Boss Katana Artist MKII Guitar Amplifier
Cut through the mix with the Katana Artist MKII New for 2020, the Katana Artist MKII is part of the next generation of Boss Katana amps. The Katana Artist MKII is a professional 100-watt, 1x12 combo, with an analogue class-AB power amp, that builds upon the previous generation of Katana amps, with enhanced tone and exclusive features. Featuring a custom-designed 12' Waza speaker, the Katana Artist MK II gives you that classic British stack tone, with enhanced power handling. Thanks to the Boss Tube Logic design, the Katana Artist MKII has much more power than you would expect for an amp of its class and size, with presence and punch that cuts through the mix. The Katana Artist MK II also features a semi-closed back, for tighter and more focused tone, with rich low end. The Katana Artist MKII is the perfect choice of amp, no matter what style of music you play, with five amp characters (Acoustic, Clean, Crunch, Lead, Brown), each of which has five variations, plus three variations each of Delay, Reverb, Mod, FX, and Booster. With the Tone Studio editor software, you're more in control of your tone than ever before - customise three switchable Global EQ settings, as well as over 60 Boss effects. Other features also include a switchable Solo function, series/parallel effect loop, speaker outs, power amp in, eight saveable Tone Settings, Power Control, Mic'd cabinet emulation, optional footswitch integration, and USB and phone/recording out.
Cut through the mix with the Katana Artist MKII New for 2020, the Katana Artist MKII is part of the next generation of Boss Katana amps. The Katana Artist MKII is a professional 100-watt, 1x12 combo, with an analogue class-AB power amp, that builds upon the previous generation of Katana amps, with enhanced tone and exclusive features. Featuring a custom-designed 12' Waza speaker, the Katana Artist MK II gives you that classic British stack tone, with enhanced power handling. Thanks to the Boss Tube Logic design, the Katana Artist MKII has much more power than you would expect for an amp of its class and size, with presence and punch that cuts through the mix. The Katana Artist MK II also features a semi-closed back, for tighter and more focused tone, with rich low end. The Katana Artist MKII is the perfect choice of amp, no matter what style of music you play, with five amp characters (Acoustic, Clean, Crunch, Lead, Brown), each of which has five variations, plus three variations each of Delay, Reverb, Mod, FX, and Booster. With the Tone Studio editor software, you're more in control of your tone than ever before - customise three switchable Global EQ settings, as well as over 60 Boss effects. Other features also include a switchable Solo function, series/parallel effect loop, speaker outs, power amp in, eight saveable Tone Settings, Power Control, Mic'd cabinet emulation, optional footswitch integration, and USB and phone/recording out.
Cut through the mix with the Katana Artist MKII New for 2020, the Katana Artist MKII is part of the next generation of Boss Katana amps. The Katana Artist MKII is a professional 100-watt, 1x12 combo, with an analogue class-AB power amp, that builds upon the previous generation of Katana amps, with enhanced tone and exclusive features. Featuring a custom-designed 12' Waza speaker, the Katana Artist MK II gives you that classic British stack tone, with enhanced power handling. Thanks to the Boss Tube Logic design, the Katana Artist MKII has much more power than you would expect for an amp of its class and size, with presence and punch that cuts through the mix. The Katana Artist MK II also features a semi-closed back, for tighter and more focused tone, with rich low end. The Katana Artist MKII is the perfect choice of amp, no matter what style of music you play, with five amp characters (Acoustic, Clean, Crunch, Lead, Brown), each of which has five variations, plus three variations each of Delay, Reverb, Mod, FX, and Booster. With the Tone Studio editor software, you're more in control of your tone than ever before - customise three switchable Global EQ settings, as well as over 60 Boss effects. Other features also include a switchable Solo function, series/parallel effect loop, speaker outs, power amp in, eight saveable Tone Settings, Power Control, Mic'd cabinet emulation, optional footswitch integration, and USB and phone/recording out.
Cut through the mix with the Katana Artist MKII New for 2020, the Katana Artist MKII is part of the next generation of Boss Katana amps. The Katana Artist MKII is a professional 100-watt, 1x12 combo, with an analogue class-AB power amp, that builds upon the previous generation of Katana amps, with enhanced tone and exclusive features. Featuring a custom-designed 12' Waza speaker, the Katana Artist MK II gives you that classic British stack tone, with enhanced power handling. Thanks to the Boss Tube Logic design, the Katana Artist MKII has much more power than you would expect for an amp of its class and size, with presence and punch that cuts through the mix. The Katana Artist MK II also features a semi-closed back, for tighter and more focused tone, with rich low end. The Katana Artist MKII is the perfect choice of amp, no matter what style of music you play, with five amp characters (Acoustic, Clean, Crunch, Lead, Brown), each of which has five variations, plus three variations each of Delay, Reverb, Mod, FX, and Booster. With the Tone Studio editor software, you're more in control of your tone than ever before - customise three switchable Global EQ settings, as well as over 60 Boss effects. Other features also include a switchable Solo function, series/parallel effect loop, speaker outs, power amp in, eight saveable Tone Settings, Power Control, Mic'd cabinet emulation, optional footswitch integration, and USB and phone/recording out.
in 3 offers
The lowest price for Boss Katana Artist MKII Guitar Amplifier right now is $999.00 at Found Sound, compared across 3 retailers.
The all-time low was $525.93 on 14 Feb 2026 — today's price is 90% above the lowest ever. It has been notably cheaper before — worth setting a price alert.
Prices last updated 1 July 2026.
Last updated at 01/07/2026 11:55:02
BOSS KATANA Artist MKII 100 Watt 1x12"
Delivery between 10–14 July $599
BOSS Katana Artist MkII 1x12in Guitar Amp Combo
Delivery $57.29
Boss Katana Artist GEN 3 Head (KTNART3HD)
Delivery between 8–14 July $23.43
originally posted on Sam Ash
This Amplifier is outstanding. I started with a Katana 50 mkii but mainly needed a better way to control the amp and simpler set up for gigs. I didn't really need more volume.. thank goodness there is an attenuator/power control.. This is plenty loud.. it can drown out a full Pearl Master Series with Zildjians in a 12x20 closed room, at half volume, on 50 Watts. When the Waza greenback gets pushed, it really flexes it's muscles and creates an awesome full tone. Sure, hardcore tube lovers will always prefer tubes, but this thing sounds great. The engineering design for this modeler is a bit different from other digital modeling amps.. the Katana is designed to be a class AB amp, so it behaves kind of like it is expected, with the tone, and breakup following the ... MoreThis Amplifier is outstanding. I started with a Katana 50 mkii but mainly needed a better way to control the amp and simpler set up for gigs. I didn't really need more volume.. thank goodness there is an attenuator/power control.. This is plenty loud.. it can drown out a full Pearl Master Series with Zildjians in a 12x20 closed room, at half volume, on 50 Watts. When the Waza greenback gets pushed, it really flexes it's muscles and creates an awesome full tone. Sure, hardcore tube lovers will always prefer tubes, but this thing sounds great. The engineering design for this modeler is a bit different from other digital modeling amps.. the Katana is designed to be a class AB amp, so it behaves kind of like it is expected, with the tone, and breakup following the amount of input, the gain, and even how hard the guitar is strummed. I highly suggest this amp, and also getting Tone Studio, or the Katan Librarian for android, (better yet both) for ease of programming. It will work turning knobs, but using the software unleashes a much larger potential, including signal chain paths, foot control pedal assignments, different types of amps, other effects.. etc. It also makes it much easier. This one is just like another instrument, it will take a bit of learning to really maximize the experience, but the journey can be just as fun as the destination. Have a Blast, and Rock ON!
originally posted on guitarcenter.com
Hands down the best amp I've ever played on! I've only been playing guitar for 3 years but I've tried several amps at guitar stores (Solid state and tube, famous and obscure) and fiddled around with their settings and tonal possibilities. The Katana Artist is the best sounding and probably the most capable amp I've ever used.My first amp was a Katana 50 Mk1 back in 2019 and this is a huge step up. I always thought the 50 didn't sound too great when using high gain or high overdrive tones for rock, punk, and metal no matter how much I tried dialing it in differently. The 50 also didn't have much low end. The custom speaker in the Artist really makes a difference. Bass, mid, and treble all sound great on this and to make things more awesome It sounds great with high ... MoreHands down the best amp I've ever played on! I've only been playing guitar for 3 years but I've tried several amps at guitar stores (Solid state and tube, famous and obscure) and fiddled around with their settings and tonal possibilities. The Katana Artist is the best sounding and probably the most capable amp I've ever used.My first amp was a Katana 50 Mk1 back in 2019 and this is a huge step up. I always thought the 50 didn't sound too great when using high gain or high overdrive tones for rock, punk, and metal no matter how much I tried dialing it in differently. The 50 also didn't have much low end. The custom speaker in the Artist really makes a difference. Bass, mid, and treble all sound great on this and to make things more awesome It sounds great with high gain or overdrive on all amp types and boosters. The effects are just just like the Mk1 Katana models except you can run all 5 types at once instead of 3. The built in noise suppressor is still here and it still works wonders. The exclusive knobs and buttons on the Artist are also awesome for tone shaping. The contour and cab resonance settings are great for both emulating other artists tones or crafting your own.I'm currently not in a band and just practice in my room, but with a footswitch (like the GA-FC) I can tell the Artist would be perfect for performing!Coupled with the GA-FC Footswitch and EV-30 Dual Expression Pedal I feel like my home setup is complete with the Artist. I feel like I sound great playing any style and genre. The Artist might just be the only amp I'll ever need.
originally posted on guitarcenter.com
I always go to my local Guitar Center to try things out because I have gotten so many things based on internet recommendations and then when I got it I found some fatal flaw I did not think about. When I got this baby home and put up the gain and volume, I was not only impressed by how loud it was but how clean it was at a loud volume. I am very glad I went for the Artist with the Waza speaker. Unfortunately, my store did not have the GA-FC so I had to buy it online and wait a bit but make sure you buy it because it feels really nice and stout and really helps with gigs. I have gone to practice a few times and played one gig at a biker rally outdoors and I can tell you this thing is fine for gigging. It is incredibly loud but still sounds good. We have a heavy ... MoreI always go to my local Guitar Center to try things out because I have gotten so many things based on internet recommendations and then when I got it I found some fatal flaw I did not think about. When I got this baby home and put up the gain and volume, I was not only impressed by how loud it was but how clean it was at a loud volume. I am very glad I went for the Artist with the Waza speaker. Unfortunately, my store did not have the GA-FC so I had to buy it online and wait a bit but make sure you buy it because it feels really nice and stout and really helps with gigs. I have gone to practice a few times and played one gig at a biker rally outdoors and I can tell you this thing is fine for gigging. It is incredibly loud but still sounds good. We have a heavy handed drummer and he can bang as hard as he wants and this amp cuts through like a champ even outside on a windy day. I love that you can change the power output, The effects are really good, the tones are crisp. I would not say it is difficult to use but you do have to study the manual and play around for a while especially once you get the GA-FC foot controller. Once you figured it out, it's even better than you initially thought. I may even buy another one for more sound or the 2X12 cab, that expandability is a cool feature!It's an amazing combo amp for a low price. I don't think I have ever been so impressed with a product value wise.
| Instrument | Electric |
| Wattage | 100w |
| Speaker Impedance | 8 Ohms |
| Country of Manufacture | Taiwan |
BOSS KATANA Artist MKII 100 Watt 1x12"
Delivery between 10–14 July $599
BOSS Katana Artist MkII 1x12in Guitar Amp Combo
Delivery $57.29
Boss Katana Artist GEN 3 Head (KTNART3HD)
Delivery between 8–14 July $23.43
This Amplifier is outstanding. I started with a Katana 50 mkii but mainly needed a better way to control the amp and simpler set up for gigs. I didn't really need more volume.. thank goodness there is an attenuator/power control.. This is plenty loud.. it can drown out a full Pearl Master Series with Zildjians in a 12x20 closed room, at half volume, on 50 Watts. When the Waza greenback gets pushed, it really flexes it's muscles and creates an awesome full tone. Sure, hardcore tube lovers will always prefer tubes, but this thing sounds great. The engineering design for this modeler is a bit different from other digital modeling amps.. the Katana is designed to be a class AB amp, so it behaves kind of like it is expected, with the tone, and breakup following the ... MoreThis Amplifier is outstanding. I started with a Katana 50 mkii but mainly needed a better way to control the amp and simpler set up for gigs. I didn't really need more volume.. thank goodness there is an attenuator/power control.. This is plenty loud.. it can drown out a full Pearl Master Series with Zildjians in a 12x20 closed room, at half volume, on 50 Watts. When the Waza greenback gets pushed, it really flexes it's muscles and creates an awesome full tone. Sure, hardcore tube lovers will always prefer tubes, but this thing sounds great. The engineering design for this modeler is a bit different from other digital modeling amps.. the Katana is designed to be a class AB amp, so it behaves kind of like it is expected, with the tone, and breakup following the amount of input, the gain, and even how hard the guitar is strummed. I highly suggest this amp, and also getting Tone Studio, or the Katan Librarian for android, (better yet both) for ease of programming. It will work turning knobs, but using the software unleashes a much larger potential, including signal chain paths, foot control pedal assignments, different types of amps, other effects.. etc. It also makes it much easier. This one is just like another instrument, it will take a bit of learning to really maximize the experience, but the journey can be just as fun as the destination. Have a Blast, and Rock ON!
Hands down the best amp I've ever played on! I've only been playing guitar for 3 years but I've tried several amps at guitar stores (Solid state and tube, famous and obscure) and fiddled around with their settings and tonal possibilities. The Katana Artist is the best sounding and probably the most capable amp I've ever used.My first amp was a Katana 50 Mk1 back in 2019 and this is a huge step up. I always thought the 50 didn't sound too great when using high gain or high overdrive tones for rock, punk, and metal no matter how much I tried dialing it in differently. The 50 also didn't have much low end. The custom speaker in the Artist really makes a difference. Bass, mid, and treble all sound great on this and to make things more awesome It sounds great with high ... MoreHands down the best amp I've ever played on! I've only been playing guitar for 3 years but I've tried several amps at guitar stores (Solid state and tube, famous and obscure) and fiddled around with their settings and tonal possibilities. The Katana Artist is the best sounding and probably the most capable amp I've ever used.My first amp was a Katana 50 Mk1 back in 2019 and this is a huge step up. I always thought the 50 didn't sound too great when using high gain or high overdrive tones for rock, punk, and metal no matter how much I tried dialing it in differently. The 50 also didn't have much low end. The custom speaker in the Artist really makes a difference. Bass, mid, and treble all sound great on this and to make things more awesome It sounds great with high gain or overdrive on all amp types and boosters. The effects are just just like the Mk1 Katana models except you can run all 5 types at once instead of 3. The built in noise suppressor is still here and it still works wonders. The exclusive knobs and buttons on the Artist are also awesome for tone shaping. The contour and cab resonance settings are great for both emulating other artists tones or crafting your own.I'm currently not in a band and just practice in my room, but with a footswitch (like the GA-FC) I can tell the Artist would be perfect for performing!Coupled with the GA-FC Footswitch and EV-30 Dual Expression Pedal I feel like my home setup is complete with the Artist. I feel like I sound great playing any style and genre. The Artist might just be the only amp I'll ever need.
I always go to my local Guitar Center to try things out because I have gotten so many things based on internet recommendations and then when I got it I found some fatal flaw I did not think about. When I got this baby home and put up the gain and volume, I was not only impressed by how loud it was but how clean it was at a loud volume. I am very glad I went for the Artist with the Waza speaker. Unfortunately, my store did not have the GA-FC so I had to buy it online and wait a bit but make sure you buy it because it feels really nice and stout and really helps with gigs. I have gone to practice a few times and played one gig at a biker rally outdoors and I can tell you this thing is fine for gigging. It is incredibly loud but still sounds good. We have a heavy ... MoreI always go to my local Guitar Center to try things out because I have gotten so many things based on internet recommendations and then when I got it I found some fatal flaw I did not think about. When I got this baby home and put up the gain and volume, I was not only impressed by how loud it was but how clean it was at a loud volume. I am very glad I went for the Artist with the Waza speaker. Unfortunately, my store did not have the GA-FC so I had to buy it online and wait a bit but make sure you buy it because it feels really nice and stout and really helps with gigs. I have gone to practice a few times and played one gig at a biker rally outdoors and I can tell you this thing is fine for gigging. It is incredibly loud but still sounds good. We have a heavy handed drummer and he can bang as hard as he wants and this amp cuts through like a champ even outside on a windy day. I love that you can change the power output, The effects are really good, the tones are crisp. I would not say it is difficult to use but you do have to study the manual and play around for a while especially once you get the GA-FC foot controller. Once you figured it out, it's even better than you initially thought. I may even buy another one for more sound or the 2X12 cab, that expandability is a cool feature!It's an amazing combo amp for a low price. I don't think I have ever been so impressed with a product value wise.
I traded in a Fender '65 Princeton Reverb. It was a great little amp but to get full use I had to plug in effects, I used a Boss ME80 for years. Still, I felt limited in what tones and sounds I could obtain. I love Fender's built in tremelo and reverb -- the reason I bought the Princeton in first place.Then, I get the MKII Artist home and start learning sessions. I did buy the GEFC foot control with it. My main goals (1) reduce foot print to 1 amp with built in effects and 1 simple foot switch setup so I can stop carrying a suitcase full of gear. This amp/foot control package hit that mark easily, but I was still on the fence for first few practice sessions.The type of music I play live does not need a lot of distortion and it seemed like all the settings other ... MoreI traded in a Fender '65 Princeton Reverb. It was a great little amp but to get full use I had to plug in effects, I used a Boss ME80 for years. Still, I felt limited in what tones and sounds I could obtain. I love Fender's built in tremelo and reverb -- the reason I bought the Princeton in first place.Then, I get the MKII Artist home and start learning sessions. I did buy the GEFC foot control with it. My main goals (1) reduce foot print to 1 amp with built in effects and 1 simple foot switch setup so I can stop carrying a suitcase full of gear. This amp/foot control package hit that mark easily, but I was still on the fence for first few practice sessions.The type of music I play live does not need a lot of distortion and it seemed like all the settings other than "clean" (crunch, lead, brown, boost and solo) would push distortion WAY over the top and loose the clarity. The clean sounds are great, I was happy with that (playing Les Paul and Telecaster) but I was considering using the 45 day return option because too much distortion.But as I started twisting knobs, using various volumes and using the foot controller I found many, many sweet spots. Now I can preset really nice dialed-in distortion settings for all kinds of styles, blues, radio rock, 50's and 60's, classic rock, country. I don't play heavy metal but I found tones that will work for that genre easily. With simple "step on the switch" I can go from the clean intro to La Grange, then hit another switch and nail the Billy Gibbons sound for the driving rhythm, using my telecaster, or Les Paul. Then I can set another switch for just a little bit of dirt, some delay and chorus and hit so many top 40 rhythm guitar sounds as well has stuff like Green Onions and anything by Merle Haggard.Then I explored the 2 different banks (A & B) so I have 8 different tones I can preset so I never have to mess with dials on stage. Also, for mellow songs the acoustic setting is great -- not completely "natural" acoustic tone because I'm using solid body guitars. I think a semi-hollow electric would sound even more like natural acoustic -- but either way the tone is great.So, I'll keep it. This amp surprises me every time I plug in -- there are so many settings that I haven't even fully explored. The price, well that is the catch for many, including me. If you want a great amp the 50W or 100W Katana will most likely give you about 80% of what the Artist has for much less cost.I'm sure if I had chosen the smaller versions I'd still be very satisfied, I owned an earlier 100w Katana amp (pre pandemic) and was very disappointed so I took it back (thats when I bought the Princeton). Boss has made HUGE improvements in features, sound, controls, tone -- the full package.
BOSS created the product like a boss, and confirms it's the boss on this market.I own the old 50 watt Katana and the Katana Mini. Both are great. Just bought the Katana 100 mk2, and yes, after whole day spent on setting and playing - I love it.Whatever you need - crispy or warm cleans, crunch or hi-gain sounds you will get it from this amp. Plus - lot of BOSS stomp boxes available as plugins (7 at a time, where 5 manageable by additional GA-FC foot switch).Bit ugly, but fully working BOSS Tone Studio software for setting each aspect of this amp and available effects).Total 9 presets (channel Ax4, channel Bx4 plus "Panel"). Combined with switchable effects quite ok to play a gig.Considering the price/value ratio this amp is an unbeatable champion on the ... MoreBOSS created the product like a boss, and confirms it's the boss on this market.I own the old 50 watt Katana and the Katana Mini. Both are great. Just bought the Katana 100 mk2, and yes, after whole day spent on setting and playing - I love it.Whatever you need - crispy or warm cleans, crunch or hi-gain sounds you will get it from this amp. Plus - lot of BOSS stomp boxes available as plugins (7 at a time, where 5 manageable by additional GA-FC foot switch).Bit ugly, but fully working BOSS Tone Studio software for setting each aspect of this amp and available effects).Total 9 presets (channel Ax4, channel Bx4 plus "Panel"). Combined with switchable effects quite ok to play a gig.Considering the price/value ratio this amp is an unbeatable champion on the market. I bought a week ago KATAlist from some multi-Line company, and I am sending it back. That thing is good only for couch, while Katana is great for practicing, recording and life shows (assuming you will buy the foot controller).To summarize:- great sounding- very flexible- very nicely priced- relatively small and lightweightYou can't go wrong buying it.
I'm moving from a headrush pedal board with a tube amp to an all in one combo. Picked this up from guitar center this morning and was jamming at practice within 30 minutes of getting home. It was so easy that within the first 30 minutes, I had downloaded and updated the firmware to v 2.0, downloaded the new tone studio, spun up the a/b/c/d patches in tone studio and loaded them. They sounded great! Down side I found was using a wah with the GA-FC pedal didn't let you turn the wah off in an obvious way- so I will say tweaking "effects" stomps and expression pedals is a little more involved and will take more than 30 minutes.Tone wise, the amp sounds warm and fat- plenty of effects. You can use the amp models for dirt or stomp style distortion called "boost". There ... MoreI'm moving from a headrush pedal board with a tube amp to an all in one combo. Picked this up from guitar center this morning and was jamming at practice within 30 minutes of getting home. It was so easy that within the first 30 minutes, I had downloaded and updated the firmware to v 2.0, downloaded the new tone studio, spun up the a/b/c/d patches in tone studio and loaded them. They sounded great! Down side I found was using a wah with the GA-FC pedal didn't let you turn the wah off in an obvious way- so I will say tweaking "effects" stomps and expression pedals is a little more involved and will take more than 30 minutes.Tone wise, the amp sounds warm and fat- plenty of effects. You can use the amp models for dirt or stomp style distortion called "boost". There are a few different effects chains to choose from for each preset you make so you can set certain effects before or after the power amp gain stage.Overall the sound of the amp allowed the guitar to cut through the mix. Played with the band at .5 watt setting in practice studio and it was loud. Going to 50 watts would have shook the house and is probably appropriate for most gigs. 100 watt setting? Very loud but still crisp.I recorded the jam sessions using the "line out" as the "record out" disables the speaker when you plug in, so if you want the amp and the output to a PA, you need to use line out to get both.Overall for the portability, quality and tone, this is a great sounding amp for the money.
I've really grown to love this amp. The past few years I've been on a tone journey searching for an idea solution for a silent home option that still gives me the ability to play with friends. I trialed a BOSS ME80 and loved it but wanted more control over effects placement/choices. So logical next step was to upgrade to a helix LT. Helix was impressive and gave me the options I had wanted, but honestly the feel just wasn't there for me and I found myself spending more time menu diving than playing. The Katana Artist really lets me feel like I have an amp again and satisfies the "plug n' play" thing that I really love about a good amp. There still is a bit of a learning curve with the ToneStudio, but I appreciate that there are less parameters than helix. It only ... MoreI've really grown to love this amp. The past few years I've been on a tone journey searching for an idea solution for a silent home option that still gives me the ability to play with friends. I trialed a BOSS ME80 and loved it but wanted more control over effects placement/choices. So logical next step was to upgrade to a helix LT. Helix was impressive and gave me the options I had wanted, but honestly the feel just wasn't there for me and I found myself spending more time menu diving than playing. The Katana Artist really lets me feel like I have an amp again and satisfies the "plug n' play" thing that I really love about a good amp. There still is a bit of a learning curve with the ToneStudio, but I appreciate that there are less parameters than helix. It only took me a few minutes of tweaking and I felt like I was spending more time making music and playing. A downside for some has been that you need to be connected to the ToneStudio to have full access to your presets, but for me that has actually been a huge upside. I play at home 99% of the time (so honestly it's a moot point as I'm always near a computer), but not being able to menu dive has reinvigorated my playing. I tend to focus more on playing with dynamics and using my pickup selector/volume knob instead of trying a different boost pedal or amp/cab model. Is the Katana as dynamic as a tube amp, I'd say definitely not. The crunch channel has some great dynamics but that edge of breakup feel/tone is close but not 100% there, and harmonics don't quite have the same dimension that good quality tube amp does. But cranking the preamp volume and gain with the master on low and the output set to 0.5W lets me get a pretty convincing driven amp tone, and the cab resonance control really has a great way of changing the feel/sag of the notes, all at a home friendly volume. I'm a big SRV and EJ/Bonamassa fan, so for me having some super clean with chorus, a driven TS tone, and a full out ODS style OD was a must. The reverb is pretty exceptional (not too washy), the tape echo has a subtle but tasteful wow/flutter, and the crunch/brown channel gets me into the D-style OD/HRM territory that I really love. Most fun part has been taking a dive into some of my favorite players signal chains, and recreating their basic amp tones but in a simpler and convincing way. The GAFC-EX lets me mimic an EJ-style set up with a Clean/Chorus/Delay, Dirty Rhythm, and Lead tones that are easy to program and switch between (and then I still have 5 more presets available). All that said, the Katana Artist sits in a great space. It's not the most advanced modeler out there and if you really wanted to scrutinize the effects I'm sure you could find another set of options, but its been the one piece of gear that I've had the past few years that inspires me to make music and makes me excited to play guitar again. For someone that is looking for a great sounding all-in-one solution for home/gigging/recording and doesn't need a ton of DSP to create elaborate patches or have more than 8 presets in a given rig, this is an amazing option that you definitely owe it to yourself to check out.
I've played guitar since 1987 and have owned many tube amps, including a 1988 Marshall JCM 800 and a Fender Eric Clapton Champ Reissue. I am pretty familiar with tube tone and have a good ear for sound.I remember BOSS from the cheezy OD-1 pedal and would NEVER have thought I would own any of their equipment. But on hearing this amp...I am a BOSS converted! This amp is not exactly like a Fender, not exactly like a Marshall, and not exactly like a Soldano, but I can get sounds that are mine that would get from those three amp types. I'm amazed. Truly amazed. Even the onboard effects are decent sounding. The Vox Wah is very good, the Tube Screamer is adequate, and the Uni-Vibe works well enough. I've owned the real deals and can confirm that.So where does this amp ... MoreI've played guitar since 1987 and have owned many tube amps, including a 1988 Marshall JCM 800 and a Fender Eric Clapton Champ Reissue. I am pretty familiar with tube tone and have a good ear for sound.I remember BOSS from the cheezy OD-1 pedal and would NEVER have thought I would own any of their equipment. But on hearing this amp...I am a BOSS converted! This amp is not exactly like a Fender, not exactly like a Marshall, and not exactly like a Soldano, but I can get sounds that are mine that would get from those three amp types. I'm amazed. Truly amazed. Even the onboard effects are decent sounding. The Vox Wah is very good, the Tube Screamer is adequate, and the Uni-Vibe works well enough. I've owned the real deals and can confirm that.So where does this amp fall down? I had hoped for a more flexible effects chain - like the ability to have two boosters and no delay. You can't do that - now, anyway. It could be that software will change that. Also, although the amp alone will sound really good just by turning knobs (like a good amp should!), you will absolutely need to use the Katana Tone Studio to change effects parameters. In fact, you'll want to use it to tune the amps more finely as well.The final word is - I like this amp and recommend it. It's even better with the Tone Studio software, so be prepared for a lot of learning curve and twiddling with your mouse to set things up the way you'll really, really like it.
I am a long time Line 6 user and have had a Pod HD500 for several years. I had a Headrush FRFR to play it through but always found it complex to just dial in tones to play for fun. On a whim I saw the Katana and was intrigued to try it. These days I mostly play guitar for fun and with friends, so wanted something powerful enough to jam with as well as being simple enough to dial in tones. The Katana 50 Mk II does exactly what I wanted with a few limitations.Pros:- Amazing tone. It was super easy to dial in great tones on the fly. It isn't a tube amp, but close enough for my needs. Whether with a Les Paul or a Strat it is pick sensitive and can clean up or snarl with playing style or simple volume adjustments.- Love Boss Tone Studio - a much simpler way to ... MoreI am a long time Line 6 user and have had a Pod HD500 for several years. I had a Headrush FRFR to play it through but always found it complex to just dial in tones to play for fun. On a whim I saw the Katana and was intrigued to try it. These days I mostly play guitar for fun and with friends, so wanted something powerful enough to jam with as well as being simple enough to dial in tones. The Katana 50 Mk II does exactly what I wanted with a few limitations.Pros:- Amazing tone. It was super easy to dial in great tones on the fly. It isn't a tube amp, but close enough for my needs. Whether with a Les Paul or a Strat it is pick sensitive and can clean up or snarl with playing style or simple volume adjustments.- Love Boss Tone Studio - a much simpler way to connect the amp to your computer and adjust on the fly. I also found some very usable tones from their tone bank (although it is very limited). What I like here is I can either keep it simple or get complex (but complexity isn't required). I also love that I could change out the Boss effects controlled by each knob on the amp and then tweak the settings. So, when I want a compressor or overdrive I have it all preset and just dial in the amount with the knob on my preset.- Size and wattage - While I found the .5 watt really too little, it is great to use it at 25w and then jump to 50w if needed. Size and weight are perfect for my needs. great to grab and go.Cons: (note, these are really trade offs for getting the 50 vs the 100)- Footswitch options are really limited. No midi. All of these are available if you go to the 100w model. However, since I didn't by this to gig with I am ok with the FS-6 so I can change between the 4 presets. (Note the FS-6 is an additional purchase).- Firmware updating - I thought I was pretty handy with computers, but the process baffled me until I really went line by line and focused. Probably my ADHD, but this was a pain and took me 3-4 attempts to get it done. I figured it out, but it is a complex process that could be easier (like Line 6 Monkey...which also can be a pain).Note that I didn't ding them on number of amp models, etc. The reason for this is all the amp models in some other amps (cough...Line 6) really are overkill. If I were gigging this I might feel differently, but I get Vox/Fender cleans and a great Marshall JCM800 tone that covers my needs.All in all, this so totally fit my needs that I put the HD 500 in the gig bag and stored it, packed the FRFR to sell, and now just quickly plug in and play with a smile on my face! Boss really nailed it with the Katana's.
I bought this amp for my son who has only been playing for around 10 months but is already a guitar God. It is great! I feel the versitility of the amp is out of this world. You could think of any band and stand a good chance of replicating their tone. The wide range of tones can also be accessed and controlled on the Boss Katana tone studio which was easy enough to download onto a laptop. It doesn't matter if you're using single coils, humbuckers or p90s this amp can do all of them justice. Along side this, the acoustic setting on the app is great when you have either your electric or acoustic guitar pluged into the amp. The amp is easy to use and loud. So very loud ;) I have not used this amp for any gigs yet but I'm sure it will do just the job.P.S I can't ... MoreI bought this amp for my son who has only been playing for around 10 months but is already a guitar God. It is great! I feel the versitility of the amp is out of this world. You could think of any band and stand a good chance of replicating their tone. The wide range of tones can also be accessed and controlled on the Boss Katana tone studio which was easy enough to download onto a laptop. It doesn't matter if you're using single coils, humbuckers or p90s this amp can do all of them justice. Along side this, the acoustic setting on the app is great when you have either your electric or acoustic guitar pluged into the amp. The amp is easy to use and loud. So very loud ;) I have not used this amp for any gigs yet but I'm sure it will do just the job.P.S I can't really give a fair rating for reliability because I've only had it a few weeks although it does seem to be built well.
| Instrument | Electric |
| Wattage | 100w |
| Speaker Impedance | 8 Ohms |
| Country of Manufacture | Taiwan |
