Boss Katana 100 combo, not bad at all

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bandit2013

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During Saturday's jam session I got a bit frustrated with the Carvin V3MC amp coupled to the Boss GT-100. I was not so happy with the tone of the amp and the characteristic I was getting with the Boss GT-100. I had reset to factory presets a while back since I kept getting this artifact ringing out with the Boss GT100 and the overall tone of the Carvin V3MC had changed somewhat that was a bit annoying. Keep in mind I have been using the clean channel on the Carvin along with the Boss GT-100 for the distortion effect. I was not able to use the other channels of the Carvin V3MC since we were running at bedroom levels. The small envelope the speaker was in on the Carvin combo amp rendered the tone to be a bit anemic. It does sound great with a different cabinet and going all out even at 7W power setting. Nothing really wrong with the amp but the level it is being used at will not take advantage of the tube preamp or the 50W quad EL84 power section. Sunday morning I did some research into the lower cost modeling type of amp. On video's alone I would have opted for the Line6 Spider V 120. However the Boss Katana was also on my radar just as much as the other amps in this category including the Marshall Code or the Fender Mustang.


Drove up to Raleigh NC to try some of these amps out. First was GC and I had all of the Line6 spiders to choose from as well as the Marshall code (whatever it was) and the Boss Katana Artist. I was a bit undecided which was better, Line6 or the Boss but I did find that the Line6 had a boxy tone to it no matter what I adjusted. Things would probably be different if I had an IPAD connected to the amp to adjust the amp models. The California crunch which is supposed to be a Mesa IIC+ model or the Diamond plate or Treadplate models that are supposed to be the Rectifier tones sounded nothing like the real deal. They were not bad but not great either, mostly related to the boxy sound of the combo amp (it did not seem to matter what cab model I used, it just sounded boxy and I would be better off with the Carvin V3MC). I traveled over to Sam Ash and tried the same models out over there along with the version 2 of the standard Katana amps. Odd that I actually liked the Katana over the Line6 amp. It had a more natural tone to it, warm and pleasant. I actually thought that sounded closer to a tube amp than the Line6. Sure things may be different if the Line6 was set up but the quirkiness of making changes on the amp panel was awkward. It was more complex than the GT-100 without using the aid of a PC to set parameters and to create patches. After a few hours of trial and error with all of the modeling amps available, I chose the one I felt had the better overall sound. The Katana apparently does not have any amp models you can select from a list and I did down load the Boss Tone print to modify the amp ahead of time to see what things can be changed. So going into this from the start, I had an idea that the amp models of the Boss Katana could not be changed, just the gain and tone controls. That actually simplified using the amp on its own. I wanted to avoid the amount of time I waste trying to get a decent sound out of the amp as I would rather spend more time playing than tweaking. Also I was comparing the tonal characteristics of each at reduced volume as well as at full power. Another bonus, I can change the speaker in the Katana with a different type if I so choose to do so as long as it has a Celestion frame it should fit since the Katana speaker has the same type of basket. I think this would work out fine for what I intend to use if for. When I got home I did plug in just to confirm that I was happy. Not bad at all and it was just as pleasant or even more so in the home environment. This by no means will replace any of my Mesa amps but for jam sessions at my friends home, it is much easier to travel with vs an amp and cabinet or the Mark V combo only to use it at sub prime volume levels. Last time I took a Mesa over it was the Mark IV, not something I could leave behind and it was way too loud even at a audible level. The Carvin V3MC also suffers from that it being too loud so the Boss GT-100 was the trick to get the simulated distortion. The Katana will make it easy as I will not need the Boss GT-100. The other bonus, it has an FX loop so I can use my strymon products with it if I so desire. The 0.5W power setting sounded great as did the 50W and 100W settings. I will see how things turn out in the next few months to come.


For anyone interested in a modeling amp, even if it is in the head format like the Katana head, Marshall Code or the Fender Mustang, try them out and compare. I did not go into this with the idea I was going to like the Boss, I actually thought the Line6 Spider V would have been more ideal. It boils down to what works for you. Sure the Line6 Spider V would have been a good choice if I could have gotten past the boxy tone on the combo. The Katana Artist also sounded great too but the standard Boss Katana 100 was less expensive and sounded just as good. For something like this, I would recommend to try before you buy as there may be something that you cannot change latter on if you so desire to do so.
 
At the moment I am trying to figure out the Boss tone studio as there were no instructions on how to use it. The Katana will work for the application I intend to use it for. By no means will this replace my Mesa amps. At least it was not a cost burden and it sound good to me. Will have to update the GT-100 and see if I can use it with that. Too bad you cannot select a new amp model as that would be cool. So far I like the amp models. Easily tailored with the Boss tone studio as there are other features in the amp that you cannot adjust on the control panel of the amp.
 
Not to long into using the Boss Tone Studio, I had an idea and wondered if I could import the files from the GT-100. Before I tried it I did a search on the Katana and found a method to load the hidden amp models in to the presets. Nice, now I can get the Mesa boogie tones loaded into it. Trick is to copy the patch into the library and then select the desired model and place it into a storage location or channel. That worked out great.

For those that have a Katana amp, here is a link to the method of getting the additional amp models.

https://github.com/katana-dev/docs/blob/master/how-to/use-28-amp-types.md


After I down loaded the file I looked at its extenion. It is a *.tsl file. That actually worked out great. So the idea to import the patch files from the GT-100 was basically the same. All I did was search for the .tsl files in the operating system folder where the Boss Tone Studio for GT was located. gt_preset_patches.tsl. I copied it to another folter so I can easily find it. Loaded it up into the Bost Tone Studio for the Katana and bingo. I will have to try out the settings and see if they work out.


I was hoping the line6 spider V would have had a better characteristic but it sounded so boxy- boomy or just laiden with overtones that were quite annoying. Both the line6 and Boss sound great at higher levels, however the Boss Katana had an advantage at the 0.5W setting that was hard to ignore, it sounded great. Now I have to spend some time setting up the Katana with the same or similar models I used with the GT-100 coupled to the Carvin V3MC. All I need is the footswitch controller and I am set, could use a volume control or expression pedal though. My hope is to leave the GT-100 at home and take the Katana. As for the Carvin V3MC, I may donate it to my friend but I need to rebias it and change a few tubes as well as the speaker to make it worth while. Not a bad amp but would serve the task as a head unit much better than the anemic combo it is. The V3MC has the Mark IV character to it when pusing a 412 cab as it is a 50W tube amp.
 
I gave the gt_preset_patches a try though the Katana Boss Tone Studio with the Katana plugged it. I sampled most of the patches and they seem to work. There were a few patches that resulted in no sound but that is ok as it may have used the custom amp model which is not supported in the Katana. I guess the next step would be to set up the amp model and other items for the effects with the GT-100 first and then export the files so I can load them in the Katana. The GT amp models have more control over some features that the Katana does not. Katana only has the tone controls and gain that do work, so the other pages to set up the amp model cannot be tailored with the Katana boss studio, it would have to be done with the GT-100 platform. Not sure if this can be done off-line or if you need the GT-100 to make the changes. Will find out much later when I have more time to invest.
 
It is possible to create a patch with different effects and amp models that are not in the Katana range but must be done with the GT-001 or GT-100 program and then saved in the librarian. Once that is done, you can export them to a file location of your choosing to import them in the Katan program. Trick is not to use the built in FX in the Katana (leave them off) and the result will be what you saved with the GT program. I really like the Terra Echo effect which is not a subset of the Katana offering. Also the Modern and Vintage rectifier amp models and the Boogie Lead or BG Lead. So you can transfer the amp models with the effects as you like it from the Boss GT-100 and then import that into the Katana. I generally turn off the noise gate as that has given me grief or it seems to add noise artifacts. No noise gate in use it sound much better. So far I like the Katana 100W combo amp with the simple GT-100 mod (imported amp models with effects). I will be using the amp at the 0.5W setting most of the time but the 50W and 100W is definitely really good. Definitely as loud as the TC-50 or TC-100. Stock speaker is not all that bad. For what I intend to use it for, it will work out. Also has an FX loop you can set as parallel or series. Have not messed with that yet but was plan B if I could not get the terra echo to work since I have the Terra echo pedal too. Of course there are the Strymon pedals I have that are not in the Boss list of effects. Still will not replace any of my Mesa amps but if I am going to leave it behind at my friends house I would rather it be the Katana vs any of my Mesa amps or cabs.
 

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