I hope you dig this video/amp/whatever! Lemme know what you think of the Katana MKII in the comments. 😎🎸 Buy it online: ► Sweetwater (USA) - imp.i114863.net/rdmY3 ► Thomann (Global) - bit.ly/2US8ahC ► Amazon UK - amzn.to/34hEJZu ► Amazon Canada - amzn.to/39U5Vys (affiliate links) Time Codes: 0:00 - A non-fanboy review 0:53 - Backing Track Jam (clean, crunch, and lead) 2:18 - About this video review 3:12 - Clean Channel Tones 4:29 - Crunch Channel Tones 6:08 - Lead Channel Tones 7:58 - Brown Channel Tones (& boost) 10:38 - My first impressions and overall review
Last year I decided to purchase the Artist. Honestly this is one of the best tool for writing and gigging. It has everything in it, thanks to the enermous amount of built in effects. Is it a boutique tube amp? No. Is it trying to be one? No. But this is not what the Katana wanting to be, and it is okay as long as the price is good also.
Sounded great Shane! Also, the optional GA-FC foot switch makes this amp 100 times better, once you get all your sounds dialed in and set in the presets, it is a must have. You can also turn effects on and off from the foot switch too.
Oh hell yeah. After being used to my Mustang III, when I bought my BassBreaker 15, I was astonished at just how heavy that pig is- and it's only 15 watts...
My 1981 Mesa/Boogie Mk IIb with Hardwood cab, EVM,100 watts, Reverb and EQ, feels like 75lbs. I use a Blues Jr, now. If it ain't loud enough, I got a mic.
My main amp right now is a 5150 III 2x12 combo. It’s loud as a MFer, and weighs 84 pounds. It stays in my studio and the volume control rarely gets turned up past 1. I’m considering buying a Katana just to take to friends houses and jam, because it’s light, compact, and has built-in effects.
Somebody on UT wrote that BOSS recommends that you crank the master all the way up and then use the volume knob for over all volume. This trick is also supposed to work on the first round of Katanas. I tried it and there is no doubt about it: The tone gets warmer and even more lovely.
I'm not sure why BOSS put a master volume on the amp if you need to run it on Maximum to get the best sounds. It's kind of odd, but I appreciate the tip thanks a lot :-)
@@intheblues Maybe because they want to make it sound best when the tube-people try to dial them in the same way they dial in their tube amps. Tube guy: "Look, my amp sounds better/warmer/fuller/sweeter/... the more I crank the master... digital gear doesn't do this." Lots of psycho trickery going on in product design. I mean... wattage selector, anyone?
Shane, The Katana sounds great. I am beyond suspicious of solid-state amps, but Boss has been at it for a while now and this amp sounds great recorded. The truth is how it fits into a mix and that clean channel was amazing. It isn't an expensive amp. The effects are all Boss centric, so you can't lose there. Winner,. Winner, Chicken Dinner!
I saw a boss 12 inch cube it was either USA or Japan quality back in about 1979 and I was blown away that was the first time I ever seen one but it had excellent tone
I've been gigging weekly with my original Katana 100, picked up a new one and very happy with it. I've never even updated the software on the original. Great video Shane, one of the best I have seen on this!
Great test. Im old school in dialing in an amp to my guitar then just adding either reverb or delay so it was refreshing to see a review where the amp didn't have multiple drives or effects in the chain to disguise the tone. Great job Shane in keeping it an honest review much appreciated.
Totally agree ,so many of these "amps",need smart phones ,or similar to get to their functions[or USB cables to your computer/Laptop,which may add to the cost,what happened to using just the amps tones,accessible via a knob ,or button on the actual amp?
That's like saying salt and pepper disguise the taste of a good steak. No, man. They make it shine. Without the effects, every Katana is just an amp that makes silent tones louder, not more or less than a Boogie Mesa: Wood, speaker, cables, knobs, done. The sauce sits in the effects.
This amp really packs a punch for the dollar. It offers dozens of BOSS effects, plenty of tonal options, nice sounding cleans and gain. I see why many people sing its praises.
Same here except I hooked mine up, set up some presets and haven't connected it back since. I just get lost in how it sounds at a low volume compared to everything else I've tried and yet it can almost peel the paint in my studio apartment on the 50 watt setting and it's an original bought in early '17 Katana 50.
@@guitarocd9984 the people that like it simple ánd the computer stuff maybe...? I have a Fender Mustang III v2 and a Mustang Floor and I can do everything with these amps, also have some stunning presets from Shane... music takes effort, just like all skills...
@@robertpurdy4452 i use the .5 watt setting most of the time. amazing . i can get it to sound identical to ANY santana tone across the years. very cheap ...very happy. who needs prs.
Yea Shane you sounded great with the amp by itself each time, with no computer stuff. Kind of shows being able to play well is just as important as tone. Good job!
I respect you were trying not to be a fanboy of the Katana but mate, that smile on your face gave it away any bit of equipment that makes you smile like that is working as intended. Mind you not many of us will be able to crank it like that indoors but still :)
that stock lead tone is really nice. I can imagine you can tweak this for hours and hours but it's really nice straight out of the box. I have marshall stacks but have ordered this amp for my bedroom amp. Technology is so nice these days!
Sounded fine- I love my original 100, will be upgrading in a year or so to the MKll. One thing missing in this particular vid is a quick demo of the Variations of each channel. And the acoustic channel is such a great addition.
@Jew Adolf its a part of our communication that's called sarcasm. Gets kinda lost in the virtual world. Shane has done videos of the struggle to find great left handed guitars. So when he takes the amp out of the box left hand dominate I cracked a sarcastic joke about him finding a left handed amp.
You literally didn't use any of the new features of the Mark II. The standard voicings are all the same, the variations, which you didn't use at all, are the new part. So you basically reviewed the Katana MkI again. (OK the speakers are new but still).
I've not tried a mkII yet, but online the tones I've heard so far don't sound as warm or "valvey" as the MKI's. If it ain't broken don't fix it. Personally I don't think they should have changed the amps at all. It would have been better to do a version of the MKI in a higher quality cabinet or a stereo 2x12 version of the 100w. Better still develop a Katana 1x15 Bass Combo. I want to buy one!!
It's all good man! The majority of the stuff you've seen on my channel this year goes back to the store. They were nice enough to send a little something out called the Nextone. Waiting to see what that's like. It'll be coming up soon. :-)
To get the most out of a Katana: #1 - Always keep the Master Volume all the way up. #2 - Download the Sneaky Amps & the Dumble Amps. #3 - (Optional) speaker swap.
My friend brought the MK1 over and I had no expectations, and was subsequently blown away by the sound of it especially the brown channel (I play heavy thrashy metal). Ordered a MK1 today, so excited. Thanks for this great, unbiased review.
Same! I bought used 100/212, no expectations. It turned out that I enjoyed more with Katana than with my Marshall DSL20 🙂 And still I havent explored all the options...
In all seriousness, this is exactly the kind of "no bull$hit" review I was looking for. I'vw been looking at these for a while but could never find a video that wasn't either "open mic night" or "M.I.T.Audio Engineering 101". Good on ya (and the Crazy Ronin clicks subscribe)
I use the original 50 with the boss me 80. It does everything I need for what I play. Sounds great. Never used the computer link. Use 25watt more mostly
"Well Shane'..That was massive bro!!".. I was looking @ buying the Boss Katana 100 mk2 with the single 12" Speaker".. But after hearing this demo".. I've just rung my music shop..& re-ordered the 2 x 12 Speaker 100 watt amp..fantastic sounds man..straight out of the amp without having to use the computer to hook up to get started..& it's well worth the extra $$$$ to buy the 2 x 12" Speakers..I'm Fulltime gigging muso..& I gig every night of the week..& I'm using Roland Cubes 100 watts & Line 6 Spiders in my set up..but now I'm ready for a change..so I'm going to buy 2 of this Katana & the GAFC. FOOT PEDAL..to play in stereo..plus I'm really pleased that on the back of this amp.. I can also bounce in my Boss GT 100..& my GT 1000 pedals..as a alternative to the Katana sounds..But Shane.. You impressed me mate..straight of the bat with this amp..Cheer's mate..I just happened on this demo by chance this morning as I was having a break from recording my new disc..I'm going to use a couple of those sounds on my new Blues Cd now.. Thanks heaps mate.. Doc J Feeldood in Surfers Paradise , Gold Coast, Qld ..Australia..😎🎸🎤🎷🔊🎩👍😊
This test is a huge statement about out of the box and onboard out of the box tricks with clean cut manners. From experience the MKI is a blast and the II is even more relaxing without any pops clicks or unexpected whammies. Cheers man
Crikey, mate, right on!! I was looking for a versatile amp that would give clean Metheny tones plus dirty Leslie West tones...saw your vid and went right out and bought one...just great and tons of fun all round!! Thanx, dude.
I bought one of the very first katana 50s in the UK. Sold all my valve combos as a result and bought a 100 1x12 and katana artist and now never use anything else!! Love them...who needs valves eh!!!(?)...
@@petkopeet the standard Katana 100 1x12 is a great amp for anything but the Artist is a step above. Much bigger tone and clearly a upgraded version of the katana design. A pro version.
@@robertmailloux3720 I've owned every model of boogie from mkI upwards...too loud, lumpy, unsweet and sound like a badly modded fender to me. They also "eat " pre-amp valves....and only like boogie tubes. Too many switch's too, but you still can't find the sound your after...and they are all way too heavy too!!!
I've yet to hear that Flying V sound bad through any amp! Anyway, I have the 100 Watt 1-12" Katana. I find the effects to be ok. Usually I use my outboard pedals through the effects loop and keep it simple. I like this amp because at age 70, the days of lugging a Super Reverb are long gone. I have weight-relieved Les Paul's, light Tele's and Strat's. I'm too old and stupid to hook up to a computer and download sounds, etc. Save the knee's and the back and keep on playing as long as I am able! Thanks Shane!
It wasn't overhyped. I only got the 50watts because I don't want to get in trouble in our neighborhood. Haven't hooked it in a computer and I think it already sounds amazing! No more tweeking.
I like the angle you took on this amp in the video. Straight out of the box, easy peasey. I use my Katana 50 I bought back in early '17 every single day in my little apartment. I have all the love in the world for this amp.
"I've never had a guitar lesson" "my amps never been near a computer" all sounds familiar Plug in and play? You need the footswitch to gig this amp I just paid 150 quid for my 100watt 1x12 with the v3 software What a bargain, as for the tone studio it's great fun and it's all free Brilliant for home use with the half watt setting,
I notice you didn't try the variations of the amp models; they're very, very bright, but very tube-like. I imagine that they wouldn't sound great on the 2x12, but they really open up the Katana 50. Tried one yesterday and am finally on the Katana hype train, and that's after I bought and sold a 100 a while back. These rule. Great demo and video, Shane!
Enjoyed this review mightily. The issue I have with most reviews is that we only get to hear the close mic'd sound. Your inclusion of room mic'd sound for comparison is very helpful. The sound in my room is nothing like the close mic'd sound. But, and apologies for going slightly off-topic, my problem with the Boss Katana 100/212 (original) is that the completely open-backed flimsy cabinet mars the sound of a good pre- and power amplifier. The mk2 version does nothing to improve the cabinet or speakers (these are unchanged save the change to red labeIs). I now have a Boss Katana Artist standing alongside my Boss Katana 100/212 (original) and the Artist is incomparably better - much sturdier cabinet only partially open at back and that fabulous Waza speaker plus the connectivity that allows me the luxury of driving my Waza 212 Cabinet.
I've been using the 100wMKII for a couple of years, and it covers an amazing amount of ground. In particular I love the Crunch with the gain all the way down, getting the early Beatles/Tom Petty kind of sound. I've never hooked it up to the computer because I already had effects I like and put them through the FX loop. If you use the high gain settings you would probably want a noise gate or download it from Boss. For the price? You gotta be kidding me! I bought another one used too so if there's a problem I have a backup. My assumption is that it would be too expensive to fix vs. buying a new one?
Good review as always. Very nice bit of kit for not a lot of money. The more people that can get into guitar the better it will be for all of us regardless of which price point we shop.
This is my Amp exactly after doing 2 months of research before seeing your video, your skeptical...so was I....I will watch and see what your going to say. For a non-gigging rig it has everything I need.
C'mon Shane... you're grinning and smiling the whole video... you were impressed, dude! Admit it! 😀 I have the MK I 100 and its the best digital amp you can get for the money. I also own a Blackstar IDCode 40 (good sounds, but lacks volume and the software didn't work at all 😑) and a Fender Mustang V Mk II (really good, but I can't use that beast past volume 3!). Great vid, man! 😎
Katanas make cracking practice and backup amps or if you know the venue has dirty power, they’re not going to replace a nice tube amp but they are worth having in the collection, and are an excellent first amp for beginners.
Had a katana 50 before I really got to decide whether I was a solid state or a tube guy. I really did like the katana for everything except for the clean sound. It does seem like they have tried to emulate the legendary king of clean sound in the mark two. The other thing I didn't like about the katana at all was the software it eventually came to a point where I just gave up on trying to install it I had everything correct I had all the proper setup and the studio never worked for me. Boss also gave a very vague video guide on how to install it.The final thing I didn't like about the katana that they still carry over here is that the controls are right underneath the blasted handle for the amplifier. All in all I think they're cool I'm glad I got rid of my katana 50 when I did considering I used it to trade towards a Princeton. These are not bad amplifiers and they have made some improvements mainly the ability to have multiple effects on at once. I don't really see the big deal with the variation switch.
matt manley IIRC, the Anderton’s video had some some nice demos of the variation button making an appreciable difference. I don’t remember them trying to replicate one variation using another, though, so maybe it ends up not being that big of a deal? I share your disappointment WRT the controls’ location... Top panels in general disappoint me since it means you can’t stack anything on top of your amp on narrow stages, and it encourages the player to place their amp so it mostly projects the high frequencies towards the back of their knees (and the first row of the audience) which almost inevitably leads to it being set _way_ too bright.
Joe Blogs Only if it’s pointed at the back of your knees, which it shouldn’t be. (Unless you’ve fixed the speaker so it doesn’t beam the highs, but most people don’t even know it’s possible to mitigate the issue, let alone bother to do it.)
@@OtherTheDave Hi, I like my amps on the floor tilted back at the back of the stage. This gives great cross stage projection., doesn't deafen the audience, I can hear myself real well, and I can get to the controls too!!
Joe Blogs On behalf of FOH engineers and audience members everywhere: thank you! That’s a fine way to deal with HF beaming. You’re the exception rather than the rule, though. I did live audio, both as a freelance and house engineer for years. Most of the guitarists I’ve worked with whose amp had controls on the top just point their amp at their knees and turn the treble up until it sounds good at their ears. Not all (obviously), but most. That’s my biggest issue with top controls: they make it really easy to get bad EQ.
You can get an app for the mk 1 called katana librarian that lets you make changes from your phone with an otg cable. Much more convenient than a laptop and just as much functionality as running through tone studio.
Great video! I love these things and I did have a 50 until I stupidly got rid of it to make room for something else. I am going to get the 100 in a bit. Boss will sell a zillion of these things! Thanks for sharing.
If you can’t get a bangin tone on a katana for literally any genre, straight out of the box, then it’s operator error. The amp is ridiculously good in every aspect. I have a room full of heads and quad boxes and that thing still amazes me every time I use it. I’ve had mine for 18 months now and have never hooked it up to a computer. So I’m missing out on the vast majority of what this amp does and it’s still a bangin amp.
Don’t need a PC to change settings on these amps. It is FANTASTIC at taking pedals !! I own Marshall,Fender amps and cabinets.I play my Kat112 ninety percent of the time and play out with it 100% of the time. It’s a 35lb back saving tone machine and I ALWAYS get compliments on my sound. You do have to set the eq but it has sounded great right out of the box. I USED to be a tube snob....not anymore. Oh and if you try one at the music store make sure it’s reset to factory settings...it will sound like crap if some numb nuts messed with all the settings
I have difficulty see how tube amps will survive in the long run. I've had Nextone Artist and still have the first run Katana in the church. At home now I have a Fender twin reverb Tonemaster and man, do them amps play. No way any can tell a tube amp from a solid state amp nowadays. They have become so good both in tonecaracter an volume / power. Excellent amps
@@JaredSchumaier I would say that the Tonemaster have that familiar Fender chimey "Fender sound" where as the Katana has its own "sound" that to me sounds kind off characterless so to speak. Fender managed to create a solid state amp that really sounds like a Fender amp should sound. It's difficult to describe sound as it is a very subjective experience but if I have managed to give you a hint in my bad English in what direction you'll find Tonemaster VS Katana I guess I ought to be satisfied 😬😅
I have the original Katana 50 - I needed an easy to carry and maintain amp for band practice and small gigs. Works and sounds great - I stuffed around with the computer connection and have ended up just using it as a straight amp. I'm looking to upgrade to the K 50 Mk2 - I like the stereo function, good excuse to buy two! :-) I play in a 20 piece folk ensemble and a blues band - it's easy to get good tones for both.
I just broke down and bought the 1x12 of the Katana 100. Wow. This amp is good. Don't listen to the haters. And loud. One half watt is loud. Repeat: one half watt setting is loud. 100 watt will wake the neighbors from their naps.
FYI - if you have a chambered electric like my Gretsch 5230, putting it on the acoustic channel with the acoustic guitar simulator and a little reverb is DIVINE. So awesome.
I'd like to hear someone demo the acoustic channel on a Katana MkII - with an acoustic guitar, of course. Being able to use acoustic guitars once in a while - without needed a dedicated acoustic -amp is potentially a huge selling point... IF the acoustic channel sounds good!
Hello Shane, I just watched this video for like the 3rd or 4th time. I finally got mine on the windows 7 laptop and I have had a blast with it. I've been wanting to the tone that was in my head forever. I should say the tones I've been looking for and I found them and other new sounds that I really like. And I agree this bugger is loud!!! Thank you for the demo's and great content you bring. I'm a Lefty myself. So you are a really great guitar player in my book! Thank you again Shane.
By looking to the smile on your face evertime you start playin with this monster I guess it's GREAT ! I have the MKII 50W and oh man it's a superb amp !
I didn't have time for that right now. I have spoken to BOSS about a deep-dive review down the track all being well. This was a loaner than I needed to get back really quickly.
I am a fanboy. No other amp solidstate or tube offers the out of the box experience which is why Katana sales have destroyed all others in the past few years.
What do you mean "out of box experience"? Do some peeps play their amps "in the box"? Maybe all that cardboard unpackaging gets a bit much sometimes? Good old human laziness?
I want those danelectros. This would be a great first amp but of no real use to me. ps Sweetwater rules(i'm in USA) and they have the best customer service I have ever experienced. That is great that they even support you. Have a crackin' day! (BTW, nice Dr John pic, RIP. we boogie-blues piano players really took a hit when we lost him..damn)
The big killer feature for me and why I'm buying a mkII is the "blank slate" power amp in feature for modelling pedalboards. All the other upgrades are just icing on the cake.
I guess Im one the odd ones who never got on with the old katana - partly option paralysis, partly the sound - realised I really didnt need all the effects to play the blues and looked for something a lot simpler. Basically an amp and reverb pedal type of player, so tweedtone or blues cube and Im happy.
Why I never purchased it was after you dig deep into the amp and customise it via software you have no way of easily tweaking it out live without a computer. It's a huge oversight in my opinion but they are really good for home players. :-)
Yep, option paralysis comes as standard with these type of amps- too many knobs to twiddle= less time actually playing. I have the Blackstar HT1R head and cab, minimal controls, perfect (for me.)
I definitely liked the leads better than the cleans. I think they’re all at least useable. When talking about the gear in this price range, it starts to be a pretty crowded market. Can you get better clean tone at this price? Yeah. Can you get better crunch tones at this price? I think so. Can you get better lead tones at this price? For me that’s a close call. But probably yeah. The question is can you find one product that gives you better cleans, crunches, and leads, plus really decent effects at this price? I don’t think you can. I don’t own a katana, probably never will. I’m not a boss groupie or anything. But I totally understand why people in the low to mid priced market are all atwitter about these things. It’s got enough quality, enough versatility, and enough simplicity to really be a good practical choice.
Joe Thompson I mean, sure, happily. But don’t hold your breath. I don’t actually need a better guitar amp. Nowhere close to me stocks these, and the guitar center 2 hours away is a terrible store. I’m not a gigging guitarist. I’m a basement noodler, and I have a couple of cheap solid state amps, a blackstar 10 watt Artisan anniversary that I got on sale, and a digitech rp 360xp that I run through PA speakers. None of that is premium gear, I know, but it’s already more than I need. I’m not sure if you’re trying to insult me for liking the katana too much or for not liking it enough, but based on what I’ve heard from demos, it’s a very versatile, all around useable amp.
@@frankdeitsch6869 Thanks for posting your response. I have a Fender Blues Deluxe Reissue and an old solid state Marshall 75 Reverb. Of these, I've gigged with the Fender, and used to gig with a solid state Sessionette 75 for many years. I'm sceptical about modelling amps, having heard some poor tones from them at others' gigs. I only use one basic sound too, so all the effects etc. would be wasted on me!
I think it beats the Fender Mustang hands down and for the old weekend warrior it's a godsend. It's basically the sounds of a good Cube in a better more user friendly layout.
WOW!!! I just ordered the 50MKII because I really don't plan on gigging with the guitar ( I'm a bass player). I'm sure the 50 won't sound quite as good as the 100 with 2 12s but I'm pretty sure I'm going to be very happy.
I just bought a 50w mkII and a Yamaha Pacifica 112V and a 120H(going to play them both for a day or 2 then choose one) from what I have seen I wont be disappointed.
No worries about the EVH stuff mate, I don't come to "In the BLUES " to hear shredding ! :-)Please check out the new Yamaha THR 2's if possible. Great demo as always !
My only complaint is the lack of deeper bass from this cabinet. I have a Crate 212 sitting right next to my Katana and it sounds so much richer with the bass frequencies.
It sounds fine OTB. The one thing [that bothers me], is the open back. Asthetically it looks unfinished and structurally, a solid half closed back would both add to the strength of the cabinet and hide the exposed wiring, but may also give it a bit more cab thump when used live,IMHO. The stereo image would sound more convincing running x2 ......mmmmaybe...probably.. thanks for the review mate
I have the original katana...one thing I noticed is that if you go to a preset...say one using the clean channel and try modifiying it to another amp model, its a tough time to get a good sound out of it. However, if you select the preset with the model you choose to use and tweak it, you get better results.
When people say that kind of thing, I feel it comes from a place of not knowing what you want. I can find the tone I want in less than 30 minutes and keep the same tone for a long time without having to tweak again.
Great objective video. I once had to chip in on a discussion where someone described the Katana as “awesome”, the Katana is very good, but it’s not awesome. I liked mine and I would have another, it was great to have a lightweight amp to take to a practice if I felt too lazy to carry a valve combo.
Dr. Ric and I just shot a full podcast revolving around this amp, the Mustang, Helix, Kemper, etc. We go over all the pros and cons of both and where they always seem to fall a bit short. It'll be up soon :-)
@@intheblues for me, the modellers and solid state amps can lack that "living" quality a good valve amp has. One of them is a fire, the other is a video of a fire on an HD TV, very life like, but with no heat and no danger.
I have a Mark I and II side by side, not a huge difference, but they both sound amazing, just that the Mark II has more of everything, still fantastic amps no matter which one you have. If Boss was trying to reinvent it they would have probably named it differently, they were simply giving it more features, just like the Mark iterations Mesa Boogie does; aptly named. Best part, I don't have to bring my whammy pedal with my amp anymore :)
I hope you dig this video/amp/whatever! Lemme know what you think of the Katana MKII in the comments. 😎🎸
Buy it online:
► Sweetwater (USA) - imp.i114863.net/rdmY3
► Thomann (Global) - bit.ly/2US8ahC
► Amazon UK - amzn.to/34hEJZu
► Amazon Canada - amzn.to/39U5Vys
(affiliate links)
Time Codes:
0:00 - A non-fanboy review
0:53 - Backing Track Jam (clean, crunch, and lead)
2:18 - About this video review
3:12 - Clean Channel Tones
4:29 - Crunch Channel Tones
6:08 - Lead Channel Tones
7:58 - Brown Channel Tones (& boost)
10:38 - My first impressions and overall review
Last year I decided to purchase the Artist. Honestly this is one of the best tool for writing and gigging. It has everything in it, thanks to the enermous amount of built in effects. Is it a boutique tube amp? No. Is it trying to be one? No. But this is not what the Katana wanting to be, and it is okay as long as the price is good also.
Sounded great Shane! Also, the optional GA-FC foot switch makes this amp 100 times better, once you get all your sounds dialed in and set in the presets, it is a must have. You can also turn effects on and off from the foot switch too.
The most striking thing to me was when he lifted it out of the box with one hand. Try that with a tube amp and you’ll break your back.
Oh hell yeah. After being used to my Mustang III, when I bought my BassBreaker 15, I was astonished at just how heavy that pig is- and it's only 15 watts...
This is what what I'm in now, the heavier ac15vr or this katana 50 =))
I'll risk my back for far better tone.
My 1981 Mesa/Boogie Mk IIb with Hardwood cab, EVM,100 watts, Reverb and EQ, feels like 75lbs. I use a Blues Jr, now. If it ain't loud enough, I got a mic.
My main amp right now is a 5150 III 2x12 combo. It’s loud as a MFer, and weighs 84 pounds. It stays in my studio and the volume control rarely gets turned up past 1. I’m considering buying a Katana just to take to friends houses and jam, because it’s light, compact, and has built-in effects.
Somebody on UT wrote that BOSS recommends that you crank the master all the way up and then use the volume knob for over all volume. This trick is also supposed to work on the first round of Katanas. I tried it and there is no doubt about it: The tone gets warmer and even more lovely.
It works on all tube amps with a master too. Seems to open them up.
Tried it on my Blues Cube Artist 212 too, what a difference!!
I'm not sure why BOSS put a master volume on the amp if you need to run it on Maximum to get the best sounds. It's kind of odd, but I appreciate the tip thanks a lot :-)
@@intheblues it certainly fattens up the sound and gives better headroom.
@@intheblues Maybe because they want to make it sound best when the tube-people try to dial them in the same way they dial in their tube amps.
Tube guy: "Look, my amp sounds better/warmer/fuller/sweeter/... the more I crank the master... digital gear doesn't do this."
Lots of psycho trickery going on in product design. I mean... wattage selector, anyone?
Shane, The Katana sounds great. I am beyond suspicious of solid-state amps, but Boss has been at it for a while now and this amp sounds great recorded. The truth is how it fits into a mix and that clean channel was amazing. It isn't an expensive amp. The effects are all Boss centric, so you can't lose there. Winner,. Winner, Chicken Dinner!
I saw a boss 12 inch cube it was either USA or Japan quality back in about 1979 and I was blown away that was the first time I ever seen one but it had excellent tone
I've been gigging weekly with my original Katana 100, picked up a new one and very happy with it. I've never even updated the software on the original. Great video Shane, one of the best I have seen on this!
Great test. Im old school in dialing in an amp to my guitar then just adding either reverb or delay so it was refreshing to see a review where the amp didn't have multiple drives or effects in the chain to disguise the tone. Great job Shane in keeping it an honest review much appreciated.
Totally agree ,so many of these "amps",need smart phones ,or similar to get to their functions[or USB cables to your computer/Laptop,which may add to the cost,what happened to using just the amps tones,accessible via a knob ,or button on the actual amp?
That's like saying salt and pepper disguise the taste of a good steak. No, man. They make it shine. Without the effects, every Katana is just an amp that makes silent tones louder, not more or less than a Boogie Mesa: Wood, speaker, cables, knobs, done.
The sauce sits in the effects.
This amp really packs a punch for the dollar. It offers dozens of BOSS effects, plenty of tonal options, nice sounding cleans and gain. I see why many people sing its praises.
The cleans sound great with the gain down and the volume up. Crystal clear imo
i have an original katana 50 - never touched a computer. can get great tones easy. so there .
Nice!
Same here except I hooked mine up, set up some presets and haven't connected it back since. I just get lost in how it sounds at a low volume compared to everything else I've tried and yet it can almost peel the paint in my studio apartment on the 50 watt setting and it's an original bought in early '17 Katana 50.
I don't know what school is bigger. The people that want to keep it simple or people that like the computer stuff.
@@guitarocd9984 the people that like it simple ánd the computer stuff maybe...? I have a Fender Mustang III v2 and a Mustang Floor and I can do everything with these amps, also have some stunning presets from Shane... music takes effort, just like all skills...
@@robertpurdy4452 i use the .5 watt setting most of the time. amazing . i can get it to sound identical to ANY santana tone across the years. very cheap ...very happy. who needs prs.
Yea Shane you sounded great with the amp by itself each time, with no computer stuff. Kind of shows being able to play well is just as important as tone. Good job!
I love the way this thing sounds, for the money there's no 212 combo in its class.
I respect you were trying not to be a fanboy of the Katana but mate, that smile on your face gave it away any bit of equipment that makes you smile like that is working as intended.
Mind you not many of us will be able to crank it like that indoors but still :)
that stock lead tone is really nice. I can imagine you can tweak this for hours and hours but it's really nice straight out of the box. I have marshall stacks but have ordered this amp for my bedroom amp. Technology is so nice these days!
Sounded fine- I love my original 100, will be upgrading in a year or so to the MKll.
One thing missing in this particular vid is a quick demo of the Variations of each channel. And the acoustic channel is such a great addition.
You love to do that little "Little Wing" riff when you descend a lead line to the bottom strings... Its like your trademark...
That Flying V is killer! Love it!
Nice demo. Thanks for posting.
It's pretty cool they had left handed versions!😁
@Jew Adolf He's left handed :)
Nice !! Found 2 more Morons in the Crowd LMMFAO !!!!!
@Jew Adolf its a part of our communication that's called sarcasm. Gets kinda lost in the virtual world. Shane has done videos of the struggle to find great left handed guitars. So when he takes the amp out of the box left hand dominate I cracked a sarcastic joke about him finding a left handed amp.
Hahaha
Negawatt, negawatt, negawatt
You literally didn't use any of the new features of the Mark II. The standard voicings are all the same, the variations, which you didn't use at all, are the new part. So you basically reviewed the Katana MkI again. (OK the speakers are new but still).
They said on the website the clean tone is different but yeah lol
The speaker is the same. Just the sticker is different.
I've not tried a mkII yet, but online the tones I've heard so far don't sound as warm or "valvey" as the MKI's. If it ain't broken don't fix it. Personally I don't think they should have changed the amps at all. It would have been better to do a version of the MKI in a higher quality cabinet or a stereo 2x12 version of the 100w. Better still develop a Katana 1x15 Bass Combo. I want to buy one!!
I have the mk 1 100 2/12. Love it.
@@Johnny-oy9fh You know how things are nowadays, nothing can ever be LEFT ALONE even if its great the way it is...
I bought one of these with only one speaker, can't wait to play it at the weekend, sounds class on this video
I can’t believe boss didn’t ship Shane a free one like they did for all the other youtubers. Regardless it sounds good to my ears.
It's all good man! The majority of the stuff you've seen on my channel this year goes back to the store. They were nice enough to send a little something out called the Nextone. Waiting to see what that's like. It'll be coming up soon. :-)
@@intheblues I think the nextone is more your style.
@@DJ_V_squared Me too :-)
its because they didnt have a left handed version of the amp :P
I got so tired of Boss Katana videos the first go round, I wouldn't have clicked this video but for your different angle. I'm glad I did.
To get the most out of a Katana:
#1 - Always keep the Master Volume all the way up.
#2 - Download the Sneaky Amps & the Dumble Amps.
#3 - (Optional) speaker swap.
Where could I download the Dumble patches?
Compared to what we had when I was a kid these are amazing. My first amp was a 5 watt silvertone. It sounded like crap.
My friend brought the MK1 over and I had no expectations, and was subsequently blown away by the sound of it especially the brown channel (I play heavy thrashy metal). Ordered a MK1 today, so excited. Thanks for this great, unbiased review.
Same! I bought used 100/212, no expectations. It turned out that I enjoyed more with Katana than with my Marshall DSL20 🙂 And still I havent explored all the options...
Your smile at the 6 minute mark says it all. I have got the 50 just to noodle around on and couldn't be happier.🤘
Lefty Mike I was thinking the same
In all seriousness, this is exactly the kind of "no bull$hit" review I was looking for. I'vw been looking at these for a while but could never find a video that wasn't either "open mic night" or "M.I.T.Audio Engineering 101". Good on ya (and the Crazy Ronin clicks subscribe)
I use the original 50 with the boss me 80. It does everything I need for what I play. Sounds great. Never used the computer link. Use 25watt more mostly
"Well Shane'..That was massive bro!!".. I was looking @ buying the Boss Katana 100 mk2 with the single 12" Speaker".. But after hearing this demo".. I've just rung my music shop..& re-ordered the 2 x 12 Speaker 100 watt amp..fantastic sounds man..straight out of the amp without having to use the computer to hook up to get started..& it's well worth the extra $$$$ to buy the 2 x 12" Speakers..I'm Fulltime gigging muso..& I gig every night of the week..& I'm using Roland Cubes 100 watts & Line 6 Spiders in my set up..but now I'm ready for a change..so I'm going to buy 2 of this Katana & the GAFC. FOOT PEDAL..to play in stereo..plus I'm really pleased that on the back of this amp.. I can also bounce in my Boss GT 100..& my GT 1000 pedals..as a alternative to the Katana sounds..But Shane.. You impressed me mate..straight of the bat with this amp..Cheer's mate..I just happened on this demo by chance this morning as I was having a break from recording my new disc..I'm going to use a couple of those sounds on my new Blues Cd now..
Thanks heaps mate.. Doc J Feeldood in Surfers Paradise , Gold Coast, Qld ..Australia..😎🎸🎤🎷🔊🎩👍😊
This test is a huge statement about out of the box and onboard out of the box tricks with clean cut manners. From experience the MKI is a blast and the II is even more relaxing without any pops clicks or unexpected whammies. Cheers man
I just got mine. Out of the box I was able to pick up the perfect metal tone(to my ear)which was amazing! I had to smile and sit back. ❤️
Crikey, mate, right on!! I was looking for a versatile amp that would give clean Metheny tones plus dirty Leslie West tones...saw your vid and went right out and bought one...just great and tons of fun all round!! Thanx, dude.
the reactions say it all :D
just ordered my 100 1x12, can't wait!
Boss rocks. For those that start out its win win. I have Gt1 and cannot stop using it.
Shane loves it and I don’t believe he even touched the variation button
I just ordered one today, arriving in two days. I can't wait. 👍🤘🤘🤘🤘
I am waiting for mine! Super excited 😀
I bought one of the very first katana 50s in the UK. Sold all my valve combos as a result and bought a 100 1x12 and katana artist and now never use anything else!! Love them...who needs valves eh!!!(?)...
Is there a huge quality diffrence between kat 100 and artist? Im considering upgrading my kat 100.
@@petkopeet the Artist is a pro level katana...sounds amazing
@@petkopeet the standard Katana 100 1x12 is a great amp for anything but the Artist is a step above. Much bigger tone and clearly a upgraded version of the katana design. A pro version.
Ever tried a Boogie mk4b head?
@@robertmailloux3720 I've owned every model of boogie from mkI upwards...too loud, lumpy, unsweet and sound like a badly modded fender to me. They also "eat " pre-amp valves....and only like boogie tubes. Too many switch's too, but you still can't find the sound your after...and they are all way too heavy too!!!
I've yet to hear that Flying V sound bad through any amp! Anyway, I have the 100 Watt 1-12" Katana. I find the effects to be ok. Usually I use my outboard pedals through the effects loop and keep it simple. I like this amp because at age 70, the days of lugging a Super Reverb are long gone. I have weight-relieved Les Paul's, light Tele's and Strat's. I'm too old and stupid to hook up to a computer and download sounds, etc. Save the knee's and the back and keep on playing as long as I am able! Thanks Shane!
That song you played at the beginning was straight JUICY
Another fantastic gear review, cheers mate
Thanks 😄
It wasn't overhyped. I only got the 50watts because I don't want to get in trouble in our neighborhood. Haven't hooked it in a computer and I think it already sounds amazing! No more tweeking.
I like the angle you took on this amp in the video. Straight out of the box, easy peasey. I use my Katana 50 I bought back in early '17 every single day in my little apartment. I have all the love in the world for this amp.
"I've never had a guitar lesson" "my amps never been near a computer" all sounds familiar
Plug in and play? You need the footswitch to gig this amp
I just paid 150 quid for my 100watt 1x12 with the v3 software
What a bargain, as for the tone studio it's great fun and it's all free
Brilliant for home use with the half watt setting,
Awesome! :-) Cool username too haha.
Forget the amp.... I'm googling Danelectro 59xt's!
That was the first time I saw this guitar. I was smitten, too!
Don't expect EVH! 😂 that was funny. You sounded great man. Thanks for the video man.
I notice you didn't try the variations of the amp models; they're very, very bright, but very tube-like. I imagine that they wouldn't sound great on the 2x12, but they really open up the Katana 50. Tried one yesterday and am finally on the Katana hype train, and that's after I bought and sold a 100 a while back. These rule. Great demo and video, Shane!
Great job on your review just what I was looking for
"Good god that's loud" - cracked my up. Great, versatile amp.
I'm lefty also, I like that your not trying to do anything but what is natural to you...nice
Many thanks for this brother. I always get a lot from your videos.
Fascinating and a truly Excellent presentation of its settings. Excellent and Thank You!
This is not another fanboy video, 10 minutes later..... Great sound, Amazing ahahah
Enjoyed this review mightily. The issue I have with most reviews is that we only get to hear the close mic'd sound. Your inclusion of room mic'd sound for comparison is very helpful. The sound in my room is nothing like the close mic'd sound. But, and apologies for going slightly off-topic, my problem with the Boss Katana 100/212 (original) is that the completely open-backed flimsy cabinet mars the sound of a good pre- and power amplifier. The mk2 version does nothing to improve the cabinet or speakers (these are unchanged save the change to red labeIs). I now have a Boss Katana Artist standing alongside my Boss Katana 100/212 (original) and the Artist is incomparably better - much sturdier cabinet only partially open at back and that fabulous Waza speaker plus the connectivity that allows me the luxury of driving my Waza 212 Cabinet.
I've been using the 100wMKII for a couple of years, and it covers an amazing amount of ground. In particular I love the Crunch with the gain all the way down, getting the early Beatles/Tom Petty kind of sound. I've never hooked it up to the computer because I already had effects I like and put them through the FX loop. If you use the high gain settings you would probably want a noise gate or download it from Boss. For the price? You gotta be kidding me! I bought another one used too so if there's a problem I have a backup. My assumption is that it would be too expensive to fix vs. buying a new one?
Good review as always. Very nice bit of kit for not a lot of money. The more people that can get into guitar the better it will be for all of us regardless of which price point we shop.
This is my Amp exactly after doing 2 months of research before seeing your video, your skeptical...so was I....I will watch and see what your going to say. For a non-gigging rig it has everything I need.
C'mon Shane... you're grinning and smiling the whole video... you were impressed, dude! Admit it! 😀 I have the MK I 100 and its the best digital amp you can get for the money. I also own a Blackstar IDCode 40 (good sounds, but lacks volume and the software didn't work at all 😑) and a Fender Mustang V Mk II (really good, but I can't use that beast past volume 3!). Great vid, man! 😎
Katanas make cracking practice and backup amps or if you know the venue has dirty power, they’re not going to replace a nice tube amp but they are worth having in the collection, and are an excellent first amp for beginners.
Can’t wait to get one of these to replace my champion 20
Had a katana 50 before I really got to decide whether I was a solid state or a tube guy. I really did like the katana for everything except for the clean sound. It does seem like they have tried to emulate the legendary king of clean sound in the mark two. The other thing I didn't like about the katana at all was the software it eventually came to a point where I just gave up on trying to install it I had everything correct I had all the proper setup and the studio never worked for me.
Boss also gave a very vague video guide on how to install it.The final thing I didn't like about the katana that they still carry over here is that the controls are right underneath the blasted handle for the amplifier. All in all I think they're cool I'm glad I got rid of my katana 50 when I did considering I used it to trade towards a Princeton. These are not bad amplifiers and they have made some improvements mainly the ability to have multiple effects on at once. I don't really see the big deal with the variation switch.
matt manley IIRC, the Anderton’s video had some some nice demos of the variation button making an appreciable difference. I don’t remember them trying to replicate one variation using another, though, so maybe it ends up not being that big of a deal?
I share your disappointment WRT the controls’ location... Top panels in general disappoint me since it means you can’t stack anything on top of your amp on narrow stages, and it encourages the player to place their amp so it mostly projects the high frequencies towards the back of their knees (and the first row of the audience) which almost inevitably leads to it being set _way_ too bright.
Top panel controls are the easiest to see on a gig unless your amp is set high up on a ext cabinet...
Joe Blogs Only if it’s pointed at the back of your knees, which it shouldn’t be. (Unless you’ve fixed the speaker so it doesn’t beam the highs, but most people don’t even know it’s possible to mitigate the issue, let alone bother to do it.)
@@OtherTheDave Hi, I like my amps on the floor tilted back at the back of the stage. This gives great cross stage projection., doesn't deafen the audience, I can hear myself real well, and I can get to the controls too!!
Joe Blogs On behalf of FOH engineers and audience members everywhere: thank you! That’s a fine way to deal with HF beaming.
You’re the exception rather than the rule, though. I did live audio, both as a freelance and house engineer for years. Most of the guitarists I’ve worked with whose amp had controls on the top just point their amp at their knees and turn the treble up until it sounds good at their ears. Not all (obviously), but most. That’s my biggest issue with top controls: they make it really easy to get bad EQ.
This video answered all the questions I had about this amp. Thanks!
You can get an app for the mk 1 called katana librarian that lets you make changes from your phone with an otg cable. Much more convenient than a laptop and just as much functionality as running through tone studio.
Great video! I love these things and I did have a 50 until I stupidly got rid of it to make room for something else. I am going to get the 100 in a bit. Boss will sell a zillion of these things! Thanks for sharing.
If you can’t get a bangin tone on a katana for literally any genre, straight out of the box, then it’s operator error. The amp is ridiculously good in every aspect. I have a room full of heads and quad boxes and that thing still amazes me every time I use it. I’ve had mine for 18 months now and have never hooked it up to a computer. So I’m missing out on the vast majority of what this amp does and it’s still a bangin amp.
Don’t need a PC to change settings on these amps. It is FANTASTIC at taking pedals !! I own Marshall,Fender amps and cabinets.I play my Kat112 ninety percent of the time and play out with it 100% of the time. It’s a 35lb back saving tone machine and I ALWAYS get compliments on my sound. You do have to set the eq but it has sounded great right out of the box. I USED to be a tube snob....not anymore. Oh and if you try one at the music store make sure it’s reset to factory settings...it will sound like crap if some numb nuts messed with all the settings
I have difficulty see how tube amps will survive in the long run. I've had Nextone Artist and still have the first run Katana in the church. At home now I have a Fender twin reverb Tonemaster and man, do them amps play. No way any can tell a tube amp from a solid state amp nowadays. They have become so good both in tonecaracter an volume / power. Excellent amps
How does the Katana stack up against the twin reverb?
@@JaredSchumaier I would say that the Tonemaster have that familiar Fender chimey "Fender sound" where as the Katana has its own "sound" that to me sounds kind off characterless so to speak. Fender managed to create a solid state amp that really sounds like a Fender amp should sound.
It's difficult to describe sound as it is a very subjective experience but if I have managed to give you a hint in my bad English in what direction you'll find Tonemaster VS Katana I guess I ought to be satisfied 😬😅
I have the original Katana 50 - I needed an easy to carry and maintain amp for band practice and small gigs. Works and sounds great - I stuffed around with the computer connection and have ended up just using it as a straight amp. I'm looking to upgrade to the K 50 Mk2 - I like the stereo function, good excuse to buy two! :-) I play in a 20 piece folk ensemble and a blues band - it's easy to get good tones for both.
I just broke down and bought the 1x12 of the Katana 100. Wow. This amp is good. Don't listen to the haters. And loud. One half watt is loud. Repeat: one half watt setting is loud. 100 watt will wake the neighbors from their naps.
FYI - if you have a chambered electric like my Gretsch 5230, putting it on the acoustic channel with the acoustic guitar simulator and a little reverb is DIVINE. So awesome.
I'd like to hear someone demo the acoustic channel on a Katana MkII - with an acoustic guitar, of course. Being able to use acoustic guitars once in a while - without needed a dedicated acoustic -amp is potentially a huge selling point... IF the acoustic channel sounds good!
Hello Shane, I just watched this video for like the 3rd or 4th time. I finally got mine on the windows 7 laptop and I have had a blast with it. I've been wanting to the tone that was in my head forever. I should say the tones I've been looking for and I found them and other new sounds that I really like. And I agree this bugger is loud!!! Thank you for the demo's and great content you bring. I'm a Lefty myself. So you are a really great guitar player in my book! Thank you again Shane.
By looking to the smile on your face evertime you start playin with this monster I guess it's GREAT !
I have the MKII 50W and oh man it's a superb amp !
a very honest review as usual
Sounds fine to me. I love living in a time with so much selection for gear. That delay was quite awesome👍🤘
This probably goes against the grain of this vid but I find a 'deep dive' was needed to extract the best tones from my Kat amps.
I didn't have time for that right now. I have spoken to BOSS about a deep-dive review down the track all being well. This was a loaner than I needed to get back really quickly.
I am a fanboy. No other amp solidstate or tube offers the out of the box experience which is why Katana sales have destroyed all others in the past few years.
What do you mean "out of box experience"? Do some peeps play their amps "in the box"? Maybe all that cardboard unpackaging gets a bit much sometimes? Good old human laziness?
I want those danelectros. This would be a great first amp but of no real use to me. ps Sweetwater rules(i'm in USA) and they have the best customer service I have ever experienced. That is great that they even support you. Have a crackin' day! (BTW, nice Dr John pic, RIP. we boogie-blues piano players really took a hit when we lost him..damn)
I use my Katana 100 as a power amp with preamp pedals in the loop. 100w of really good “blank slate” cleans. And I’ve never touched tone studio.
This new one let's you put the pre amp in a dedicated input and still use an fx loop. That's why I'm getting one as soon as they are in stock again
Awesome demo Shane. I've liked your videos for years now. I think that this is my favorite (to my recollection)
Excellent job mate! Keep rockin
The big killer feature for me and why I'm buying a mkII is the "blank slate" power amp in feature for modelling pedalboards. All the other upgrades are just icing on the cake.
I guess Im one the odd ones who never got on with the old katana - partly option paralysis, partly the sound - realised I really didnt need all the effects to play the blues and looked for something a lot simpler. Basically an amp and reverb pedal type of player, so tweedtone or blues cube and Im happy.
Why I never purchased it was after you dig deep into the amp and customise it via software you have no way of easily tweaking it out live without a computer. It's a huge oversight in my opinion but they are really good for home players. :-)
Same reason I split with mine. Sound was just okay for as much time as I spent chasing instead of playing. Good amps though, I just prefer the bandit.
Blues Cube Artist 212 for me with just a few pedals, love it.
Yep, option paralysis comes as standard with these type of amps- too many knobs to twiddle= less time actually playing.
I have the Blackstar HT1R head and cab, minimal controls, perfect (for me.)
Sounds like Peavey Bandit is waiting for you.
I definitely liked the leads better than the cleans. I think they’re all at least useable. When talking about the gear in this price range, it starts to be a pretty crowded market. Can you get better clean tone at this price? Yeah. Can you get better crunch tones at this price? I think so. Can you get better lead tones at this price? For me that’s a close call. But probably yeah. The question is can you find one product that gives you better cleans, crunches, and leads, plus really decent effects at this price? I don’t think you can. I don’t own a katana, probably never will. I’m not a boss groupie or anything. But I totally understand why people in the low to mid priced market are all atwitter about these things. It’s got enough quality, enough versatility, and enough simplicity to really be a good practical choice.
Hey Gordon... get back with us after you've played through one for a bit...😁🤟🏻
Joe Thompson I mean, sure, happily. But don’t hold your breath. I don’t actually need a better guitar amp. Nowhere close to me stocks these, and the guitar center 2 hours away is a terrible store. I’m not a gigging guitarist. I’m a basement noodler, and I have a couple of cheap solid state amps, a blackstar 10 watt Artisan anniversary that I got on sale, and a digitech rp 360xp that I run through PA speakers. None of that is premium gear, I know, but it’s already more than I need. I’m not sure if you’re trying to insult me for liking the katana too much or for not liking it enough, but based on what I’ve heard from demos, it’s a very versatile, all around useable amp.
Real test: take this, plus a Bandit, plus a valve amp of choice to a gig, then play and compare. Next gig... which amp do you choose?
I have Marshall JCM 800 DSL 40 Combo Fender Champ X2H Katana 50 I now Only Gig With the Kat 50
@@frankdeitsch6869 Thanks for posting your response. I have a Fender Blues Deluxe Reissue and an old solid state Marshall 75 Reverb. Of these, I've gigged with the Fender, and used to gig with a solid state Sessionette 75 for many years. I'm sceptical about modelling amps, having heard some poor tones from them at others' gigs. I only use one basic sound too, so all the effects etc. would be wasted on me!
valve amp
frank deitsch I’m the same, but I have the 100 artist! Only pedals I run is my boss noise gate, phase 90, and Eq boost!
I think it beats the Fender Mustang hands down and for the old weekend warrior it's a godsend. It's basically the sounds of a good Cube in a better more user friendly layout.
WOW!!! I just ordered the 50MKII because I really don't plan on gigging with the guitar ( I'm a bass player). I'm sure the 50 won't sound quite as good as the 100 with 2 12s but I'm pretty sure I'm going to be very happy.
Yep, im’e in. Love the Boss as it’s not as hard to use as a profiler or effects board. Simple or complicated as you want it to be... 👍🇦🇺🐨
Still loving my Fender Mustang III with an Eminence Swamp Thang speaker.
Not a fan of the OD channel. Cleans with delay were decent, though.
Thanks Shane. I’m not 100% sold on it yet… But it’s on my radar
Sounded good, nice soulful playing as always 👍👍
I just bought a 50w mkII and a Yamaha Pacifica 112V and a 120H(going to play them both for a day or 2 then choose one) from what I have seen I wont be disappointed.
No worries about the EVH stuff mate, I don't come to "In the BLUES " to hear shredding ! :-)Please check out the new Yamaha THR 2's if possible. Great demo as always !
haha thanks, Todd. I thought I better give everyone new a warning lol.
@@intheblues Ha ha, good idea Shane !
@@toddflowers8052 His heavy stuff isn't really that bad, to me. I think the katanas favor lower output pickups.
@@proteus2103 I think you misunderstood my comment.
Can this be a shred free zone ☺
Just got one. Still figuring it out.
My Telecaster loves it. Yeah, LOUD!
I've had my Katana 100 combo Mk1 for several months, still haven't plugged it in to my computer. Don't intend to either.
Good stuff!
You should. So many features there (including a noise suppressor) which have enhanced my tone immensely
I had a kat 50 and loved it, never touched a computer.
I thought I'd try a blackstar tvp15 it's no boss...
Great video Shane. Thanks.
My only complaint is the lack of deeper bass from this cabinet. I have a Crate 212 sitting right next to my Katana and it sounds so much richer with the bass frequencies.
It sounds fine OTB. The one thing [that bothers me], is the open back. Asthetically it looks unfinished and structurally, a solid half closed back would both add to the strength of the cabinet and hide the exposed wiring, but may also give it a bit more cab thump when used live,IMHO.
The stereo image would sound more convincing running x2 ......mmmmaybe...probably..
thanks for the review mate
I have the original katana...one thing I noticed is that if you go to a preset...say one using the clean channel and try modifiying it to another amp model, its a tough time to get a good sound out of it. However, if you select the preset with the model you choose to use and tweak it, you get better results.
Ive given up hooking up to computer youre right you spend more time fiddling than playing
When people say that kind of thing, I feel it comes from a place of not knowing what you want. I can find the tone I want in less than 30 minutes and keep the same tone for a long time without having to tweak again.
Great objective video. I once had to chip in on a discussion where someone described the Katana as “awesome”, the Katana is very good, but it’s not awesome. I liked mine and I would have another, it was great to have a lightweight amp to take to a practice if I felt too lazy to carry a valve combo.
Dr. Ric and I just shot a full podcast revolving around this amp, the Mustang, Helix, Kemper, etc. We go over all the pros and cons of both and where they always seem to fall a bit short. It'll be up soon :-)
@@intheblues for me, the modellers and solid state amps can lack that "living" quality a good valve amp has.
One of them is a fire, the other is a video of a fire on an HD TV, very life like, but with no heat and no danger.
I have a Mark I and II side by side, not a huge difference, but they both sound amazing, just that the Mark II has more of everything, still fantastic amps no matter which one you have. If Boss was trying to reinvent it they would have probably named it differently, they were simply giving it more features, just like the Mark iterations Mesa Boogie does; aptly named.
Best part, I don't have to bring my whammy pedal with my amp anymore :)