's not going to know what you NEED to learn to be a complete guitarist. Nor will he know what kind of guitarist you WANT to be. Nor will he reach thru the computer and give you an encouraging slap on the back for a lesson well learned. Nor will he be able to listen to what you're doing and give you suggestions for improving. No, asynchronous on-line/DVD lessons are not as good as having a in-person guitar teacher. Not at all.
Thanks Marty, I just bought this amp and it’s lovely. Instructions are minimal in the booklet and you just showed me everything I need to know!!!!
I bought the MkII Head along with the 212 Cabinet back in September. Awesome amp. I agree with Marty about the on-board effects being a huge plus. It's good for someone who maybe doesn't have knowledge or money to buy each kind of effect pedal. I've gotten passed the honeymoon phase & I run the amp clean 85% of the time with my TS9, Dimebag Crybaby, Blues Driver & MXR EQ. There's nothing that compares to actually having the standalone pedal like a TS9 versus a digital copy
Great demo , thanks. purchased this yesterday and getting delivered tomorrow.
Love when the video starts with Marty refusing to let that deal go down ;)
In the ten years I've been trying to play guitar, Marty has been a great influence and tutor. I've watched him get better whilst getting grey. Thanks dude, you've sold me an amp.
Been rocking one of these since june and I love it
Bought my first Katana 50 a couple of months ago. It is worth every penny and then some!
Don't forget the acoustic channel so you really only need this one Katana amp for both your acoustic and your electric guitars. Love my MKII 100 watt
Does the acoustic channel offer acoustic-tailored EQ, compression and effects (e.g. reverb and chorus)? Or is it just a preamp?
Bought a Katama 50 last week for my guitar and my Yamaha keyboard also sounds excellent through the 'acoustic' input. Double value to me. Thanks Marty!
Literally went from practicing in my room to on stage with the same katana 100 and it held its own against our obnoxious drummer. Best bang for your buck amp our there.
Them f*cken drummers...
Marty, Always refreshing to watch you as you go through all the motions to teach others what they need to hear !! You are definitely one talented guitarist !!! Thanks for all the hard work you put into making your excellent videos. You helped me make up my mind to try the Boss Katana 100 watt !!!!
You just made my playing a lot easier, sound wise.
I've been looking for the extras, and it's just now sinking in.
I can't wait to make the blends!
Thanks Man!
I am now a subscriber.
Boss Katana is the only amp you’ll ever need. Audience wouldnt even care
Matty Burrows: I have played nothing but tube amps ... I hate to sound like a snob, but very few solid state champs ever feel good, to me.
What didn’t you like about this amp? It seems SO convenient ... esp for practice...
@@mattyburrows9059 instead of trying to sound like such. What not try to sound like you? Think about it.
@@mattyburrows9059 That HB tube is blues junior rip off, it's an average one too, I tried it at Thoman. I've been playing for 40 years, I've had every amp under the sun. The Katana is perfect for home use, rehearsals, and small gigs purely for versatility. No-one knows the difference in a band situation and the audience doesn't care. Of course, cork sniffers and gear snobs will disagree, I don't care though ;)
@@mattyburrows9059 Like I said, I have played it, I live 70k from Treppendorf so I visit Thomann Regularly. Its not bad, but it can't touch the Katana for versatility, It's a one trick pony and the Katana can do that trick too. I have used a Katana in the studio, and it holds its own, nearly every guitar player I encounter is impressed by the Katana, even the valve heads. Just because something is popular doesn't mean its no good. I'm not saying it can replace something like a plexi for live, but you don't need something like that for everyday stuff.
@@mattyburrows9059 ....nah the. audience is not deaf. What happens is the musician thinks he/she is king.STFU.
Hello, sir! Just one question. Can you record and listen through headphones simultaneously. I want to record them silently.
Been using the USB out for my covers and it sounds good enough for me
my problem is that it doesn't sound as good in the room...especially at low volume. and can't monitor it without lag
@@Gramasz What do you mean by monitoring? (I'm a noob)
@@51MontyPython you hear the USB sound from some speakers. But it lags a bit when you play
@@Gramasz It's really that noticeable? Is there more lag from the speakers than through headphones? I just got some 5" monitors but haven't gotten around to setting them up yet.
@@51MontyPython yes not much but you can feel it. Katana has asio driver but the lag is noticeable. If you go through Katana headphones jack there is no lag of course. The lag is just from the USB
JUST GOT MY FIRST GUIATAR AT 55 AND BOUGHT THE 100 BOSS BUY ONCE CRY ONCE LOVE YOUR STUFF YOU DO, CANT WAIT TO GET STARTED ONCE MY AMP COMES TODAY, PLAY AROUND WITH IT
Absolute Boss of an amp! (see what I did there?) for real though, I have had this ams for over 4 months and it rocks!
I personally just got the katana 100 head and it definitely comes with more Bells and whistles than any other amp out there that's the reason why I went with it for the money! The price I paid was $400 that was with plus tax For brand new one!
Whoever is looking for a new amp, this is it. Im an intermidate player, had a tube marshal, black star, peavey, and finally Katana. Loved them all, but I feel like Katana has it all: quality, choice, sound.
Mine just arrived today. 🎉. Still waiting on my new PRS guitar though.
I asked for this for christmas!!!! I'm so excited!!
100w 1x12? skip the 50 and spend the extra right away.
I've owned this for a year and never really knew how to use it. Thank you!
Impeccable timing for Christmas time fedora man😎
I purchased the 100w Mkii head paired with an single 12 orange cab. I just love it. It has rekindled my passion for playing and learning new techniques and new music. I love to play my new PRS Silver Sky SE with it.
The only thing I think is BS with the Katana's is the 100w you get eight preset channels and the 50w you get four preset channels. Both should have eight.
I just picked one up. Can't wait to get it home.
how do u like it? is it worth it
@@markkk04 I like it
Is this new backdrop permanent then marty? Looks so professional 😍
Super clean! 🔥
@@spookbruh it's pretty sleek tbh 👌
@@auntjenifer7774 are you blind?
I think he still using the blue background for lessons but in other videos he uses this background.
What amp should i get....playing 10years an avt amp.....should i get the katana over a Dsl??
I have the Boss Katana II 50 watt version and the Boss ME-80 multi-effects unit and I'm a happy man.
Same amp: Marty, is the ME-80 similar to Boss GAFC and are both compatible with this amp? why choose one over other of these foot units? Thanks!!
This is probably the longest ad I’ve ever watched
Ty for the like
Same
just bought one as my sons first amp thanks for the demo
Where’s the classic backdrop!?!?, nah I’m kidding this one is mad spicy
I just got mine.... total game changer, sooooo many options, Love it!!! 🤩🤩🤩🎸🎸
Toan
The best review video I have seen about Boss Katana
I've heard about this amp for ages. Never paid it much attention. Now I want one!
If you know how to set it, you'll be pleasantly surprised! They make even cheap guitars sound great.
Great description! I have been considering this for live use but wasn't completely sure how to access Boss effects. Very clear on how it works. Thanks!
Just bought one couple days ago 👌
Me To😀🤣
I've got an Artist and a first generation Katana 50 and they both rock. The best amps I've owned.
never once had an issue with a boss product
The MT-2 sucks if you use it as advertised (straight into amp), but is okay if you use it with an FX loop, which of course, only high end amps have, sort of defeating the whole purpose of the pedal, which theoretically is so you don't have to buy a high dollar high gain amp.
This is about the 10th review video I'm watching and finally someone mic'd the app properly. So many guys just praising the sound and then uploading a video with crazy low transients bc of wrong position, a boomy room, a shitty mic, a crazy expensive mic in a bad position,... Thx for uploading this!
I really hate that the 50 doesn't have an effects loop. I feel like they did that just to force you to buy the 100 if you have any time based pedals you want to go after the distortion, which I so do. I love my DD6
Maybe, but if you want a more feature-filled car you have to pony up to the Deluxe model. Save your $ and move up to the 100. You’ll not get the FX loop, but a dedicated line out to send to the mixing board or interface, 3dB more headroom for gigging, and the 100 is a little less boxy sounding, IMHO, compared to the 50. The price difference isn’t that much if you ever plan to rock live.
@@Studio1215 Meh, I'm pretty much retired from live gigging. And I have a Marshall Half cab for that if I ever choose to play live again. I'm just very picky about my delays going after the distortion. But I'll just make a preset with the exact same Boss pedal I use for delay.
I own a first gen Boss Katana. It is by far the best sounding budget amp around. Tube amp sounds from it all day. 😁
I would love to hear how my Martin Acoustic Electric would sound on this amp?
I got the Katana 50 for a couple of years. You can get any tone with it. Brilliant little amp but i wouldn't recommend it for an acoustic setup. I don't personally like the acoustic channel.
I have one of these bad boys in the mail right now with the foot pedal to go with my Les Paul. Can't wait..
idk how your not in a band with skills like you have,your band would be called Heeeeey what’s up you guys!
I have the Artist and love it . Because of that amp , I dont need all of my other amp I used for pedale plateforme. Saved a bunch of money!