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Post subject: Thoughts on the Mustang GT100
Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2018 5:03 pm
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Ok, as a backgrounder: I got my GT100 almost 2 weeks ago. I was going to buy a Marshall Code 50 but it just didn't sound appealing to me. Tried the GT100 and liked it instantly. Unfortunately, the store didn't have the Boss Katana in stock for me to try so I went home with the GT100, thinking I can always return it if I was having issues with it.

After a few days of tweaking and tinkering with the amp I started to like it a lot.

Today, I went to a different branch of the store to try the Boss Katana. I have seen several comparisons online ( Youtube ) between the Katana and the GT100 and most preferred the Katana. I wanted to try it myself and thought that if the comparisons were correct, I'm gonna exchange the GT for the Katana.

Played with the Katana for almost an hour and ended up not hearing how much better it sounded than the GT100. The cleans on the Katana sounded inferior than that of the GT. The crunch and lead didn't sound that special, I like the ones on the GT more.

Am I missing something?


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Post subject: Re: Thoughts on the Mustang GT100
Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2018 8:19 pm
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I have the GT100 and a katana artist. IMO and the opinion of 3 or 4 at TGP who had the K100 and later got the artist, it sounds quite a bit better. So i can't speak to the K100 vs the GT very well because i only demo'd the K100 in a store and of the 3 modelers i have had, all sounded less than stellar to me till i used them for a few weeks. That said, the artist IMO beats the snot out of the GT at stage volumes. It's not even close. At home volumes all modelers are in the same ballpark, but in a band mix everything gets exaggerated and the GT and my old MIII both took me many times out to get acceptable sounds in a band mix/volume. The GT i had to run a different speaker (tried 3) to get it there. Neither amp really ever lived up to my standards in a band mix. The artist did the first time out and only got better. It sounds and feels 100% like tubes to me, a dedicated tube snob from the mid 70's till a few years back hen i started using modelers.

I WILL say this....the kat is a bit deceiving at first, and the speakers tend to take forever to break in from what owners of the other kats say, and my artists waza speaker took a long time. But it's a huge change especially in feel. But once broken in and once my ear started to "get" the amp's sound and where it's strengths are, it's fantastic. And man, that speaker is killer ! It beat out my all time fav speakers and is now my all time fav. Plus there are infinite options for tweaking but i wont get into that. Suffice it to say, much more then the GT. It's cons that the GT is much better at are functionality in switching and effects for live use. The GT slaughters the kats in the respect. The kats front panel allows just basic settings, the rest is on PC. But as tone goes, the GT has really good modeling but a power amp, cab and speaker that IMO don't do it justice at all. If pure great tube like tone and feel is all important to you as it is to me, the katana artist if far superior. The kat 100, i can't say. But i'd bet in time you would come to see it's potential because like i said at first it's deceiving what they are capable of. In a band mix i actually prefer the tone and the way it resonds to touch and dynamics more than all bey the very best tube amps i have owned, and it's BETTER than them for low volume home use and it;s more consistant from nite to nite, room to room.

Again, i can't speak for the K100 but i believe that too would be great if not as great as the artist once you become familiar with it. But ild opt for the artist. It's a freakin killer amp as long as it's basic tone character is within your taste preference, and thats more marshall than fender. I actually lean more towards overdriven fender tones than marshall, but the artist is so good that doesn't sway me. Great tone is great tone. My GT has been up for sale for a while but no response, and since they mentioned this huge GT update i figured i'd keep it till then out of curiosity to see how the update does. I can't imagine id keep it but i gotta gear what they did, as big a deal as it;s being made out to be.


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Post subject: Re: Thoughts on the Mustang GT100
Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2018 8:40 pm
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I returned my first GT40 for the Katana 50. Not for the sound, I had other reasons. I had the KTN50 for quite a while, but I never agreed with all of the internet blasting of the GT sound compared to the Boss. I always thought the GT had a much better sound for what I play than the Katana, and the GT certainly has a broader range. They both are good amps for the money though.

There was an issue with the Katana clean channel that for whatever reason caused it to be much lower volume than the other channels. I don't know if that's still the case or not.

For what it's worth, I just ordered another GT40 that should be here Friday. Katana is long gone.

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Things are more like they used to be than they are now.......


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Post subject: Re: Thoughts on the Mustang GT100
Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2018 9:18 pm
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We have to consider the usage thats being discussed. I dunno what the OP is mainly using it for, but you are talking about the GT40 which is much to small to be a live amp so i have to assume u r using it for home pkaying and./or recording. As i said, it's at stage volume where the kat slaughters the GT, at least the artist does and i believe the 100 would too. But as i said at bedroom volumes all modelers are pretty much within a notch of one another. Stage volume is the true test where many amps fail. Most any modeler can sound great at home volumes.

By the way, using PC editing with boss tone studio you can make the clean channel LOUDER than all other channels if you wanted to. Theres no end to what u can do with it. So you can save it a bit louder by using the EQ with the level up and no EQ changes unless u want, then on the front panel adjust the volume to be equal to the others. You can also use sneaky amps and get cleans with the twin model that IMO are much more realistic feeling than anything the GT has.


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Post subject: Re: Thoughts on the Mustang GT100
Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2018 1:09 am
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Joined: Mon May 15, 2017 5:31 am
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I have a GT-100 and a Katana 100. I bought the Katana because I have a regular gig where the supplied amp is a Katana 100 212. I have never been a pedal user but I had to buy a Helix so that I could set my sounds on it at home and plug it into the venue's K100. It's mostly just delay and reverb. I am not able to change anything on the venue amp, just plug into the clean channel and go. I have tried to edit my home Katana with the app and loading-up the 'extra' amp models but it's a pain compared to the ease of use of the GT-100 and the Katana can't seem to 'nail' those Fender Princeton and Twin Amp tones (that the GT takes in its stride), nor the Vox and Marshall sounds, but I don't use them much. One major plus for the Katana is the 'acoustic' channel. The GT-100 is hopeless with my Martin, Taylor and Dobro guitars. I have asked repeatedly for an acoustic amp sim on the GT-100, lets hope that Version 2.0 firmware can oblige. I have used the Katana at stage volume and it's okay. I have only used my GT-100 at home in rehearsal situations (which are still quite loud!). In the end, I prefer the GT-100 to the Katana. It just has more character and the tones are more accessible.


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Post subject: Re: Thoughts on the Mustang GT100
Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2018 8:05 am
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I had tried the Katana 100 and 50 after buying my Mustang GT. I tried the Katana Artist not too long ago. I did like the Artist better than both the 100 or 50 versions of the Katana. I much prefer my Mustang GT though. I found all the Katanas FAR too bright. I didn't hear what so many are talking about with it. I simply heard a solid state amp sounds.

I gig my Mustang GT100 and play it a lot at home. I find it does exactly what I need and want it to do. Especially since the EQs were added, it is so easy to get a great sound. Now, I am a high gain player, I have heard people say that the Fender isn't for high gain. I will beg to differ, were it not for the sounds I am getting, I wouldn't play it. But, it sounds great! It is easy to get to sit in the mix perfectly. It isn't harsh and with too much treble. It just sounds great. Bandmates love how it sits and also still "cuts through" when it is needed. Now I can make it jarring sounding if I want that for a part, but that isn't usually what I go for. It also takes pedals great into clean models and distorted or crunchy models as well.

Simply put, I love the thing and can't wait for the updates.


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Post subject: Re: Thoughts on the Mustang GT100
Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2018 9:32 am
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Total opposite of my experience owning both the GT and artist. I fought the GT in band context over and over trying to get a full sound but as soon as you try to it gets lifeless and muddy. The artist is not bright atall unless you tuned it that way. In fact, one of the biggest benefits is that unlike the GT and many other amps, you can turn the brightness down till it's so dark theres not a trace of thinness or brightness, just full big botes and chords and it;s usable like that. Thats one of the problems with many amps, maybe THE #1 problem....trying to get enouugh brightness and clarity while not sounding thin.

You TRIED the artist. I OWN it and have used it in a band context and i assure you theres no comparison. And like i said the speaker needs to be broken in which had me almost returning it till it started to loosen up. Even my bass player was impressed compared to the GT, and he never mentions my guitar tone barring huge differences in either direction. You can like the GT more and i would never dispute that. What i CAN dispute however is the artist is not nearly as bright because brightness is NOT where the treble knob is at, it;s where the sound is cklear and articulate will all the top end details you want WITHOUT sounduing thin/tinny/harsh/etc. Let me assure you, thats probably the #1 thing about the katana that made be replace the GT with it. Again....i OWN both and know both intimately.


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Post subject: Re: Thoughts on the Mustang GT100
Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2018 9:50 am
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Then our ears and experiences are completely different. That can be expected! I do wish you the best with your new amp! As I said, I do LOVE the Mustang GT. I will tell you this also, I have also owned an Axe-FX and also a Kemper. I no longer own either. I do however still own the Mustang III and the Mustang GT100.

I also have lots of experience gigging still, as a matter of fact, I still gig weekly and practice 2 times a week. I can assure you, I don't get lifeless sounds...lol

I have LOTS of experience with modelers. You can take that for what you will.



Have a great day.


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Post subject: Re: Thoughts on the Mustang GT100
Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2018 1:20 pm
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I'm not sure where you think i said the GT sounds lifeless, but i didn't, and thats not a issue with it. But in any case, if you do gig as often as you say then I don't have to tell you theres pretty much not an amp on earth that sound anywhere near like they do at home or in a demo as they do in the band,. The artist is no different. So u may think you know, but ya don't. Buy one, break the speaker in, gig it, then get back to me. Till then your assessment of the artist in a band context is a guesstimate.


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Post subject: Re: Thoughts on the Mustang GT100
Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2018 1:54 pm
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oczad wrote:
I'm not sure where you think i said the GT sounds lifeless, but i didn't, and thats not a issue with it.
oczad wrote:
I fought the GT in band context over and over trying to get a full sound but as soon as you try to it gets lifeless and muddy.


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Post subject: Re: Thoughts on the Mustang GT100
Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2018 2:04 pm
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Look at the sentence...i did NOT say the GT sounds lifeless, i said if you cut enough treble so it doesn't sound thin THEN it sounds lifeless. Same with most amps, but with the GT i found i could not cut highs enough without that happening. You could make the artist sound lifeless too if you cut enough highs. Neither amp sounds lifeless unless you make them sound that way by cutting too a lot of high end, and thats my point. The GT has too much and i could not dial out enough high end to sound full and fat and if i dialed out too much THEN yes, lifeless like any amp would. But other amps like the artist you don't have to cut so much out because they are balanced right to begin with. I never said the GT sounds lifeless period. Its CONTEXT my friend. If i thought it was lifeless i wouldn't have used it as long as i did.


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Post subject: Re: Thoughts on the Mustang GT100
Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2018 3:12 pm
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Thanks everyone for the insights. Really helpful!

So I ended up keeping the GT. I played it again after trying out the Katana at the store and I realized I didn't have enough reason to return it for the Kat. Me liking the GT more than the Kat when I had the GT for 2 weeks now and have been able to adjust the settings is an unfair comparison of the two amps' sound though. Given the same period of time and effort tinkering with the settings, I might have ended up with the Kat, or at least have had a hard time keeping the GT. Just the same, the GT suits my playing and the sound I'm getting is exactly what I wanted.

I play with a 3-pc band ( 1 acoustic, 1 electric and a bass guitar ) in a small restobar ( with a capacity of 60 people max ) and the first time I gigged with the Mustang it performed quite well. Other than that it just stays in my basement for practice. Different strokes for different folks I guess. I'm sure the Kat is a superb amp specially if played in a bigger venue but for now I am completely happy with the GT.

So what did I like about the GT? Its primarily the ease of access to the presets and how easily I can tinker with it via my tablet or cellphone. If the Kat has bluetooth connectivity then it would have been a different story. I also like the looper function and how easily I can use it with the footswitch. I also stream Youtube guitar backing tracks on it while jamming with it, it basically becomes my whole band during practice.


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Post subject: Re: Thoughts on the Mustang GT100
Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2018 3:31 pm
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oczad wrote:
it gets lifeless

What gets lifeless then? The band? What is 'it'? As Faith No More said, "it's it, what is it?"


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Post subject: Re: Thoughts on the Mustang GT100
Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2018 3:42 pm
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oczad wrote:
I'm not sure where you think i said the GT sounds lifeless, but i didn't, and thats not a issue with it. But in any case, if you do gig as often as you say then I don't have to tell you theres pretty much not an amp on earth that sound anywhere near like they do at home or in a demo as they do in the band,. The artist is no different. So u may think you know, but ya don't. Buy one, break the speaker in, gig it, then get back to me. Till then your assessment of the artist in a band context is a guesstimate.


I don't have to buy it to know it isn't for me. Why in the world would I buy an amp I didn't care for? I have played in enough bands of different types to know what tones fit with what we are doing. I dig it loud. I don't have to buy an amp to know...

I am sure you love the Artist. More power to you. I didn't like it or the other Katana amps. That is just the way it is. I would prefer to play a Peavey Bandit using pedals to the Kat series. Does that make it a bad amp series? Nope. Just not for me.


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Post subject: Re: Thoughts on the Mustang GT100
Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2018 7:00 pm
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Ok, first thing, plz plz pleeeeez nobody get offended with what I'm about to say...my post here is just to share my own experience...nothing else...

So with that being said, here we go:

you know how kids today can do "magic" with their various electronic devices while older folk, perhaps generally less?

Well, I came of age during the dawn of the age of modelling...and I've been at it ever since....as such, I believe I kinda know my way around a modeller...now, why did I mention the "kids today"? Well, it's cuz I've noticed that perhaps some of the musicians who were raised on tube amps, while they know their "tone" inside out, perhaps do have a little more difficulty getting the best out of their modelling amps (just like the current vs older generation using todays technology)...

The GT100 is easily the best modelling "anything" I've ever played....and I've had a whole bunch of them...just to put things in perspective, it beats the pants out of my Mustang III v2....it's not even close...I usually play my amps regularly in a band setting though not so much with the GT, however...just coincidence...we're on a bit of a "hiatus", which is soon about to change.....so most of my observations are in a bedroom setting...but again, I did play the old Mustang under the same conditions....and it's no contest tonally....

Not to say the GT is perfect....far from it....it's not a stable platform all around...tone app is problematic, to say the least...the footswitch is not useable live....u can't back up your presets...presets sound different everytime I turn on the amp....etc. etc.....but these problems are independent of the fundamental sound of the amp, which is amazing....

Here's a little trick I use to set myself up for a band mix....not that it's clever or anything....when I'm setting up my presets at home, I try to add some, lets say "harshness"....so that they don't sound so smooth and pleasing (which they do)....cuz otherwise, when u play live, their going to get buried in the mix....easy enough...

I can go on & on...but this cheap wine is really kicking in and.....i forget......


Last edited by tele-de-fender on Thu Jul 05, 2018 8:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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