Meet the Incredible Boss Katana Mk. II Amp!

In this tutorial, we'll play around with the Boss Katana Mk. II amp and see what cool sounds we can get from it. This is a special amp - big thank you to Boss for sending it over to me!

The Boss Katana Mk-II is still the same Katana but they've added on lots of features that many people were requesting.

I'm using two classic guitar microphones, both are placed on axis, and they're going into my Universal Audio Apollo. I won't edit or change the effects on Logic Audio. Little trick before we begin: make sure you explore your new amp. Find the settings that work best for your guitar and your playing style!

Changes to the Previous Katana

The Katana Mk. II now has 10 amp styles instead of five. The modulation and booster are now split, meaning you can control them separately. They still light up, and there are still three modes for each.

Amp Settings

Let's look at finding the right settings for this amp. This is the 100W version, but I've set the power to 50W because I'm sitting next to the amp! Either setting can work for gigs, but 100W gives you a little more space when you're playing with a clean sound.

I've put the master volume to maximum and will control the overall volume using the volume knob. That way, we'll get the best dynamic sound from the amplifier. This works best for me – try it for yourself!

I have Presence at half volume, and I've turned off all the effects. On Boss equipment, having bass, middle and treble at halfway is the best starting point. If I put the volume high, I turn the bass down a little. As for the volume, I've put it a little below 9 o'clock to protect my ears, and the gain is at 12 o'clock.

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How Does It Sound?

I love reverb, so let's put some on. From what I hear, the reverb on this amp is a little more "sparkly" than the previous amp. In Clean mode, you can hear that the amp has a very warm sound. Press the Variation button, and you get a sound that’s a little brighter and "Fender-y"!

The amp has a fantastic sound in Crunch mode and is great for blues. And with the Variation, the sound is heavier, thicker, and better for rock music.

In Lead mode, the sound is more sustained and saturated. This amp just sounds wicked in lead mode! I think it's best to play without Variation if you're playing in a band.

Brown mode sounds a bit more like Eddie Van Halen. Turn on Variation, and the sound is full of gain. It’s so cool that there are now 10 different sounds. The Variation button makes a huge difference!

Effects on the Boss Katana Mk. II

There are three different Boost modes, and each has a unique sound. On Clean, Green mode sounds bluesy, Red is muffled and rocky, and Orange gives a distorted rock sound. As for Modulation, Green has a chorus effect, Red sounds funky, and Orange is a flazer sound.

As for FX, Green mode gives you a rotary sound. It’s great for rhythm parts and blues. Red is a touch-wah effect – fantastic for funk. I love this sound! And Orange mode is the octave sound. Great with a bit of gain!

Moving onto the Delay effects now. The old Katana had three options: Digital, Analogue, and Tape Delay. You’ll find that Digital mode (Green) doesn’t change the sound – the delays are the same as what you play. Analog mode (Red) sounds a little muffled, and Tape (Orange) is a little more bouncy and degraded. I suggest you keep the delay subtle.

Onto my favorite: Reverb! I set this to halfway so we can really hear it. The Green setting is a plate reverb – nice and bright, great for atmospheric music. Red mode is a spring reverb, and Orange is a room or hall effect. All three modes are super useful and you’ll find using them all the time. Experiment with them, especially when trying to copy your favorite guitarists.

We haven’t looked at EQ options – I haven’t changed Bass, Middle, Treble, and Presence. We also haven’t touched the foot switch, loading sounds, or Tone Studio. But we haven’t needed to – there’s so much to explore on this amp! To access all the effects, check out the Tone Studio.

So, go explore the Boss Katana Mk. II and see what cool sounds you can find. This is my recommended budget amp – it's a fantastic piece of kit. Have lots of fun with it! :)

🎁 Learn more about Boss Katana and download free presets!