And finally, Boss Katana 100 v Boss Katana Artist 100

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VoxmanVoxman Frets: 4718
edited April 2018 in Amps
If you're thinking of upgrading to a Katana Artist this is really worth watching.  Might you be better off just adding an extension cab out and upgrading the internal speaker of your Katana 100? Is the Artist worth the extra money?  Is the front facing panel an important consideration? Is there any other real difference? You decide!

 BTW, I really do like this guys approach & presentation style. 


I started out with nothing..... but I've still got most of it left (Seasick Steve)
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Comments

  • I too like the presenter. No fluff, and straight to the point. Also, he plays a useful range of music and tones. 

    Why don’t more demo makers use a looper like this?
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  • gearaddictgearaddict Frets: 894
    Sounds to me a bit like the artist has a lot more presence. I wonder if you could get them to sound a lot closer by just upping the treble and presence on the 100. It sounds like the artist would cut through better.

    The other guitarist in our band has a 100 and I never hear anything he plays. Sounds good in isolation though! :)
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  • LegionreturnsLegionreturns Frets: 7965
    edited April 2018
    I don't get the comparison. The price difference between the two means they're not really comparable. If you were going to choose between the artist and another Kat it would be the head and cab as that has the speaker out and midi. I still think the head is a better option than the artist. 

    My Trading Feedback    |    You Bring The Band

    Just because you're paranoid, don't mean they're not after you
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  • p90foolp90fool Frets: 31367
    Sounds to me a bit like the artist has a lot more presence. I wonder if you could get them to sound a lot closer by just upping the treble and presence on the 100. It sounds like the artist would cut through better.

    The other guitarist in our band has a 100 and I never hear anything he plays. Sounds good in isolation though! :)
    I should have sold mine to the other guitarist in my band, instead of selling him my Princeton! 
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  • VoxmanVoxman Frets: 4718
    edited April 2018
    I don't get the comparison. The price difference between the two means they're not really comparable. If you were going to choose between the artist and another Kat it would be the head and cab as that has the speaker out and midi. I still think the head is a better option than the artist. 
    I hear you from a price point perspective & particularly if someone already has a cab or two of their own, the head could be a better way to go.  But I think the comparison is valid because these are both 1x12 100w amps and the presenter is simply asking if you think the Artist sounds better and leaving the question re value for money to the listener.  Interesting that he swapped to the Artist - aside from tone, it was because of the front facing panel.

    Now, I can completely identify with that as that is a real issue for me.  Why, well I have a very small den at home and I have a real (lack of) space problem.  If I bought an amp (head or combo) with front facing controls, I could stack another amp on top of it and fit it in.  But I have no room for a top control amp.  You'll see what I mine from the pic below - I only have room to put an amp betweem my Cub12R and DSL401, as all the amps on top have top controls.  Also, I prefer front mounted controls just like the presenter here.  What would be good is if Boss made the head with front facing controls. 

    http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c33/voxman5/ADVENT-PC/Pictures/Gear/IMG_20170225_110442458_zpscalkxhbl.jpg
    I started out with nothing..... but I've still got most of it left (Seasick Steve)
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  • p90foolp90fool Frets: 31367
    The head has to have top controls really as there's a 5" speaker in the front. It's also a bit churlish to criticise Boss for your space problem when you already own at least four amps with top controls!
    :) 
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  • VoxmanVoxman Frets: 4718
    edited April 2018
    p90fool said:
    The head has to have top controls really as there's a 5" speaker in the front. It's also a bit churlish to criticise Boss for your space problem when you already own at least four amps with top controls!
     
    Three...Vox and both Laneys. The two Marshalls have front controls. The rest are cabs. The speaker in the head is liked by some but not others. I can see the advantage for home practice if you have no cab. But I think there's enough room in front for controls too if you change the layout. But top controls are a nuisance where space is short and you have to stack, and I think most folk prefer front controls as it's more natural to use. It's probably why on the artist Boss decided to put the controls in front as it's aimed at gigging players. Ymmv of course and top v front controls is a personal preference.. As I recall the Marshall code head has front controls but arguably not quite as good an amp of course as the Katana.
    I started out with nothing..... but I've still got most of it left (Seasick Steve)
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  • PlectrumPlectrum Frets: 494
    p90fool said:I should have sold mine to the other guitarist in my band, instead of selling him my Princeton! 

    Given your years of experience (you're one of the handful of people on this forum  who's opinions I genuinely value) that seems like something of a rooky error LOL  :)
    One day I'm going to make a guitar out of butter to experience just how well it actually plays.
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  • PlectrumPlectrum Frets: 494
    Voxman said:
    . As I recall the Marshall code head has front controls but arguably not quite as good an amp of course as the Katana.
    Tell that to Nita Strauss. Oh so sorry forgot. She's a girl so her opinions don't matter in a forum full of tenth-rate willy-waving losers.
    One day I'm going to make a guitar out of butter to experience just how well it actually plays.
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  • Plectrum said:
    Voxman said:
    . As I recall the Marshall code head has front controls but arguably not quite as good an amp of course as the Katana.
    Tell that to Nita Strauss. Oh so sorry forgot. She's a girl so her opinions don't matter in a forum full of tenth-rate willy-waving losers.
    I'm not even tenth rate...

    My Trading Feedback    |    You Bring The Band

    Just because you're paranoid, don't mean they're not after you
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  • VoxmanVoxman Frets: 4718
    edited April 2018
    Plectrum said:
    Voxman said:
    . As I recall the Marshall code head has front controls but arguably not quite as good an amp of course as the Katana.
    Tell that to Nita Strauss. Oh so sorry forgot. She's a girl so her opinions don't matter in a forum full of tenth-rate willy-waving losers.

    I think the Marshall tones are probably better in the Code as you might expect, which is why it might appeal to someone in an Iron Maiden tribute band.  As with all preferences it depends on the style of music you play.  I've tried the Code and I really liked it but I've not yet played a Katana so I have no personal frame of reference, other than video comparisons. I listened to the guitar geeks comparison of 100w Katana v 50w code ....arguably the 100w code (2x12) would have been better which is the one I played but the 50w code and 100w Katana were at similar price points and are both 1x12's which was his rationale.

    However the build quality of the Code was suspect as it crapped out when he was making the video and needless to say reliability is pretty important. Boss stuff is generally built like a tank.


    I started out with nothing..... but I've still got most of it left (Seasick Steve)
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  • JayGeeJayGee Frets: 1254
    The Other Guitarist in my band has the direct Code equivalent (2x12 100 Watt) to my Katana.

    There’s really bugger all to choose between them in terms of how they sound and how well they work in a band mix but the Katana’s more “regular amp like” user interface with its (FX section aside) clearly labelled single function controls wins out for me over the Code’s more “High Tech Gadget” presentation...
    Don't ask me, I just play the damned thing...
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  • Hi all, I've just been sent here by a friend and I want to say thanks and it's great that what I'm working hard on is being well received. It's true that I did upgrade mainly for the front panel. I love the 100 112 Katana but the Artist has enough extra to make me splurge the extra cash. Any constructive criticism would be welcomed and this is my first post on this forum so thanks for getting me involved.
    Just a guy who loves guitars.
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  • LevLev Frets: 228

    The other guitarist in our band has a 100 and I never hear anything he plays. Sounds good in isolation though! :)
    Geniunely interested in getting one as a grab and go cover band amp so this comment is a little concerning. Is this just an issue with stage placement or does it really not cut through out front for the punters too?
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  • to me the artist definitely sounds like a "bigger" amp, more depth and bass and overall clarity. Whether its due to a better speaker or / and a bigger cabinet im not sure. I dont mind the panel being on top, i dont find that a problem. I think if i didnt have the katana 100 i might be tempted by the artist but im not inclined to upgrade just yet.
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  • p90foolp90fool Frets: 31367
    Lev said:

    The other guitarist in our band has a 100 and I never hear anything he plays. Sounds good in isolation though! :)
    Geniunely interested in getting one as a grab and go cover band amp so this comment is a little concerning. Is this just an issue with stage placement or does it really not cut through out front for the punters too?
    I wrote a long and tedious thread about my Katana tribulations mainly on this very subject if you want to plough through it - but I will qualify anything you find in there by stating it really is a good-sounding amp which may work very well for you if it matches your playing style. 

    http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/116545/boss-katana-100-gig-report/p1


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  • VoxmanVoxman Frets: 4718
    Hi all, I've just been sent here by a friend and I want to say thanks and it's great that what I'm working hard on is being well received. It's true that I did upgrade mainly for the front panel. I love the 100 112 Katana but the Artist has enough extra to make me splurge the extra cash. Any constructive criticism would be welcomed and this is my first post on this forum so thanks for getting me involved.
    Hi TGG and thanks for dropping in. I came across your Katana vids whilst browsing YouTube and as the Katana has been much discussed here, I thought these were well worth sharing. 

    You refer to $ in your vids so was just curious where you are based geographically? 
    I started out with nothing..... but I've still got most of it left (Seasick Steve)
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