Boss Katana 50 Unboxing & Exploring - Guitar Lesson, Amp Review, Tutorial JustinGuitar

In this video I check out the Boss Katana 50 amp and start exploring it, I plan on doing some deeper 'how to use' videos once I've explored it more myself, but figured people might be interested in seeing how I get into an amp and what I'm checking out and how! Please note that though the amp was given to me by Boss, it's not a paid placement or endorsement, I'm just trying to help beginners choose a great amp! :)
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[@justinguitar]

I'm getting into it and making more patches soon - have done one already - get it free over on my site - much more stuff coming soon, including song and artist patches and more tutorials on using Tone Central! www.justinguitar.com/modules/boss-katana

[@johncohle8331]

im confused Justin. Can the patches be downloaded directly to the amp?

[@johncohle8331]

+ Jeff I know but can you load the patches onto the amp and use them without being connected to the tone studio? I mean can you add these new presets to the amp after you download them or do the patches only work wen you have the usb connected?

[@johncohle8331]

Jeff. Ahhh that's the answer I was looking for. So I can have 4 presets loaded without the usb. I was looking at the mustang gt because of the ease of use. But people are raving about the katana. Thanks

[@johncohle8331]

Jeff. the ones on the panel are crunch,brown,etc? Thanks. I think you've convinced me to get the katana instead of the fender mustand

[@iainthompson6371]

Hi Justin, I belong to a Katana group that shares free patches amongst our 6k members. Would it be ok to share your patches? If that's not cool of course we'll completely understand.

[@robstimson4234]

I chuckled when you kept referring to this as a beginner amp. I'm 63, been playing guitar for 52 years. .. not exactly a beginner! I bought a Katana 50 two Januarys ago, and in terms of bang-for-buck, it's the best purchase [musical] I've ever made. The clean tone with various amounts of boost is my favorite setting. Good vid!

[@rogerwilliams2629]

You posted my thoughts, Rob! I played professionally from 77 to 95 and one off gigs since then. Had Lab Series, JC120s, Twins, Marshall, Mesa, Laney, and Peaveys. I have a 2 x 12 Katana and it's easily one of, if not the best amp I've ever had. Been playing 56 years. Glad I now have a "beginner" amp! lol

[@KKMDStyle]

I agree that the Katana is an amazing amp. I think Justin is defining beginner amps with tubeless amps.

[@aquatichighs]

For cleans this amp is phenomenal. Not a big fan of the distorted sounds.

[@bradleymunn9940]

A tip for those amps is to turn the master up all the way and use the other volume knob to control how loud it is. It gives the amp a more natural sound

[@Zanmato_7]

Oh thanks for this, ive been using it for ages and this makes some difference to my tone seriously good advice.

[@richardbrsdley8375]

There is a volume and a master .... You say to turn the master all the way up and use the volume to control the amp's volume? I have had this amp over a yr and haven't even tried to dive into the patchs or the software. Just been pluging straight into it and using the basic treb mid and bass controls. Need to learn about this amp I got mine used so no user manual....

[@adiroxar3499]

You mentioned briefly near the beginning of the video you might consider doing lesson-type videos on how to set up presets. I, for one, would find that very helpful! Thank you by the way for the time you put in to your videos, they are always informative, very clear and easy to follow. The Rutbuster series with Lee from Andertons have been probably the single biggest factor in my progression in the past few months!

[@justinguitar]

Glad you dig the rutbusters and yes I'll be trying to get into doing some preset vids and stuff soon!

[@davide_p]

Same for me for the rutbuster series, it really got me into theory, which I had tried to start learning before but never succeded, so thank you very much Justin (and Lee of course)!

[@maximilien_4382]

Check out Rebea's video about it ! (don't remember how his name is spelt, but you must know him)

[@DanSZiegler]

Adi Roxar Love the Rutbuster series!!!

[@capitanvonchickenpants8492]

Wish id had this amp when I was 19 back in 1980

[@mitsumune5459]

I really like your profile picture, it's so cute :3

[@vincit1813]

Same here, I was frustrated to say the least and spent a fortune

[@vincit1813]

@Jay Bee Amplifiers that were not suitable, like my first guitar amp HH 100 top which wasn't a practice amplifier at all lol.

[@joebloggs1444]

On gigs I use my 50 with the master all the way up and then control the volume using the channel volume. This gives the amp maximum depth and "valveyness" and also allows you to save your volume settings as well tones etc on each channel. Very useful...can't imagine ever going back to valve amps now Katana's excist ..👍😎

[@IgnoresTrolls]

Crunch, back the gain off to about 9 o'clock, add a bit of blues driver, delay and reverb to taste. That gives a nice rock tone.

[@3to5andglassy]

Not just a beginner amp. Great little amp with cool tones and lots of settings.

[@shawnbell6392]

Just getting to this now. I knew the second I saw it it would be a well thought review with normal, real world playing rather than obsessing on "brown sound" the whole time. Thank you so much.

[@ruthhancock7665]

When Justin says it’s good, I know it’s good. Bought this amp two weeks ago, and I absolutely love it.

[@williamsherman1089]

Found a mark2 of this amp at a pawn shop for less than two hundred, I'm thinking I'm gonna get it

[@mmariner2178]

Hi Justin, I've decided to start playing guitar again (after a 10 year hiatus). I bought the Epiphone ES 339 Pro, and, thanks to your review, and the recommendation from the music store, I also bought the Boss Katana 50. I love it. Thanks again, and I've subscribed to your KZbin channel and following your lessons. All the best from Canada!!!

[@cltcwarrior1]

Justin, that blues improv solo... awesome. I wish I had just a quarter of your talent.

[@markkeohane9850]

I have my son's. He left it behind when he moved out, together with his Pacifica. When he's got a bigger place perhaps he'll want it back. Meantime I've been playing with it. Without having read the manual. Randomly pressing buttons last week I suddenly found I had a chorus. I LOVE a chorus. Now I'm reading the book and checking out vids like this one to see what's possible next time I go over the local the the monthly blues jam. I could do with being able to improv on blues though. More practice needed. My usual axe is an acoustic and I generally haven't been doing blues. Thanks for the vid. Sorry it's taken me five years to watch it.

[@mistrp13331]

Justin, thanks for sharing your immense talents and valuable time with us. I’m in my mid 60’s, retired and learning to play. I have been watching and learning from you for several years now. A few years back in 2015, you did a Knopfler brothers in arms lesson (SB-342) -FANTASTIC BTW! The tone you achieved with a Shur badger 30 was the best I’ve heard for this song. If you could re-create with the KATANA and share it...it would be much appreciated sir. Vr, Mike

[@nihilistictanuki6947]

Started playing guitar with the Boss Katana 2 years ago and I still use it because with the amazing tone studio it has sooo much to explore. Can recommend that amp to every beginner, especially if you are into harder stuff.

[@charlescollins7368]

Thanks for the overview! The overhead camera was great for seeing your settings while you tested the amp. I bought this amp a couple of weeks ago and am getting aquainted with it. I got to say I'm very impressed with this amp and yes it's beyond just a practice amp! I've been playing and gigging for decades. My next gig is soon and I plan on using this amp on a regular bases.The tones and effects are great and the reverb is outstanding! I'm going to check out your video on the Tone Center overview next. Thanks again for your explanations demo

[@joebloggs1444]

The Katana 50 is not a practice amp...or just a "beginners" amp!! Easily giggable and sound great for recording too!! The valve is no longer nescessary...for great guitar tone...

[@garystackhouse5787]

No... not for great SOUND.... but good SS and Digital have been there for years. The difference with valves is not the SOUND, but the FEEL... the way the amp responds to your playing. The Katana is closer than most, which is why it's been well-received, but it still doesn't have the same feel as a tube amp. Some players can tell the difference between tube and non-tube when they play through an amp, VERY FEW will tell the difference when someone else is playing... and certainly audiences can't tell. For quite a few years in my band and in the studio, I used a Boss GT10, then GT100 and audiences and producers/engineers loved the sound. However, when I went back and dug out my tube amps and pedalboard, I was PLAYING BETTER because I could feel the amp responding to my playing. The question is, if you DO feel a difference with a tube amp, is it worth the extra weight, fragility and cost? If not, I'd rather run a modeling pedal direct than lug an amp around and not get the feel. YMMV.

[@tomthx5804]

I use mine when I play wembley stadium.

[@aristotilus5188]

I see this all the time when people compare valve to SS - feel. Aside from the metal community, guitarists are some of the biggest purists out there and are obsessed with re-creating the sound from the blues rock / rock era when the quality of the early amps weren't even close to the working order of today's amps. People talk about how guitarists like Hendrix or SRV had a "feel" for the instrument (which is usually tied to another argument that theory destroyed creativity) but either ignore or are ignorant of the fact that all those classic rock / blues people experimented with their gear like mad and weren't completely and irrevocably married to X sound. Hell, BB King used SS amps at the end of his career. Valve amps are great and all, but they're not perfect and the technology they're based on is decades old. Is there a difference? Sure, but it's not a difference in "feel" because people doing blind-tests with, say, a modeling amp like a Kemper have an incredibly hard time telling it apart from a valve amp - and they crank them to get that power amp "feel".

[@garystackhouse5787]

Aristotilus - If you read my comment carefully I don’t believe that I ever said valve amps were perfect, nor that just anyone can tell the difference. I CERTAINLY never said theory destroyed creativity, nor was I referring to classic players and their “feel” for the instrument or their choice of gear. I’m simply stating that driven tube amps have a way that they react to ones playing which is much harder to replicate than their actual sound. Can a Kemper do that?... who the hell knows as few working musicians can afford one! I can buy a couple of great classic tube amps for the price of a Kemper, so why would I bother with a replication when I can have the real thing? I’m sure if you threw enough money into the project, you could digitally replicate the Mona Lisa. (also, for the record, I've heard synthesizer players who've NAILED great guitar sounds... where do you draw the line?) None of that was the point. The point was, the original commenter stated that valves were no longer required for great “tone”, to which I agreed... and stated that’s been the case for a LONG time. Again, you’re reading WAY more into my comment than was there. My final points were that A: even if you CAN tell the difference, the weight and fragility (and COST) of a tube amp may not be worth it for you, and B: if all you care about is the “sound” and either are willing to forego that feel or can’t tell the difference, I think I’d find it much easier to use a good modelling pedal (which is MUCH more flexible than a SS or digital amp, even the Katana) and run it direct (like I did for years, and still do in some circumstances) than to lug around a Katana or any other amp. In fact, for around the same money, my GT-100 sounds as good (or better) than a Katana, and as good as my expensive pedalboard and tube amps. Also, not only does it have a WHOLE lot more flexibility than either, it's a hell of a lot easier to carry around than either, doesn't need a mic on a cabinet, keeps my sound guy happier, has way more storage for different sounds at the press of a footswitch, doesn't require any additional foot switches or cabling to practically gig with, etc. So, if I don't use my tube amp, I'll take a good floor board any day.

[@aristotilus5188]

I apologize, you're right. I took out on you a frustration and it wasn't faire of me.

[@seagullpoet]

Love these type of Katana demonstrations. The knobs. The settings. The sounds ! Guy’s good.

[@seagullpoet]

Very AC/DC by the way ❤️

[@safadundar]

When I bought my first electric guitar the shop recommended this amp to me as well. I have been using it and I certainly don't regret my purchase. What a great amp for this price range! Exactly what I was looking for. And the cool thing is, you can plug this to your laptop and DAW of preference as well, perfect for recording! Thanks for the amazing review Justin!

[@itziksade]

Happy that I bought this amp couple of months ago. I got a warm recommendation from the salesperson. Good value for money.

[@marklewis7484]

This is fantastic. I'm a newbie (10 months) and I've just purchased a Katana 50 as my first real amp, so the further 'exploration' videos will be really interesting..

[@tanshaomala]

Enjoy, I would have enjoyed this amp a lot more than the Spider IV I had when I started out lol.

[@wilsonfisk6156]

Me too

[@blackie75]

the HD500x through a valve amp using the 4 cable method is unbelievably good

[@9unslin9er]

Words cannot describe how fortunate you are to have this amp as your first amp. If I had access to this thing when I started playing, I literally could've saved $50,000 in gear. It's one of the best amps ever made.

[@shanecompton1969]

Being a novice when it comes to effects, could you talk a little about using pedals in conjunction with the onboard effects? For example how to build the chain, what pairings work well and what to avoid etc. Thank you so much for everything you do, you’ve been and continue be an amazing source of knowledge and inspiration!

[@noosarabbit6311]

Thanks for this Justin! Bought one about 12 months ago and, as a "jamming" beginner have experimented with the settings without using the Tone Studio yet. The output is plenty to play over drums in a pub gig.

[@leefrank5332]

I got the boss katana 50 amp last year for my birthday and it is a great little amp. I immediately went out and bought a brand new limited edition Stratocaster to use with it.

[@Adamson11x]

Yup...I just made a huge mistake. Something posessed me to buy Id core instead of this one, and now after watching this I think i have to sell the core and buy Katana. :( The obvious next lesson should be about connecting the amp to a PC ( showing how it's done, because sometimes it can prove to be a little bit more complicated than you thought) and show how to use the software. I've played guitar for about 36 years now, but as you know it's sometimes tough to find time...I mostly play at home hence the small combo amp. I really enjoy your videos and the clear and precise way you teach; there's always a clear structure in your lessons. Greetings from not so warm Finland, and be well mate!

[@shahinnomani]

I'm a blackstar fan myself. Love my HT1R. But no contest between the ID and the Katanas my friend. Sell it and get a Katana. You'll be pleased.

[@simoncook2251]

I've got the Boss Katana 50 at home Justin and it's the best amp I've found for the money. Even smallish 15 watt tube amps at home are overkill and barely get to the point of breakup before they're too loud for the neighbours. The attenuator is usable too. 25w for practice and then switch it to 50w for jamming with friends. Great video Justin from sunny Brisbane! Love your lessons with Lee Anderton also.

[@colinmcnab6145]

The Blackstar HT1R combo is only 1 watt all valve/tube and works great with pedals.

[@davidkreitzer6712]

I initially bought the 50 then discovered there wasn’t an effects in/out so I immediately returned it and bought the 100. Best decision I made . It’s just the best amp.

[@sixfoursoul2538]

love my 50 ! played live tonight next to a rivera , I had blues driver in it people complemented me on my tone all night !!! I bought 100 first but realized I didnt need it kept the 50 with my pedals

[@bordstumalian5174]

Hi, you have tips how to setup with analog drives and digital modulations reverb n felay pedals too.?U Thanks

[@soulassasin10]

Great amp, not only for beginners, it's a good workhorse of an amp. I bought the foot controller too and I've been using it for 6 months now doing all sorts of gigs, mic it up and it sounds amazing .... you just need to take the time and hook it up to a laptop and poke around a bit to create some presets and using the foot controller you ca unlock all 4 channels ... I basically use it as a 4 channel amp to be honest .... and it's absolutely amazing :) cheers great review btw :) have a good one justin P.S: if you wanna share setting, the editor has a tone print section you can access and upload them there

[@stevenolsen3162]

You have the 100?

[@soulassasin10]

@@stevenolsen3162 no, i have the 50, why?

[@stevenolsen3162]

I just saw the 'unlock' sentence. Can you access all four channels in a live setting?

[@stevenolsen3162]

It works with the 5 button foot switch?

[@soulassasin10]

@@stevenolsen3162 the 50 only works with the Boss FS-6 2 button foot switch, it doesn't work wiht the 4 button one for some reason, and it doesn't really have what you'd call 4 traditional channels. It has bank A1, A2, B1 and B2, but without the foot switch you can't access them, only if you hook it up to a laptop and use the editor to switch but in a live situation that is not ideal because using the editor to switch channel has a bit of lag. So using the simple Boss FS-6 is the better solution even though it requires a bit of tap dancing hehe because to access bank/channel A2 you need to step 2 times on the A button for example, but in any case it has no lag and it does the job, it's durable well crafted foot switch, and as all things Boss it will last a long time. Hope this helps :) if you have any more questions i'm happy to share my experience :) have a nice day :)

[@williamcampbell7387]

Before you get too far along, check the Rob Chapman and Rabea Massad Katana 50 videos (if you haven't already. There's a lot of good info and takeoff points.

[@22julip]

William Campbell rob chapman is a punk

[@22julip]

i dont like to stoop to name calling but when someone tries to censor someone like Rob did just to protect his profits from the internet is a punk move period.

[@rayinata5318]

Your videos are excellent and so much appreciated. I just purchased this amp and am wading through the effects, master/gain/volume combinations, etc.... a video on how to configure the amp to mimic other amp types would be excellent.

[@davidmague6966]

I was up in the air on buying this amp or a Marshall Core 50. Typically I’m a Marshall guy, but this amp is amazing! In the end I chose the Katana 50 over the Marshall!!

[@monsterk7603]

Lol. "I'm not really a high gain rock and roller type." *proceeds to tear it up for 3 minutes*.🤣 Great great video. Love my katana 50 as well!

[@onevoiceinc]

So you have presets... (!!) I totally saved this video. You're a really cool down to earth musician who happens to be really good, so that's a great thing in itself. Throw in presets, and that's the payoff. In my experiences as a Kat 100W owner, anything the amp isn't capturing is all about user error. It has so many tone options. Boss created something amazing here.

[@myxos]

Please please release more videos on this. I'm a beginner and this is the amp I bought. I absolutely love it and we need more videos on how to use it.

[@OlettaLiano]

I love my Boss Katana 50. It sounds good with my guitars and my basses. Best amp for the money. Download the Boss software and hook it up to a computer and you have access to the sounds of nearly every Boss pedal ever made.

[@christianalexander6364]

Oletta Liano isnt it bad yo connect a bass to guitar amp? Just curious

[@OlettaLiano]

Christian Alexander - I play a six string bass with light gauge strings tuned E A D G C F, so it’s more like a guitar an octave lower, and I do a lot of two hand taping.

[@jarrydee2799]

You can also tweak the pedals using the software, it has all the controls for the pedals just like what would be on the real pedal

[@Herbieatorbie66]

Thank you Justin, What makes the Katana definitely worthwhile are the expansions that you can configure online. I myself have the Katana 100. This one has more possibilities. With the help of a USB connection, Boss software and a good online connection, you have a huge range of possibilities. Also to save for yourself for anytime use. I consciously chose the 100 over the 50 version, the 50 is somewhat limited in a couple of options. (For example in use with pedals en external FX-loop) Important to know is that the acoustic selector option is really a separate unit and not a modulated digital acoustic sound. Unique. In short, a lot of options. If you feel like it, you still have some videos to go.😁 Good luck and keep going. Cheers

[@O0onboardRacing]

Could you elaborate on the differences between the 50 and the 100?

[@DaveL60]

@@O0onboardRacing Here's a comparison link from Sweetwater for the 1x12" 50w and 100w versions. www.sweetwater.com/store/compare.php?items=%28Kata50,Kata100%29

[@jarrydee2799]

@@O0onboardRacing Fx loop and midi in.. that's about it

[@stevehoofer7745]

Great review! Love my Katana 50. I’m very much of a beginner and it works perfect for me. The only tip I would have on this video is, there should be a card in the box that you lay on top of the amp. It would tell you at a glance what each of the effects does for the various buttons across the top. I’m definitely interested in the presets you come up with. Going to have to make sure I’m signed up on your website.

[@gerryjamesedwards1227]

I got one of those cards with mine bought from Andertons, but it doesn't go into the effects; there are too many options to list them all on on a card.... there are too many to have them all on one screen in the Tone Studio app, too, 50 Boss pedals all together, apparently. You can access three optionas at a time on the amp itself, and assign the effect to that setting in the Tone Studio from the much larger list. It doesn't take too long to get the hang of.

[@stevehoofer7745]

I agree, there are tons of effects. I just meant the card lays out the initial effects out of the box. Playing with all the options in the Tone Studio is fun. It’s amazing how much they built into this amp.

[@Major4D]

I took a picture of what each effect is from the manual. Extremely helpful.

[@michaelogden5958]

quite clever the way they did the "effects" selections.

[@davidbrucemusicvideo]

Just found out about the sample couple days ago, and even though I play full-time for a living and use two bands, I’m surprised at how good this amp sounds when I’ve seen people use it on KZbin. This is the best review and demo I’ve seen for this amp, though. They seem like a good guy, I’ll subscribe! 😉

[@tcm6756]

I just bought a 50 and this video, as old as it is, has me very excited. Now, all I need to do is relearn guitar after a 20 year hiatus! My fingers are killing me.

[@Ken351W]

I’m a beginner taking lessons and I like your comment to play around with it for different sounds and have fun. It’s the best video I have seen on the amp 😎

[@terryjohinke8065]

I have a 65 PRRI and I am definitely getting one of these Boss Katana amps. Great selection of effects and Justin does a good job of helping me understand what the effects controls are all about. Thanks Justin.

[@ercsan]

This seems so much more user friendly than the $500+ dollars I spent on a Boss GT -8 guitar effects processor (which I bought back in 2006 and still have) which I ran through a $250 Peavey 40 watt envoy (which I had from 1999-2013) just to get that "sound". Now that I am trying to get back to playing, time to see if I can get any money off of the GT-8 (which I have barely used live) and use it toward buying a Boss Katana 50. :D. The days of dreaming of owning a heavy tube amp are over. The tech for guitar amplification/ effects is a lot better now than even 10 years ago.

[@redbandmedia79]

I use my 50 for band rehearsals and asa gig back up. It's pretty damn pokey! The crunch on it is great too! Perfect on the 0.5 setting for my flat too. I think Boss nailed these amps. Won't kill off my old DSL401 but it certainly holds it's own.

[@caryverhalen]

Purshased mine 4 months ago. Love it! Very wonderful review.... Fun discovery with an audience. You simply can't go wrong with this amp it fits any guitar style.

[@katfishrick1600]

I kind of like to ride the master up higher, then adjust the volume to suit me needs. This has been a solid little amp the 6 months or so that I've been playing through it.

[@danielnodland4072]

btw Justin, the channel 1/2/panel is for presets you can use. Press channel 1/2, make adjustments to get a tone you like and it will save those settings. Panel just means it plays how it's currently set up.

[@luckyluke8518]

Also you can press Panel longer and you get different effects

[@b.b.4944]

nice! as a beginner my self, I bought this amp and i think it will fulfil my needs for many years to come, especially with the effects and EQing it has... and it's speaker sounds huge! it would be great if you make the video on "how to get the sound you're after" out of it , while explaining what each thing you mess with does (essentially teaching us beginners how to use an amp)...

[@NicBurrows]

Hey I just posted this in another comment but Dave Simpson did a video kind of on this you might find interesting kzbin.info/www/bejne/f32klYxvqK-prJo

[@b.b.4944]

Thanks! I'll check it out! Might save me a lot of time...

[@joe-un1ky]

11:25 holy shit, I had no idea Justin was such a fantastic lead player. That was amazing

[@calebskowronek3231]

I have one of these, for playing around my house I always keep it at 0.5 watts and turn the master volume up a little bit and it is plenty loud

[@Janninatore]

Would love some more coverage of the amp, just bought the 100w last week and so far I'm really liking the sounds I get

[@LeeKirkman88]

I have the 100w head too im yet to get it of the 0.5w setting its plenty loud enough for home use into a 4x12 marshall cab.

[@Denlah]

Been using my amp for months and didn't realize I was using the effects knobs all wrong. Didn't know turning them halfway would be a secondary effect. Never even touched the buttons above the knobs. Maybe I should have read the instructions ;) Thanks my dude.

[@bennettskb555]

The Katana 50 is great, it’s not just a ‘beginners amp’.....it’s totally gigable.....the audio here seems to have some phase issues, not representative of the normal dry amp sound...that said, always enjoy your content Justin.

[@jameshihihin1320]

Sounds so much better than my Marshall 15gfx. Had it for 6 months and it quit working on me. This is my next amp

[@davidoconnor8311]

So camera stops so decided to break out in a blues sesh... Love it.. Maybe do a tutorial on that blues jam 👌👌 I bought the katana 50 today and my god a great amp.. I play just at home and had the Roland cube g10x amp.. And this katana 50 kicks it's ass all day long massive upgrade for me.. Great stuff as always Justin.. Brilliant review 🤙🤙🤙

[@Allamericanhotrods]

I really appreciate you putting together this video of the KATANA. I purchased the KATANA 100 playing it while watching you and decided today to upgrade to the 100 artist the ARTIST sounds amazing plus a big decider was control's up front. Thank you again Terry

[@Firehawk-205]

Justin: I have this exact amp, I love the TONE. I can get any TONE i want out of it. It has TONS of GAIN ( I love hi-gain). Sounds sweet w/my 56 CS Relic Mary Kaye, Sounds killer for Rock/Metal w/ my Charvel San Dimas (JB & 59). + all the FX.Cannot beat this little amp. I enjoyed your Vid. Cheers-ADR

[@mixodorians12]

I have the 2x12 Katana and it is a beast, more than enough amp for anyone, to the point where I don't really need anything else. The problem is, as digital, solid state amps and digital technology gets better, then people realise that the resale value on their old expensive valve amps will decline drastically, as no one will want buy them, so they come out against this great new technology, simply out of a self serving contempt, not for any real or practical reasons.

[@profd65]

Lol, do you honestly believe that's why people dislike the Katana? Because it (supposedly) lowers the resale value of their Marshall JTM45? That's the answer you're going to stick with? The Katana is OK, but take away the bells and whistles (the effects, etc.) and it isn't any better than SS amps were thirty or forty years ago. My main problem with it is that it's a throwaway. It has a very short warranty, and after the warranty expires you'll have to pay somebody $80/hr to work on it. In other words, if something goes wrong you chuck it in the dumpster.

[@SynZ777]

@@profd65 I don't think you're being honest that you heard SS amps that old being just as good. My 15 year old Fender DSP solid-state amp is hot garbage and the Katana sounds 100000x (not even exaggerating) better.

[@profd65]

@@SynZ777 Are you fucking serious? Ever heard of the JC 120? (it appeared on about ten billion records) The Pignose 7-100? (click on the link) The Sunn Beta Lead? (heard of the Melvins?) kzbin.info/www/bejne/laKTn3yjqMuArKc

[@phil36310]

This sounds really great ! I play on a Marshall 8240 Valvestate S80 and love it - but the tone colors on this Katana are 'impressive' ! Thanks for this very pleasant vid. Cheers, Fil

[@brianpartlow5530]

I have this amp. I haven't even connected it to my lap top yet. I just mess with the on board stuff. You get incredible sounds out of it. Acoustic, heavy metal, church organ, whatever sound you want. Just play with the buttons and knobs. I just play guitar as a hobby, I'm sure a pro can do alot with this amp. I do most of my practice and learning on a fender mustang amp since it's easier to control with it's dial in presets. If I get to a level where I want to play for people I'll bring the Katana.

[@chuchunichichi]

From 28:40 the blues improv was sounding very Robben Fordish, which I absolutely dig. Very nice job, man. Thank you go that.

[@danielhartman6529]

Its not just for beginners. I have 1 and love it.And I am no beginner.

[@johnlon4009]

Justin, As to an answer for buying the guitar that is right for someone. I was once told that, "First guitars tend to be like first loves; Ill chosen, unsuitable, short lived and unforgettable. I had to throw that out there... Have a great day! John

[@ninjasword2352]

your videos have helped me a lot to understands about EQ or settings for the katana amp thanks. I hope to keep learning, Love your channel very useful tips.

[@joebloggs1444]

So true...many old school valve designs were also actually terrible.!!! I know...I've owned most over the years. In my experience a guitar needs to not only sound right for the player, but also sound good on the stage and out into the room. It also needs to "feel" good to play through...the Katana's tick all of these box's. The designers need a medal. They must have amazing ear's!!

[@ryanstitt4814]

Justin, I'm so glad you get getting all the subscribers that you deserve fot such awesome and informative tutorials!!

[@zoigalani6107]

i am buying it. no second thoughts

[@gerryattrik4410]

How’s it going?

[@trollvidde]

@@gerryattrik4410 i bought it and its better than a lot of fender amps its awesome

[@gerryattrik4410]

MaVida lotta tones available?

[@trollvidde]

@@gerryattrik4410 yeah! Some definetly better than others, you can fake it till u make to get some iconic guitar sounds!

[@gerryattrik4410]

MaVida what’s the difference between this amp and using tonebridge? If what you’re looking for is mainly tones?

[@Zelomeisterdude]

Definitely the best introduction to the Katana video I have seem, great job.

[@abruenin236]

Great review, many thanks. What I would love to see is a tutorial on how to dial in popular sounds. Nothing fancy, just some classic rock or blues tones. Some howto guides on where to start, than adding parameters and fx.

[@michaelchappell6570]

Hi Justin, Back again and still watching you demo this magnificent Boss Katana 50Mk11 AMP. I am retired and have been learning guitar for a few years and have a few guitars and acoustics as well and I have been following you for about 5+ years and have purchased a few of your courses. This demo has opened my ears so much on the various ways of setting up the Tones and effects. I find that this AMP has enough Tones and settings on it to not have to plug in my Boss ME 80 Effects Board which I have been using on my other AMPs, less gear to carte around. I will however use the clean to plug in my Digitech Trio Plus Band creator to add the Drums and Bass. But this AMP is very capable to takes to small events for sure. I love the simple way that you explain this AMP and your input has certainly helped me to get the sounds I want. Cheers and take Care from Downunder in Oz

[@DaveL60]

Nice review, Justin, much appreciated. Also, I think you could make a great lesson out of the bluesy improv when the overhead camera went out: transcribe it and then give a breakdown of what's going on throughout it in technical / theory terms.

[@UltimateAccuracy]

You looked like you enjoyed playing it Justin, and that's the most important thing for beginners too. If you enjoy playing you'll practice and get better. I've got pedals costing more than the Katana, but it gets used all the time. It's flexible, fun and you don't need a pile of gear alongside it. Guitar, amp> play.

[@michaelchappell6570]

Hi Justin, thanks for the great demo of the Boss Katana 50, I have just purchased the same AMP but the MK11 in Sydney July 2023. The Dash Board slightly updated. Something I would like from you is maybe a selection of Pop Songs using different settings on the Katana 50 such songs as Buddy Holly Its So Easy, etc, Chuck Berry, Blues BB King, Up The Road Apiece etc.. also it would be a good idea to show on your screen for these tutorials a link to where we can donate as you do a really good demo of this AMP which was easier to follow than reading the User manual. I also think if you started to demo Gear like new Guitars, AMPs Effect pedals etc guitarists could use your demo as a reference to purchase the brand.

[@bpn12123]

There is an option that you can fully customize the effects on this amp if you connect it to your pc. And you can change the effects with other Boss pedals.

[@GeorgMierau]

I've bought my Katana 50 as a replacement for a Blackstar ID:Core Stereo 10 (V1) a year ago. As a beginner I'm quite happy with it clean and distorted as well :) Nice to have the USB-recording option and the 12" speaker definitely sounds much better to me than two 3" speakers of ID:Core.

[@justinguitar]

I've not tried the usb recording thing yet - need to!

[@IGarrettI]

Georg Mierau tell me more ? I got one of the Id core ones but the usb recording broke and I'm considering katana 50.

[@GeorgMierau]

What do you want to know? USB-recording on PC does work quite similar to ID:Core.

[@jsarty54]

I have been looking at moving up to a tube amp , but my Boss Katana 50 has closed the gap between the two removing the need to go tube , and it doesn’t cost a fortune .

[@danielnodland4072]

Using the octave to play 7 nation army is kinda fun, and one of the best things I've used it for.

[@shannonwesley4094]

The amp has a lot of useable tones and effects without using the Tone Central - impressive.

[@M.S-Music]

Had mine for a while and never plugged it to my computers, absolutely no need!

[@racesla]

Just picked the 50 up as my first amp. Looking forward to your future videos.

[@jennygw1883]

Would really like to learn how you go about setting up an amp to sound like various guitarists. This video is great, just got a new amp myself and this gave me a lot of ideas, thank you :)

[@waterhead001]

dave Simpson has a video Boss Katana 50 is it as good as they say, check out that video. H e also has videos on how to get the tones from different guitar players on his channel. I watched a video on his channel on how to get the Beano tone, Tony Iommi, He does it on an Orange 120. I hope this helps.

[@jennygw1883]

@@waterhead001 thank you . I will look for that.

[@Rickholly74]

I have been playing gigs regularly for 45+ years and have had most of the popular "amp of the moment" equipment (Fender, Marshal, Peavey, Vox, Sound City etc.). I find the Katana (I have the 100) is the best all around amp I have ever owned. I run it at 50 watts on gigs because 100 is just too loud for the clubs I play in. Anybody who thinks you can't gig with a Katana is wrong. I also like the 100 over the 50 because it has eight patch channels where the 50 has four and the 100 has a much better footswitch (GA-FC) for live use as well as a dedicated line out (to go to a mixer or direct box) and an effects loop. It's nice to have the effects loop although I don't use it as I like the internal BOSS effects and I use the BOSS Tone Central to tweak the effects I have downloaded. What a great amp. Thanks Roland/Boss.

[@profd65]

If you actually have played for that long and have owned so many amps, it surprises me that you're so impressed by the Katana. It is inexpensive and loaded with effects and enjoys the traditional advantages of solid state (lightweight, etc.,) but it doesn't sound any better than SS amps did forty years ago. Don't tell me that thing sounds better than a JC120 or a little Pignose amp.

[@Rickholly74]

@@profd65 Myself and many others disagree. This amp is awesome. Depends on what you are looking for in an amp. If you are looking for high gain one-trick-pony amps then yes there are better amps for heavy distortion and overdrive but if you want versatility I'd recommend anyone to get a Katana. My gigs vary from classic rock one night to light jazz the next. I need a versatile amp that can reproduce good cleans as well as overdrive and everything in between. It also has to fit in small places or medium sized rooms and there is often no room for full sized pedal boards so I need the internal good effects and the BOSS (IMHO) is the king of. I had a Pignose when they first came out. It wasn't that good. It's ok a for home practice amp but that's it. As far as a JC120 among other things you are comparing a $1,000 amp to a $350 amp and I still think the Katana is way better.

[@chipbahn6947]

Perfect timing Justin! My new Katana II 50 is still in the carton a mere 15' from my computer. I had heard great things about this amp and just went for it and now having heard your video I'm really glad I did. I'm one of those older guys who has attempted to play the guitar on and off over the years. A bit intimidated with the new amp but your video was a perfect first pass for me. Did your online instruction some time ago, even purchased the Beginner Songbook. Count me in for more of your experimentation/instruction on the Katana. Blues improv was amazing!

[@christopherburnett1745]

Awesome demo and really solidifying what I've seen elsewhere about the Katana amps. One thing that I would like to see is a comparison between the stompbox models on the amp and the actual pedals. For example, the Katana Blues Driver (I assume that's available) vs the actual Boss Blues Driver pedal. I mean, the amp alone is a steal, but if you are essentially getting a board full of Boss quality effects with it, that's just crazy!

[@carmineV255]

One of the best amp review ever made me a subscriber hope in the future you keep it up with other gear reviews

[@rhodeley1545]

Just bought this and the new fender player Strat, can’t wait

[@Mojokiss]

woo hoo team katana! just played a gig with my new one. i enjoyed the lighter weight from my 30w tube combo. Also, I can play it in my van and it only takes up about 11watts at practice levels.

[@burnz0021]

great start for a beginner yes, but for me who has been playing for over 20 years I o nly use the boss 100 watt head, these things can get the job done for anybody at any level

[@robwood6759]

Really enjoyed hearing your take on this amp. I have the Katana 100 - sooo loud! I'm looking forward to any follow ups you do on getting the best sounds out of it.

[@stephengilbert5612]

hey Justin , Grest vid. More lessons on this amp would be amazing , its a great amp and lots to cover , Thanks for all your good work .

[@sakispritas7908]

I also have this amp and this amp just rocks its insane for a 200$ amp

[@michaelchappell6570]

Thanks Justin for Out of the Box demo. I have purchased this AMP BOSS Katana 50 MK 11 and I find it really good and with your help with the unboxing really gives it a good workout. It would be good for you to demo gear as it helps us all. Take Care from Downunder

[@ioodyssey3740]

So glad I saw this. Having one of these delivered tomorrow and now I'm really excited.

[@thefirstdude]

Nice unboxing and early review, Justin! I’d like to know how the 0.5 W setting sounds if you could put that in the next review, please. Also, since you now have a working relationship with Boss, can you do some reviews of the GT-100 effects processor? Thanks for all you do (I’m taking lessons from your site and have several of your songbooks.)

[@Mrpig-vw4fh]

One of the best reviews I've ever seen, great job!

[@stuartyb65]

Great video justin I think Boss should be paying you a fortune for this review . Must be good for a few thousand sales 👍

[@jjohn341]

Parents will love it if there 15 year old son has this as there first amp , Trying to play an E power chord over and over , ha ha . But Yes superb amp .

[@ronswords7608]

Great vid Justin These amps work great with an FS-6 pedal. Might be worth checking it out, My suggestions for future vids would be to do an extreme variation like Metallica & Santana settings

[@thegaindane]

I just got a boss katana 50 too.. And since I'm a beginner into learning to play guitar...and learning how to use a guitar amp. I'm trilled to hear you will be making more videos about how to dial in good tones on the amp. 👍😁

[@mciver47]

Had mine for a year and really love it. Online settings work great with computer.