When I think of guitar amps, a few brands typically spring to mind. Roland, Orange, Mesa/Boogie, and of course Fender. When I think of pedals, I always first think of Boss. The only reason I can think of another brand is because I’ve tested them. This is starting to change. After testing the Boss Katana EX Gen 3 guitar amp, I’m beginning to think Boss earns its brand name. This amp is the Boss. The dynamic crystal-clear output, plethora of features, and options make this amp a must have for aspiring and veteran players alike.
The Boss amp has a very solid construction. It’s sturdy, built to last and able to handle gigging and practice sessions with ease. The sound quality is exceptional, with a wide range of tones that can cater to a variety of genres. From clean, sparkly tones to high-gain, saturated distortion, the amp pretty much gives you everything you need in a single unit. The 50-watt power output offers a good balance of volume for practice and performance. It delivers a punchy, clear tone at lower volumes, so I think it’s perfect for practice at home without sacrificing sound quality.
The moment I plug into the amp, I’m sure I’ll love it. I’m immediately struck by the richness of the sound. Sure, part of this is due to playing my brand-new Strat, but the amp makes it sing. The clean channel plays in a way that made my Stratocaster’s single coils shimmer, but it wasn’t brittle. It feels warm and alive. When I crank up the gain to dive into some overdriven tones, I’m left stunned by how responsive the amp is.
The Tone Control is where I begin to dive into what makes the Katana EX Gen 3 so wonderful. The amp EQ features bass, mid, and treble knobs. Additionally, I can shape my sound with amp variations and built in effects like reverb and delays. I love a good midrange, and the ability to shape it just right is a welcome relief. Whether I’m pulling back the mids or boosting them for a punchy rhythm, this amp gives allows control. The Power Control switch is another welcome upgrade. Now, I tend to play in the daytime, but if you enjoy playing at all hours of the day and night, the ability to adjust the amp’s wattage for the perfect volume in any environment is invaluable. I can dial down the power if I’m jamming in my living room at 2 a.m. The power doesn’t suffer or leave me feeling like I can’t get the sound I want at low volume.
I want to love the Boss Tone Studio integration. I’m not a big fan of fiddling with complex menus on amps, but the Tone Studio software gives the opportunity to tweak and save presets. The problem is, it’s a bit confusing. However, I had my perfect clean tone, a classic rock crunch, and a high-gain lead sound saved eventually. The ability to edit and organize tones right from my phone and then upload them to the amp with ease really elevated my experience. I could have spent hours dialing in subtle variations, but the reality is I found a few go-to sounds early on and haven’t looked back. I really hope they can clean up the interface and offer some simple walk-through options in the future.
Perhaps the feature I am most excited about is the ability to play Bluetooth music right through the amp. This eliminates the need to have a separate device playing connected to play along with. Unfortunately, I learn the hard way that this feature requires an add on. Okay, no worries. I hop on Amazon and order a Bluetooth dongle that connects to the back of the Boss Katana EX Gen 3. Thankfully it works instantly, and I pair my phone in seconds. Now, I’m blasting out tracks and playing along with ease. One caveat. If you are expecting studio quality sound or for this to be a crazy speaker for music, it isn’t. No guitar amp will be. It’s a guitar amp not a studio speaker. It is possible to blow your amp by cranking the volume on your music using this option. Be sure to avoid heavy bass etc.
Summary
Let me make something very clear. If you are still using a small practice amp that pumps out 20W or less, I want to tell you – you may have wasted money. I started there. Keep in mind I got my first amp free in a giveaway. However, when I heard the difference between one of these amps (mine was a Fender Frontman) and the Boss Katana EX Gen 3, my mind was blown. I couldn’t believe anyone would want to settle for such subpar sound. Saving just a bit more money will give a peace of mind I cannot explain.
That is the beauty of what Boss creates in their amps. The Katana EX Gen 3 isn’t the best you can buy, but I argue it’s the best value for my money. The Boss Katana EX Gen 3 amp puts out a killer sound with an excellent configuration of options for gritty, dark, or clean raw guitar output. The clarity is something that needs to be heard. Go try one out and see what I mean. You won’t be disappointed. I’ll go ahead and add Boss to the list of top amp brands going forward.