WHY I HAD TO HAVE ONE OF THESE AMPS | Boss Katana Air EX | TOM QUAYLE

[@eddiejr540]

Tom…I get it…that’s exactly why I bought a Strandberg…its small-ish, convenient, always in tune and ready to go…that and a good practice amp and Bobs your uncle👍

[@rickfeith6372]

I think ya sold me Tommy…which I distinctly remember you doing with the very first Katana head, which you had running through a Greenback cab and it sounded just lovely, especially liked the Brown Sound tone you had dialed up. I have steered two people to get Katana heads from your old school video alone…well, also knowing how loved they are. I have still yet to play a Katana…mainly because I have a WDW setup with an Axe FX III, a Boogie Mark Five:35 rack mounted head, a Matrix GT1000 rackmount power amp, a pair of Celestion F12-X200 FRFR 1x12s for the stereo wet sound, a Torpedo Live in the rack, a twin pair of gorgeous black Mesa 412 Traditional straight cabs…which is powered by my Boogie head that is the center dry. There is also a pair of Kali Audio monitors, a sick Emotiva XPA-2 hifi amp and a pair of T2+ Emotiva tower speakers that my Fractal is hooked up to…both as a source for computer audio, as well as a FANTASTIC sounding stereo guitar experience on its own. The whole thing is controlled via my ROG laptop running Axe Edit and KZbin…I also control the monster via a three foot long Temple Audio Duo 34, which is a 99% signalless pedalboard with a Fractal FC-12, three BONKERS expression pedals, and a TC Electronic Wiretap riff recorder on top…all five pieces are bolted through into the feet with nice big wharshers keeping the bolts happy. The board also has a bat shit insane LED “neon” lighting setup from Govee, which is mounted underneath the board and shines through the holes looking absolutely stunning. The board carries dual discreet signal paths for my Music Man piezo guitars using a short 10 foot TRS cable from guitar to right side of board, which uses a Neutrik locking TRS chassis mount, and a single 20 foot snake cable out the left side of the board to the sweet breakout in the back of my rack using Neutrik 8+2 XLR chassis mount locking connectors. The homemade multifunction cable carries dual shielded guitar signals, FAS Link II, and 12v DC power that is converted back to 120v AC underneath the board, which powers the LED lights, a pair of USB-C jacks, a couple mini LED spotlights on 12” gooseneck arms that plug into each side via an XLR chassis mount, and the TC Wiretap recorder, which is the only thing on there which has guitar signal, the rest just passes under from right to left. I used a Mogami balanced snake cable and Neutrik 8+2 XLR male connectors on the cable. It’s so trick and stupid clean using a single cable that lives inside a sick orange and black sleeve. It’s all so gorgeous, but it takes a fucking van to move it, and getting it all setup is and was NOT the easiest thing. Sometimes ya just wanna play. I need this, so I can not have to deal with the monster every time I play the electric hamburgers…I mean guitars. Now I have an absolutely uncompromising guitar rig…and some insane guitars that are for playing…but yeah, sometimes ya just want to play without having to fire up the Mission Control Center and call NASA. You get it though, you have a few gears too. Gears are great, but sometimes they need to be shifted. Enter Katana Air EX. A new challenger has entered the arena. Very interesting move Air EX. I need this.

[@pauloneill7939]

I brought it for exactly the same reason, for ease of practice, i did already have the positive grid 40 but i couldnt get on with it from day one.

[@pepedecoatza]

I went for the the nux mighty amp. It has the same features plus speaker out to plug to a real cab. Maybe the boss sounds a little better but there is also a huge price difference.

[@BezuMusician]

Hi Tom, you do great reviews and your playing is so great. Your purpose for buying this amp is so clear and well explained even if it is expensive. Did you face any latency issues with the Bluetooth connectivity of this amp? That's something I heard about the earlier Air model. Would you use this for final recordings? Thanks.

[@travissimpson7829]

Damn it Tom. Everything you demo i have to buy

[@grampa6777]

Hi Tom, thanks for the demo, just bought one on the back of this video and the Andertons review. On another note, that chair is epic, can you let me know what it is please as my practice stool is on it's way out and this looks like it would be a very comfortable replacement. Cheers.

[@anomalousresult]

Totally agree. The cost of a wireless unit is quite high in itself and the value you get from removing the psychological barrier to practice seems worth it to me. Appreciate it's not for everyone but what a world we're in to have this! Also how did you get so good if you're a procrastinator?! And as I'm here, a while ago you mentioned some issues with your fingers, hope that's all resolved.

[@JoshRivner]

How do you use a looper with it? Shame there isnt one built in to the unit

[@pusztai777]

Bought my spark mini for the exact same reason, and I love the freaking thing!

[@Slim-Bagel]

Nice practicing flow! First time anyone has made me reconsider my Yam THR 👍

[@robertmielnik4119]

A good alternative to this amp is Boss Waza Air which I love. Bonus point is that Waza is a headset, so you can play without bothering people around you. Waza sounds great, has a terrible mobile app and there are issues with streaming audio if you play a backing track from a mobile device (something with buffering, if you stop for several seconds the issue disappears). Waza changed my guitar playing in three ways. Firstly, I play more often throughout the day (I do it in my spare time, sometimes a single session is just 3 to 5 minutes, enough to practice some lick). Secondly, thanks to more more practice I play better. Finally, when I have time for a longer session I enjoy it much more, because I am warmed up, technique training is done and I can focus on more creative things. Even if Waza Air has some issues I highly recommend it.

[@valebliz]

I own a pair of WAZA air and they are an incredible practice tool

[@rcdmrl]

I'm only half way through and I hope this isn't mentioned in the video :) However, I'd love to know how this amp compares with a Spark amp. I own a Spark Mini which is way cheaper (and even smaller in size). I then also bought a pair of wireless transmitter/receiver for my guitar for the same reasons Tom mentioned (just those Lekato 5.8Ghz ones on Amazon, they have been working great so fat) but the price is still way lower.

[@charlesgriffieth]

Paul I have one and I think the world of it I think it's a great little amp I'm not a big big time guitar player or anything like that I love to play guitar I know that and it's amp really works out for me it's easy to move around it's easy to you know to take anywhere it's got all the sounds that you need and it sounds great it really does sound great I bought it when it first come out and I love it can't live without it now

[@andrewproffit-o9b]

How good is it at really low volumes? I’d like it for all the reasons you say (although nit because I’m a good player / because I’m a beginner!) and because of that I need it quiet! Lol 😂 the katana 50 has appeal because of 0.5w mode, but not wireless, not Bluetooth, bit portable…

[@danielbeasley5247]

Hey tom! Sounds great as usual, looking at getting this amp! On a side note did you find piano really helped your musical understanding in the early years? Im just picking it up now after a 7 year hiatus from guitar, the linear nature of piano is a refreshing change and somehow helps my guitar playing, do you find the same? Love the rolands, getting an FP series soon.

[@bborck]

Thanks man... just bought one! :)

[@mywaveinwoodswoodperfumes]

the process of pluging and unplugging is the real pain asd you said. this katana is amazing

[@titmusspaultpaul5]

Has it got a line out in the back to go to a pair of FRFR's or front of house for playing live? Thanks.

[@sethgross3904]

Has stereo and mono line out on the side.

[@Wenneguen]

What about the looper?

[@stealth1803]

there isn't one

[@romaindeschins737]

Hi Tom, have you found a proper way to use a looper with this amp?

[@GMec78]

What does it have over the 100w head mark 2 played through the onboard speaker and a wireless system? Both of those can be had for $300 ($229 used from GC plus $34 shipping for the MK2 head and $30 Joyo system from Amazon)

[@Double_0_7_Strings]

If I wasn’t so entrenched in the Positive Grid Spark amps, this would be exactly what I’m looking for.

[@BoomerLicks]

Could I add a Bluetooth receiver to the headphone input and then listen with my Airbuds?

[@jmaripen]

I wasnt sure if the dog was real. Haha so still!!! Thanks for the demo!

[@beyondinfinity3876]

You sir are fuking amazing!🙏🙏

[@igashek]

Fantastic sound!

[@andrefludd]

I’ve actually been looking for something like this for the exact same reason. Changing settings via the app is a game changer I didn’t know about.

[@sethgross3904]

Does it have the hm-2 built in???

[@eanroad]

Hi Tom, can you use the Katana Air EX as a USB interface while using the Solo app in iOS?

[@tomquayleguitar]

As far as I understand, the Katana isn't class compliant so it won't work with iOS.

[@lenmusic123]

You spend all this time and effort on a video about a Boss amp and there I am looking at your cute dog Sprout the whole time 😂

[@charltonrowe4161]

If it’s on/off by motion I’m guessing it won’t work well with a lap steel on a table? Or is there a work around?

[@tomquayleguitar]

Hmm...good question. I'm actually not sure about that.

[@charltonrowe4161]

@@tomquayleguitar Maybe it matters on how much motion it senses and just the picking and string vibration is enough? Time for a kitchen table experiment with your guitar. 😃

[@tomquayleguitar]

@@charltonrowe4161 On it!

[@tomquayleguitar]

Good news! It seems to turn on the moment it hears a signal, rather than by motion, so you should be good to go!

[@charltonrowe4161]

@@tomquayleguitar That’s great. Thanks for looking into it for me. Much appreciated.

[@vix144]

But is it loud enough for band practice or gigging ?

[@tomquayleguitar]

You really want a Katana 50 for that purpose.

[@viborabr]

I agree with everything, but connecting the AMP with the phone is a hassle. BOSS sucks on it. My cheap Marshall code does it seamlessly, while the expensive BOSS Air Ex struggles.

[@LeeHoMusic]

Excellent

[@PedroEvil12]

Like for The Doggy and The content !!

[@bobbystone1124]

Veri good bro I want lesson slow typing you good play

[@dadudezpr]

The electric wall plugs available and all the multi plug 🔌 around you need to be pending on not trip over if you need to rock around for the crowd in the living room .

[@BobbyCulpepper.srv3fender]

Its so big, they should have made it a little bit bigger and put a guitar speaker in it

[@albertmarkethinkpr1325]

Quite pricey considering it does not come with the MK2 panel with amp variations, not to mention it lacks a desktop app. Yamaha THR30II has a better panel with the possibility of changing amp types and it comes with a desktop app as well as a android app AND it's 60 euros less or so....The wi-fi transmitter does little for me I still like cables. @BOSSinfogloba you need to step it up.

[@albertmarkethinkpr1325]

@LollarPops Still needs a desktop app.

[@ran6009]

Oh, sh***, so obviously advertising...