It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 9:39 am

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 16 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Go to page 1, 2  Next
Author Message
Post subject: Christmas surprise - A brand new Boss Katana-Artist 1x12 amp
Posted: Wed Dec 25, 2019 6:58 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician

Joined: Sat Apr 23, 2011 8:44 am
Posts: 604
Location: Richmond, VA
Wow, talk about a surprise Christmas present!! My wife, my daughter, and my son-in-law, all chipped in and surprised me with a brand new, right out of the box, 2019 Boss Katana-Artist 1x12 100 watt combo amp!

Maybe I told you all, or maybe not... But my beloved Fender Frontman 65r is starting to go. It's really bizarre and perhaps something electrically dangerous with the main output transformer, I don't know... When you first click on the Frontman 65r, you won't get a good tone from your guitar. You strum harder, only to hear a crazy sound that sounds like a fly buzzing on a piece of flypaper! You giggle guitar cables, unplug, plug back in, etc... channel switch, etc... and nothing works. You turn the Frontman 65r off, turn it back on again, and same thing!
So, the only thing to do, is equally crazy, but you crank the volume up a little bit, unplug, and then ground the guitar cable against your metal bridge on the guitar, touch it over and over, making a loud BZZZZT!! sound -- then finally, the Frontman 65r electrically gets "jolted back to life" or something, and it starts working again. It sounds perfectly normal, crisp clean highs, bone crushing distortion high gain channel, etc... Then it will quit again right the middle of a song and you'll have the "fly buzzing on flypaper" sound again, and the amp will act all crazy again. Repeat the "electrical jolt" to get it back working again, and it will eventually work again for a while. It will work fine the next day. It will get all crazy the next time after that, when you go to plug in and start playing. CRAZY AMP!!!

So, they all knew how pi$$ed off I would always get at the Frontman 65r , threatening to donate it to some of my old USCG buddies to bring to one of the small boat stations and navigation teams, where they could use it as an anchor for a channel marker buoy!

Anyway, excuse the mess in my music room, but I took this earlier today on Christmas morning, after I got the amp, and looked it all over. It's a beast! You can see the owners manual open on my keyboard bench too in the photo. This amp is one of those, do everything, all effects, all amp cabinets, etc... and has a USB port on the back to connect to a computer, and you can connect straight to Roland/Boss on the internet and "tweak" all the settings through their website, and/or download updates, patches, firmware, etc... Good Lord, it boggles my mind when you think about all the stuff this can do!

Image

In closing, allow me to explain some items in the photo, in case you all were curious... You have to understand, I am not quite right in the head. LOL!! I have a "music room" in my house, and that means musical instruments. 17 to be exact, the last time I took inventory.
Left side of the photo: My cornet case, my trumpet case, and a Yamaha Baritone inside it's case (borrowed from the Shriners Band - I double on Baritone if needed).
In the back of the instrument cases: An old 5 draw dresser with a big RCA stereo system on top, CD's, etc... (not seen).
My poor, slowly dying, Fender Frontman 65r in the center of the photo in the back, with my custom pedalboard on the floor in front of it.
Behind the new Boss Katana-Artist amp: A cheap Chinese made tenor saxophone, that one of my Shriner buddies is letting me take care of for him. He's a primary clarinet player and bought the inexpensive sax over the internet a few years ago, but decided to stay with clarinet. He knew I "play darn near everything" so he told me to keep it at my house and keep it in proper working condition.
Behind the new Boss Katana-Artist amp (ON TOP OF SAX): My priceless, heirloom, 100+ year old violin from my grandmother.
In the far back behind everything: A cheap Ukulele in a zipper case, propped up in a guitar stand.
Round object in the back next to Ukulele: My case holding my Shriners Fez. Underneath that is a whole assortment of music books (i.e. school band): Trumpet. clarinet, tenor sax, trombone, french horn, and piano.
Far right of the photo (partially seen): My Gretsch 5122 case, Alvarez case, Conn director trombone (in the case), mic stand (folded up) with mic still attached.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: Christmas surprise - A brand new Boss Katana-Artist 1x12
Posted: Thu Dec 26, 2019 2:52 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Fri Feb 05, 2010 4:31 am
Posts: 14045
Location: Province de Québec, Canada
Congrat for your new amp

Look your Frontman 65 R have;

Many issue, more then only reverb tank ; https://forums.fender.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=118631


1- A ( or some ) bad solder on PCB board. I'll look at power supply rail first, filter caps circuits.
2- Or bad contacts with connectors
3- Or input jacks or line In / line Out jack contacts / solder

Repair could be too costly ( $75- $100 and more ?) for a amp value (less than $200)
Sell it as it.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Christmas surprise - A brand new Boss Katana-Artist 1x12
Posted: Thu Dec 26, 2019 8:23 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician

Joined: Sat Apr 23, 2011 8:44 am
Posts: 604
Location: Richmond, VA
Thanks... Yeah, from what I understand about Frontman amps is that they are made in China. Don't get me wrong, they are really a decent amp (however, a bit fragile). Legend has it that should something break down, pfffffttttt... just toss it in the trash, and go buy another one, since they are inexpensive and almost non-repairable. :(

Anyway, after doodling around with the new Boss Katana Artist 100-watt combo, it is still mind boggling to me.
Heck, I am STILL reading the manual! It's almost like what Roland/Boss did was they took every single Boss guitar pedal (or a good majority of them), then built all the electronic circuitry into a massive switchable 100 watt combo amp (100 / 50 / 5).
100 watts - neighbors call the cops on you.
50 watts - your wife complains and wants you to turn it down, as you rock out to Space Truckin' by Deep Purple.
5 watts - okay... okay... everybody is happy. 5 watts, is normal room volume, and nobody complains. :lol:


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Christmas surprise - A brand new Boss Katana-Artist 1x12
Posted: Thu Dec 26, 2019 8:44 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Mon Oct 15, 2012 7:16 pm
Posts: 18659
Location: In this country town, where the laughter sounds...
Congrats! A great Christmas gift. :mrgreen:

_________________
"Electric Lady"
Image


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Christmas surprise - A brand new Boss Katana-Artist 1x12
Posted: Thu Dec 26, 2019 9:12 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Sat Mar 22, 2008 10:38 am
Posts: 12975
Location: Canada
ButchA wrote:
100 watts - neighbors call the cops on you.
50 watts - your wife complains and wants you to turn it down, as you rock out to Space Truckin' by Deep Purple.
5 watts - okay... okay... everybody is happy. 5 watts, is normal room volume, and nobody complains. :lol:
0 watts - the owner explodes. :lol: Glad to hear you have a great family and that great new amp, Butch. Those cool features will keep ya busy. Nice.

Looks good with all that gear in your collection. Enjoy.

- FSB

_________________
Hello, big guitar. Meet my little fingers.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Christmas surprise - A brand new Boss Katana-Artist 1x12
Posted: Thu Dec 26, 2019 11:36 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Sun Jan 04, 2015 11:45 am
Posts: 20994
Location: On the loo, regretting that gas station burrito.
Very cool. 8) Congratulations on a nice gift. 8)

_________________
Image


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Christmas surprise - A brand new Boss Katana-Artist 1x12
Posted: Thu Dec 26, 2019 1:50 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician

Joined: Sat Apr 23, 2011 8:44 am
Posts: 604
Location: Richmond, VA
Thanks guys!

I spent the afternoon, doodling around with it after I changed the strings on my '95 Fender Strat. I made a You Tube video, showing the various settings:

Clean channel
Crunch channel
Lead channel
and the snarling, vicious,
"Brown" channel....



Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Christmas surprise - A brand new Boss Katana-Artist 1x12
Posted: Thu Dec 26, 2019 3:07 pm
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jul 16, 2007 6:51 pm
Posts: 25350
Location: Witness Protection Program
Congrats on the new Katana!

_________________
Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Christmas surprise - A brand new Boss Katana-Artist 1x12
Posted: Thu Dec 26, 2019 4:40 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2011 11:36 am
Posts: 1593
Location: Chorley, Lancs, UK
Congrats on the new amp, seems like a foot switch would be useful, I don't know weather or not you can get one for it. You're getting some good sounds out of it anyway. Enjoy. :D

_________________
Cheers
Steve


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Christmas surprise - A brand new Boss Katana-Artist 1x12
Posted: Thu Dec 26, 2019 5:25 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician

Joined: Sat Apr 23, 2011 8:44 am
Posts: 604
Location: Richmond, VA
Thanks... Yeah, BOSS makes a huge footswitch dedicated to the Katana series amps. But, from what I understand the darn things cost a little over $100 bucks! :shock:

https://www.guitarcenter.com/Boss/GA-FC ... ch&index=1


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Christmas surprise - A brand new Boss Katana-Artist 1x12
Posted: Thu Dec 26, 2019 6:25 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Fri Oct 06, 2017 6:46 pm
Posts: 1209
Location: ʞɹo⅄ ʍǝN
Congrats, sounds great and nice playing by the way. A couple of thoughts...

"Brown" is very likely a reference to Eddie Van Halen. He is known for the "brown sound". Try some 'Halen with that and see how it goes.

Regarding EQ: I found after years of not quite getting it right that these amps push a LOT of treble by default. If you want to get more classic tones, turn the treble WAY down and pump up the Bass. I found this out after I set my Mustang III amp next to a vintage Fender tube amp and tried to duplicate the sound.

The pedal: well you got the amp for nothing, so that justifies buying the slightly expensive pedal. :lol:

Lastly, these amps are SO convenient because you have so many effects onboard. That's where they really shine. Great sketch pad for new ideas. Great for gigs because you don't have to bring anything other than the amp and an axe.

Just keep going back to that users manual and you will unlock good things. Seems like you have the right head on your shoulders for that. Enjoy!


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Christmas surprise - A brand new Boss Katana-Artist 1x12
Posted: Fri Dec 27, 2019 7:03 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician

Joined: Sat Apr 23, 2011 8:44 am
Posts: 604
Location: Richmond, VA
Thanks... Yeah the amp is mind boggling for someone like me, who is still kind of "old school". You name it, the amp has it onboard in its sound banks, and can easily do it.

There is a USB port in the back for connecting it up to a computer (you go onto BOSS's website, download the Katana app, windows 10 driver, etc...) and then you can "tweak" the amp's settings even more. You can download custom sounds from the app, and install them into the amp! Wow....


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Christmas surprise - A brand new Boss Katana-Artist 1x12
Posted: Fri Dec 27, 2019 1:55 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2007 5:59 pm
Posts: 3439
Location: ohio
got a katana head 6 months ago, and I love it. I have 2 hand-wired tube amps, and most solid state amps haven't impressed me. this on is different, and i'm really digging it. has a small built in speaker, but shines when plugged into my Harley Benton verical cab with vintage 30s. personally, I feel boss did a great job.

enjoy your amp...its a winner.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Christmas surprise - A brand new Boss Katana-Artist 1x12
Posted: Sat Dec 28, 2019 1:29 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jan 29, 2009 7:13 pm
Posts: 19025
Location: Illinois, USA
Congratulations Butch, beautiful Christmas present, your family loves you. Great post, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

_________________
you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Christmas surprise - A brand new Boss Katana-Artist 1x12
Posted: Sun Dec 29, 2019 6:13 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician

Joined: Sat Apr 23, 2011 8:44 am
Posts: 604
Location: Richmond, VA
Thanks...

Looking back at that video where I was laughing and saying all the "oh my God" stuff... It was the first time I actually doodled around with one of those fully integrated amps that does everything but make coffee. I'm still a little "old school" I guess, and didn't know what to expect.

In a nutshell: The Boss Katana Artist 1x12 combo serious kicks a.$.$!!! I don't know how Roland/Boss did it, but it sounds like a tube amp! There are so many things it can do - and even more once you plug the USB cable into a computer and download the Boss Tone Central app! Wow....


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 16 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Go to page 1, 2  Next

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: