Boss Katana Amps - User Reviews

[Elantric]

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/boss-katana-amplifiers.1744135/page-237#post-23514396


"Hi, I recently moved and I'm just starting building a new band so I felt I needed a standard combo amp in case I was to audition or to make things simpler in grab and go situations to start (up to that point I used my AX8 exclusively going direct to FOH/monitors/IEMS with my PA or house PA for at least a year or more).
The Katana is great bang for the buck. I got my 100 watt 1x12 for $300 delivered. The clean channel is round a fat and I've tested it extensively with my Zoom G3X (sounds good, never loved the drives in the Zoom although I haven't done much tweaking). I then put my AX8 in front and it's killer (drives are much better on the AX8).
TBH, with the tone studio software (that is easy to install and configure) the built in drive channels (ie. amp simulation, not just pedal simulation) definitely have promise. BUT, without the channel footswitch I was "forced" <LOL> to use the AX8.
I LOVE the weight / form factor.
Volume / power control (.5 watt at home, 50 watt in full rehearsal with loud drummer = NO ISSUES, more than enough oomph and punch on the cleans... and there is still 100 watt setting for even more).
Stock speaker is purposely built and supposedly will break up nicely over time, I have no plans to swap and look forward to once it is broken in.
Line out is low output, but when dialed into audio interface / nearfields (simulation an FOH solution) sounds VERY good. Some say thinner with the cab sim, but definitely useable and could be easily tweaked at the board for great tone. I'll be trying this full PA in about a week at my next rehearsal.
Recording out (defeats speaker) is great and when it's late night I actually prefer the Katana -> Rec Out -> Scarlett interface -> ADAM A5's to low volume out of the amp. I have recorded a few quick tracks that are definitely useable tones. Again in a mix I would tweak and add FX, but bare bones they are useable and honestly close to SGear level - but the beauty of Sgear for recording is printing completely dry guitar and adding the amp/cab/FX in the mix. I bet Bass thru the Katana as DI will sound perfect for recording.
I liked the onboard FX I heard, they blended well when everything was coming from the amp (ie. not using AX8 or Zoom) but again I don't have a footswitch yet so this wasn't an option.
Sound guy at rehearsal space was very impresed with my tone and automatically assumed the Katana was a tube based amp. Of course he loved the AX8 as pedal board as well...
-- So, now I'm torn with forging ahead full Katana with purchasing the footswitch (which may still slightly limit my options between channel switching and FX on/off) or just use the AX8 in front. Honestly, I'm leaning towards full Katana because I still like amp overdrive/distortion vs. any pedal option and I think it will sound more uniform then pedals in front - but damn if the AX8 doesn't work well in that setup!
BTW - settings with my PRS DGT were clean channel: Gain around 10 oclock, Volume at noon, most of the tone stack around noon, amp on 50 watt setting, MV around noon. Full bodied punchy cleans with way more volume and headroom to spare next to live drumkit, acoustic guitar electrified, 3 vocals through loud PA. At one point the sound person mic'd the Katana (he had a 414 setup in front already and the mix with amp behind on amp stand, mic'd sound through PA was GREAT!"

[Elantric]

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/boss-katana-amplifiers.1744135/page-237#post-23514396

Someone just knocked at my door - amp set up and ready to go.




. .  . .

Okay, two hours later and first impressions. I don't use effects so this is just about the amp choices and the boosts. This amp is full of very good sounds. I particularly like the clean sounds with the gain up a bit and with one of the boosts added. When I set up my two channels this is where I'm going to start. I didn't pay any attention to which boosts I was using - just jabbed the button and messed with the gain until I got sounds I liked. Crunch and Lead are good and I was surprised by how much I liked the Brown setting - it's a lot of fun. It's going to take a lot of exploration to get what I want from this amp but my initial impressions are favourable if not as ecstatic as some other reviewers.

The most tube like settings to me so far are the Clean with boost and the Brown sound. Lead and Crunch are going to take a bit more work. I wanted an amp that I could carry to my local pub jam night and this will do the job while giving me some very respectable sounds.

I have just sold a Blackstar TVP15. I had been using it as a practice amp at very low volume and it sounded okay. The problems started when I decided to see if it would perform well enough at higher volumes to be my jam night amp. The answer was a resounding 'NO'. It sounded so horrible that I would have been embarrassed to be heard through it. The EQ and ISF controls are a disaster - the treble and bass controls have way too much on tap and it is impossible to balance them. The ISF control had to be rotated fully clockwise to the 'Brit' sound and it still sounded awful. Anything towards the 'American' side just added an unlistenable screechiness to the sound.

At the other and of the spectrum my gigging amp for the last year has been the Yamaha THR100 Dual. It's a long way ahead of the Katana. It has the best 'Cranked Vintage Brit Amp' sounds I've ever heard and this includes Marshalls I owned in the seventies. It is also stupidly easy to set up and adjust on the fly. However, with the cab, it cost me seven times more than the Katana.

I've heard a few Mustangs close up and they sounded pretty terrible. I've never liked anything I've played from Line 6. I think the Katana is going to wipe them off the map. Along with a good few tube amps. I'm just about to have my afternoon nap - I've got 'flu, I'm retired so I can do what I like. I'll be winding up the Katana again later and will let you know my second impressions.

[Shogun1]

Would I have a problem feeding Mackie Thumps (500 watt) from the line out of the Katana 100 1x12, or would they clip continually?

Thanks.

Really digging this amp.  Especially, the .5 watt setting for late night practicing with FX and also the acoustic amp setting for my electric flat-top.  And I am just starting to really check out its performance and features.

One other question -does the board require a watch battery to retain the custom tweaks?  Or is there anything else, beside firmware upgrading that will lose my custom tweaks?  I may be considered a "Relic" (which is actually my current stage name) but I am just about fed up with the whole computer-based trend for just about every friggin thing we need to do with all of these so-called "smart" devices

[Shogun1]

Just my 2 cents - The Katana is a really good bang for the buck, BUT, if you add the footswitch and expression pedal to take advantage of hands-free utilization of its many possibilities, you nearly double the cost.  Myself - I used dedicated FX stomp boxes just to free myself of multi-tasking (button pushing/tweaking) on-stage.  I only really use 3 stomp boxes WITHOUT an a/c power-strip/power adaptor (rechargable batteries).  I like it simple.

[Elantric]

Would I have a problem feeding Mackie Thumps (500 watt) from the line out of the Katana 100 1x12, or would they clip continually?

Should work fine 

One other question -does the board require a watch battery to retain the custom tweaks?

No Internal batteries for memory retention - it uses modern flash EAROM memory
https://www.britannica.com/technology/electrically-alterable-read-only-memory

[Shogun1]

Huge sound, small footprint, and manageable at live gigs

Hmmmm.  Just ran my new Katana 1x12 through some paces, just to see how it held up beside a drum kit.  It SEEMED like it was hanging pretty tough.  Then we busted out the Twin.

The one limitation we discovered, though I GUESS I had already noticed... NO EXT SPEAKER JACK.  Yes, there is that line out and record out.. but unless you have a powered monitor to add, Any extra passive cabinet you might have is not usable? By the end of the session we were running the line out into the Twin which was then driving an extra Acoustic 4x12... GADZ!  Still, we all agreed, for the tonal flexibility, lack of weight, and just general overall features, it was still a good deal.  It is what it is, so I'm not trying to make it anything more.  But that is one thing I've been noticing about the new breed of amps, they rate them high, but often they are driving really low impedence loads, which ramps up the rated wattage... but if you are hoping to drive even a pair of 8 ohm speakers, it ain't gonna happen, without a kicker in the loop.  Yes, I was pretty happy with the apparent output... UNTIL I busted out the Twin to compare to.  But a Twin is most often really TOO much until the demand is really there.  Outdoors, I'd just run the Katana through the PA.  That fact that the master and presence is only effecting the Speaker output, and not the line or record outs (preamp-outs) is a plus. It's like having a monitor, when you run the "outs" to a system or aux amps.... or usb record out.

[admin]

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/boss-katana-amplifiers.1744135/page-271

Ok, the sixth gig with the K100/112, it's beginning to open up nicely. I've been able to bump both Treble and Presence up quite considerably from when I did the first couple of gigs. There is sparkle which was barely usable when the speaker was new and stiff, there was a shrillness with ice-pick if too much Treble was dialed in, it's gone now.
As usual, I got compliments on the tone of the Kat and it generated interest among the other players. Chords were airy, full, melodic and maintained their sonic qualities over a range of volume, boost and dynamics. Whether I was playing my Strats or my Tele, each guitar's tonal qualities stood out, allowing each one to display its particularly identifiable sounds.
Lead chops were very precise, whether clean or dirty and had a feel of no straining on the amp's part, which is always the case with well designed equipment.
The entire gig was in a reasonably good sized room and was done on the .5 watt setting with lots of headroom. Even with moderately loud drums, .5 watts was almost overkill. What really matters to me is the flexibility and being very controllable to suite each room. I love being able to use beautiful full tones at ANY volume level in ANY venue.
So, the Katana continues to sound great and gets better every time. I think that it's going to become my #1 go-to amp as it fits so well and sounds astonishingly good to this old tube guy.

[Stevie F]

 Hi i am very impressed with the katana 100 1 x 12( and the knowledge of the members of this forum) but i want to run in stereo then i will have a wide variety of sounds different  delay times and hope fully a wide sound.
SO  should i go wet/dry or stereo? if any one knows or can help with a diagram  fx loops/ or in front i would be so pleased as the distorted  overdrive sounds i was searching for i now have the journeys over! now its just the stereo delays harmonist reverbs i need to get  right in 3d  hope you can advice before i buy another katana  or what you guys recommend Cheers

[Elantric]

Hey Elantric,

Thanks for all the info on the Katana! I have a Quilter MicroPro Mach 2 8", and had been thinking of getting the Quilter HD 12" cabinet for it. Now it occurs to me I could get the Katana KTN-100 for less money and have far more options. As a quilter MicroPro Mach 2 owner and a Katana KTN-100 owner, would you recommend going for the Katana? How do they compare in terms of basic amp sound?

Thanks,

Jonathan

Jonathon,

Any further thoughts on comparing your Quilter MicroPro Mach 2 vs Katana 100-112 ?

[jwhitcomb3]

Jonathon,

Any further thoughts on comparing your Quilter MicroPro Mach 2 vs Katana 100-112 ?

Well, I like them both, so much so that I am currently selling my Swart AST. I'm afraid I can't provide a qualitative comparison, as both the Katana and Quilter sound very good to me. Perhaps the best way to describe it is that the Quilter just sounds more raw. I think it is harder to dial in a great sound on the Quilter, but when you do, it hits a sweet spot that I haven't found yet on the Katana, which for all its great tones just feels more processed to me than the Quilter (which is perfect for some applications). The Quilter surf voice cops a better Fender-ish vibe than anything I've found in the Katana, although it doesn't seem to emulate any one Fender amp. FWIW, I'm a low to medium-low gain guy, so I don't mess with the lead or brown settings on the Katana much. On the other hand, I've found all six voices of the Quilter useful (even the lead and brown settings). Both amps are very deep and reward experimentation.

I'm glad I don't have to choose!

Jonathan

[Elantric]

Thanks

Matches my thoughts as well  ( I own a Quilter Mach 2 12" combo )  although Katana Head into a 2x12 closed back cab is a real joy and provides a more polished sound with more low end thump -compared to stock Katana 100-112 combo with open back cab

[Elantric]

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/boss-katana-amplifiers.1744135/page-330#post-23879937
Kenny wrote>

My review of the 50 112, 100 112, and 100 212. I own all three amps so i thought i would share my experience for those who are undecided on which one to buy. Also in the next few days I will post some ideals on settings and give my opinion of all the pros of these amps i have found and all the cons or things that could be improved.
I like all three amps for different applications. They are inexpensive and the best value going in amps. I am 59 years old and have played since my Mom bought me my 1st guitar at age 7. I have played and love all kinds of music.

1st up lets talk about the 50 watt model. I use this amp to travel with. I travel a lot and this amp is light and small to carry. It is perfect for practice and small venues such as coffee houses. If you play hard rock or metal you can push it hard and it can keep up with a drummer and a band on small stages. Where it falls short is in larger venues and bigger stages. I like hearing my sound from my amp on stage and keep the guitar in the monitors light so the vocals can be heard. With a big stage the 50 watt model does not cover the stage if i want to move around. If you do not move away from your amp on stage you can get away with the 50 watt as long as the sound system takes care of getting your sound heard in the monitors and the audience. Also I play a lot of acoustic guitar and the 50 watt does not have the head room the 100 112 watt model gives you. If you play solo at a very small venue you may get away with the 50 watt with acoustic guitar but the 100 112 watt is worth the extra money to get the head room on acoustic guitar and clean electric sounds. The lack of the extra preset channels you get with the 100 112 watt, no effects loop, and inability to use the foot controller, make the 50 watt model less desirable for the difference in price compared to the 100 112 watt model. Also the sound compared to the 100 112 watt model is different. The speaker magnet is bigger in the 100 112, and the cabinet is a little bigger than the 50 watt. The 50 watt can get close in sound but is a little thinner sounding than the 100 112 watt. The 50 watt is a great amp for the money and if money is very tight you can make it work in small to medium size venue, especially if you play hard rock and do not use clean settings often, but the 100 112 watt is worth the extra money in my opinion. I like the 50 watt to travel with. I have a cabin I spend a lot of time at and it is perfect to carry around back and forth and that is what I bought it for.

Now lets talk about the 100 112 watt model. I have covered a lot comparring the 100 112 to the 50 112. For example, slightly bigger sound, effects loop, extra presets, and GA foot controller. You also get the presence knob. The headroom you get with the 100 watt amps help with clean tones, and the slightly bigger cab vrs. the 50 watt and extra wattage helps with stage coverage at small to mid size venues. The effects loop is a big plus if you combine it with the GA foot controller. You can use the foot controller to turn it on and off. I use a Boss Combo Drive BC-2 in the loop for a Vox like clean tone, and turn it on and off with the controller. That way it stays on top of my amp and I do not have to run long guitar cords and electric adapters across stage. In addition, if you use a loopier in the effects loop this lets you loop a sound, for example a clean
rhythm, and then change channels for example to a lead sound and loop or play over the clean sound. If the loopier is not in the effects loop you can not get different amp sounds because you record in the loopier then into the amp and you only get the sound the amp is set to. The extra presets 4 plus panel vrs. 2 plus panel with the 50 watt makes this amp a lot more versatile on stage. The presence knob is nice to have on the amp because you may change it a bit based on the room acoustics. With the 50 watt model you can only change it in the tone studio not on the fly as you can with the 100 watt amps. If you can only afford 1 amp this 100 watt 112 is a great choice. It is only about $100 more and it only 7 pounds heaver than the 50 watt 112. If you are comparing this amp to the 100 watt head, I would only buy the head if you only play large clubs with a 412 cab, or you like the sound of a closed back cab. The 100 watt 112 can be modified to run a 412 cab by putting a female end on the speaker wire coming from the amp, and a male end from the speaker end. Then you can plug a 412 8 ohm cab in if you need it, but still have the combo with the 112 for every thing else. I own this amp to play at home and small venues and if I need a 412 cab at a larger venue with a large stage for better stage coverage I will haul a 412 cab out if I need it. By the way, with a 412 closed back cab this amp is killer for rock to metal tones. I prefer the open back for acoustic sets. The sound is darker and harder to get airy acoustic tones with a closed back 412, and acoustic sets are usually in smaller venues. This is the most versatile amp in the line and you can not go wrong if you chose this model.

Now lets talk about the 100 watt 212 model. This is my favorite amp for my situation. If money is not in issue the 212 is a great choice. It will cost around $125 to $175 more than the 100 watt 112. It does everything the 100 watt 112 does but has a few advantages I like. The sound is fuller than then 100 watt 112. It has a lot more low mid range tones to work with and the bottom end is bigger sounding. It is also a bit louder than the 100 watt 112 when set the same. It sounds fuller without being muddy with clean and overdrive tones. The only time I like the 100 watt 112 just as much is when in the acoustic mode with acoustic guitar. The 100 112 is easier to control low end feedback. It has a bit more of a tight feel. I stated the 100 212 has more low mid volume which can cause some feedback with acoustic guitars. One of my acoustic is a Breedlove Auditorium Legacy and it has a lot of low end. With the 100 watt 212 I use the parametric eq. from the tone studio and I am able to dial in my acoustic tone perfect. The biggest advantage of the 100 watt 212 is the stage coverage is wider and I get better coverage on larger stages than with the 100 112. Even at home it fills the room better. The 100 watt 212 is only 43 pound compared to 32 for the 112 model. It is only 6 inches wider and a couple of inches higher.

All the amps in the Katana line are great values. I use the 50 watt 112 for travel and practice but it can handle small venues if you do not need the other features or are on a budget. The 100 watt 112 is the best bang for the buck and can handle almost any situation. I use it for daily practice and small clubs. I also will set it up to run a 412 cabinet for big venues or outdoor concerts. The 100 watt 212 is a great choice, and my favorite, if money is not an issue and you do not mind the extra weight. The 100 watt 212 can handle almost any need and I think it sounds the best out of all the combos. The 100 watt head would be great for practice with the built in speaker and if you like 412 cabinets or have a external cabinet you already own. Also the GA foot controller is great to have live, but at home it makes practice easier with everything right at your feet to control. Just for reference, I have a music dealer I have know for 40 years and he sells me stuff at near cost. I got the 50 watt for $150, the 100 watt 112 for $240, and the 100 watt 212 for $341. Thanks hope this helps those who are trying to decide which one to buy.

[treewiz]

Hi Elantric, I am about to trade in my Vypyr Pro and Sampera Pro Pedal for a Katana 100 watt 112 combo. Do you think the Boss Katana is a better sounding amp than the Vypyr Pro? What is your experience with the two units?

[vtgearhead]

I'm not Elantric, but if the Vypyr Pro is anything like the Vypyr VIP2 I made the mistake of buying last year RUN, do not walk, to the dealer and make this trade.  You will not regret it.

[Elantric]

Katana vs Vypyr Pro?

its worth reposting the following  I posted on the 1st page of this thread.


The Vypyr VIP / Vypyr Pro are only eclipsed by the Marshall CODE 50 for having among the worst dynamic range, poor signal to noise ratio, lots of hiss that requires full time use of the built in Noise Gate to suppress.

It means if you use a high gain patch , and roll your guitar volume down to "3" , you end up no longer being abe to hear musical notes, and they become masked by the shower of hiss, or a noise gate that sputters and stutters making this mode of playing useless for live performance.   


Here in my world , only a few top DSP guitar products pass my dynamic range test - here:
http://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?posts/23063355/

Katana passes my DSP modeler dynamic range test


This  is to reveal the signal and noise ratio of the amplifier under test.
Useful if you ever see Jeff Beck or Buddy Guy live you'd understand the importance of this attribute for good sustain, note bloom , and feel under the fingers.

I can judge ANY DSP TUBE AMP Modeller in a few easy steps.

1) crank the amp up to gig volume with a high gain patch , stand 6 feet away from the Amp with a well setup Les Paul on Bridge PU, Guitar Vol on "10" and a straight 1/4" guitar cord plugged straight into the amp under review.

2 ) Fret an E power chord ( 7th fret "A" position Bar chord - open Low E ), and with one Pete Townsend style power strum hit all the strings once , and then

3 ) hold the chord with your left hand and spend the next full minute carefully listening to what the DSP Amp delivers as the strings vibration naturally decay


I analyze the following :

The initial Attack transient ( was it too spikey or too spongy with too much sag)

The sustain , (a good DSP Amp sustains just as well as the real tube amp)

Around 15-30 seconds after the one power strum and all string vibration decays to a low level and have less energy/ less amplitude delivered into the Guitar input jack is the key area of interest for me.
At some point specific to each Amp under review (with all noise gates disabled and off ) a poor designed DSP amp will no longer deliver the remaining sound of your barely vibrating strings , instead it delivers its own poor noise floor of hiss and noise , and will bury the sound of the last remaining string vibration energy.

The best ones (like my AXE-FX into a QSC K12 cab, Boss Katana Amps ) will deliver a complete range of musical expression for nearly a full minute after the one power chord strum

The poor ones ( usually have two "y's" in their name (Vypyr), or named after an 8 legged insect (Spider V) will begin to sputter and choke around 15- 20 seconds. Lacking good dynamic range makes it impossible to play many styles of music


With the Boss Katana I spend less time fighting /programming and more time just playing with great Tone.

I plug straight in with my Les Paul CS8 (1958 reissue) and I have so much control using just my guitar controls and pick attack and Katana delivers Tone and sustain for days , then bring it way down with just my guitar volume control and play gently with just my fingers and it cleans up for rhythm -all on the same high gain Katana patch.

I'm easily getting all my favorite tones. I'm 61, so my reference is old '68-'72 Filmore era (Beck, Page, Allman, Leslie West, Rick Derringer, Mick Taylor )

and thats with the Boss FX turned OFF.

If Only I had a Katana 100-112 back in '72 - history might have changed for the better - I would of had a better chance of getting hired by a top band and played more gigs
At least I can still enjoy the live gig experience with the Katana 100-112 today.

With Katana, Roland /Boss have ramped things up several notches. They could sell these for twice the price and still have customers waiting in line.

Katana belongs in the R&D departments of the competition so the engineers at those other companies can truly understand what state of the art is for DSP guitar Amps in 2016. But it's going to be a tough act to follow

Read the 360 page Boss Katana thread here
http://www.thegearpage.net/board/in...tana-amplifiers.1744135/page-75#post-23060755


** I use the E power chord ( A position at 7th fret) with open low E string - for a specific reason. A good amp with lots of sustain allows me to use the old trick of implementing a slight vibrato for my chord with my left hand, and that can add sustain as it "bows" the strings with the frets. A Poor amp with high damping factor does not respond to this technique, while a good amp ( like Katana) with lots of sensitivity , when I applied this left hand chord vibrato, i can sustain the chord as long as I like. (minutes, Hours, Days)

[aliensporebomb]

Saw a mint condition used Katana head for $229 at a local shop.  Darned tempting price but I'm about to go on a trip with the family and all spare $ is earmarked.  I think it got bought pretty quickly after that. 

[Tcaron20]

Picked up a Katana 100 and am just putting through paces before buying the GA-FC.
Like the clean and acoustic channels and would like to get a Polytone like depth sound. Is this possible, maybe through the software?

Thanks,

Tom

[Elantric]

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?posts/24011691/

Bernardo Gui wrote>


Took my Fender Twin Amp to Guitar Center for an "upgrade".
I love the clean tones of the amp & the way it took pedals, it's just too damn heavy.
Been checking out The Katana Series of amps for the last few months. On paper & in videos they look & sound good. REAL GOOD. Boss discontinued The Cube Series Amps & replaced that with The Katana Series. The 1st thing I liked about this amp was the weight: 45lbs. My Fender Twin Amp weighed 90. For a 2X12 Combo this amp is kinda "short". It has a "kick stand" that allows you to tilt the amp. Problem is, not enough angle of the tipping of the amp. All the tones are real damn good & THIS AMP IS LOUD, It kicks down from 100 watts to 5 watts. It's not 100 watts of tube power but this is easily THE LOUDEST 100 watt solid state amp I have ever heard in my life. The clean tones are super good & surprisingly the overdrive & distortion tones are the best I've ever heard on any Boss product. That's my problem with Boss: really nice modulation effects & crappy distortions & overdrives. The Katana delivers in spades. REALLY GOOD overdrive & distortion tones & the "Brown Sound" setting is mind blowing. Five amp voices: Acoustic, Clean, Crunch, Lead, Brown. Global volume & presence. 12 built in effects. USB input. Headphone input. Effects loop. You can use 3 effects at a time. I road tested this amp with a Crossroads Guitar Shop Custom built Strat w/ Fralin Blues Specials. The other guitar I used was a 2000 PRS Custom 24. The PRS sounded nice in all the setting but The Strat sounded stunning. I used the boost on the crunch setting and it was "Game Over".Gotta tell you, I was blown away. And again this is a loud amp. This amp did not come with a footswitch, had to order it. I gig regularly in The Washington area. I hate lifting heavy gear at the end of the night. There was a time when I didn't mind "suffering" for my tone. Those days are over. I took a 90lb. Fender Twin Amp to Guitar Center.They gave $500 for it. I immediately bought a 45lb. Katana 100 watt 2X12 Combo Amp. ($499). I ordered the footswitch for $89. I haven't bought ANYTHING from Guitar Center in 5 years. I deal strictly with Sweetwater. However this was a killer deal. I bought a killer amp & I am more than happy This amp does not sound, play or feel like a solid state amp. The Boss Katana Series. Try it. You are gonna be pleasantly surprised. I was.....


I got a chance to "turn it up" yesterday in my house. I was playing a 2000 PRS Custom 24 & that amp sounded KILLER. Mind you it DID NOT sound like my 100 watt PRS Archon, but The Katana Amp sounded pretty damn good. I am completely blown away by this amp & when I get my footswitch (back ordered) I will gig with this amp.

[hsuru4u]

https://www.guitarinteractivemagazine.com/issues/issue-46/reviews/roland-katana-100-watt-head/

[Elantric]

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?posts/24275823/

I got the Katana head in today. I wasn't able to run it through the paces at stage volume in my apartment, but I like what I've heard so far through the internal speaker and through my headphones.

I have an old Fender Mustang floor unit and found out that I'm able to use the midi out from that to switch between the five channels on the Katana. I can also use the expression pedal on the Mustang to engage the effects loop volume boost, so that's a plus.

[treewiz]

I played an outdoor gig at Windham Ski Center in the Catskills of N.Y. for a colon cancer car show benefit with my Katana 100 watt head and a Hughes & Kettner TM112 cab mic'ed and thru the set up super pro PA sound system, it sounded awesome. Just inspirational! This little powerhouse of an amp is just unbelievable for a solid state amp. The tones I was getting with this set up I have was just stupendous (I have a Line 6 M13 in a 4 cable method setup using the on board midi to switch channels of the Katana.) Just a simply great sound and setup, I'm very happy now. Tonight I have an indoor Gig in which I'll be bringing my Katana 100 watt 112 combo out using the same set up with the exception of a GA-FC pedal to control the channel switching, can't wait! Happy fourth of July to all of you and Peace be with you!

[admin]

https://guitaristguild.com/index.php/topic,1052.msg3229.html?PHPSESSID=pbbqjtaia40f7ashpchfivffh6#msg3229
Here is the text of my review on Thomann for the Katana 100 2x12 and afterwards the review of the associated GA-FC footswitch, which is definitely recommended to make the use of the amplifier easier.

Pros: Excellent sounds, flexibility, build quality and volume. 4 channels so easy to use with a looper using a different tone.
Cons: No footswitch or USB cable supplied, no tuner, and mono only. Connections apart from instrument in are on the rear.
Recommendation: buy one before Boss change their minds!
I have had this amplifier for 2 months now, and I am still as in love with it as I was when I first fired it up.
God's teeth is it loud - I also own a Fender Mustang 3 V2, which I very much like, also 100w. But heavens the volume from the Boss has to be experienced to be believed. I am running it on 0.5w in the house and that is plenty (standing too close is not to be advised!). The build quality appears to be excellent - it's definitely a premium product. I had to update the firmware before using the Boss Tone Studio - a bit of a complicated process but easily enough done following the instructions carefully.
I've played all my guitars through it now, but usually use my acoustic Yamaha APX700 and my Epiphone Prophesy GX, the former using the acoustic pre-amp setting and the latter all the others. It has a much fuller tonal range than the Mustang, which can sound a little thin at times. The acoustic pre-amp is one of the main reasons I chose to buy this amplifier and it does not disappoint. Despite the relative simplicity of the controls there is a huge variety of tones available, all of them frankly excellent. The praise heaped on this machine for the brown sound is not misplaced. it's staggeringly good - as are the others. As I have grown more used to the amplifier I find the dynamic response of the crunch sound in particular is especially good. It really is simply excellent. The complimentary software is a little unintuitive, but works well. I've created my sounds which are now stored in on my laptop as a set.
The clean pre-amp takes external effects brilliantly, my Zoom G3X sounds better than it has ever done before.
I am giving 5 stars everywhere, because it just sounds so good, despite the niggling negatives: the amp is mono, there is no foot switch supplied and there is no tuner. And it is a bit pricey compared to the 1x12.
I now have a GA-FC which makes using the amplifier far simpler and enjoyable. The channels switch with very little delay - instantly for all practical purposes. Just a wonderful and wondrous machine.

And for the GA_FC:
In short: solid metal case, very 'sticky' feet, Katana supplied labels fit perfectly. Makes using the amplifier so much easier, and frankly essential for performance.
Detail: Plusses: chunky with a single row of foot switches. Red LEDs indicate which channel or effect is currently selected. Controls channel selection (including the panel) and switches the three effects groups on or off individually (being simple switches you cannot adjust any effect other than tap tempo parameters). It is also possible to switch the effects loop in and out It stays in place on the floor quite tenaciously.
Negatives: Does exactly what it says on the tin, although what it says on the tin is quite comprehensive, there is still no tuner which means running two cables across the floor to your playing position. The supplied control cable is cheap shiny plastic with moulded plugs and only 3 metres, so if you are serious about live use you will have to buy a longer better quality TRS lead. I am dropping a star in each category, total because it is expensive for what it is, features because there is no tuner, and quality because of the short and cheap control cable. The bottom line is that you do really have to have one if you have a Katana 100 or 1002x12.

[kneagle]

Great review - spot on!!

I have a question for you and others who bemoan the lack of a tuner, though. I'm sure you are aware of the inexpensive and easy to use clip-on tuners from Snark and others. I have recently (because the Katana doesn't have one) started to use one and I like it a lot. It finds the pitch quickly and is very stable - not jumping around from sharp to flat every time you breathe on it, plus easy to see and works fine with the guitar volume turned down.

I swear I'm not trolling - I just wonder if I'm not aware of some issue that would cause so many people to fault an amplifier that is (to my mind) easily hundreds of dollars under priced when there is a $20 fix.

kn

[joeshmoe69]

I have for many years have a Boss TU tuner pedal on my board.

For me if my 100w 1x12 had no effects, no reverb, no effects loop
and only the lead channel its worth twice what I payed for it.

I am a long time tube amp dude, butt this amp has changed that.

I am done buying amps, the Katana is the best new amp out there.

Jimmy

[kneagle]

I have for many years have a Boss TU tuner pedal on my board.

For me if my 100w 1x12 had no effects, no reverb, no effects loop
and only the lead channel its worth twice what I payed for it.

I am a long time tube amp dude, butt this amp has changed that.

I am done buying amps, the Katana is the best new amp out there.

Jimmy

amen