Boss Katana Tone Help

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Logan Peters
Posts: 3
Joined: 6 Jun 2024 4:34 am
Location: Montreal, Canada

Boss Katana Tone Help

Post by Logan Peters »

Hi everyone! Fairly new player here. I play a purple Linkon Celebrity and use a Boss Katana-50 Mk II, which I like because it's small and I live in an apartment. I'm not overly happy with my tone and I'm curious how other folks have set up their Boss Katana amps. Pictures would be appreciated! Thanks!

- Logan
Fumbling along on my Linkon Celebrity since 2023.
Christian Pacifico
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Joined: 18 Jul 2025 7:26 am
Location: Massachusetts

Re: Boss Katana Tone Help

Post by Christian Pacifico »

I also am curious what others might put for adjustments as well
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Fred Treece
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Location: California, USA

Re: Boss Katana Tone Help

Post by Fred Treece »

There are 3 amp models you can choose to get a clean tone:
-Acoustic, Gain anywhere up to 1 o’clock
-Clean, Gain between 9 o’clock and Noon
-Crunch, Gain off or barely up to 8 o’clock

From there, Bass/Mid/Treble is entirely subjective and dependent on your guitar and pickup. You can run Treble pretty high (past Noon) on the Acoustic model, but it gets a bit screechy past noon on the Clean model. I keep the Mid to at least Noon on all 3 models, Bass below Noon on the Clean and Acoustic.

The Crunch model is kind of mid-focused, so you can lower the Mid on it and raise the Bass. Treble seems to introduce some grit past Noon, but see for yourself.

The gain settings depend on how you run your volume pedal. If your signal path is Guitar-VP-Katana Input, then you’ll have the typical signal cooling effect of running a guitar’s volume below full throttle into the front of an amp. If your path is Guitar-Katana Input and the Volume pedal is running into either the FX loop or a GF-AC foot switch, then the PreAmp gain will always be hot at any volume pedal position.

Run the Master Volume fairly high, like between 2 o’clock and all the way up, and the Amp Model volumes at whatever you can get away with. Experiment with the two volumes to see how they interact. Apparently there are differences between the Mark I, II, III, and Artist versions of the Katana in this regard.

As always, leave all the other effects off when you are focused on creating a basic tone.

Also, after 3 years of tweaking settings on the Katana, I finally put a Sarno Black Box in front of it, which was a significant enhancement.

And then there is Boss Tone Studio…
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Larry Dering
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Location: Missouri, USA

Re: Boss Katana Tone Help

Post by Larry Dering »

These are from a YouTube steel player using the Boss Katana MKII 50 watt.
PromenadeMusicTV On a Mullen SD10
Model Acoustic
Gain 9 oclock
Volume 9 o'clock
Bass 10, Mid 3.5 Treble 8
Rev 6 Master 7
Wattage 50
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Thomas Wagner
Posts: 30
Joined: 20 Nov 2024 8:28 am
Location: Ontario, Canada

Re: Boss Katana Tone Help

Post by Thomas Wagner »

Logan Peters wrote: 30 Oct 2025 5:20 am Hi everyone! Fairly new player here. I play a purple Linkon Celebrity and use a Boss Katana-50 Mk II, which I like because it's small and I live in an apartment. I'm not overly happy with my tone and I'm curious how other folks have set up their Boss Katana amps. Pictures would be appreciated! Thanks!

- Logan
I dont have a Katana, on my fender tonemaster twin reverb I usually have T-4, M-5, B-4, Reverb 5. Volume usually at 5-7. I plug into the dark circuit.

Your steel guitar sounds pretty cool, I'm interested in a picture of it. I have a Linkon D-10 natural finish.
Alan Cook
Posts: 635
Joined: 19 Jul 2001 12:01 am
Location: Kent,England

Re: Boss Katana Tone Help

Post by Alan Cook »

I have the same amp for small gigs. I connected it to my computer and changed the eq settings cutting the low mids. I also changed the delay and reverb settings. Sounds great.

Alan.
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Logan Peters
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Joined: 6 Jun 2024 4:34 am
Location: Montreal, Canada

Re: Boss Katana Tone Help

Post by Logan Peters »

Thomas Wagner wrote: 4 Nov 2025 5:32 am
Logan Peters wrote: 30 Oct 2025 5:20 am Hi everyone! Fairly new player here. I play a purple Linkon Celebrity and use a Boss Katana-50 Mk II, which I like because it's small and I live in an apartment. I'm not overly happy with my tone and I'm curious how other folks have set up their Boss Katana amps. Pictures would be appreciated! Thanks!

- Logan
I dont have a Katana, on my fender tonemaster twin reverb I usually have T-4, M-5, B-4, Reverb 5. Volume usually at 5-7. I plug into the dark circuit.

Your steel guitar sounds pretty cool, I'm interested in a picture of it. I have a Linkon D-10 natural finish.
Hey Thomas! Here's a photo of my steel. I'd love to see yours too! When did you start playing it?
IMG_7184.jpeg
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Fumbling along on my Linkon Celebrity since 2023.
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Thomas Wagner
Posts: 30
Joined: 20 Nov 2024 8:28 am
Location: Ontario, Canada

Re: Boss Katana Tone Help

Post by Thomas Wagner »

Logan Peters wrote: 4 Nov 2025 11:37 am
Thomas Wagner wrote: 4 Nov 2025 5:32 am
Logan Peters wrote: 30 Oct 2025 5:20 am Hi everyone! Fairly new player here. I play a purple Linkon Celebrity and use a Boss Katana-50 Mk II, which I like because it's small and I live in an apartment. I'm not overly happy with my tone and I'm curious how other folks have set up their Boss Katana amps. Pictures would be appreciated! Thanks!

- Logan
I dont have a Katana, on my fender tonemaster twin reverb I usually have T-4, M-5, B-4, Reverb 5. Volume usually at 5-7. I plug into the dark circuit.

Your steel guitar sounds pretty cool, I'm interested in a picture of it. I have a Linkon D-10 natural finish.
Hey Thomas! Here's a photo of my steel. I'd love to see yours too! When did you start playing it?IMG_7184.jpeg
Good lookin guitar! I have a soft spot for purple steel guitars.

Here's mine: Linkon Supreme D-10 8x4. Dont know much about the brand, have been reading up online. Appreciate it's (was) a Canadian company.
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Thomas Wagner
Posts: 30
Joined: 20 Nov 2024 8:28 am
Location: Ontario, Canada

Re: Boss Katana Tone Help

Post by Thomas Wagner »

Also starting playing last summer. Have made a couple videos: https://youtu.be/n8whDJvrEgc?si=eL1YdCuH2cPML1dj
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Logan Peters
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Joined: 6 Jun 2024 4:34 am
Location: Montreal, Canada

Re: Boss Katana Tone Help

Post by Logan Peters »

Thomas Wagner wrote: 5 Nov 2025 8:42 am
Logan Peters wrote: 4 Nov 2025 11:37 am
Thomas Wagner wrote: 4 Nov 2025 5:32 am

I dont have a Katana, on my fender tonemaster twin reverb I usually have T-4, M-5, B-4, Reverb 5. Volume usually at 5-7. I plug into the dark circuit.

Your steel guitar sounds pretty cool, I'm interested in a picture of it. I have a Linkon D-10 natural finish.
Hey Thomas! Here's a photo of my steel. I'd love to see yours too! When did you start playing it?IMG_7184.jpeg
Good lookin guitar! I have a soft spot for purple steel guitars.

Here's mine: Linkon Supreme D-10 8x4. Dont know much about the brand, have been reading up online. Appreciate it's (was) a Canadian company.
WOW. Your guitar is absolutely stunning. I love the colour and the Canadiana details (Mine has the same) Here's a pic!
IMG_7680.jpeg
Where did you find your guitar?
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Fumbling along on my Linkon Celebrity since 2023.