Ugly Guitar Truth: BOSS Katana Mini

On the heels of the announcement of the new 500 series pedals from BOSS, BOSS has also put forward a new Katana amp. In addition to the 50 watt combo, 100 watt combo and 100 watts head, BOSS will add a mini, 7 watt version to the line up. The Katana series has been praised since it's introduced. The mini version looks to be a desk top version with a 4 inch speaker. Is this a solid solution to those that are want for space or in need of low key practice gear? Let's look at the facts...

It's Small

Less than 10 inches wide and under 3 pounds, this amp is aptly named. It is also priced at half of the next size in the line up. The amp is impressively small. Small amps are not know for known for having the best tone. However, this amp is housed in a specially designed ported cabinet with a custom designed 4 inch speaker. Other features that you wouldn't think to see is a three band EQ, three channels, and delay. The amp might be tiny, but the feature list is impressive for its size.

It Stands Out

I've previously written about the Vox Pathfinder 10 and how impressive it is for its size and price. I'm very interested in seeing how these two amp compare. Considering that the Vox has very limited features, the BOSS seems to have the very clear advantage. The amp modes make this tiny amp one of the most flexible compact amp in its price range. You'd have to triple the price to find an amp in its size and better feature set. Out of the gate the Mini make a strong case for anyone looking for an extremely portable amp.

It Has A Lot To Live Up To

The Katana line has been praised by many. Not only is it one of the best values on the market right now, but many have preferred the Katana over much pricier amps. While lacking some of the key features the Katana line have been noted for, you still get three amp modes. If these are related by more than just name, then the Katana Mini is offering a serious price at this price point. 

Conclusion

Many, are critical of these smaller amps and their ability to be more than a novelty. I have been very skeptical of any combo featuring a speaker under 10 inches. However, the 6.5 inch speaker in the pathfinder 10 was surprisingly able to produce quality tones. These amp wont be able to fill a large room, but these amps are built for quick, portable jamming. Barring a major flaw, these amps are poised to bring the Katana value and acclaim to the mini, battery-powered, super-portable amp market.

Check out the hands on review of the Katana: Here!

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The Ugly Truth: Vox Pathfinder 10

I took a trip to my local music store, as I do, and tried the wears. I also like to give the used gear a good look, because that tends to be interesting and affordable than the new stuff that fills the walls. So I grabbed a Jay Turser strat copy and when to test it out through an amp. I'm aware of the good-amp/bad-guitar paradox. A cheap guitar through a good amp will sound good, but a good guitar through a cheap amp will sounds "cheap". So I matched my budget guitar with a budget amp to see what a "typical" rig would sound like. I picked a Vox Pathfinder 10 (Union Jack themed) to run through.

It's just so dang pretty...

Notice this is not "The Ugly Truth about a Jay Turser Strat". The guitar was bulky and uncomfortable to play. (which is actually pretty though to be for a strat, one of the most comfortable and body conforming guitars on the market.)

The Looks

The Pathfinder 10 is about the size of a large lunch box and not much heavier. It doesn't impress anyone with its size. I've played several small "lunch box" amps: Yamaha, Pignose, ZT. Not to mention the small "practice" amps that most all major brand produce (think beginner package amp). This one is among the prettiest. The Union Jack in particular has caught my eye. The ivory tolex appeals to me evidently, since I also enjoy the look of my Palomino 15. The grill cloth is really fun too. The amp just looks like a British amp should, just a bit smaller. There is absolutely nothing ugly here, I just wanted to talk about how much I enjoy the looks of this amp. For an amp that is going to be hanging out in office or on top of a desk, this is rather important.

The Sounds

The worst thing about this amps is the small, boxy sound that they all intrinsically have. That is, except this one. Yes, it has a single 6.5" speaker, but you would never would have guessed. I played this amp for a considerable time, and after the shock of how nice this amp actually sounds, I tried to make that little 6.5 inch speaker get mushy on the low-end. I was able to do it, but not until getting rather abusive with it. The Vox "bull dog" speaker gets a lot of respect from me. I have another Vox combo with those speakers and they are just top-notch. The amp has two channels, Clean and Drive. The way they have put this amp together is super smart. You can play squeaky clean all the way to super saturated and when the gain in pegged on the clean channel, just roll it all the way back and switch to the drive and pick up where you left off. Its a simple concept and this amp has nailed it. The Treble and Bass knobs are extremely flexible.

The Size

Ok, so the looks and the sounds are pretty great for an amp that you can take as a carry-on. What is actually ugly about this amp is that it's nearly the biggest in the "under $100, micro-sized, multi-channel" category. It should be the best. What isn't flattering about this amp is the limitations. The optimum listening area, that all amps have, is small. There is little in the way of features. I'd like a speaker out (which is asking a lot from a 10 watt amp) for "amp stacking", and a foot switch out to change amp channels. Those two options would make this amp a steal even at the $90 they want for the dressed up Union Jack edition.

The Conclusion

I am impressed by this amp. It punches way above the $80 price tag of the plain-clothed version. If you like the sound of a chime-y, British amp and have need of a small desktop/bedroom amp, this is it. I haven't played anything else that rivals its value and sound. No build-in effects, no frills, just solid, straight-forward tone at a decent value. This amp is an Absolute win! (I just so happen to own one)