BOSS Katana Fan Club

[Dgd73]

If you like 80s thrash type stuff this guy has a few videos that I really enjoyed with the katana mk II. I believe he has patches you can download but I wasn't able to with my mk I, but on some videos he does put up screenshots of his settings.

 

[Scallywag77]

Some users have some great patches to dl, and really dial in some great tones. Do all the work for you.
Tone studio is a time sponge. I blew hours tweaking.
Hours

I agree. It’s a useful tool but a very deep rabbit hole to fall into. I did some minor tweeks when I first got and haven’t touched it since.

 

[Dega500]

I have the Katana 50 MKII 112 in White. It's a great amp for what it is.
I love that you can get it to clean up a good bit by rolling off the guitars volume which IMO was not very doable with solid state amps not to long ago.
My friend/ band mate recently bought a Friedman Twin Sister and I can tell that every now and then I coax a tone out of my little Katana that makes him regret his purchase just a little bit!

However, this did not stop me from purchasing a new Marshall DSL40CR just a week or so ago!

 

[TheKman76]

Welcome the club. Here's a trick, try the V-type in the Katana. Huge improvement to my ears.

 

[solarburn]

I said this long time ago and have not heard anyone else try it and confirm. Chappers gave this lil secret out long ago. I also confirmed it back then when I tried what he found. Told ya sooooo!!!

Try it you might like it? Or not.

 

[TheKman76]

I saw the first one where he speculated about this and I wasn't sure I could here it, honestly.
Tried my daughters and definitely didn't notice anything.
Not much of a player myself, maybe I just wouldn't notice anyway.

 

[BRMarshall]

My Mk II 50 arrived about a weak ago and I’m very happy with it so far. I’ve been able to find tones I like with it on “panel” and using the knobs like a regular amp. I’m an older guy and although much of my job involves computer work, I’ll likely not access the tone studio - we’ll see.

I’m pretty happy with the tone of the stock speaker. I do have a new V-Type still in the box. I’ve been running 2 1x12 cabs with my Origin20H (Greenback & V-Type) and have plans to build a 2x12 cab with the Vs. It sounds like it might be worthwhile throwing a V in the Katana for a test drive.

 

[solarburn]

I saw the first one where he speculated about this and I wasn't sure I could here it, honestly.
Tried my daughters and definitely didn't notice anything.
Not much of a player myself, maybe I just wouldn't notice anyway.

Well it’s subtle both in sound and feel. I like it with the master high. I’ve got the 100 watt head and combo. I would say the sound is a bit more open. Notice it more through my 412 cabs with the head.

 

[TheKman76]

I built a MkII head into a custom combo (1x12, 2.5cf volume). I spent a good ten minutes tweaking and playing. *shrugs*

 

[solarburn]

I built a MkII head into a custom combo (1x12, 2.5cf volume). I spent a good ten minutes tweaking and playing. *shrugs*

I think it sounds cool enuff thru my 5153 412 and my Orange 412. However I’m having fun with other amps so I don’t get to the Katanas much anymore.

 

[TheKman76]

My Mk II 50 arrived about a weak ago and I’m very happy with it so far. I’ve been able to find tones I like with it on “panel” and using the knobs like a regular amp. I’m an older guy and although much of my job involves computer work, I’ll likely not access the tone studio - we’ll see.

I’m pretty happy with the tone of the stock speaker. I do have a new V-Type still in the box. I’ve been running 2 1x12 cabs with my Origin20H (Greenback & V-Type) and have plans to build a 2x12 cab with the Vs. It sounds like it might be worthwhile throwing a V in the Katana for a test drive.

I probably should have prefaced my experience with the Katana and V-type by saying that I've never heard the stock speaker in person. The first speaker I tried was a G12H-75 Cream back and the combination of Katana mid-focus and Celestion was just too much mids. I also tried an Eminence Swamp Thang, better though still not a good match. The V-type test was out of shear curiosity, turned out to be a great match to my ears.

Tone Studio is an awesome tool for truly honing the tones. We don't play with the effects all that much, but being able to place a three-band parametric EQ globally at the input was a massive boon. The contour and global EQ alone are well worth the investment in time.

 

[BRMarshall]

I’ve got vacation coming up soon so may venture into the Tone Studio - have to order a sufficient length usb. I have a desktop and couple of Chromebooks. I may try with one of the Chromebook’s first as it would add portability. I’ve got a lot of outdoor work so see how time goes. I really have been pleased with the 4 amp settings and Gain knob adjustments along with the 4 alternates right now.

The Greenback is the most expensive Celestion I have, but side by side with the V-Type, I prefer the V. A speaker swap is a quick, reversible mod that I’m familiar with.

 

[-BOOGIEMAN-]

I’m sold on the Waza speakers, they are fantastic!!! If they weren’t going for $200 bucks a pop, I’d have both of my Marshall 412’s loaded with them. The Artist has easily become my favorite amp purchase over the last couple of years, not because it’s better than my tube amps, because it’s so damn versatile, sounds fantastic with or without patches. This is what I would use if I were still playing live without question…

 

[Scallywag77]

I run the master high and volume low on my Katana Mk2 100h through an Orange 2x12 with Vintage 30s. Sounds better to me that way.

 

[TheKman76]

I’m sold on the Waza speakers, they are fantastic!!!

I picked up an Artist and it had a faulty speaker, coil rubbing in the gap. I wished I'd had it replaced, but there was no stock in the country at the time.

 

[Sacalait]

I'd go on record to say if you can't get excellent tone and vibe from a Katana, go find another vocation. I have an SV20 and JVM205H- which are freakin' righteous Marshall tube amps. And I use them all the time. However, I've been taking the Katana Artist MKII I bought two years ago out more than anything. It's especially awesome if you're doing cover band work. Now if you're strictly doing a rock and roll gig, the Marshalls would get the nod. But the class AB amp in the Katana is righteous too. Boss knocked that amp out of the ballpark man! I'm def a fanboy!

 

[BRMarshall]

Just curiou. Is the output on the Katana 100 Mk II (2x12) set up so you coul use it with the 2x12 cabinet for a 4x12 sort of stack?

 

[Kutt]

Looks like no:

 

[BRMarshall]

I thought that the Head Phones/Rec Out (23) cut off the speaker, but wasn’t sure if the Line Out (17) also cut off the speaker - for a line level signal into a mixer instead of micing it? I guess it would be labeled “Ext. Speaker” or something similar if it were the case.

I guess you could make and wire up a speaker out along the inside of the cab ala many Marshalls as 2x8ohm + 1x16ohm (or 2x16 + 1x8). As long as all 4 speakers were 8 or 16 ohm, you could series/parallel the 4 speakers to get back to the original impedance.

This just seemed like what could be an easy way to get a half-stack 4x12 option and still maintain the relative convenient grab and go portability of the 2x12 combo. Maybe the Mk III can add this option. The 2x12 combo stack option or even 2 1x12s (combo + extra cabinet).

 

[Maxbrothman]

So this time last year, 2022, I was looking at travel guitars and travel amps and wanted to bring something lightweight on holiday. I brought nothing and ordered a Harley Benton SG and Boss Mini to be shipped to the destination. It cost me two hundred squids in total plus shipping. That is why I brought nothing. I planned on visiting this place every two years, so I left it there. Now it looks like I will be going yearly, so off I am again, but this time I am taking the Spark Go and a Harley Benton wireless dongle set. I will bring the Spark Go back with me. So Harley Benton, Boss Katana and Spark Go for the travel win!