Katana - Should I get a Katana 50 or a Katana 100?

Started by DugT, July 27, 2017, 09:26:43 AM

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DugT

Should I get a Katana 50 or a Katana 100? I know this question has been asked a lot but I'm special! :-) I'm especially naive because this will be my first amp and I have other excuses too.

I just got my first electric guitar and now I need an amp. I've been playing acoustic guitars for 40 years and I'm ready for a change. Paying another $130 for a 100W doesn't bother me at all if I will use the additional features. The Loop utility seems especially interesting. I would think people who play in bands would be less likely to need loop but solo guitar players like me and band players practicing at home are more likely to want it. Therefore it makes a lot of sense for the 50w to have loop but it doesn't. I will never play in a band and I will never take the amp out of my living room so the extra weight doesn't matter to me as much as tone quality and features. I will almost always use the .5W setting but if I do crank it up, the next step with the 100W is the 50W setting. The 50W amp has a mid-level of 25W which might be more practical for me. I don't know. So, that is my first concern.

It seems like a lot of people buy the 50w Katana because they already have a big amp for bigger venues and they want an amp for small venues and practicing. I just want a good amp for me in my biggish living room. Should I get the 100w? Would a 50w be better and then I should get a Looper pedal?

My new guitar is an Ibanez AR720. I've always played soft rock and classical music. With this new guitar I hope to delve into chording with some lead and lead over loops.

Thanks for any advice.

admin

Since you are new - you are confused about the "Katana FX loop" found only on the 100 watt models

its not an "Audio looper " that folks use to play along with a looper recorded backing track ( look at a Spider V or Fender Mustang GT if you seek that capability - but i suggest just get a dedicated looper box (JamMan XT )

Instead , the Katana FX Loop is for integrating third party FX into your signal chain and provide more flexibility

If you reach a point where you want to perform or jam with others - the Katana 100 models support the GA-FC footswitch and remotely control the Katana's built in FX and select among 8 preset sounds for Rhythm / Solo mid song   

Also if you are an Acoustic guitarist, the Katana 100 works superior to the 50watt model

IMHO - The Katana 50 lacks the depth of tones possible with the Katana 100 watt models


UPDATE May 2019 - FWIW Bulk of reported failed Katana Amps are the 50 watt model

read Katana FAQ
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=19048.0


abeetude

Quote from: admsustainiac on July 27, 2017, 09:39:39 AM

IMHO - The Katana 50 lacks the depth of tones possible with the Katana 100 watt models




Why does it lack "Depth of tone"?

1) Due to the speaker and cabinet size ?
2) Fx loop absensce ?
3) or because of electronic components not on the mainboard of the K50 but present on the K100's ?
4) other and if other - other what?

admin

Katana 50
Due to the lower quality speaker (smaller voice coil, smaller magnet)  - you will not get the same low frequency content (oomph) compared to Katana 100.

And the smaller katana 50 cabinet prevents swapping to alternate popular speaker types that will not fit 

only 2 channels

No presence control knob

much fewer features

its worth locating a gently used Katana 100-112 - i paid $275 for my 1st Katana 100-112 at zzounds
$299 today
http://www.zzounds.com/item--BOSKTN100?siid=190078

read Katana FAQ for all comparison details
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=19048.0

gumtown

Katana 100,
after you have used it for a while, you will look back and know it was the right choice.
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

carlb

I could make a case for the 50W:

1) Swap the speaker out with a Century neodymium for very a lightweight and smallest combo Katana, with decent low-end.
2) Forego the GA-FC, instead get the MIDX-20 and a Morningstar MC6. Ultimately configurable, access to the "sneaky amps," and foot switch labels that change along with whatever patch you happen to be on. Oh, and up to thirty patches thanks to the MC6, versus the five patches (including the front panel) available with the GA-FC.

100 watts is overkill for most gigs given an efficient speaker, and the Celestion Century series is efficient.

What I'd do if I was purchasing a Katana now.
ES Les Paul, internal Roland GK
Boss SY-1000, Valeton Coral Amp pedal
Morningstar MC8 & MC6
QSC CP8 powered speaker

Idgolfguy

Your first amp? I have the 50 and the head. It's a new journey.
The 100 is more flexible with more options.
Once procured, not much else to get unless you want to GAS outboard hardware.

DugT

Thanks for all of the info. Your advice and some videos and reviews convinced me to get a K100w even though its loop feature is not what I thought it was. Thanks for straightening me out on that. This video compares the K50w to the K100w and the 100w sounds significantly better to me. The 50w sounds good but the 100w sounds more clear like the Presence knob was turned up a tad. Its also possible that I'm hearing that the 100w has more contrast between the highs and lows because of the better low end of the 100W. The 50w just seemed a little muddy in comparison. Here is the video:

I listened to a few other YouTube Katana comparisons and reviews and the 100w seems to be a clear favorite in every way except portability. I think people that gig small venues might prefer the lighter 50w but I don't gig at all.  I'm sure a better speaker would improve the 50w but, for example, a Celestion Century costs over $100 which would bring the cost close to the cost of a 100w with all of the additional features. 100 watts is huge overkill for me but it seems that in spite of the $330 price and the additional weight, the 100w is still the best value for the  tone and features I want.

From carlb: "2) Forego the GA-FC, instead get the MIDX-20 and a Morningstar MC6. Ultimately configurable, access to the "sneaky amps," and foot switch labels that change along with whatever patch you happen to be on. Oh, and up to thirty patches thanks to the MC6, versus the five patches (including the front panel) available with the GA-FC."
@carlb:  That sounds like good advice. Is it also applicable to the 100w? I will investigate this.

My K100w arrives in two days thanks to Amazon Prime. I haven't plugged my new guitar into an amp yet so I eagerly await this amp!

Thanks again for the help.

E Beau

I've got the 100-112 and the head, but for $200 I may just pick up the 50 watter as well.  I really like this amp line, they got it right!

carlb

Yes, the MC6 and MIDX-20 will provide the 100watt Katana with the same versatility as I described for the 50watt.

You would use a Boss FS-7 two-button foot switch into the MC6 to switch up or down among the MC6's patches. (I think the MC6's manual refers to them as banks, but it's just different terminology.)

Each of the MC6's stomp switches could be programmed for CC# (or other midi commands), which the MIDX-20 will translate to Katana commands. Each MC6 patch (bank) would be programmed with different CC# commands for the six stomp switches and even an expression pedal.

Correction to the above:
Changing MC6 banks does not send commands, so they can't be treated directly like patches. You'd need to change to a bank, and then each of the stomp switches from a given bank sends the various MIDI commands to the MIDX-20 (for interpretation to the Katana).

The approach that you'd use would be to setup the four channels/patches on the Katana with "initial settings" to start a given patch. The MC6 stompswitch would first switch the Katana to the that channel/patch to achieve a known beginning state, and immediately after send the subsequent commands to refine the patch from there.
ES Les Paul, internal Roland GK
Boss SY-1000, Valeton Coral Amp pedal
Morningstar MC8 & MC6
QSC CP8 powered speaker

DugT

Thanks for the clarification. I'd guess I won't be wanted that for some time, if ever, because I am such a rookie but I'm sure your info will be valuable to others.

joeshmoe69

One other benefit I have playing at home I had to run the 50 watter on the 25 watt
setting, and the master vol too low.

With the 100watt 1x12 I run it on the .5 watt setting and the master at half or more
and it sounds noticeably better.

Its the best at home tone ive ever had in 37 years of playing.

I have owned a few hi end tube amps and Ive sold them all.

Katana is my amp now.

Jimmy

DugT

Thanks for the good news about the K100 working well at .5W. My K100 arrives tomorrow.

myksara

#13
I just got a Katana 100 and am absolutely blown away by the sweet tones i got out of it. My gr55 guitar patches almost never sounded so good even after hours of tweaking. Never been a tube guy but I have had a vox vt40 roland cube 40xl 80xl a peavey vypyr vip 2 but never got such impressive tones.  I was going to buy the line 6 spider jam as a swiss army knife but glad i changed my mind and got the katana 100.
The only down side is the small stand is almost a gimmick with no great angle..and there was no usb cable!.
Only used it for 1 hr and plan to have a tone orgasm tonight.
And yes MOST IMPORTANT: FOLLOW ELANTRICS TIP OF KEEPING MASTER VOLUME ON 3 O CLOCK AND THEN ADJUST THE GAIN AND CHANNEL.VOLUME TO GET YOUR DESIRED LEVELS ALONG WITH THE 100/50/5 WATT SWITCH.A SIMPLE YET EFFECTIVE TIP TO MAKE THE AMP SING
Is there any better footswitch than a GAFC that goes well with this?
Guitars: Ibanez Prestige S5470, Ibanez Jem 7v, Ibanez JS2410, PRS SE Custom24, Cort  Ltd G16, Ibanez RG370Ahmz,
MultiFX: Roland GR55, Zoom 1on, BOSS GT00
Loopers: Digitech trio+, Line 6 JM4
MIDI:, MAudio Axiom24 keyboard, Alesis IO Dock with iPad air 2

vtgearhead

Quote from: myksara on July 29, 2017, 02:56:34 AM
The only down side is the small stand is almost a gimmick with no great angle..

I just picked up an On Stage Stands RS4000 for mine.  Light and folds flat for carry.  If you off-center the amp about 3" to the right it clears all the rear panel jacks.

https://on-stage.com/products/view/11049/117055

Quote
Is there any better footswitch than a GAFC that goes well with this?

Any programmable MIDI footswitch (I use a Behringer FCB1010) with a Primova Sound MIDX-20

http://www.primovasound.com/midx_20.html

Gives you complete access to all internal parameters - sneaky amps included.

lurkalot

A friend of mine just bought a Katana 100 2x12 recently, and posted a mini review, thought it might be of interest.

https://guitaristguild.com/index.php/topic,1052.msg3229.html#msg3229

DugT

Here is my (OP) rookie review. Holy Cow, this amp sounds great! It has been fun exploring the options just using the panel knobs. This is my first amp and it is nice that I can get such a wide range of sounds out of it and back to clear quickly. The amp makes it obvious that I know an extremely limited range of music. My range was limited twenty years ago when I stopped playing acoustic guitar and now I have forgotten much of what I knew. Fortunately, my fingers still work well enough and I can play better than SRV can at this point. As an older man, that is a bit of an accomplishment and somewhat lucky too. Of course I wish SRV was still alive and raising the bar even more amazingly high.

By the way, with the PUP switch in the middle position (both PUPs), I turned off the neck volume and cranked the bridge volume and got nothing out. Adding just a little neck volume turned on the bridge pup. Is this normal? Is the neck volume kind of a master volume in Both PUPs position?

admin

#17
QuoteBy the way, with the PUP switch in the middle position (both PUPs), I turned off the neck volume and cranked the bridge volume and got nothing out. Adding just a little neck volume turned on the bridge pup. Is this normal? Is the neck volume kind of a master volume in Both PUPs position?

That is Gibson stock wiring and it works for many

When playing rock , I leave the bridge PU vol on 10, and Neck PU vol on 3,

Select both PUs with PU selector switch to get a rhythm crunch Tone, and select bridge PU for solos.

More details here:
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=19169.msg137352#msg137352