Boss Katana-50 MkII

The Katana MkII amplifies the basic platform with new sounds, effects, and functionality, taking the renowned Katana guitar amp series to a whole new level. All five amp characters now have newly voiced variants, allowing for even more tonal possibilities. And the number of real-time processing options has been increased from three to five, giving you even more options on board. With modelers and multi-FX support, updated editor software, and other improvements, the usability has also been improved.

The Boss Katana-50 MkII Digital Modeling Combo is a fantastic option for an all-in-one playing experience that includes crunchy ’80s metal amp tones as well as weird and wild modulation effects. In a package that has enough punch to handle its own on a stage, five amp voices from clean to crunchy to brown (think EVH’s arena-sized sound) are on tap, as well as five authentic onboard Boss effects from reverb and delay to distortion and modulation.

Main Features Katana-50

• With a custom 12-inch speaker, this 50-watt stage-ready combo amplifier
• The Tube Logic approach yields unexpected power, authority, and cutting dynamics
• Five distinct amp personalities (Clean, Crunch, Lead, Brown, and Acoustic), as well as newly recorded variations for each
• Foot-controlled wah and pedal bend are both handled with dedicated Pedal FX
• Over 60 different parameters can be customized in the updated BOSS Tone Studio software
• More than 30 effects, including channel and global EQs, routing modules, and more
• Preamps, modelers, and multi-effects can all be powered using the Power Amp In
• All amp and effect settings may be stored and recalled using Four Tone Setting memories
• For low volumes, Power Control is used to generate cranked-amp tone and response
• In BOSS Tone Studio, three Cab Resonance types (Vintage, Modern, and Deep) are available
• In BOSS Tone Studio, you can use Mic’d cabinet emulation on USB and mobile/audio outputs, as well as three Air Feel settings
• At BOSS Tone Exchange, you can download and share Livesets
• Up to two footswitches or an expression pedal can be connected to the rear panel
• BOSS Tone Central offers a variety of professional setups
• On the Downloads page, you can download the Katana MkII Version 2 update

More Sounds, More Versatility

Building on the same core tones and features that have made the series such a worldwide smash, the stage-class Katana MkII lineup picks up where the first generation left off. Katana MkII is even better than the original Katana amps if you love them. So if you’re joining the party for the first time, be ready for aural excellence, feel, and versatility that far exceeds its value.

Ten overall tones and five amp characters

Katana MkII provides five distinct amp characteristics, ranging from organic vintage tones to contemporary high-gain sounds and a focused voice suited for acoustic-electric guitar. The characters have been broadened to include additional voiced variants, giving you more tone choices to create your unique sound.

Five Effects At Once

Katana MkII now has a five-effect type system, allowing you to shape the tone of your amp with the convenience of a large pedalboard. The factory includes three different types of each section, with 15 ready-to-play effects to choose from: independent booster, mod, FX, delay, and reverb. If you want to go even farther, linking to BOSS Tone Studio allows you to alter the sections, change the sequence, and more. There are over 60 different effect types available.

Every time you plug in, you’ll hear full-throttle sound

Katana MkII delivers the real sound and feel of actual tube amplifiers, thanks to BOSS’ Tube Logic technology. As you increase the volume, the sound and feel become richer and more responsive. Katana MkII’s variable Power Control, on the other hand, makes it simple to play in the perfect spot without losing your job or getting thrown out of your home. To get the booming, cranked-amp sound wherever you perform, from bedroom to theater, simply decrease the overall volume as needed.

Boss Katana-50 MkII – Amplify Your External Gear

While the Katana-50 MkII is a terrific amp in its own right, it performs especially well as a cabinet for a favorite preamp, modeler, or multi-effects unit. By connecting to the Tube Logic power section via the rear-panel Power Amp In jack, you bypass Katana MkII’s preamp and effects, allowing you to tap straight into the Tube Logic power section. A high-pass filter and adjustable gain can be used to optimize the input for your particular gear with BOSS Tone Studio.

One-Touch Recall Of Custom Setups

One of the Katana-50 MkII’s most powerful features is the ability to store favorite amp character and effects setups in Tone Setting memories for instant recall. After you’ve dialed in a sound with the panel controls, simply save it to the desired memory with a quick button hold. Four Tone Settings (two banks of two) are available, with fast selection right from the panel. It’s also possible to connect external footswitches for hands-free control on the gig.

Katana-50 – Ready-To-Mix Direct Tones

The Katana-50 MkII provides mix-ready amp tones to a computer DAW or headphones via USB and phone/recording outputs with mic’d cabinet simulation. Three different Air Feel settings are available from BOSS Tone Studio, which may be used to modify the direct sound. Many of Katana’s modulation, EQ, delay, and reverb effects can be used in two-channel USB operation to create a true stereo track.

BOSS Tone Studio Enhancements

Along with the Katana MkII amplifiers, BOSS Tone Studio has evolved. A new design has been applied to the interface, and several settings have been gathered onto the main screen for simpler workflow. It’s also simpler to connect wah and pedal bend effects to a connected expression pedal, as there is a dedicated Pedal FX category. You may also import your personal patches and utilize them with Katana MkII if you’re a first-generation Katana owner.

Pros Boss Katana-50 MkII

Cons Boss Katana-50 MkII

Conclusion

I bought this amp because of all the positive reviews I’d read on it and it has not disappointed. I wanted an amp that was bigger than my GDec 30 but also have the ability to play it at lower volumes so I don’t disturb my neighbors. I had thought about purchasing a Katana 100 watt, but I’m glad I went with the 50 watt version as I only play at the house. This amp is simple to use (compared to a Fender GDec 30) and to my ears it has better tones. I highly recommend this amp if you’re a non professional like me who doesn’t play gigs and wants to try different tones without having to go through a lot of settings.

This amp gets you amazing tone at a very modest price. It is a 50 watt solid state amp with a 12 inch speaker. There are base amp models to go off of, which aren’t necessarily clones of well known amps, more like a starting point for popular tones that people look for without being so colored that anyone could pick out what amp model it’s trying to mimic.

The effects are digital clones of existing BOSS pedals, and the MKII gave way to adding easier controls for these effects. This was a huge step up from the MKI, which was comparably harder to grasp in terms of dialing in effects, but I don’t really use the amp for that unless I am in a situation where I don’t have my pedalboard. I will say that combining certain onboard effects as well as adding external effects via pedals can add certain digital artifacts to the sound which are avoidable if you know what you’re doing. In my experience, you should dial back the gain a bit with your pedals and turn the amp up more, it keeps the digital artifact sound in check.

PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THERE IS NO EFFECTS LOOP, ONLY AN EFFECTS RETURN

If I’m using pedals, I only use the clean model without any of the onboard effects as a rule, maybe a little trem since I don’t have a trem pedal. Although I play stuff on the indie rock side of things, I will occasionally switch to the lead or the brown amp model and go town with the shredding and chugging, you don’t even need a boost to get a monstrous metal tone. I may use the effects return in the future, but for now I will default to my preference to plugging pedals in the front of the amp.

Another thing I REALLY like about the amp is that there is a power selector at the end of the chain. This is probably the main selling point for me, it makes this amp probably the most versatile SS amp on the market for the price. I can set it to 0.5 watts for my bedroom practice and then switch it back to the full 50 watts for gigs.

Speaking of gigs, this amp was made with the working musician in mind. The headphone out has a fantastic cab simulation (a $250 ss amp has a better cab sim than a $500 ss orange head, go figure) which can go straight into a mixing board at front of house and alleviates most headaches that come with sound check, especially if you don’t have much experience in traditional setups with microphone placement on the speaker.

Keep in mind that this amp was made for EVERYONE, it is NOT genre specific unless you want it to be. Overall I give it a 9/10. You should absolutely snatch it up if you find it for $250 or cheaper!

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