Katana Amp

[Jim Reynolds]

Haven't seen much posted on the Katana Amp out now. I have two Nashville 112's and was thinking about getting one of these, but haven't seen much more about them. Anyone out there been working through one? Good price and weight, wonder about the sound.

[Robert Rhea]

Jim,

There has been a couple of threads on this amp. Here are the 2 links:
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=309914

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=317625

I played my Carter through one and found it lacked volume and low end fullness. I was really hoping it would be better, especially for the price.

[Dennis Ellerbee]

I bought the Katana amp with one 12" speaker. It is light weight, and I am getting a good sound out of it. The built in effects are nice. I have used it on 50 watt and 100 watt settings. You have to play around with the EQ in different rooms to get the sound you want. I have set it on acoustic and clean, and gotten a good sound from both. No its not a 15" speaker, and you don't get quite as much low end, but for smaller gigs it is just fine. You can also get the foot pedal to control the effects settings. It is plenty loud on the 100 watt setting. I use it miced in larger venues, and it holds its own.

[Bob Hempker]

I have been using one for a couple of months. I also have been using the amp head with a 15" cabinet. I am happy with both. I've only used the reverb and delay. The gig I'm doing doesn't really require any other effects. The amp is really a good amp, especially for the price.: $329.00 brand new. They only weigh 34 lb.

[Nathan Guilford]

i just got one and am pleased to have a small, light weight amp with effects that is loud enough for bigger stages.
I also bought the floor controller and was pleased to find out that there is a volume jack in on the foot controller. It works with a normal cable out of my old goodrich pedal too. Thought I had a great thing going until I put on the reverb and delay. The dadgum thing is wired after the effects. So when you back the volume down, the reverb stops too. Anybody know if there is a setting I can tweek to put it before instead of after?
I can always run the volume pedal in front of the amp, but I'd like to have the distortion effects before the volume pedal and the delay/reverb after. Am I just asking for too much?

[Nathan Guilford]

For the benefit of the whole...

I'd go ahead and answer my own questions. The foot controller GA-FC has two expression jack ins on the back of it. As I mentioned above, the one labeled volume is after all effects (not useful when using delay/reverb). However, I've discovered a really strange thing.....

Plug the steel straight into the amp. Now, if you plug the output of an passive goodrich volume pedal with a TRS, or stereo, cable and plug into the back of the Boss GA-FC controller labeled "FX", then the volume pedal works as an expression pedal controlling volume after the drive sections and before the delay/reverb. PERFECT!

I don't know why it works. It shouldn't. Not sure if other pot pedals work, because I only have a goodrich, but obviously the goodrich output jack is mono and the cable is stereo. There is no input into the volume pedal either. It must be working purely as an expression pedal.

This setup allows control over effects in the amp and different amp channels including eq - like could be used switching between guitar and steel, while still working like a normal volume pedal should. All with only 1 cable carrying signal to the amp. 2 TRS cables required but can be the cheapest junk cables because they are not carrying guitar signal and one of those is included in the packaging from the foot controller "GA-FC". 3 cables. no fx pedals to wire up. access to 55 boss effects on 4 presets. QUICK VERSATILE SETUP!

[Peter Harris]

Hi Nathan..

Everything you ever wanted to know about Katana Amps is available here...


http://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?board=231.0

http://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?board=232.0

http://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?board=235.0

http://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?board=240.0

HTH

Cheers,
Peter

[Jim Reynolds]

I ordered a new Katana 100 from Spotlight Music, Fort Collins, Co. It came total $296.10 w/free shipping. It is just amazing. It is excellent for what I need. The sound is great. As always, it is just new, so time may tell, but it sure sound as good, if not better, then the Nashville 112, plus all the effects are right there. The effects work very well, and am well pleased with them, and less you have to worry about. I will most likely be selling my two 112's, and my Nashville 400. This was what I've been looking for. I'm not a professional, so it doesn't mean much. I do look forward to what others have to say, like Paul Franklin, Tommy White, Mike Johnson (My Hero), Norm Hamlett. How come Norm is never mention here on the forum. He is one of my favorites too. You can look for me on items for sale soon.

[Jim Reynolds]

Peter, my wife already knows. hahahahaha

[Nathan Guilford]

I know. I finally got to play it LOUD at a practice last night. The lead guitarist came over and wanted to try it out. He said "I'm gonna pretend that amp doesn't sound as good as it does. I'm gonna pretend that didn't just happen." I think the Katana just freaked out a "tube" guy.

[Fred Thompson]

I played steel in the stage band for a music store jam last night that was held outside in the plaza parking lot. They let me use a Katana 100 they sell... I used the 50 watt setting and was blown away with the clear crisp tone of this amp. I couldn't believe how many people commented on it in a favorable way. Needless to say, I now have another amp.

[Steve Hotra]

I own a Katana head and play it with a 15" Big Ben and a 12" tweaker cab. Both setups work well with my pedal and lap steel.
I use the acoustic setting if I want a total, clean sound.

The head has a 5" internal speaker thats great for bedroom rehearsal.
And it can get plenty loud with 100 watts when needed.

[Stephen Abruzzo]

Steve......re the 5" internal speaker on the Katana head. Does it sound "boxy" or is it pretty clear?
Any cons about the speaker?