Incoming! ( Katana )

Only way to dial in any multi-unit is at the volume you WANT to play it at. If you want it to sound good with a drummer, you better dial those tones in for a level suitable to be heard over that drummer. I see guys all the time that dial inter modelers for bedroom walking and then don't know why it doesn't translate at a gig. The Katana is a great pedal platform. I didn't like any of the effects really but made do with some analog delay, chorus and reverb. Kept it simple. It was a fast honeymoon period for me. Base tones were solid though and I agree, 50 watt mode was where it was at.
 
oldmtlhed":23qgjc0i said:
If I don't like the metal tones, maybe I will just get a BE-OD pedal and run it in the LOOP with the Katana clean channel.
Click to expand...
Great pedal but best in front vs in the loop! :thumbsup:
 
You can tweak the EQ from the amp in the patches and then just hold the button down to re save it. No need to hook it all back up for that. n
 
Buckeyedog":3qxwx0oc said:
You can tweak the EQ from the amp in the patches and then just hold the button down to re save it. No need to hook it all back up for that.
Click to expand...

I needed to edit some other things. It's only 1 USB cable. My PC is always on, so... it's no trouble.
 
JerEvil":zmlo12st said:
Only way to dial in any multi-unit is at the volume you WANT to play it at. If you want it to sound good with a drummer, you better dial those tones in for a level suitable to be heard over that drummer. I see guys all the time that dial inter modelers for bedroom walking and then don't know why it doesn't translate at a gig. The Katana is a great pedal platform. I didn't like any of the effects really but made do with some analog delay, chorus and reverb. Kept it simple. It was a fast honeymoon period for me. Base tones were solid though and I agree, 50 watt mode was where it was at.
Click to expand...


I learned something today. The "effects" don't always do what you THINK they should do.
Sometimes, they do something totally unexpected. It pays to experiment.
 
Mailman1971":3od15roi said:
It gets deceiving especially when dialing for hours. :cry:
I usually have my drummer (Who actually knows GREAT guitar tones from just being around it for years) Help me out.
He will sit there. Fresh ears.... and tell me honestly.... "Too bright.... meh? Too deep.... Too muddy...etc" :yes:
I always 2nd guess myself on new gear after dicking with it for a long time.
Nice to get that other set of ears involved.
Click to expand...

So TRUE. ( Nice to have a drummer with a "golden ear". )
:D
 
DAY 4 ( Katana diaries )

I jumped back into the deep end of the pool today, and got busy.
I started with what I knew was bad, and took care of that first. ( Which was levels, and EQ issues )
I was moving in the right direction... things started sounding better.
So I re-visited my effects settings. Pulled some back, pushed others forward.
Things started sounding better! ( I was getting this mess ironed-out. )
I decided to experiment with some of the other effects. Some of them are quite strange.
They don't always do.... what you "think" they should do.
Case in point: THE PITCH SHIFTER.
I adjusted the Pitch Shifter, and it didn't sound like a "pitch shifter". INSTEAD.... it totally smoothed-out
the high-gain LEAD sound! ( Think, fluid liquid legato shredding stuff. )
So BOOM! I saved that to Channel 3! :thumbsup:
I got the "boomy" low-end out of the mix, and now it all sounds way more balanced at both low and higher volumes.
I managed to get a very nice clean sound, that uses CHORUS, REVERB, and the Parametric EQ.
It sounds lush and huge. Especially when you turn-up the master volume.

SO.... I made great progress in the right direction today!
I learned more about the KATANA, and how "strange" it is. It's an odd duck. You have to think "outside the box" in
order to make it do what you want it to do. Now that I have some of it figured out, I am starting to have FUN with it.
( Which was the whole reason for buying it in the first place! )
I got a ( dare I say ) killer metal rhythm tone out of it. And also a really sweet CLEAN tone.
Those are in CHANNEL 1 and 2 respectively.
Channels 3 and 4 will be for experimental LEAD tones. I have two in there right now that sound really good.
One has the "legato pitch shifter" effect on it, and the other uses a combination of "reverb" and "delay".

I am not using the BROWN or CRUNCH channels at all.
I have 1 channel for CLEAN, and the other 3 use the LEAD amp setting.
The BROWN setting is like a dirtier "crunch" setting to my ears. The LEAD setting is higher gain, and it's smoother.
So I am married to it.
:LOL: :LOL:
 
Here's the best tone trick for the Katana.. Run the Master volume high! As in, 1:00 or higher. Mine is set to 3:00. Then use the channel volume to set your actual volume level. It gets much more dynamic with the Master volume set high. It's backwards from how most amps work, but there is a real difference running it this way.

So I far prefer running the Katana in 0.5 watt with the Master high than 50 watt with the Master set low. YMMV, but give it a try! :thumbsup:
 
guitarobert":11g1cj9e said:
Here's the best tone trick for the Katana.. Run the Master volume high! As in, 1:00 or higher. Mine is set to 3:00. Then use the channel volume to set your actual volume level. It gets much more dynamic with the Master volume set high. It's backwards from how most amps work, but there is a real difference running it this way.
So I far prefer running the Katana in 0.5 watt with the Master high than 50 watt with the Master set low. YMMV, but give it a try! :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

You are not the first person to mention this.
I was reading some KATANA info on another forum. ( I think it was the VguitarForum )
And there was a Katana expert over there who said the same thing.
I will try this method, and see what happens! It sounds interesting. And yes... it is totally backwards to what we normally do!
Thanks for the info.
 
Congrats :thumbsup:


I think :aww:

:LOL: :LOL:

Just kidding. Enjoy. Like you said, for the price you really can't go wrong, especially if ran into a 4x12.

It is kind of like my Vypyr tube 60. Good at modern metal and cleans but 80's stuff?....no go. But for $325 five years ago it was kind of no brainer. I still use it to this day.



oldmtlhed":2wktnx2a said:
guitarobert":2wktnx2a said:
Here's the best tone trick for the Katana.. Run the Master volume high! As in, 1:00 or higher. Mine is set to 3:00. Then use the channel volume to set your actual volume level. It gets much more dynamic with the Master volume set high. It's backwards from how most amps work, but there is a real difference running it this way.
So I far prefer running the Katana in 0.5 watt with the Master high than 50 watt with the Master set low. YMMV, but give it a try! :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

You are not the first person to mention this.
I was reading some KATANA info on another forum. ( I think it was the VguitarForum )
And there was a Katana expert over there who said the same thing.
I will try this method, and see what happens! It sounds interesting. And yes... it is totally backwards to what we normally do!
Thanks for the info.
Click to expand...


That makes complete sense for dialing in your gigging tone at quiet volumes.
 
311splawndude":pcjsj7xm said:
1.) Like you said, for the price you really can't go wrong, especially if ran into a 4x12.

2.) It is kind of like my Vypyr tube 60. Good at modern metal and cleans but 80's stuff?....no go. But for $325 five years ago it was kind of no brainer. I still use it to this day.
Click to expand...

1. - The KATANA sounds really good through my 4x12 cab. I missed using my 4x12. Strong low-end.

2. - It's nice to have a few tools in the "tone toolbox". I wouldn't mind having a Vypyr Pro if they made a head version of it.
 
Those Vypyrs are pretty easy to convert to a head. I've seen threads on people doing it. There is also a Vypyr 120 tube head if you can ever find one of those. If you like your modern metal and cleans then I bet you'd love it. No laptop software tho for messing around with presets. You turn knobs. :D

Oh, and the components inside are of much higher quality than people give them credit for.
 
311splawndude":acgoqw9f said:
1.) Those Vypyrs are pretty easy to convert to a head.

2.) There is also a Vypyr 120 tube head if you can ever find one of those.

3.) You turn knobs. :D
Click to expand...

1. - Sounds like a plan. I converted a CRATE Stealth-50 from a combo to a head years ago.

2. - I can't "find" anything. I don't buy "used" stuff.

3. - I'm no stranger to KNOBS. :LOL: :LOL:
 
KATANA diaries ( day 6 )

I found a PDF Manual for the BOSS Tone Studio application. ( On their website )
I saved it to my PC... and opened it.
It is exactly what I needed. It explains how to backup your amp settings to your PC. ( Which is important! )
It also explains what the settings for the effects do. Which is very helpful.

The "livesets" feature is pretty nifty. I can EXPORT my channel settings as a "liveset", and then
email it to someone else who also has a KATANA. ( And vice-versa. )
While that sounds like a fun idea on paper, much of the "settings" are tied to whatever cabinet/speakers
the creator is using. So my "settings" might sound like shit on someone elses rig.
Someone elses settings might sound like shit on my rig.
But who knows... you might stumble upon someone elses patch that sounds amazing.

Is the KATANA a geeky "novelty", or is it a serious piece of musical gear?
Going back to what everyone said earlier... it seems to do a lot... FOR THE PRICE.
But alas.... we live in the age of "boutique tube snobbery"... where people can't fully appreciate
something unless it costs $4,000 and is full of little glass bottles hand-wired to massive heavy transformers.
( And some amp-wizards name stuck on the front of it! )

For all of us "bedroom players" who just make noise for the simple fun of it... I think the KATANA is perfect.
Lots of features. Cheap price.

For all you professionals out there, who record and gig on a regular basis... the sky is certainly the limit!
:D
 
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