Boss Katana 50 vs Fender Blues Junior IV
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 13 มิ.ย. 2019
- Katana 50: amzn.to/2KhSWyo
Blues Junior IV: amzn.to/2RfKOiF
Does the new tech stand up to tube amps? I did this comparison only using the clean channel on Katana. The main reason I bought Katana was to run a pedal board with it and that is what I have been doing for the last couple of year. You decide which one you like better.
Main Street Guitars / mainstreetgu. .
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Hey guys, Thanks for watching! Please remember to like and subscribe, and stop by Spotify to listen to some music. open.spotify.com/artist/3GoaK66hG2Al2gf6ync58b?si=L7XJVS7aTCWMPUMLTpFD3Q&dl_branch=1
I gig with a squier telecaster and boss katana. I stopped caring about gear when I realized nobody in the crowd cares lol.
So true.
Sad but true. Those three gearheads that approach to check out the gear on every gig, are usually snobs who own an Engl or a Mesa (and keep talking about Dumble) and a couple of CS or masterbuilds in their bedrooms, but never play or show up in public... other folks are just there for fun, and in a club simply can't hear the difference between a well set-up Katana and a Fender...
grygrskls this is the absolute truth. Also, a lot of guitarists become borderline obsessed with gear and getting sounds that are so specific that they are literally the only people who notice the subtle differences. It's time to stop focusing on gear and start focusing on just making music.
@@ellisscott9840 Amen brother!
I played on a Yamaha APX500 and a Squire Strat through a Line 6 Spider III 15W for about 22 years....not a single pedal do I own!
Now, finally at 36, I can afford a Fender US and Katana 50 MK2 and I don't think I never need another gear again because I play on slightly muddy clean channel 100% of the time. If I can get a little close to SRV tone, I dont ever change any settings too. LOL
Jack Pearson plays a Squier too, who's better than him? Nobody.
I've been playing a squier cv tele and strat with a 1st generation katana 50 for about 3 yrs now and have zero complaints.
Straight and to the point. Loving this channel!
gotta love it. at 12:27, "this is MY OWN amp, the Katana, that i take everywhere..." enough said. thank you for the great review! and yes, I own a Katana mkII.
I own both, and I totally agree.
This is one of the best reviews of both these amps I've ever seen, both amps in that sweet zone no max gain shredding, I've always wanted a blues junior I think they sound so sweet, but expensive for what they are, and I've never been sure of the quality either, I've played Marshalls jcm800 / tsl/ jvm
I would never take a BJ to a gig too small for me, but I have two boss Katana 100s one head one combo and they are fantastic super versatile amps at the price point, and monster loud!! I've gigged the Katana head with a Marshall 1936 2x12 head and it sounded fantastic and felt no different to my Marshalls , I was blown away, the main gripe is the lifeless clean that needs all sorts of boost and EQ work done on it
Great review
Thanks man!
Thanks for this video. Very well done!!! Tubes and pedal board for jamming at home with family and friends. Amazing rich tube goodness and easy to mess with settings. Amp Modeller and any powerful amp for live. I want my live sound dialled in using a patch and also most of the tube goodness is lost though a PA and in a mix anyway. Helix Native for recording.
Beautiful playing man
i just bought me a tweed blues junior
First time on your channel...
Great demo man...
Thought the Katana had to be tweaked a little...
Greetings from Québec !
older blues jr., .. the way to go !, . i will still buy the katana 50!
Very tasteful playing. You know when to turn it on but also dial it back. Great video man!
Thanks man!
Awesome job, It makes the decision harder. I am really addicted to tubes but have one roland cube 80watt. it does lots of clean well, but the Boss does sound really good.
Nice playing. Enjoyed the comparison. I have the 100 mk1. Took me some trial and error to get a nice clean sound I was really happy with but its there. If you add the Natural OD to the clean channel and set it very mild on the gain it livens it up without changing it too much at all. Crunch Channel also yields a nice clean. If I use my pedalboard with it I like to use the Dyna comp and a very slight boost from my OD pedal and its a nice lovely clean as well. Considering I paid less than 300 for it after discounts I'd say it was well worth it.
For me, no comparison....Blues Jr all the way. GREAT playing as usual Rich. Love listening to you.
Thanks!
Thank you! Everyone is saying how great the Katana is, which it is good for the price but that fender sounds soooo much more full and natural, as soon as he switched to the katana it was like listening to the fender, but through a tin can.
I use the Katana 50 as a pedal platform, for home use (I don't gig), and while ive been very happy with it, I've been in the market for a tube amp (seeing as how I don't even use the Katana's onboard effects anyway). Having targeted the Blues Jr, this demo is really helpful. The Blues Jr definitely sounds more like what I think a tube amp tone should be, and its clean tone is clearly better to my ears - better at drawing out the Strat's single-coil percussive goodness. But the Katana sounds really nice too by comparison...With the overdrive effect, I agree the Katana sounded a little better.
Need to go into the global eq setting on amp hooked to pc and yes it will take you awhile to find the sweet spot but it will sound a lot better. I also noticed you have to run the eq settings back to zero and start from scratch when you want to make a change for them to make much of a difference.
I have a Katana 100 (2x12) and a Blues Junior III (with a Cannabis Rex speaker). Both are good amps, and you can get both of them to sound good. However, the amp that is more satisfying to play is definitely the Blues Junior. It responds to your playing and dynamics and guitar volume knob changes in a way that the Katana doesn't quite match. The Katana has other strengths, though. I'd be hard pressed to choose. I like owning both.
Just joined a band after playing for about 6/months and I only have a Yamaha THR10II 😂. Doesn’t cut through our drummer. Planned on just jamming and we ended up almost a finished song. I’m not good at chords and focused more on solo and noodling (wish I would’ve learned the other way around… nonetheless here I am) but we had such good chemistry it was like the music was just being beamed into all our heads. I’m definitely the weak link of the group but I feel I can catch up as a quick learner. However, I need something cheap that can cut through our drummer. Also, I don’t really have a working PC… wish Yamaha made a 50w THRII series
Same here except I'm a bit "upgraded" :) with a Kat Artist and the Jr IV with the CR speaker. I've gigged the Kat a few times and for tone plus ease of use its hard to beat. Built in pedals are good enough for me. My biggest issue with the Kat Artist is it's weight and size for a SS amp. The Jr is easier to move, but the Kat has no issues with 0 degree F in my pickup then gigging! Wish Boss could trim down the size and weight of the Kat to be closer to the Kat 50 which I also own. Getting the Kat to sound less "hi fi" and more like a tube amp required a bit of time with the Tone Studio but now its close enough for me.
I’ve been trying to decide between a Princeton and a blues jr.. Now I’m like dang maybe I should be looking at that katana, less than 1/2 the price and might be the perfect bedroom volume practice amp. I love pedals too..
I wish I had got the 100 watt Kat so I could use the footswitch that lets u select different channels as well as turn on and off the effects.
amazing solo, i want this boss katana 50 mk2, one day man.
I've had both, both are good amps.. now using the katana 100 Watt 112 and the artist..
great video, i just buy the Katana 50 MK2 and always look for a blues junior, i have a Peavy Delta Blues and it's so heavy, i dislike the weight so much
Great Vid! Personally I still Love the BJ over the Katana. It sounds more rounder. The Katana is running a little more Bottom End but that should be adjustable on the BJ. Both sound Good, I just prefer the all around Sound of the BJ! Nice Vid, please keep up the Good Work! Love your Channel!
Thanks for the great review. Would have been nice to have heard Blues Junior 4 with less Reverb.
And less volume.
I’m debating adding a Kat 100 mkII to my arsenal. You should have nabbed a Bjr tweed with the Jensen speaker. That’s what I’m using now and I’ve had some amps come and go but that tweed Bjr is staying put. Good vid though.
Really nice playing!
So I rather impulsively went out and bought a Katana 100 MKII today. I am enjoying it a lot. I do hear the same EQ curve on it here at home that I am hearing from your video here from the Katana 50. I put a master EQ curve on it and so far I am liking it a lot more. Your mileage may vary. If anyone is curious go into the editor under system and use the parametric EQ at these settings, Low Cut 100Hz, Low Mid +3 at 250Hz with a Q of 2, and finally Hi Mid Gain +3 at 4KHz with a Q of 1. Then drop the global level by -1db. I find that this brings the amp much more into the ballpark of my vintage Beltone tube amp. Peace!
helpful EQ suggestions! Cheers
@@Tasjudoka Very glad it was helpful :) In the end I upgraded to the artist mainly for the Wazacraft speaker, shhhhh lol
Great comparison I am still it two minds which way to go but it seems either amp would do the job cheers Michael. Australia
Hi, Rich, I was just wondering which pickups are on your Strat? I’m a fairly new subscriber so I may have not seen the video about this Strat.
Texas Specials in the neck, Seymour Duncan humbucker in the bridge.
Interesting! my ears like the Blues jr- Rich, you should try a monoprice 15 watt tube amp (soon to be back in stock) i hear awesome things about them! hoping to get myself one for bd/Christmas!
I have the Katana 50, and it was a perfect choice ...perfect amp for that price!
Now THAT was timely! I'm playing a Katana 50 Mkl and I love it. As a older guy coming back to my playing it has allowed me to explore tones and effects as well as easily go to a mate's house to jam. One thing that sold me was the acoustic channel which is a great added value aspect that no one talks about. - two amps in one!. BUT, i was looking at a BJ as I'm a tele guy and chasing that Fender tone. For me, the Katana sounds clean and bright (which is my jam) however, you made the BJ sing to my ears for that tone. My issue is, it could be you're a better player and I'll be annoyed I spend the $$ only to be disappointed. Gaz, Australia
Nope. tube is superior and well worth the investment in your musical life
Am a Blues Guitarist and I've played tube amps for 50+years and am a Katana 50 owner. I gig with it in small medium large and outdoor venues with no problems. I know many Tube Amp Snobs (which I myself was) who freak out that its an SS amp and like my tone when they hear me using the Kat. As for the Fender Sound I have Various Twins and Deluxe Reverb patches loaded into Tone Studio. Its one of the best sounding Solidstate and Pedal Platform Amps I've come across, which is one of the reasons I decided to give it a try and kept it and been using it ever since
Yup
Sorry.. I'm semi begginer..If you want tube tones or reverb ? Boss needs pedals?? Or you have it just from the amp??
Sorry im little confused with solid and modelling amps!! Thanks
Btw I don't gig..just bedroom blues man.. hhhaa
@@dimitrisaivaliotis5616 Roland/ Boss doesn't classify it as a modeling amp. If I understand your question correctly, it is an excellent amp for pedals if you choose to use it that way. Or with all the available digital effects based mainly but not exclusively or Boss pedals, you can create and save patches with different effects and amp types and not need to spend the $1000s you'd have to spend to have all the effects available in this amps format. The number of effects you can place in your chain and number of patches you can create depends on which version you have, with the 50 its 4 patches with 3 effects in each chain with the 100 is 8 with 5 effects in the chain. All versions employ the 0.5 watt mode that's perfect for bedroom etc players. Hope this answers your question.
@@frankdeitsch6869 Frank when you say patches..you mean that there are some similar tones inside the Kat..? like blues deluxe or twin reverb est??
Thanks
@@dimitrisaivaliotis5616 yes...and with S/W tone studio you can create your own pedal platforms...or download patches.
Which one would Brian May go for? The Vox AC30. Which one would BB king choose? Whichever you provide him with. I am going for the 100 MkIi. Why? Because of the online reviews are so good!
Your neighbour will probably hate you lol
Also the Bassbreaker 18/30 is really beautiful, but Katana is awesome and third of the price... But does fenders sound better? It's hard to choose... Katana 50 mkii or Bassbreaker 18/30 ?!?
Both amps win IMHO. Buy the one you need, depending on what you need the amp to do. Affordable amp that offers a lot of versatility or more expensive amp that does one thing very well?
Thanks for posting! Just saved me about three hundred quid! Subscribed!!!
May main amp is a fender Princeton with pedals and nothing can beat it for that dream tone
, had the spark for quick go to ... sounds great on headphones .. the farty speakers that crap out at any volume other than low level sent it out the door... back to a Boss katana 100 for me for quick practice and noodling
Katana sounds great but kinda like mid scooped all the time compared to the BJ4,
i had the BJ4 but i sold it because the shimmer mod which adds sparkle on top
is making it very hard to use with gain pedals, i use Hot Rod Deluxe IV now and it's perfect for pedals :)
I also have both and the BJ is so much warmer BUT the Boss has many more options without pedals
You just have to know how to eq and adjust the cleans on the Katana. Trust me, there’s so many cleans tones you can get out of it and you don’t need the computer to do it either. You just have to learn it a lil and it’s awesome. I have the katana II and it has double the amps. Awesome rig
Thanks for this, Rich. I'm actually surprised how well the Boss does. I'm not a tube guy but the Blues Junior definitely sounds more rich and resonant. The 50 does a decent job. My buddy has the Katana 100 and that impressed me so much I ditched a tube amp and.another quality SS for the Katana Artist with the Waza speaker. It is incredible. I picked it up for just over $400. I think that would be a more fair comparison to the FBJ. The Artist is a sweet amp and has none of the tube hassles. It feels like the tube amps I have played and can be intimate but is a monster without coming even close to diming it.
You make that 50 really work, though. Excellent as always.
Thanks Les, I'd love to check the artist out sometime.
@@RichBischoff Definitely do it if you get the chance. I went in to buy an old strat. I played through the Artist, was blown away, bought it, and got rid of my other amps. It is my favorite amp ever.
One of the biggest differences is the Fender is 3 times the price of the Boss which depending on your budget is a deal breaker. This has been the main factor in my buying one for sure. Don’t get me wrong I would love to own one.
You should get the Katana 100 mine knocks my Fender blues deluxe in to fits loads better.
Nice video's Rich! I am a new subscriber :) greetings from Amsterdam.
Thanks!
Thanks for the well done vid.. I have a kat 100.. but miss the fender clean/reverb..Been thinking of gettin a jr. To ,e the jr sounded fat and the kat sounded thin, maybe it was that the kat wasn’t louder. It is simple, you can get a good , multi diff tones. But the jr like someone else mentioned with the warmth of the tubes, the reverb and probably more master volume less drive is the sound that I am looking for. Thanks for the demo and helping me make up my mind at least for 5 minutes.
Thanks!
Love my Katana.After watching this video I'm gonna buy a blues JNR so I can have the best of both worlds
Thanks for the demo!
Blues junior takes pedals great with the master high and "volume" low = clean amp with max headroom. It may not be the most pleasant standalone sound because blues junior is voiced for live band playing. It has a prominent midrange and really cuts in the mix. I've had Katana 50 and it is really great bang for the bucks but sorry - I stay with blues junior. It is more alive, dynamic and organic.
Yeah, Cool, I should have reviewed them both in a mix as well. That thought came to my mind after I did this vid, that it was probably voiced to fit into a mix.
@@RichBischoff 👍But of course, Katana is super versatile and has great boosters built in which alters the character. My favorite is the "warm overdrive" with the clean channel. Super creamy tone. But I suppose you already tried that. Cheers!
www.justinguitar.com/guitar-lessons/katana-boost-effect-types-ka-201
I like the Blue's Junior better in every way, Katana sounded nice but was a little flat? Thank you for sharing!
I have a katana and I find the clean channel dull and lifeless sounding but as you said, it takes drive pedals very well. I have recently downloaded the sneaky amps and using the "twin clean" setting changes the amp completely. I am still not sure if I am 100% satisfied, need to try it against a blues deluxe or something like that.
Yeah when I take it out and play with pedals i always have some kind of tone shaping pedal on all the time, like ep booster or compressor. Rarely just use it completely clean.
Bought the 50 then the 100 just something About the highs I could not love , ice pick like , I now have a Bassbreaker 15 and I am totally happy
I bought a fender patch pack off Juca and it's the only tones I like on my katana.
@@garyatkins4479 I wanna try the bassbreaker.
Some clean boost helps and a tweak with the graphic in tone studio, I found the katana clean the same as you , dissapointing
To my ears there’s a marked volume increase when switched to the blues jr, more noticeable on clean. I did this test using a katana 50 mk2 I won with no variation on the clean setting which is the same as mk1. I got a different result. The blues jr sounded boxy by comparison and I was actually able to make the katana sound close to but not quite the same as my Deluxe Reverb reissue. I generally don’t like modeling amps but as much as I wanted to, I couldn’t dislike the Katana
Try the boss gt-1000 with the katana... pure as any tube amp I've ever heard. Takes time dialing it in but you can get the glassy saturation the tubes are putting off. Boss has their own processor chips that was designed with the goal to be better than tubes or at least land amongst them. Most modelers want to be just as good but boss wants them to be better...
I’d have to disagree, but that’s where taste comes in.
I love fuzz. Had the katana 50 for 2 years and after trying way too many ways to make it sound like I wanted it to, it’s come to an end. The super harsh “instant-metal/shred” type distortion that somehow always sounds the same with slightly different EQ, the unpleasantly flabby low end when pushed by a fuzz pedal like the Jupiter or solid state sounding drive with a FF.. I just hated it. Funnily enough, my current choice wasn’t a tube amp (money and neighbors say no) but the new-ish Blackstar Silverline. And man, oh MAN does it do drive well in the clean channels. And the cleans themself. And the reverb. And delay. Oh god I love it. Best decision of the year. And I haven’t even tried all the different tube settings.
@@void_snw it only depends if you have money or not. I will also buy blackstar silverline if I have the money then if not I wll buy boss katana mk2
@@void_snw I am waiting for Mk11 Artist 100w to be released (maybe NAMM in a few days). Going by the Mk 1 version, that Wazza speaker was very articulate, no 'flabby low end' for a start. Often, just a speaker change in an amp makes all the difference. Unless money was a huge issue I would definitely buy the 100 w over the 50 .. more headroom, FX loop, Resonance control, and stereo line out options plus when combined with the GA FA foot switch it provides awesome flexibility. Bummer is that the foot switch is an optional extra.
And I have to agree, the volume difference between the amps disadvantaged the Katana. It was just too soft.
Hello, the Blues jr is the stock version ?
I ask you because I have one with a jensen C12n speaker, jj valves and the Bias adjusted. It's the glory. Don´t wanna talk about Katana. Don´t like me this kind of amps with modeling...don´t sound real
No its the blues Jr IV.
Come back to playing and this techno progress has done my nut in so i bought a ukulele for some peace of mind....
Iv been in studio for 20 years, your views is the standard one... playing wise.
In a blind test iv had everyone fool with a pod 20 years ago...so i let you think about that....
Can i connect pedals like tuner, noise suppressor and distortion into Power amp in at the back? Is it safe (will it sound better)?
Thanks 😊
The only problem with the Katana , and I have the mk2 is taming the top end it’s an incredibly bright amp and I’ve noticed it on every TH-cam demo as well, but once you do it’s got some amazing tones , also your blues junior was way louder but sounded nice 👍
I dont set the boss controls at 12 like most people. I have bass, mid,treble at 9 o clock. I feel It sounds best there. or set the mid just at 12 the rest at 9. And i always use the tubescreamer.
The 2nd generation version Mk2 100 has a presence knobs, perfect for the problem you describe.
I've had a BJ just die on me and I am also tired of replacing tubes at $50 a pop. I'm moving to amps like the Katana because of the weight and no tubes to replace.
Bingo. I love a good tube amp, but the tech will just keep getting better and better. Just saying.
@Nintariz sorry..you mean solid..no more..
I wanted to post on this again because I think it might be helpful to some. I returned my 100 MKII and bought the Artist MKII. The Dutch Guitar Guy does a video where he goes back and forth between the WAZA speaker and the stock Katana speaker. It turns out I just do not like the speaker in the regular Katanas. They sound too much like stereo speakers and not enough like a guitar amp instrument speaker. I don't know what else to call it, perhaps it is a vintage speaker sound? Greenback sound? The mids are WAY further forward in the way that I am accustomed to with my late 50's Beltone tube amp that has the original 8" speaker fully intact. It is snapper more dynamic and less tubby in the low end. I absolutely despise the "real amp" title that people apply to various tube amps but I have to say that when playing with the WAZA speaker I feel like I am playing a JC 120, Princeton Reverb, and so on. With the stock speaker, it feels like I am playing a great head through a studio monitor or PA speaker cab. Hope that is helpful for folks.
Loved the playing so subcribed just cause of that
Thanks!
Hi which is better quality for recording the line out or recording headphone? our
Needed more volume on the Katana (Gain, Volume, Master)?
Katana practice amp , fender gig amp . Love them both but tube warmth is hard to recreate. That’s why we still lug these heavy things around!
True sometimes...
Hey Rich I like your video. I have Katana 50 and Blues Jr too. My conclusion is same as yours: BJ for clean and Katana for drive pedals. People say BJ is a good pedal platform, but I don't feel that way. Any full-frequency overdrive (Guv'nor, Angry Charlie, Boss OD-3) will crap out on BJ because its bass response is not that good.
Wolfsang Muse Thanks for chiming in!, This video, proves what you just said. It does sound like the blus jr craps out with pedals.
How well does 50 Watt keep up with a band and no way to mic?
One is cheaper and has access to numerous effects. The other is more costly and lacks effects and for what end other than practice when nobody is listening. They both sound really good and it's personal choice.
The Katana sounds good for the price but when he did the back to back as soon as it went from the Blues Junior the Katana sounded...disappointing I guess idk.
The fender sounds way more natural and full imo
I have the blues jr AND the boss katana 50. I like both options in 2023.
To make the comparison meaningful you have to equalise the volume output between the two amps. The louder source will always sound better. It’s an old trick used in hi fi stores to sell speakers. Make sure the ones you want to sell play at a louder volume than the competing ones.
Agree, but the other side is that the Blues Junior cannot be played as softly as the Katana. It needs to be turned up a certain amount to get the valves kicking.
@@adamrobinson8620 Set the wattage down to 25 wattt. This is not a good comparison.
Nice Mike Oldfieldish vibes in the intro!
I’ve seen quite a few amp AB tests lately and what if concluded is that they are HARD. Especially a tube amp that’s relatively simple compared with the Katana and it’s complexity. Could you go deeper with the Boss and get it to sound closer? Maybe? Maybe not? Do you have time for that? What about using the line out to record? What about the USB output? What about putting it in your daw and using some impulse responses... -_-
I’m just looking for something to do light recording and silently at that so I think I need to go Katana but it seems complicated and I work in IT every day so I like to come home to less complexity, less computers. usually... lol.
I still love the katana 50. It's not difficult to maintain and the price is really cheap. I own a ktn100 by the way and it has more bite than the 50s. Probably that would be a better comparison.
Agreed, not to mention how light it is. Easy to haul around.
Definite love your videos! Btw what tube driver did you use? I have a BK tube driver into my katana and is a bit hard to tame!
Was it a BK tube driver?
Tube driver from line 6 helix.
I actually found I prefer using the crunch channel on the katana with the gain all the way down as my clean tone. I think it sounds much closer to the compression you get out of a tube amp that way. The clean channel sounds very jazz chorus orientated, which would make sense considering the lineage, especially the way the upper midrange and treble frequencies react. They're cool amps with a ton of flexibility, and a total steal considering their price. A great gigging tool for musicians.
Gabriel Wareing I will have to try that! Thanks!
Now I use the Brown Channel for that. Like It a lot.
Dear Gabriel, that was just the tone I was looking for. Thank you sooo much for that advice. I can use that as a base tone for all the song of the repertoire in our cover band, just adding some booster (the warm OD makes wonders in that setting) or modulations.
the clean is modeled after JC120, the Crunch, the Tweed. So yes :)
Blues Jr has more mid punch with a warmer tone. Katana is good, no doubt, but there is a little magic with tubes.
I sold my katana `100 for the same reason, i loved it but it always sounded muffled or covered up for some reason, no matter how much EQ i did.
Great timely video. I am getting back to guitar and bought my "peak" guitar (G&L). The fretboard and bridge single coil sold me but the humbucker has been a huge disappointment. Since I have trash small amps I got the idea a tube amp might be the answer. Music stores are at least 50 miles away but I made it down today and plugged into a Jr. Well, I found my answer. There it was! The sound in my head! Problem. My wife works at home (permanently) so my volume-loudness is limited and that level won't (more than likely) allow me to utilize the Jr. to get the sound I want, plus no headphone jack on the Jr.,and much of my time is with headphones. I am a "weak" player and won't be playing out. Just making "sounds" at home. The Katana fits my budget well, A used Jr. today was $399. I don't want to get consumed with playing with the sounds, just find a blues sound or two that i want and be happy. Any comments would be welcome. Thanks you. Great video. (My guitars are yard sale Squiers other than the G&L, I also have a nice Gibson acoustic-electric). The Jr. would rule and be al no-brainer for me I thought it justified the price for what I will be able to use it for.
Good demo. I like the BJr better, more presence to me. :)
How much louder is the blues junior? I have the katana, but was thinking about selling it and getting into a real tube amp. My biggest concern is that it will be too loud for home usage
Its playable at home for sure, not to bad.
Rich Bischoff awesome, thanks a lot.
I currently have a blues jr but don’t want to fork over the cash for a ton of pedals now that I’m getting more experienced. Would you recommend the katana for mostly bedroom playing and occasional gigs in small rooms?
Yes!
I have one and I use it for that! If you don't want to spend money on pedals,there's so much you can do in tone studio!
The Katana has something very strange going on in the low end. It feels like Boss is trying to make it sound bigger than it is but it just makes it sound dull and muddy by a massive margin. My guess is that there is a massive EQ hump down low somewhere or a massive notch out at around 200Hz to try and "de-box" it. I like the tones that the Katana puts out but I would have to put a permanent parametric EQ adjustment on it permanently just to get it in the ballpark of where I expect an amp to be. The flexibility of it is wild though.
Oh no I lost my love because I corrected my spelling mistake LOL. Oh well ;)
Torn between Katana 50 or 100, but I'm getting one for sure
Fantastic video! I'm a katana user with the same thoughts. It always drives myself and other bandmates crazy that this amp cost me around 200 bucks, (although isn't perfect,) it has outperformed every other amp I've owned in 25 years. So much mojo - per dollar spent, I'm glad others have similar experiences!!
Amp snobs will tell you different, that the Katana is crap. Those of who use it as a tool and pedal platform know differently. Thanks for commenting!
@@RichBischoff fuck amp snobs. I have a jcm 900, 800 and ac 30.......katana is fantastic and the others are currently collecting dust
Intro got sub. Beautiful
Thanks!
I sales person in my local music store convinced me in buying the katana 50 mk2. Love my katana
Blues Jr is breaking up too much which is why it sounds great clean but once you push drives into it it sounds mushy. The Katana is set squeaky clean which is why your drives sound good but your cleans are a bit sterile. If you find a happy medium between the two you'll be happy with both I think
I have the Katana 100 (Mk1) and a Blues jr Mark IV with the Eminence Cannabis rex. I love my Katana, so versatile and I play my Acoustic through it all the time. I love both for different reasons. When I just want to sit and noodle on my electrics, it's the Blues jr. I have been playing for close to 30 years and there is still something I crave from a good tube amp... lol. And I'm not sure I can explain what it is. And I have to tell ya... I have owned a ton of vintage and boutique tube amps...... and my current amps are the Blues jr and Katana... lol
I sold my blues jnr when I got my MK1 katana 50 ....as I found I literally never switched the blues junior on..
i like the katana better i cant wait to get my mkII 50 watt combo on tues
Katana sounds good but after having mostly all digital amps when I started buying pedals they sounded like trash and too much volume jump, have to have the level on a tube screamer all the way down. Finally got a marshall tube amp and pedals work well
Just got a Katana 50 Mk-ii. Can I add pedals to it even though it doesn't have an fx loop? Looking to get that U2 - Edge sound. Excellent video! Cheers
If you use it clean, it's a great pedal platform.
@@RichBischoff So I can add physical peddles to it? I'm a noob so I appreciate the answers and patience. The whole fx loop on the 100w is entirely confusing to me. 50W is plenty of power for me sound wise. The reviews on these are terrific.
Yeah, just build a pedal board and run it direct into the amp on the clean channel. You might have to research pedal order. The effects in katana are pretty good though. You could get the Edge/U2 sound without pedals.
@@RichBischoff Very cool. Stoked to begin the journey! Great time to learn and master the guitar. Cheers brother ... and thanks! 🤙🏻
Blues Junior of course! 🎸❤
Did you use a tube screamer
Hey Rich. Did you have any phase issues running the two amps in stereo. Did you use an aby switcher/pedal.
I used an aby switcher. No issues.
@@RichBischoff thanks for super fast response. Keep up the great work.
Is anyone else experiencing very directional tones with the Kat 50 mkii??? Depending on where I am in the room, it sounds completely different. I could probably replicate with a room mic, certain angles it sounds terrible. Others it is okay. I still feel it is extremely brittle it the top end and it is eq'd high. I have got a decent clean tone but it is no BJ.
Katana sounds great in the bedroom. It just didn't cut it in the band context for me. Switched to the blues jr. Good comparison.
i have a Blues junior and was thinking of buying a Katana 50 ..but on 2nd thoughts after watching this ..why ...? i already have a good amp in the Blues junior so i would just be wasting my money .
if you like pedals, if you get a chance, try laney lionheart. It is versatile and takes everything I throw at it, but, I myself prefer to take my Katana 100 to a gig, but when I really wanna have serius fun at home, I play my laney
are you using a helix in front of the Katana when your gigin
Sometimes, mostly my pedalboard though.
Love the Boss but the BJ got the Hendrix vein bubbling.
I have a Katana MKii... Despite spending endless hours with the software, it cannot touch a valve amp. I have a blues Jr and hot rod delux so can make comparison... The Katana is now unemployed..I wonder if many of the guys who love the Katana, have had experience of playing through a valve amp..
I read and hear a lot about the “no tube” tube amp, but I never quite understood the debate. If the sound meets your need, end of story. These 2 amps do what they do well, but they are not and should not be the same. I agree that nothing sounds like a blues junior, but the Katana takes pedals better and is more flexible. I think the Artist is way better than the regular Katana. That being said, those who know the difference (tone purists or tone snobs) should understand why anyone would use a good affordable amp that gets it done.
I’ve used the mkII a bit they are spiff I’m still working an old cube30 I drag it to sessions all the time as there aren’t many live gigs at the moment.
I don’t have the $$ or patience for tubes they sound different every time you turn them on, are heavy and fussy.
And yes I’ve played plenty if tube amps. I owned a music store many years ago.
A great review. As of 2023 the Blues Jr maps for $750 whereas the Boss is $269 a $481 difference. Is the Blues Jr really worth $481 more?
Depends on your budget, style and application. The Fender sounds much better to me except on high gain. For me, it's the Fender.