ok 1, well done dialing in that Katana tone. i'm a solid state guy myself and that was impressive. i avoid ss amps with modeling that relies too much on "apps" and software and such to run, just use a nice clean Fender ss Champion 100 with a modest pedalboard running front and through the effects loop for my "time" effects. 2, i didn't know the Katana has a H&K setting!!! and it's GOOD! that's the best H&K "fake" sound i've ever heard and now i have to get a Katana 100. crap.
Its crazy how much the Marshall amps just increased, I was eyeing the DSL40cr for weeks and went to buy it and it increased by $200! Luckily I was able to still get it, can't wait for it to arrive! Great videos, I love my Katana to
Thank you! And yeah, I noticed also. My Fender tele would've now cost $999 (I got it for almost $200 cheaper) and the same for the Marshalls. The demand/shortage (of everything!) aspect is insane! At least I'm optimistically assuming that's why the prices got raised.... hm...
Thank you for taking the time to put all this together, a lot of work and it shows! I recently acquired the Marshall and I love it, sounds great wide open. I have Katana Artist MK2 and am still exploring all of the possibilities. . . that will take a while. Great examples of what the Katanas can do, you've given me much to think about. . . .
Thank you for noticing and for the appreciation! I have a video that shows my basic Katana tone settings also (near the end of that video). ruclips.net/video/4O1tt1_C3ZI/видео.html I generally will make minor modifications based on whatever song, but it's basically what is shown, if you're ever looking for tone shaping ideas... or just want a basic frame to build your own preferences on. A guy named JB Aubry (who has a RUclips channel with the same name AND runs the Boss Katana Amps group on FB) originally posted his Marshall settings, and that got me started with a nice base tone that I could build from. It's always about people helping people. No better reason to live, in my thinking. :) Oh, and the fact that you are able to get your Marshall wide open... so lucky. Haven't gotten to do that YET.
@@onevoiceinc I'm looking forward to digging into the Katana more, found JB Aubry's channel, will be spending some time there for sure. Also saw your video and gonna set up some voicings a bit later tonight, loved the bloopers at the end ;) A few friends and I get together for a jam every few weeks and that gives me the opportunity to open up a small amp so got the Marshall cooking. . .it was great!! mostly ran at lower setting but had to see what the 40 was like. . . big smile
Excellent video, Brother! These 2 amps are the exact 2 amps that I decided to keep after getting rid of years of collecting (hording) gear. And, choosing to only having these 2 amps is a decision I do not regret at all. Viewed, liked, and subscribed!
@@Rau1S Well, if you can only afford one, then choose the tube amp first (the Marshall) and get the Black Bird 16 Ohm 65 Watt Speaker Attenuator, in Black Tolex, for Tube Amps, from Stami's Customs on Reverb for only $70...Now you can practice in the bedroom AND gig..without sacrificing that coveted and preferred tube tone....
@HotGates I haven't. To be honest, recently I got a Fender Bassbreaker 30r to try out. It's become my new favorite. I still regularly use my Marshall, but the Bassbreaker has blown my mind. (I think it may sound better than the Marshall.) As far as the Katana, I've used it for live and recording aspects a ton over the years. Recently, though, I ran into an up-and-coming guitarist that I might be donating it to, to help him along. The Katana is an absolute beast for so many things. Wish they had been around when I began my musical journey.
@@onevoiceinc I'll check out the fender too, But my story goes I started playing guitar in 82 at 17yrs old so I had all the yummy things from back then but my favorite amp back then was the Peavey 5150, And after my 2nd daughter was born in 94 I quit playing and put my fender strat under the bed until I picked it back up last year. But technology has changed and the katana seems nice but I don't know if I want to mess with apps to make it sound right.
I have the boss katana 50, and at first I thought it was a simple digital modulation amp that sounded great and better than the line 6 because I used to have one before and wanted an amp that sounded better to keep practicing, until I tried their software on a PC and seeing all the possibilities it has to get different sounds impressed me, besides I got a footswitch for the boss katana 50 which is an Xsonic Airstep, and I will never regret buying it, you get more than you expect for quality and price.
I agree 100%. It's sad when people quickly dismiss this amp. It has so much versatility. To be honest, I still have yet to use my Marshall amp live. I play it often, especially for the dirty sound, but the Katana is so versatile and easy to transport, I use it for live situations and my Marshall more for jamming around the house (and recording) these days. Seems backward, but it's how I roll, haha. BOSS created a monster product, and any Kahana owner has the right to be proud of it. It's a beast!
Awesome... AWESOME video (thank you!). This helped me tremendously! Also, I just wanted to randomly contribute that ghost bends should be in every video. EVERY video. :)
Great stuff . Really enjoyed the 2 vids and your pragmatic view on both amps is totally on-point, not too mention your playing. I sold my DSL40 and most pedals after buying the KAT head as it sat around for a few months . It never sounded bad , in fact great but after setting up the appropriate patches along with the GAFC it's just too easy to fire up the KAT. Horses for courses and all that.
Thank you! And yeah, it's a lot easier usually to just grab the Kat before running out to live performances. It's easy, lightweight, versatile, practical, and I keep my GAFC in the back of the amp so I don't have to make two trips to the car for load in. I'll admit it originally took a bit to dial in the settings (I based it on a Marshall 59 patch that RUclips friend JB Aubry shared... and I modified it from there to suit my ears. JB also runs the Boss Katana Amps group on FB. He's got a good ear for tone shaping. :)
Couple thoughts: -appreciate your video and agree with your points -looked like a fun video to make -Yes, every Marshall I’ve owned NEEDS to be loud -Marshalls open up with volume which allows you to dial preamp gain back for increased clarity / dynamics / “feel” / recording quality, etc etc -the type of gain here sounded very “pre-amp driven” which is fine, it’s totally a worthy tone with lots of applications, but it’s also a weaker fighting position for the Marshall.
I love this comment (and most of the comments I get on my channel). I agree. A quiet Marshall won't be able to really shine like it would cranked up. At the time, I was kinda forced into lower volumes due to a 4 year house guest (long story there... it's being handled, along with the volume getting raised, hahaha). You're absolutely correct, though. Going further, I find myself more and more noticing BIG differences tonally when I flip on the Katana after I've been playing the Marshall for days on end. The Katana does what it does, but it is no Marshall. Both have strong points, but the Marshall is just that tried and true rock sound that we've all come to know and love. So yeah, I couldn't agree more. :) Side note: I've been trying a third option the past few months that I plan to do a video for in the coming weeks (maybe sooner). Regardless, there are times when I just need that real deal Marshall sound. It's so good!!
I purchased a Boss 100 watt 6 yrs ago . I found the clean channels way too thin. Last Year I stepped up to the MARSHALL DSL 40. This was a better move. There is nothing as nice as vacume tubes . On another note Marshall has a two stage grounding . So buy a good quality chord and enjoy. Marshall pedal switching has correct grounding . You will notice a huge difference and not likely to hear annoying electro magnetic interference.
For the Katana, I built my clean tones off of a Sneaky Amps mod offered online (that can be integrated in ToneStudio), so I get a completely different experience with the clean tones. Regardless, both are great at what they do. I'm hoping to possibly purchase a Laney IRT30 later this year and try that out as well... and possibly do a comparison between that and the DSL40. :)
Thank you for the kind and very encouraging words. As far as the DSL40, I'm still experimenting and testing it so I can hopefully paint the clearest picture of what it's all about. Most DSL owners I've run across are happy with it. Others find it fizzy. I'm happy with mine. Regardless if at all possible, I want to get as much info out there so no one ends up with buyer's remorse either way. I work hard for my money, and I'm sure the majority of viewers of my channel do as well. So that's a big motivation for me. :) Thank you again for the kind response. These kinds of things keep me inspired.
I could emiediatly hear the Marshall it has that chest hitting crunch i just haven't heard from solid state yet orange is really on it getting closer every 5 years or so but the crush 100 was a throught and the boss as a 58 years young new musician only 9 months in i started with a Marshall code while it has 1000s of sounds it just never sounds right i am in a position now to upgrade and tubes still have me sold on that sound that solid state to me anyway just can't reproduce yet and there are some really nice sounding solid state amplifiers out now i believe most cannot hear the difference in a recording situation even me but in practice or most live settings i can hear the difference 😊i bet if it was solid state that came out first and we grew up on that sound maybe i wouldn't be addicted to that Marshall and fender sound❤i think for now i will go with the dsl 100 or 40 combo until another 5 year leap and maybe solid state will be absolutely 💯 there 😊
I've often wondered that also... the 'what if solid state would've been first' scenario. I'll say, I personally have been using both (in addition to other amp products depending on the need), but as far as feel, a tube definitely feels like a tube in its response. It's nice, though, that people who may not have the financial means to get a nice tube amp can still get great sounds. This is a great time to be a musician, with so many options that were never available like they are now. :)
Without any knowledge when I started at 55 in 2008, wanting electric guitar and no skill playing at first I got a Line 6 modelling amp, with a Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster. Then I got their Spider Jam amp but that was garbage very soon because the player buttons stopped working. So then I went up several levels money and Quality and got the Fender Hot Rod DeVille 410 with the Cry Baby pedal , a Boss reverb pedal, a noise reduction pedal power device and a chromatic tuner. The setup goes wonderfully with my Special edition Tele FMT HH Amber , especially well. Jeez I love that guitar and amp. For a different sound I also have a VOX Passport SS that has ruined my ears. I eventually would like a Fender with double reverb , vibrato, Can’t remember the model name, and a VOX ac30. Then I can die, noisily.
A great video. I've owned a number of ultra high-end tube amps including Boogies, have owned Marshalls, Fenders, Peaveys, used Laneys, etc. I've had some of my best experiences with solid state amps like Randalls, Gallien Kreugers, Crate, Fenders, Peaveys, you name it. My favorite solid-state amps now are the Katana and also the Gama amps. I'm not going to deny how great classic, high end tube amps are, but I am going to side with you on deflating the myth that you have to have a tube amp to get great tones. I played gigs all over L.A. during the metal heyday of the 80s. I preferred using Randalls and other solid state amps because I knew how consistent and reliable they were. The only tube amps I didn't have issues with were Boogies and Fenders. I had trouble with a couple Marshalls in particular and spent more getting them worked on and replacing the tubes they ate like popcorn than I did on purchasing them in the first place. Thy had a very high cost of ownership. Luckily, newer Marshalls are much more reliable. You could set your watch by them. I was using plexis that were way past their prime, not the newer JCM 800s which were ubiquitous on the Sunset Strip. I used a Laney AOR Pro Tube Lead that had a lot of issues. It clipped, and not in a good way. It was on the fritz. I sold it to an amp repair guy who said he didn't mind because he could fix it, but he only paid me half of what I paid for it. But the Randall RG57s with the Celestion or the RG80 with the Jaguar or the Randall head I borrowed had zero issues, ever. BTW you are totally right about the trades. My dad is a retired electrical engineer and has always made a solid living with his work. I know a lot of electricians and plumbers and they are doing much better than most of the attorneys I know. They all own homes and are financially comfortable. My uncle and his oldest son are electricians in Massachusetts and always get by. These skills will never go away because of robots, AI, or whatever's coming down the pike. You learn a solid trade and you can make a solid living and get some very nice toys, tube or solid state.
Thank you!! And the perfect response. I agree 1000%. As far as my trade, I kinda fell into it, but you're right - no AI or bot will ever be able to replace a large number of tradesmen. :)
@@onevoiceinc This is why I did Mike Rowe. He's right. You want to make a good living? Learn a trade that provides a necessary service. Ain't nobody can enjoy using the internet or smartphones or Faceplant and InstaSham without electricity, and it's the electricians that keep the world humming along and the electric guitars screaming. Keep rockin'.
Exactly. This series was mainly designed for the up-and-coming musician(s) out there who might not have the means to afford a decent tube amp (and the pedals to go along with them). Back in the day, I used to be one of those, lol. :) I'll add, as much as I love my Marshall - it does a particular thing very well - I still haven't been able to balance out the channels due to the shared EQ. It can sometimes feel like an amp with multiple personalities, depending on what channel/mode one is going for... especially if one is trying to use the one amp to get all the sounds they're going after. At best, I have spent a BUNCH of money on pedals to try to compensate for that, and I'm stil kind of left "chasing tone" with that amp to be able to play many of the diverse styles I'm often asked to play live.
I could totally tell amp 2 sounded better. Not surprised. Every time I hear people gushing about the Katana, I don’t get it. Something about the sound just feels…dead to me. Empty, hollow, like there’s something missing that should be there. Not to say it isn’t a very fine piece of equipment, but I’ve always felt the tone was off to me.
The feel is the biggest area where you'll notice the biggest difference between the two. The beauty of it, though, is someone on a tight budget can grab a Kat and sound like a Boss through a PA at a venue, so that's a win. Being totally transparent, there have been times where I could hear the digital aspects, but typically I was the only one who could where I was playing. Believe it or not (and this will sound fictional even though it's real) I've fooled MANY very seasoned musicians over the years with solid state equipment - very much including one of those Line 6 Bogner/ hybrid Spider amps years and years ago. (I don't think you could pay me to play through it now, hahaha. It sounds like a toy.) I fooled a very reputable producer once with a solid state Hughes and Kettner. I actually caught him later on peeking in the back of the amp with a flashlight trying to find the tubes, hahaha. My more recent amp of choice: the Fender Bassbreaker 30r (tube amp). It sounds incredible. I'll be doing a review on that one soon, so stay tuned. :)
Well, if you can only afford one, then choose the tube amp first (the Marshall) and get the Black Bird 16 Ohm 65 Watt Speaker Attenuator, in Black Tolex, for Tube Amps, from Stami's Customs on Reverb for only $70...Now you can practice in the bedroom AND gig..without sacrificing that coveted and preferred tube tone....
Hey me again. 👍 In ex-1, I thought the katana sound better. But in ex-2, I thought the marshall sound better. The marshall had a smoother sound. Boss sound got fizzy at 5:26 while hitting the high string. Both great amps though. 👍 👌 Thanks for the review
Awesome. Just wanted to provide as much info as possible. Like I say, I love my Marshall personally. The Katana is versatile. Still there is that raw, plug-in-and-play aspect that the Marshall does so well. I've had great experiences with both amps. And to be honest, with the volumes that most people play at, the Marshall sounds pretty great. :)
To be honest, mine sounds incredible clean, but I've heard some SS that sound awful. I've got my Katana set to sound like a Fender Twin. As far as reliance on a computer, I'll have to agree with you there. Computers screw me up, lol.
I have the Katana Artist which is a great amp, however I've wasted so much time trying to find the best tone for each song. Getting the ideal gain tone without too much high end fizziness is a PITA. Trying to adjust the pedal settings in a live setting is very limited without a laptop on stage - and who wants to bring a laptop to the stage? Keep it simple is what I want so the Marshall will be my choice. I also have a Katana 50 MK2 as a practice amp. I use it as a clean amp with pedals in the front.
I ran into a situation this weekend where I really needed to change a setting but didn't have my OTG cable... ended up suffering through it. I get what you're saying for sure. :)
In a recording setup, the difference is not as important and you can EQ most of that afterwards anyhow. Live is where the Marshall really outshines the Katana. It cuts through a mix a lot better, has more volume available and just projects better. I've had 2 Katana amps and both had trouble cutting through a mix and also only lasted about a year before they started sounding extremely digital and having issues. The DSL is much more reliable. That's my experience. Good comparison.
I have a Marshall DSL20CR and I was right about the amp 2 in the first two examples being the Marshall (I didn't listen to the 3rd example, sorry). I figured that the amp with more low end was the Katana. Both are very useable amps, no doubt about it.
Thank you :) My settings are all listed here, at around 3:00 on that video. Only thing I changed was the amount of delay. (I lower delay volume for recording, always.) ruclips.net/video/4O1tt1_C3ZI/видео.html
It's something I wrote (pretty much for the video). I call it "Chrysalis." I listed all the songs at the end of the video. I think it's at around the nine minute mark on Part 1. And thank you so much for the kind words. I welcome all variety of comments, but comments like yours are my favorites. :)
I like Amp1 (in the first two demos) more and it's the katana! 😮 How do you tuned your katana to sound so awesom? Do you have a patch? I'm owning a katana.
First, thank you!! Also I posted my exact Katana tones in this video: ruclips.net/video/4O1tt1_C3ZI/видео.htmlsi=OM7IorG_7V5y_0BH The tone settings begin at around 3:30. Hopefully that helps.
Awesome video. I have the Boss Katana 50 and it is great. I was actually looking at a Marshall DSL40 and when researching I saw this video. You probably saved me about $600 because I am convinced that I just need to tweak my Katana some more to get a "Marshall" type sound from it. I do like the simplicity of the Marshall though, just plug in and play and you get a great sound. But you might be a but you might be a little more limited since you can get about ANY sound from the Katana. Would you be willing to share the setup you use on the Katana to get your Marshall sound because it is awesome. Thanks!!!!!
Thank you for the very kind words!! I made a video with my exact settings. The settings themselves start at around 3 minutes into the video. I still use the old version of Tone Studio, but the settings should still translate. I'll post the video link here: ruclips.net/video/4O1tt1_C3ZI/видео.html As far as the two, I find that the Katana does quite well for most applications, including most stages. If you were to want to crank it to 10, the Marshall would be the way to go (in my opinion). But most stages and venues are getting away from deafening volumes these days, so truthfully, most reasonably loud amps (including the Katana) will do fine. Have you tried the Airstep pedal yet for your Kat 50? I bought one for my son. Still waiting to hear how it works out.
You never once showed us the amps? You could insert some shots of them while talking about them instead of just watching you sitting on a couch. How large are these amps? I was waiting to see them. Just some constructive criticism to make the videos better, I hope you don't mind. I also have a FMT HH and have watched several of your videos so keep up the good work.
I showed both amps in the beginning of part one... but since you asked: the dimensions are (H) 19.29" x 24.4" (W) x 9.9" depth. It's 50.4 lbs, so it's gonna be awful when I drag this into the club I'll be playing for my band reunion show in a couple of months. I'm assuredly buying a small hand dolly to get it in the club, hahaha.:D I'm finding out that I'm not in my 20s anymore. Side question: what color FMT HH did you get?
Thanks, Leigh! I actually have my base Katana settings posted in this video: ruclips.net/video/4O1tt1_C3ZI/видео.html . The only modification I made (for the comparison video) was dialing the delay and reverb down a bit. (Live and on that link, I use what's posted, but for recording it comes off as being a bit much. Live, it fills in a lot of sound with me being the only guitar player.) The tones start around 3:00. Keep in mind I still use a mk1 with version 2 editing... but that should translate to the newer versions. Hopefully that helps. If not, let me know. I'll look into more Katana videos up the road. It's a great and very versatile amp. :) I also love that I don't need a chiropractor when I'm setting it up for live performances, hahahaha. Have a great weekend!
They both sounded great but I was able to guess which was which correctly. Although i wasn't 100 % certain until the results were revealed. To my ears the Marshall had just a bit more clarity. Yes, I'll use the old analogy that the Katana sounded like it has a blanket over it, albeit a thin one.
@@onevoiceinc most of the comparisons between the 100 and Artist advise against going with the Artist on price point unless you just need the controls in front.
@@onevoiceinc thanks for the transparency. I get myself into financial difficulties or choice paralysis because of reviews. Seldom does it help to try to figure sound out over the phone or computer. The once organic you tube is riddled by these special incentives to a few content producers to sell to us hungry consumers. I don’t know the reason why you get yours cheaper. But I think your subtext is that it’s not expensive gear but the quality of the playing and I agree. In the right hands I’ve heard a 50 dollar harmony sound good.
Absolutely. I posted a video with all the settings. I still actively use these to this day. (I was using those this morning, as a matter of fact.) The link to the video is: ruclips.net/video/4O1tt1_C3ZI/видео.html The actual tone settings start around 3 minutes into the video. It took a while to tweak the amp to get it to sound this way. Now I pretty much will only increase or decrease reverb or delay, but everything else stays as it is. :) Hope this is helpful. I use the older version of Tone Studio, but the settings will work on any version if dialed in.
Thank you! I included them on this video: ruclips.net/video/4O1tt1_C3ZI/видео.html The amp settings start at around 3:15, and they go kind of fast. You may have to pause them and maybe do screen shots. [Side note: I used less delay and reverb volumes for the comparison video... so keep that in mind. Everything else should be as is.] I may have even posted them in the Boss Katana Amp Settings group on FB. If so, they'd be under the name Joe Hanna. :) Either way, it's a good base tone. From there you may want to add a little more (or less) of whatever your preferences are. :)
Additional note: I still use the older version editing software of Boss Tone Studio. I also have the Mk1, so I'm able to use the fx loop as a true volume boost. Aside from that, I keep my settings with the Tube Screamer off, and I'll turn them on with the GAFC when I need them. :)
Hey how do the cleans do for the PDub sets on the DSL40CR? I'm not sure I want to sign up for a zillion buttons on the computer...tho I'm a techy guy. I like the idea of the Marshall being able to cover the crunch and heavy stuff and then I've heard the cleans are pretty good.
Honestly (and solely my opinion only), the Marshall is made more for rock. For diverse Pdub textures, you're probably going to want to spend lots and lots of money on pedals... or go with the Katana... or get something like the Blackstar Amped 3 and some pedals. The Marshall seems (in my opinion) to be specifically aimed at rock and hard rock gigs. Being as honest as I can. :) Going further, I've been running that Amped 3 into my Marshall's return (with a small number of pedals) as of the past few months. I'll be doing a video of that in the coming weeks.
@@onevoiceinc Is the Katana pretty sweet on the cleans after a bunch of adjustments? I can get a used one of those (100) with pedal switch for like 225$ lol. The other dudes are church run it all through an AC15-30.
@vin9976 I personally think it's excellent on cleans personally after some adjustments. Worst case, if you end up getting a Katana 100, I could share my actual tones with you to try out. For live play, you'd definitely want to get the additional GAFC or GAFCex pedal. Currently for my main clean tone patch, I'm running a delay and reverb with a second backward delay underneath - all in that patch. I personally love the clean tones the most from the Katana vs the Marshall. At the end of the day, it *does* fall down to personal preference and how one personally likes this or that sound, though. I just love the versatility. With the Kat, I'm able to run a Fender Twin type of tone and then run Marshall-based tones for crunch, hard rhythms, and solo work. I think the Marshall sounds best at higher volumes personally, and most churches these days are leaning more toward keeping stage volumes as low as possible. That being said, you could get a ~pretty good~ sound with the Marshall at lower volumes - I typically record my RUclips (Marshall content) at lower volumes - but you'd also probably find yourself spending lots of money on pedals to emulate a lot of the sounds you'd probably be going for. I love my Marshall, but I haven't dragged it to my church yet (since I originally purchased it a while back) due to feeling like my Katana 100 is better suited to handle pdub volumes and diverse sounds (and dynamics) much better. Once again, though, it's something you will really want to put some thought into before going with either, because it does ultimately fall down to personal preference and your ear. I'll add that after originally purchasing the Marshall (which I got for a killer deal of around $650), I ended up spending over $1000 on pedals. Whichever you decide on, keep me posted, and if I can help with tone settings or ideas, let me know. :)
Thank you so much! Last question…do solid state amps like the Katana degrade after 4-5 years? Like does the amp or electrics get worse? The price point is so low used I can prob just get into a Katana easily with the pedal board and take a chance and have a ton of sound versatility (especially since you’ve got the sounds so dialed). But if the amps degrade then maybe it’s a different story.
@vin9976 to be honest (and trying to remember when I bought mine), I ~think~ I've only had mine about 4 years, so I can't honestly answer that other than to say at 4 years, mine is still going strong. I, of course, take really good care of it. I *did* spill sweet tea on it one time early on, hahaha,and I opted to open it up and spray everything I could reach with contact cleaner. (Now I make a second trip for my tea when lugging in my equipment.) Getting Boss Tone Studio downloaded ~can~ be irritating at first (unless you're computer saavy - computers hate me), but I have friends that post video "how to" topics that'll walk you right through it. Without Tone Studio (or there's a simpler phone app called Katana Librarian), you'll only experience about 20% of what the amp is capable of. Once you're able to really dial it in, though, it gets easier and easier afterward. Heck, I downloaded other people's settings early on to see what they were doing, and it helped me to get my own unique tones tweaked in. The Kat 100 allows me to use 2 delays, reverb, and either a boost pedal or an effect like compressor, trem, pitch shifter (etc., it has SO MANY built in effects) or you can add an effect in place of the second delay... or there's a way to "trick" the amp into using Katana Librarian so I can run my two delays, reverb, boost (in my case Tube Screamer), AND Octave (or whatever other effect the song calls for). So you can get a nice layered effect patch without buying all those extra pedals. Hopefully your worship band isn't like some that I've worked with. (The ones I referred to would stick their nose up when they *saw* the guitars and amps I would bring in because it wasn't the same old stuff that everybody else was using to keep up with everybody else. Those people were more about gear and status rather than skill, lol. Once I'd actually play, they normally shut up pretty quickly.) Aside from a Katana not having so-and-so brand name on the cover, it's super versatile and affordable. For what you play for a Marshall, you could buy a Katana and still have money for a bunch of pedals too... if you even felt like you needed any additional pedals. To me, the Kat is a real world working man's amp. Really the only reason I originally bought the Marshall in the first place was out of curiosity. My Marshall does that Marshall sound, but it stays within that range. For multiple tone types, the Katana will get incredibly close or blatantly nail it. :) I have a video of what the Katana offers. I'll post the link below. :)
Great video! I tried to Shazam the first example, in part 1, it's so good! I totally confused Amp 1 and 2 in the first video, I thought the amp 1 sounded way better, and thought it was the Marshall for sure. I'm in the process into getting back into electric guitar and I'm looking at buying one of these 2 amps. I'm going to run them through a Boss ME-80 pedal. I have no plans of doing gigs but who knows, I'd rather be prepared to so knowing that I'm going to use the amp through a ME-80 pedal, which option would you chose let's say that budget is fine with either options? Thank you so much for butting this 2 part comparison together, great stuff!
Sweet, thanks for the fast reply, I appreciate it! I'm looking it up online, and I'm seeing that it seems that you need to let tube amps warm up before playing them. Do you usually wait before playing when turning the DSL40 on? I read it's better for tube life and sound quality but I know absolutely nothing about amps so wonder what your thoughts are on this. I'd honestly be so impatient, when I turn on the amp, I just want to start playing you know!
@claudesveganchannel910 I generally turn if on, tune up, and then take it off of standby. So maybe 20 to 30 seconds before I'm playing. :) Also I've used my Boss GT100 through the Marshall. Lately I've been running the Blackstar Amped 3, and to my ears it sounds best when I go from the pedal output directly to the amp return. It bypasses the amp brain and allows the pedal to define the sound. I'll be doing a video on that coming up. There are lots of ways to run amps. I'm loving that setup these days. That particular product also allows me 3 independent channels vs the Marshall's 2 channel design. I play a bunch of different styles and applications so having more options is always super important. I also play at my local church, so I've mostly been leaving the Katana there. Makes for a really fast early morning setup. I'll say also, the Katana has served me well over the years, still going strong, but the Marshall does sound better to my ears for high gain tones. If I am doing an actual gig, the Marshall will be my first pick. For pdub/worship, the Katana has that infinite diversity I'm after. With you already having that Boss pedal, I think the Marshall will be a great amp to pair it with. :)
@@onevoiceinc hey awesome, thank you so much for the detailed response! That helps clarifies things a lot. I'll go with the Marshal! I'm looking into getting a used one from GC. Do you think getting a used one is fine?
@claudesveganchannel910 now ~that~ is anyone's guess. Truthfully, though, they are supposed to make sure it runs before buying or trading... wishing you well in your purchase. :)
Your tones sound so good!! My daughter used a katana artist 100 and likes it a lot. But playing around with the BTS can get time consuming. So I started considering a valve amp and pedal platform she might find simpler and quicker to use. Are you located in the Charleston area? I’m in Florence, SC. If you are gigging anywhere soon I’ll be in the area in a few days. Would enjoy watching you play- great sound and style of music. Thanks for a great video. I really dig that H&K setting at the end of the video! Doug
First off, thank you! It took a while before finally dialing in those particular Katana tones. :) I'm not opposed to sharing my settings. The setting themselves might even be able to be shared via email. Not sure. Second, yes. My wife and I were living in the Ladson area, but a few months ago we moved outside of Moncks Corner (we inherited the home semi-recently), which is minutes away from Goose Creek. I just recently converted the office room into a studio. I'm really loving the overall sound in there. As far as live performances, I've recently dialed things back considerably (especially with my new job schedule and some other matters). About the only place I've really been playing *lately* is at a local church (Reality Church in Goose Creek) about 2 - 3 times a month. It's smaller than certain venues than I used to play, but I still get to rock out and use my style in everything I play. I also get a pretty good mix in the sound system (and occasional lead instrumental solo performances). Those words "playing at a church" usually send people running away frantically, hahahahaha. It's been great for me - helping fill a need but also getting to keep my lead chops up to speed and always remaining in a constant place of learning new material. That would be the only place to catch me playing live at the moment. Lonnnng reply on my part... but there was some good stuff to reply to. :)
@@onevoiceinc Thanks for the reply back. I’m very familiar with the Monks Corner area. If you get back to playing local venues, let me know. When the time comes and I purchase the Marshall I may pick your brain about pedals. I’m somewhat familiar with most things guitar but there are a lot of pedals out there. My daughter plays mostly 80s and 90s rock with some occasional country mixed in (which thrills me for a 14 year old to play my style of music!!) So trying to focus in on that guitar sound. Thanks for the videos and your time. Great quality material. Keep in touch and God bless. Doug
I've been thinking about getting one. The Katana is just so versatile and extremely convenient to use in live settings. My 100W is great, but the Artist has that Waza speaker (and those additional EQ settings). So good.
@@onevoiceinc I got the new Airstep Katana footswitch. Makes the amp Bluetooth editable from your phone or tablet. Very handy for making quick adjustments without a laptop. You can also use it in conjunction with the gafc. So I just use the gafc for channel switching and the airstep for effects switching
@@danabnormal5892 I have a question for you. If you change to a new patch via the GAFC, I'm assuming whatever settings you had created/stored will return to that exact state, correct? Like (for example) if I set the Airstep to effects mode and turned the boost on say for patch 3, but then I switched to patch 2 for a second then back to patch 3 (via my GAFC)... my preset channel that I originally created/stored in Tone Studio will return to that particular patch, correct? Or is it able to keep the altered changes from the Airstep going without regard to what I'm doing with the GAFC? (Hope my question makes sense.)
@@onevoiceinc 👋 yes when you switch channel and then return to the first channel, it returns to the state that the patch was saved as. It’s doesn’t remember if you have turned on or off an effect. Hope that helps. 👍
The way I can usually tell between them is that the overdrive on solid state amps has a sort of white noise effect where there's no definition in the notes. And then usually they always have something lacking in the midrange. I thought amp 1 was the tube amp throughout every test, and I think it comes down to dialing in the best sound you can for the track, and I feel like the marshall could have been dialed in better for the first two tracks. I play more broken up bluesy kinds of tones, and I feel like that sort of tone is a lot more obvious as to solid state vs tube as opposed to really high gain or really clean. The main thing I dislike about the katanas is that they give you so many options that you're often left creating tones more than actually practicing guitar. Plus I really like having my pedals and gear like that. I feel like I'd have a disconnect with my idols if I had everything built in the amp. Just my opinion on that.
I have run into two situations where I had certain tones already stored and suddenly a change happens in the set at the last minute - and I'm suddenly scrambling to make changes (on the laptop). That's where an amp like the Marshall thrives due to its "just turn some knobs and go" nature. I'll say, as far as bluesy tones, the Kat has actually surprised me in good ways. Both amps have been good to me. As far as the Marshall, have you heard about the C19 capacitor modification? I might be doing that soon, and I ~hope~ to do a comparison video of that when the time comes. :) In this particular side by side thing, I did notice the Marshall will sometimes have a harsh upper shrill frequency, but it can be eliminated with that modification. The only scary part is that the amp has some parts that hang around the 450 - 500 VDC range. I'm an electrician, but we typically almost exclusively work with AC electrical current. DC (very much including automobiles and amps) is something I'm a little more intimidated by. All the same, I'm a "the only way to fix a problem is to go straight through it" kind of person... soooo this should be interesting, lol. :D
@@onevoiceinc Yeah I have heard of that modification actually. I bought my Marshall used so I can't say if it was done, but mine actually has a Creamback m65 speaker and I really feel like it nails those vintage tones. Never really had to deal with harsh treble apart from my own preference. But again I tend to stay in the classic crunch mode which is much more rounded sounding than the lead mode. I also have my bass maxed out while treble is only at 3 which probably helps tame some brightness as well. And yeah I totally agree about the dangerous voltages in the amp, I tend to avoid messing around with it haha.
@@onevoiceinc Yeah I mean for my style I think I have it dialed in quite nicely. Although for high gain, one thing I noticed is that the presence knob has a huge impact on the tone. When presence is turned up, it kind of adds a high end sizzle to the overdrive, while lower presence is a lot warmer sounding. I think ultimately, good tone comes down to how well it sits in the mix. I don't mean to sound like I'm knocking you by saying that though. I just know that some objectively good amps can sound bad in the mix if they aren't dialed in for it. It would be interesting to do a video where you compare an amp that's dialed in good for the mix, with one that's dialed in poorly and see how much of a difference it makes on the final track.
Se registri il suono ok ma se lo ascolti dal cono le cose cambiano molto. Il katana ha un suono molto brutto rispetto al marshall. Non diverso, brutto. Piatto, un po tutto uguale. Il katana con cuffie o ascoltato su casse monitor ...allora cambia e il suono si avvicina al marshall anche se il marshall è meglio. Molto meglio. Se usi il katana in cuffie senza usare la sua cassa ok...ma a quel punto uso un software come neural o amplitube o guitar rig. Marshall vince a mani basse sul suono. Katana lo consiglio a un principiante. A nessun altro. Diversamente meglio un software di emulazione. Dal cono il Marshall è una garanzia.
I completely got that backwards. Guess I like the sound you made with the Katana.
I did too. And I was leaning to buy the Marshall DSL40CR tomorrow morning. Now I just don't know. 😆
Damn! They sound really similar, and the Katana replicates it well. Definitly worth the investment.
Through my studio headphones and speakers amp 1 was my choice in everything.
The first two are a particular setup and the third example reverses the order just to throw things off a bit. :)
ok
1, well done dialing in that Katana tone. i'm a solid state guy myself and that was impressive. i avoid ss amps with modeling that relies too much on "apps" and software and such to run, just use a nice clean Fender ss Champion 100 with a modest pedalboard running front and through the effects loop for my "time" effects.
2, i didn't know the Katana has a H&K setting!!! and it's GOOD!
that's the best H&K "fake" sound i've ever heard and now i have to get a Katana 100. crap.
Its crazy how much the Marshall amps just increased, I was eyeing the DSL40cr for weeks and went to buy it and it increased by $200! Luckily I was able to still get it, can't wait for it to arrive! Great videos, I love my Katana to
Thank you! And yeah, I noticed also. My Fender tele would've now cost $999 (I got it for almost $200 cheaper) and the same for the Marshalls. The demand/shortage (of everything!) aspect is insane! At least I'm optimistically assuming that's why the prices got raised.... hm...
@@onevoiceinc That's the reason Sweetwater gave me but they weren't willing to work with me much, but guitar center helped me out surprisingly
I got my dsl40cr for $400 used but as new. Pretty happy about that
It will blow your Katana out of the water.
I’ve got the same amp but as a 2x12. It is a revelation.
Great video. I have both amps and yeah you are so right about them :)
Thank you for taking the time to put all this together, a lot of work and it shows! I recently acquired the Marshall and I love it, sounds great wide open. I have Katana Artist MK2 and am still exploring all of the possibilities. . . that will take a while. Great examples of what the Katanas can do, you've given me much to think about. . . .
Thank you for noticing and for the appreciation! I have a video that shows my basic Katana tone settings also (near the end of that video). ruclips.net/video/4O1tt1_C3ZI/видео.html
I generally will make minor modifications based on whatever song, but it's basically what is shown, if you're ever looking for tone shaping ideas... or just want a basic frame to build your own preferences on. A guy named JB Aubry (who has a RUclips channel with the same name AND runs the Boss Katana Amps group on FB) originally posted his Marshall settings, and that got me started with a nice base tone that I could build from. It's always about people helping people. No better reason to live, in my thinking. :)
Oh, and the fact that you are able to get your Marshall wide open... so lucky. Haven't gotten to do that YET.
@@onevoiceinc I'm looking forward to digging into the Katana more, found JB Aubry's channel, will be spending some time there for sure. Also saw your video and gonna set up some voicings a bit later tonight, loved the bloopers at the end ;)
A few friends and I get together for a jam every few weeks and that gives me the opportunity to open up a small amp so got the Marshall cooking. . .it was great!! mostly ran at lower setting but had to see what the 40 was like. . . big smile
Excellent video, Brother! These 2 amps are the exact 2 amps that I decided to keep after getting rid of years of collecting (hording) gear. And, choosing to only having these 2 amps is a decision I do not regret at all. Viewed, liked, and subscribed!
Love it!! And yeah, I agree 100%.
Help me to decide which one of these i should buy 😊. Unfortunately I can't afford both.
@@Rau1S Well, if you can only afford one, then choose the tube amp first (the Marshall) and get the Black Bird 16 Ohm 65 Watt Speaker Attenuator, in Black Tolex, for Tube Amps, from Stami's Customs on Reverb for only $70...Now you can practice in the bedroom AND gig..without sacrificing that coveted and preferred tube tone....
@@toneseeker4968 thank you so much my friend. Yes.. I think that nothing beats a tube amp. 🤷🏽♂️
@@Rau1S You betcha, Brother...
That last riff shreds. You should do a video and teach that riff and post tabs.
That said I think the Boss had some nice lead tones that really shone through in the second comparison.
I won't lie, I spent a BUNCH of time creating that tone. Lots of trial and error before finally dialing it in. :)
Very nice I kind of think I'll be buying the Boss Katana 100 Mark III.
I haven't heard the Mk3 yet, but I'm betting it'll be super versatile. :)
@@onevoiceinc I've heard the Vox VT40X is also pretty good, You ever try it?
@HotGates I haven't. To be honest, recently I got a Fender Bassbreaker 30r to try out. It's become my new favorite. I still regularly use my Marshall, but the Bassbreaker has blown my mind. (I think it may sound better than the Marshall.) As far as the Katana, I've used it for live and recording aspects a ton over the years. Recently, though, I ran into an up-and-coming guitarist that I might be donating it to, to help him along. The Katana is an absolute beast for so many things. Wish they had been around when I began my musical journey.
@@onevoiceinc I'll check out the fender too, But my story goes I started playing guitar in 82 at 17yrs old so I had all the yummy things from back then but my favorite amp back then was the Peavey 5150, And after my 2nd daughter was born in 94 I quit playing and put my fender strat under the bed until I picked it back up last year. But technology has changed and the katana seems nice but I don't know if I want to mess with apps to make it sound right.
I have the boss katana 50, and at first I thought it was a simple digital modulation amp that sounded great and better than the line 6 because I used to have one before and wanted an amp that sounded better to keep practicing, until I tried their software on a PC and seeing all the possibilities it has to get different sounds impressed me, besides I got a footswitch for the boss katana 50 which is an Xsonic Airstep, and I will never regret buying it, you get more than you expect for quality and price.
I agree 100%. It's sad when people quickly dismiss this amp. It has so much versatility. To be honest, I still have yet to use my Marshall amp live. I play it often, especially for the dirty sound, but the Katana is so versatile and easy to transport, I use it for live situations and my Marshall more for jamming around the house (and recording) these days. Seems backward, but it's how I roll, haha. BOSS created a monster product, and any Kahana owner has the right to be proud of it. It's a beast!
Awesome... AWESOME video (thank you!). This helped me tremendously! Also, I just wanted to randomly contribute that ghost bends should be in every video. EVERY video. :)
Comments like these keep me inspired to keep creating more videos. Thank you!
Great stuff . Really enjoyed the 2 vids and your pragmatic view on both amps is totally on-point, not too mention your playing. I sold my DSL40 and most pedals after buying the KAT head as it sat around for a few months . It never sounded bad , in fact great but after setting up the appropriate patches along with the GAFC it's just too easy to fire up the KAT. Horses for courses and all that.
Thank you! And yeah, it's a lot easier usually to just grab the Kat before running out to live performances. It's easy, lightweight, versatile, practical, and I keep my GAFC in the back of the amp so I don't have to make two trips to the car for load in. I'll admit it originally took a bit to dial in the settings (I based it on a Marshall 59 patch that RUclips friend JB Aubry shared... and I modified it from there to suit my ears. JB also runs the Boss Katana Amps group on FB. He's got a good ear for tone shaping. :)
The Katana sounds tighter while the Marshall sounded more open
That last tone was awesome!
Couple thoughts:
-appreciate your video and agree with your points
-looked like a fun video to make
-Yes, every Marshall I’ve owned NEEDS to be loud
-Marshalls open up with volume which allows you to dial preamp gain back for increased clarity / dynamics / “feel” / recording quality, etc etc
-the type of gain here sounded very “pre-amp driven” which is fine, it’s totally a worthy tone with lots of applications, but it’s also a weaker fighting position for the Marshall.
I love this comment (and most of the comments I get on my channel). I agree. A quiet Marshall won't be able to really shine like it would cranked up. At the time, I was kinda forced into lower volumes due to a 4 year house guest (long story there... it's being handled, along with the volume getting raised, hahaha). You're absolutely correct, though. Going further, I find myself more and more noticing BIG differences tonally when I flip on the Katana after I've been playing the Marshall for days on end. The Katana does what it does, but it is no Marshall. Both have strong points, but the Marshall is just that tried and true rock sound that we've all come to know and love. So yeah, I couldn't agree more. :)
Side note: I've been trying a third option the past few months that I plan to do a video for in the coming weeks (maybe sooner). Regardless, there are times when I just need that real deal Marshall sound. It's so good!!
Good job and play man! Grettings from Brazil . See ya ! 🍺👏✌🏻🙏👊
Thank you! And welcome to my channel!! :)
I purchased a Boss 100 watt 6 yrs ago . I found the clean channels way too thin. Last Year I stepped up to the MARSHALL DSL 40. This was a better move. There is nothing as nice as vacume tubes . On another note Marshall has a two stage grounding . So buy a good quality chord and enjoy. Marshall pedal switching has correct grounding . You will notice a huge difference and not likely to hear annoying electro magnetic interference.
For the Katana, I built my clean tones off of a Sneaky Amps mod offered online (that can be integrated in ToneStudio), so I get a completely different experience with the clean tones. Regardless, both are great at what they do. I'm hoping to possibly purchase a Laney IRT30 later this year and try that out as well... and possibly do a comparison between that and the DSL40. :)
Man, you're a fantastic player. Right up my alley. Great stuff. Thinking' about a DSL40 these days.
Thank you for the kind and very encouraging words. As far as the DSL40, I'm still experimenting and testing it so I can hopefully paint the clearest picture of what it's all about. Most DSL owners I've run across are happy with it. Others find it fizzy. I'm happy with mine. Regardless if at all possible, I want to get as much info out there so no one ends up with buyer's remorse either way. I work hard for my money, and I'm sure the majority of viewers of my channel do as well. So that's a big motivation for me. :) Thank you again for the kind response. These kinds of things keep me inspired.
Good stuff man. Thanks for taking the time to make it. I look forward to your future videos.
Have both and like them equally well, good video thanks.
I could emiediatly hear the Marshall it has that chest hitting crunch i just haven't heard from solid state yet orange is really on it getting closer every 5 years or so but the crush 100 was a throught and the boss as a 58 years young new musician only 9 months in i started with a Marshall code while it has 1000s of sounds it just never sounds right i am in a position now to upgrade and tubes still have me sold on that sound that solid state to me anyway just can't reproduce yet and there are some really nice sounding solid state amplifiers out now i believe most cannot hear the difference in a recording situation even me but in practice or most live settings i can hear the difference 😊i bet if it was solid state that came out first and we grew up on that sound maybe i wouldn't be addicted to that Marshall and fender sound❤i think for now i will go with the dsl 100 or 40 combo until another 5 year leap and maybe solid state will be absolutely 💯 there 😊
I've often wondered that also... the 'what if solid state would've been first' scenario. I'll say, I personally have been using both (in addition to other amp products depending on the need), but as far as feel, a tube definitely feels like a tube in its response. It's nice, though, that people who may not have the financial means to get a nice tube amp can still get great sounds. This is a great time to be a musician, with so many options that were never available like they are now. :)
Without any knowledge when I started at 55 in 2008, wanting electric guitar and no skill playing at first I got a Line 6 modelling amp, with a Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster. Then I got their Spider Jam amp but that was garbage very soon because the player buttons stopped working. So then I went up several levels money and Quality and got the Fender Hot Rod DeVille 410 with the Cry Baby pedal , a Boss reverb pedal, a noise reduction pedal power device and a chromatic tuner. The setup goes wonderfully with my Special edition Tele FMT HH Amber , especially well. Jeez I love that guitar and amp. For a different sound I also have a VOX Passport SS that has ruined my ears. I eventually would like a Fender with double reverb , vibrato, Can’t remember the model name, and a VOX ac30. Then I can die, noisily.
A great video. I've owned a number of ultra high-end tube amps including Boogies, have owned Marshalls, Fenders, Peaveys, used Laneys, etc. I've had some of my best experiences with solid state amps like Randalls, Gallien Kreugers, Crate, Fenders, Peaveys, you name it. My favorite solid-state amps now are the Katana and also the Gama amps. I'm not going to deny how great classic, high end tube amps are, but I am going to side with you on deflating the myth that you have to have a tube amp to get great tones. I played gigs all over L.A. during the metal heyday of the 80s. I preferred using Randalls and other solid state amps because I knew how consistent and reliable they were. The only tube amps I didn't have issues with were Boogies and Fenders. I had trouble with a couple Marshalls in particular and spent more getting them worked on and replacing the tubes they ate like popcorn than I did on purchasing them in the first place. Thy had a very high cost of ownership. Luckily, newer Marshalls are much more reliable. You could set your watch by them. I was using plexis that were way past their prime, not the newer JCM 800s which were ubiquitous on the Sunset Strip. I used a Laney AOR Pro Tube Lead that had a lot of issues. It clipped, and not in a good way. It was on the fritz. I sold it to an amp repair guy who said he didn't mind because he could fix it, but he only paid me half of what I paid for it. But the Randall RG57s with the Celestion or the RG80 with the Jaguar or the Randall head I borrowed had zero issues, ever. BTW you are totally right about the trades. My dad is a retired electrical engineer and has always made a solid living with his work. I know a lot of electricians and plumbers and they are doing much better than most of the attorneys I know. They all own homes and are financially comfortable. My uncle and his oldest son are electricians in Massachusetts and always get by. These skills will never go away because of robots, AI, or whatever's coming down the pike. You learn a solid trade and you can make a solid living and get some very nice toys, tube or solid state.
Thank you!! And the perfect response. I agree 1000%. As far as my trade, I kinda fell into it, but you're right - no AI or bot will ever be able to replace a large number of tradesmen. :)
@@onevoiceinc This is why I did Mike Rowe. He's right. You want to make a good living? Learn a trade that provides a necessary service. Ain't nobody can enjoy using the internet or smartphones or Faceplant and InstaSham without electricity, and it's the electricians that keep the world humming along and the electric guitars screaming. Keep rockin'.
@@angusorvid8840 thank you! Yeah, Mike Rowe is spot on. :)
04:52 I'm not surprise, but as you said both amps are for different users and different situations.
Exactly. This series was mainly designed for the up-and-coming musician(s) out there who might not have the means to afford a decent tube amp (and the pedals to go along with them). Back in the day, I used to be one of those, lol. :)
I'll add, as much as I love my Marshall - it does a particular thing very well - I still haven't been able to balance out the channels due to the shared EQ. It can sometimes feel like an amp with multiple personalities, depending on what channel/mode one is going for... especially if one is trying to use the one amp to get all the sounds they're going after. At best, I have spent a BUNCH of money on pedals to try to compensate for that, and I'm stil kind of left "chasing tone" with that amp to be able to play many of the diverse styles I'm often asked to play live.
I could totally tell amp 2 sounded better. Not surprised. Every time I hear people gushing about the Katana, I don’t get it. Something about the sound just feels…dead to me. Empty, hollow, like there’s something missing that should be there. Not to say it isn’t a very fine piece of equipment, but I’ve always felt the tone was off to me.
The feel is the biggest area where you'll notice the biggest difference between the two. The beauty of it, though, is someone on a tight budget can grab a Kat and sound like a Boss through a PA at a venue, so that's a win. Being totally transparent, there have been times where I could hear the digital aspects, but typically I was the only one who could where I was playing. Believe it or not (and this will sound fictional even though it's real) I've fooled MANY very seasoned musicians over the years with solid state equipment - very much including one of those Line 6 Bogner/ hybrid Spider amps years and years ago. (I don't think you could pay me to play through it now, hahaha. It sounds like a toy.) I fooled a very reputable producer once with a solid state Hughes and Kettner. I actually caught him later on peeking in the back of the amp with a flashlight trying to find the tubes, hahaha.
My more recent amp of choice: the Fender Bassbreaker 30r (tube amp). It sounds incredible. I'll be doing a review on that one soon, so stay tuned. :)
Well, if you can only afford one, then choose the tube amp first (the Marshall) and get the Black Bird 16 Ohm 65 Watt Speaker Attenuator, in Black Tolex, for Tube Amps, from Stami's Customs on Reverb for only $70...Now you can practice in the bedroom AND gig..without sacrificing that coveted and preferred tube tone....
Awesome video, man!!! Thanks a lot. Cheers!!!
Hey me again. 👍 In ex-1, I thought the katana sound better. But in ex-2, I thought the marshall sound better. The marshall had a smoother sound. Boss sound got fizzy at 5:26 while hitting the high string. Both great amps though. 👍 👌 Thanks for the review
Awesome. Just wanted to provide as much info as possible. Like I say, I love my Marshall personally. The Katana is versatile. Still there is that raw, plug-in-and-play aspect that the Marshall does so well. I've had great experiences with both amps. And to be honest, with the volumes that most people play at, the Marshall sounds pretty great. :)
i have both and prefer the Marshall yet i can get way more different tones from the katana but the overall tone is better with the Marshall
Yeah, Marshall just nails that tone.
YES !!! I'm glad amp#1 was the K! I'll stick with my K-Artist MKII
It’s funny cause I personally thought amp 1 sounded fuller and clearer than amp 2. Was supposed but what amp was which.
Tube Marshall's have a sizzle that I have yet to hear in model Amps
The 5150 tone setting at the was nice! By the way really dig that HH Tele.
You are awesome, thank you! I'm hoping to eventually get a second one (probably the amber model).
Don't like any amp that may be reliant on a computer. What does it sound like played CLEAN ? Big boy distortion usually masks a lot.
To be honest, mine sounds incredible clean, but I've heard some SS that sound awful. I've got my Katana set to sound like a Fender Twin. As far as reliance on a computer, I'll have to agree with you there. Computers screw me up, lol.
Great job.
I have the Katana Artist which is a great amp, however I've wasted so much time trying to find the best tone for each song. Getting the ideal gain tone without too much high end fizziness is a PITA. Trying to adjust the pedal settings in a live setting is very limited without a laptop on stage - and who wants to bring a laptop to the stage? Keep it simple is what I want so the Marshall will be my choice. I also have a Katana 50 MK2 as a practice amp. I use it as a clean amp with pedals in the front.
I ran into a situation this weekend where I really needed to change a setting but didn't have my OTG cable... ended up suffering through it. I get what you're saying for sure. :)
In a recording setup, the difference is not as important and you can EQ most of that afterwards anyhow. Live is where the Marshall really outshines the Katana. It cuts through a mix a lot better, has more volume available and just projects better. I've had 2 Katana amps and both had trouble cutting through a mix and also only lasted about a year before they started sounding extremely digital and having issues. The DSL is much more reliable. That's my experience. Good comparison.
I definitely love the feel and response of a tube amp. That's for sure.
Ok, Now we are talking....
I was in doubt between the katana 50 and a marshall mg 50 gfx
the katana seems to be more versatile
I use mine regularly in live situations. It's definitely versatile.
I have a Marshall DSL20CR and I was right about the amp 2 in the first two examples being the Marshall (I didn't listen to the 3rd example, sorry). I figured that the amp with more low end was the Katana. Both are very useable amps, no doubt about it.
Ii swapped out the Marshall speaker last night.... and.... wow! Future video in the works.
Great video sir 👍🧡✨
Thank you!! :)
Can you share the settings you used to recreate the marshal sound? That was great 😁
Thank you :)
My settings are all listed here, at around 3:00 on that video. Only thing I changed was the amount of delay. (I lower delay volume for recording, always.)
ruclips.net/video/4O1tt1_C3ZI/видео.html
Well done videe in comparing them and your playing. 👏
I wish you named the songs like the first video. Whats the name of the first song?
It's something I wrote (pretty much for the video). I call it "Chrysalis."
I listed all the songs at the end of the video. I think it's at around the nine minute mark on Part 1. And thank you so much for the kind words. I welcome all variety of comments, but comments like yours are my favorites. :)
I like Amp1 (in the first two demos) more and it's the katana! 😮 How do you tuned your katana to sound so awesom? Do you have a patch? I'm owning a katana.
First, thank you!!
Also I posted my exact Katana tones in this video:
ruclips.net/video/4O1tt1_C3ZI/видео.htmlsi=OM7IorG_7V5y_0BH
The tone settings begin at around 3:30. Hopefully that helps.
Thank you!
Awesome video. I have the Boss Katana 50 and it is great. I was actually looking at a Marshall DSL40 and when researching I saw this video. You probably saved me about $600 because I am convinced that I just need to tweak my Katana some more to get a "Marshall" type sound from it. I do like the simplicity of the Marshall though, just plug in and play and you get a great sound. But you might be a but you might be a little more limited since you can get about ANY sound from the Katana. Would you be willing to share the setup you use on the Katana to get your Marshall sound because it is awesome. Thanks!!!!!
Thank you for the very kind words!! I made a video with my exact settings. The settings themselves start at around 3 minutes into the video. I still use the old version of Tone Studio, but the settings should still translate. I'll post the video link here:
ruclips.net/video/4O1tt1_C3ZI/видео.html
As far as the two, I find that the Katana does quite well for most applications, including most stages. If you were to want to crank it to 10, the Marshall would be the way to go (in my opinion). But most stages and venues are getting away from deafening volumes these days, so truthfully, most reasonably loud amps (including the Katana) will do fine. Have you tried the Airstep pedal yet for your Kat 50? I bought one for my son. Still waiting to hear how it works out.
You never once showed us the amps? You could insert some shots of them while talking about them instead of just watching you sitting on a couch. How large are these amps? I was waiting to see them. Just some constructive criticism to make the videos better, I hope you don't mind. I also have a FMT HH and have watched several of your videos so keep up the good work.
I showed both amps in the beginning of part one... but since you asked: the dimensions are (H) 19.29" x 24.4" (W) x 9.9" depth. It's 50.4 lbs, so it's gonna be awful when I drag this into the club I'll be playing for my band reunion show in a couple of months. I'm assuredly buying a small hand dolly to get it in the club, hahaha.:D I'm finding out that I'm not in my 20s anymore.
Side question: what color FMT HH did you get?
USE THEM BOTH! 🤘🏾😎🎸
Good video have you info or video on setup to make katanna sound like mashall mabe good video idea
Cheers mate Lee in the top end of Au
Thanks, Leigh! I actually have my base Katana settings posted in this video: ruclips.net/video/4O1tt1_C3ZI/видео.html . The only modification I made (for the comparison video) was dialing the delay and reverb down a bit. (Live and on that link, I use what's posted, but for recording it comes off as being a bit much. Live, it fills in a lot of sound with me being the only guitar player.)
The tones start around 3:00. Keep in mind I still use a mk1 with version 2 editing... but that should translate to the newer versions. Hopefully that helps. If not, let me know. I'll look into more Katana videos up the road. It's a great and very versatile amp. :) I also love that I don't need a chiropractor when I'm setting it up for live performances, hahahaha. Have a great weekend!
They both sounded great but I was able to guess which was which correctly. Although i wasn't 100 % certain until the results were revealed. To my ears the Marshall had just a bit more clarity. Yes, I'll use the old analogy that the Katana sounded like it has a blanket over it, albeit a thin one.
If I hadn't already subscribed I'd subscribe again just for playing How Soon is Now.
Awesome! And an awesome song for sure!!
Nice vid man
The Marshall sounded better to me but I think the Katana is good enough for me.
I just recently purchased a Katana Artist. It sounds phenomenal. So many more options! If you have the extra cash, that would be my recommendation. :)
@@onevoiceinc most of the comparisons between the 100 and Artist advise against going with the Artist on price point unless you just need the controls in front.
@@DNYS8N I generally agree. I got mine for less than the price of a 100w standard Kat. So there's that, too.
@@onevoiceinc thanks for the transparency. I get myself into financial difficulties or choice paralysis because of reviews. Seldom does it help to try to figure sound out over the phone or computer.
The once organic you tube is riddled by these special incentives to a few content producers to sell to us hungry consumers. I don’t know the reason why you get yours cheaper.
But I think your subtext is that it’s not expensive gear but the quality of the playing and I agree. In the right hands I’ve heard a 50 dollar harmony sound good.
@@DNYS8N nailed it :)
Awesome tone on the Katana! Can you share your patches? Cheers :)
Absolutely. I posted a video with all the settings. I still actively use these to this day. (I was using those this morning, as a matter of fact.) The link to the video is: ruclips.net/video/4O1tt1_C3ZI/видео.html
The actual tone settings start around 3 minutes into the video.
It took a while to tweak the amp to get it to sound this way. Now I pretty much will only increase or decrease reverb or delay, but everything else stays as it is. :) Hope this is helpful. I use the older version of Tone Studio, but the settings will work on any version if dialed in.
This was a great comparison. Any chance you would share your katana settings that emulate the Marshall DSL40 CR? That is such a great amp.
Thank you! I included them on this video: ruclips.net/video/4O1tt1_C3ZI/видео.html
The amp settings start at around 3:15, and they go kind of fast. You may have to pause them and maybe do screen shots. [Side note: I used less delay and reverb volumes for the comparison video... so keep that in mind. Everything else should be as is.] I may have even posted them in the Boss Katana Amp Settings group on FB. If so, they'd be under the name Joe Hanna. :) Either way, it's a good base tone. From there you may want to add a little more (or less) of whatever your preferences are. :)
Additional note: I still use the older version editing software of Boss Tone Studio. I also have the Mk1, so I'm able to use the fx loop as a true volume boost. Aside from that, I keep my settings with the Tube Screamer off, and I'll turn them on with the GAFC when I need them. :)
Cool
I have the DLS40CR and a Katana Artist MKii. I run a HX FX with the DSL for better flexibility. I flit between the two. Both great in their own way.
Marshall is brighter and has more note definition
Hey how do the cleans do for the PDub sets on the DSL40CR? I'm not sure I want to sign up for a zillion buttons on the computer...tho I'm a techy guy. I like the idea of the Marshall being able to cover the crunch and heavy stuff and then I've heard the cleans are pretty good.
Honestly (and solely my opinion only), the Marshall is made more for rock. For diverse Pdub textures, you're probably going to want to spend lots and lots of money on pedals... or go with the Katana... or get something like the Blackstar Amped 3 and some pedals. The Marshall seems (in my opinion) to be specifically aimed at rock and hard rock gigs. Being as honest as I can. :)
Going further, I've been running that Amped 3 into my Marshall's return (with a small number of pedals) as of the past few months. I'll be doing a video of that in the coming weeks.
@@onevoiceinc Is the Katana pretty sweet on the cleans after a bunch of adjustments? I can get a used one of those (100) with pedal switch for like 225$ lol. The other dudes are church run it all through an AC15-30.
@vin9976 I personally think it's excellent on cleans personally after some adjustments. Worst case, if you end up getting a Katana 100, I could share my actual tones with you to try out. For live play, you'd definitely want to get the additional GAFC or GAFCex pedal. Currently for my main clean tone patch, I'm running a delay and reverb with a second backward delay underneath - all in that patch. I personally love the clean tones the most from the Katana vs the Marshall. At the end of the day, it *does* fall down to personal preference and how one personally likes this or that sound, though. I just love the versatility. With the Kat, I'm able to run a Fender Twin type of tone and then run Marshall-based tones for crunch, hard rhythms, and solo work.
I think the Marshall sounds best at higher volumes personally, and most churches these days are leaning more toward keeping stage volumes as low as possible. That being said, you could get a ~pretty good~ sound with the Marshall at lower volumes - I typically record my RUclips (Marshall content) at lower volumes - but you'd also probably find yourself spending lots of money on pedals to emulate a lot of the sounds you'd probably be going for. I love my Marshall, but I haven't dragged it to my church yet (since I originally purchased it a while back) due to feeling like my Katana 100 is better suited to handle pdub volumes and diverse sounds (and dynamics) much better. Once again, though, it's something you will really want to put some thought into before going with either, because it does ultimately fall down to personal preference and your ear. I'll add that after originally purchasing the Marshall (which I got for a killer deal of around $650), I ended up spending over $1000 on pedals. Whichever you decide on, keep me posted, and if I can help with tone settings or ideas, let me know. :)
Thank you so much! Last question…do solid state amps like the Katana degrade after 4-5 years? Like does the amp or electrics get worse? The price point is so low used I can prob just get into a Katana easily with the pedal board and take a chance and have a ton of sound versatility (especially since you’ve got the sounds so dialed). But if the amps degrade then maybe it’s a different story.
@vin9976 to be honest (and trying to remember when I bought mine), I ~think~ I've only had mine about 4 years, so I can't honestly answer that other than to say at 4 years, mine is still going strong. I, of course, take really good care of it. I *did* spill sweet tea on it one time early on, hahaha,and I opted to open it up and spray everything I could reach with contact cleaner. (Now I make a second trip for my tea when lugging in my equipment.)
Getting Boss Tone Studio downloaded ~can~ be irritating at first (unless you're computer saavy - computers hate me), but I have friends that post video "how to" topics that'll walk you right through it. Without Tone Studio (or there's a simpler phone app called Katana Librarian), you'll only experience about 20% of what the amp is capable of. Once you're able to really dial it in, though, it gets easier and easier afterward. Heck, I downloaded other people's settings early on to see what they were doing, and it helped me to get my own unique tones tweaked in. The Kat 100 allows me to use 2 delays, reverb, and either a boost pedal or an effect like compressor, trem, pitch shifter (etc., it has SO MANY built in effects) or you can add an effect in place of the second delay... or there's a way to "trick" the amp into using Katana Librarian so I can run my two delays, reverb, boost (in my case Tube Screamer), AND Octave (or whatever other effect the song calls for). So you can get a nice layered effect patch without buying all those extra pedals.
Hopefully your worship band isn't like some that I've worked with. (The ones I referred to would stick their nose up when they *saw* the guitars and amps I would bring in because it wasn't the same old stuff that everybody else was using to keep up with everybody else. Those people were more about gear and status rather than skill, lol. Once I'd actually play, they normally shut up pretty quickly.) Aside from a Katana not having so-and-so brand name on the cover, it's super versatile and affordable. For what you play for a Marshall, you could buy a Katana and still have money for a bunch of pedals too... if you even felt like you needed any additional pedals. To me, the Kat is a real world working man's amp. Really the only reason I originally bought the Marshall in the first place was out of curiosity. My Marshall does that Marshall sound, but it stays within that range. For multiple tone types, the Katana will get incredibly close or blatantly nail it. :) I have a video of what the Katana offers. I'll post the link below. :)
Great video! I tried to Shazam the first example, in part 1, it's so good! I totally confused Amp 1 and 2 in the first video, I thought the amp 1 sounded way better, and thought it was the Marshall for sure. I'm in the process into getting back into electric guitar and I'm looking at buying one of these 2 amps. I'm going to run them through a Boss ME-80 pedal.
I have no plans of doing gigs but who knows, I'd rather be prepared to so knowing that I'm going to use the amp through a ME-80 pedal, which option would you chose let's say that budget is fine with either options?
Thank you so much for butting this 2 part comparison together, great stuff!
While either would technically work, if you're running the ME-80, I'd probably go with the Marshall. :)
Sweet, thanks for the fast reply, I appreciate it! I'm looking it up online, and I'm seeing that it seems that you need to let tube amps warm up before playing them. Do you usually wait before playing when turning the DSL40 on?
I read it's better for tube life and sound quality but I know absolutely nothing about amps so wonder what your thoughts are on this.
I'd honestly be so impatient, when I turn on the amp, I just want to start playing you know!
@claudesveganchannel910 I generally turn if on, tune up, and then take it off of standby. So maybe 20 to 30 seconds before I'm playing. :)
Also I've used my Boss GT100 through the Marshall. Lately I've been running the Blackstar Amped 3, and to my ears it sounds best when I go from the pedal output directly to the amp return. It bypasses the amp brain and allows the pedal to define the sound. I'll be doing a video on that coming up. There are lots of ways to run amps. I'm loving that setup these days. That particular product also allows me 3 independent channels vs the Marshall's 2 channel design. I play a bunch of different styles and applications so having more options is always super important. I also play at my local church, so I've mostly been leaving the Katana there. Makes for a really fast early morning setup.
I'll say also, the Katana has served me well over the years, still going strong, but the Marshall does sound better to my ears for high gain tones. If I am doing an actual gig, the Marshall will be my first pick. For pdub/worship, the Katana has that infinite diversity I'm after. With you already having that Boss pedal, I think the Marshall will be a great amp to pair it with. :)
@@onevoiceinc hey awesome, thank you so much for the detailed response! That helps clarifies things a lot. I'll go with the Marshal! I'm looking into getting a used one from GC. Do you think getting a used one is fine?
@claudesveganchannel910 now ~that~ is anyone's guess. Truthfully, though, they are supposed to make sure it runs before buying or trading... wishing you well in your purchase. :)
Once these amps go they are made to throw away.
Your tones sound so good!! My daughter used a katana artist 100 and likes it a lot. But playing around with the BTS can get time consuming. So I started considering a valve amp and pedal platform she might find simpler and quicker to use.
Are you located in the Charleston area? I’m in Florence, SC. If you are gigging anywhere soon I’ll be in the area in a few days. Would enjoy watching you play- great sound and style of music.
Thanks for a great video. I really dig that H&K setting at the end of the video!
Doug
First off, thank you! It took a while before finally dialing in those particular Katana tones. :) I'm not opposed to sharing my settings. The setting themselves might even be able to be shared via email. Not sure.
Second, yes. My wife and I were living in the Ladson area, but a few months ago we moved outside of Moncks Corner (we inherited the home semi-recently), which is minutes away from Goose Creek. I just recently converted the office room into a studio. I'm really loving the overall sound in there.
As far as live performances, I've recently dialed things back considerably (especially with my new job schedule and some other matters). About the only place I've really been playing *lately* is at a local church (Reality Church in Goose Creek) about 2 - 3 times a month. It's smaller than certain venues than I used to play, but I still get to rock out and use my style in everything I play. I also get a pretty good mix in the sound system (and occasional lead instrumental solo performances). Those words "playing at a church" usually send people running away frantically, hahahahaha. It's been great for me - helping fill a need but also getting to keep my lead chops up to speed and always remaining in a constant place of learning new material. That would be the only place to catch me playing live at the moment.
Lonnnng reply on my part... but there was some good stuff to reply to. :)
@@onevoiceinc Thanks for the reply back. I’m very familiar with the Monks Corner area.
If you get back to playing local venues, let me know.
When the time comes and I purchase the Marshall I may pick your brain about pedals. I’m somewhat familiar with most things guitar but there are a lot of pedals out there. My daughter plays mostly 80s and 90s rock with some occasional country mixed in (which thrills me for a 14 year old to play my style of music!!) So trying to focus in on that guitar sound.
Thanks for the videos and your time. Great quality material. Keep in touch and God bless.
Doug
Great job , enjoyed your tone and playing . What song and artist at 3:30
Thank you! That song is "How Soon is Now" by The Smiths. It's super catchy. :)
I have the katana Artist mkii. It’s really good
I've been thinking about getting one. The Katana is just so versatile and extremely convenient to use in live settings. My 100W is great, but the Artist has that Waza speaker (and those additional EQ settings). So good.
@@onevoiceinc I got the new Airstep Katana footswitch. Makes the amp Bluetooth editable from your phone or tablet. Very handy for making quick adjustments without a laptop. You can also use it in conjunction with the gafc. So I just use the gafc for channel switching and the airstep for effects switching
@@danabnormal5892 I'll be looking that up. Sounds like a huge practical upgrade. Hm... Yeah, I am definitely looking into that.
@@danabnormal5892 I have a question for you. If you change to a new patch via the GAFC, I'm assuming whatever settings you had created/stored will return to that exact state, correct? Like (for example) if I set the Airstep to effects mode and turned the boost on say for patch 3, but then I switched to patch 2 for a second then back to patch 3 (via my GAFC)... my preset channel that I originally created/stored in Tone Studio will return to that particular patch, correct? Or is it able to keep the altered changes from the Airstep going without regard to what I'm doing with the GAFC? (Hope my question makes sense.)
@@onevoiceinc 👋 yes when you switch channel and then return to the first channel, it returns to the state that the patch was saved as. It’s doesn’t remember if you have turned on or off an effect. Hope that helps. 👍
The way I can usually tell between them is that the overdrive on solid state amps has a sort of white noise effect where there's no definition in the notes. And then usually they always have something lacking in the midrange. I thought amp 1 was the tube amp throughout every test, and I think it comes down to dialing in the best sound you can for the track, and I feel like the marshall could have been dialed in better for the first two tracks. I play more broken up bluesy kinds of tones, and I feel like that sort of tone is a lot more obvious as to solid state vs tube as opposed to really high gain or really clean. The main thing I dislike about the katanas is that they give you so many options that you're often left creating tones more than actually practicing guitar. Plus I really like having my pedals and gear like that. I feel like I'd have a disconnect with my idols if I had everything built in the amp. Just my opinion on that.
I have run into two situations where I had certain tones already stored and suddenly a change happens in the set at the last minute - and I'm suddenly scrambling to make changes (on the laptop). That's where an amp like the Marshall thrives due to its "just turn some knobs and go" nature. I'll say, as far as bluesy tones, the Kat has actually surprised me in good ways. Both amps have been good to me. As far as the Marshall, have you heard about the C19 capacitor modification? I might be doing that soon, and I ~hope~ to do a comparison video of that when the time comes. :) In this particular side by side thing, I did notice the Marshall will sometimes have a harsh upper shrill frequency, but it can be eliminated with that modification. The only scary part is that the amp has some parts that hang around the 450 - 500 VDC range. I'm an electrician, but we typically almost exclusively work with AC electrical current. DC (very much including automobiles and amps) is something I'm a little more intimidated by. All the same, I'm a "the only way to fix a problem is to go straight through it" kind of person... soooo this should be interesting, lol. :D
@@onevoiceinc Yeah I have heard of that modification actually. I bought my Marshall used so I can't say if it was done, but mine actually has a Creamback m65 speaker and I really feel like it nails those vintage tones. Never really had to deal with harsh treble apart from my own preference. But again I tend to stay in the classic crunch mode which is much more rounded sounding than the lead mode. I also have my bass maxed out while treble is only at 3 which probably helps tame some brightness as well. And yeah I totally agree about the dangerous voltages in the amp, I tend to avoid messing around with it haha.
@@BRZguy sounds like you have it dialed it... and sounds like I'm chickenshizzle (cause I am), hahahahaha!
@@onevoiceinc Yeah I mean for my style I think I have it dialed in quite nicely. Although for high gain, one thing I noticed is that the presence knob has a huge impact on the tone. When presence is turned up, it kind of adds a high end sizzle to the overdrive, while lower presence is a lot warmer sounding.
I think ultimately, good tone comes down to how well it sits in the mix. I don't mean to sound like I'm knocking you by saying that though. I just know that some objectively good amps can sound bad in the mix if they aren't dialed in for it.
It would be interesting to do a video where you compare an amp that's dialed in good for the mix, with one that's dialed in poorly and see how much of a difference it makes on the final track.
@@BRZguy great idea for a future video!!
Se registri il suono ok ma se lo ascolti dal cono le cose cambiano molto. Il katana ha un suono molto brutto rispetto al marshall. Non diverso, brutto. Piatto, un po tutto uguale. Il katana con cuffie o ascoltato su casse monitor ...allora cambia e il suono si avvicina al marshall anche se il marshall è meglio. Molto meglio. Se usi il katana in cuffie senza usare la sua cassa ok...ma a quel punto uso un software come neural o amplitube o guitar rig. Marshall vince a mani basse sul suono. Katana lo consiglio a un principiante. A nessun altro. Diversamente meglio un software di emulazione. Dal cono il Marshall è una garanzia.