KATANA-HEAD

Guitar Amplifier

KATANA-HEAD

Crafted Tones, Forged for Rock

Compact and powerful, the 100-watt Katana-Head delivers sharply defined rock tones with rich, commanding presence. The amp also includes integrated access to a huge range of BOSS effects, which are customizable using the free BOSS Tone Studio editor software. And with the powerful onboard Tone Setting memories, you can store your favorite amp channel setups and effects combinations for instant recall. In addition, the versatile Katana-Head is equipped with an effects loop and MIDI for integration with advanced rigs, and features a convenient built-in monitor speaker for tone preview and practice without a cab.

 

Katana Version 3: Added Effect Types, New Real-Time Control Assignments, and Stereo Effects When Recording via USB

The Katana Version 3 update enhances the stage-class Katana amp lineup with even more performance versatility. New effect types include the legendary Roland DC-30 Analog Chorus-Echo, classic BOSS GE-10 Graphic Equalizer, and expressive 95E pedal wah, providing iconic tones that perfectly match the Katana’s Brown amp character. In addition, BOSS Tone Studio offers the ability to assign favorite parameters for quick-access control from the front-panel effects knobs and create custom control assignments for up to three connected expression pedals. And when tracking in a DAW via USB, it’s now possible to capture true stereo sound with many of the Katana’s modulation, EQ, delay, and reverb effects.

Katana Version 3 is a free, user-installable update for all Katana owners, and is available in the Downloads section starting in December 2018.

About the Katana Amp Series

Katana—the traditional sword carried by the historic samurai of Japan—is a symbol of honor, precision, and artistry in Japanese culture. Adopting the majestic sword’s name with pride, the Katana series presents guitar amplifiers with smooth, cutting tones honed by generations of dedication and expertise. Born of the development process behind the acclaimed Waza amplifier, these innovative amps embody BOSS’s determined pursuit of the ultimate rock sound. Featuring proprietary circuit designs and meticulous tuning, the Katana series combines traditional craftsmanship and breakthrough functions to produce true next-generation rock amplifiers.

A Refined Amp with Inspiring Tone

Designed for guitarists who are serious about their sound, the Katana-Head offers exceptional tone and touch response for stage playing, recording, and simply practicing at home. A standout characteristic of every Katana amp is the dynamic interaction between its output section and the speaker, which provides the ultra-responsive musical experience that players crave. Going further, an expressive Cabinet Resonance function derived from the flagship Waza amps (accessible via BOSS Tone Studio) allows you to customize this interaction for your touch with three resonance types. Delivering class-defying power, authoritative punch, and cutting presence that stands shoulder-to-shoulder with high-end amp designs, the Katana-Head is ready to meet the needs of any playing situation.

Five Original Amp Characters, Honed for Rock Playing

Sharpened to perfection by the BOSS engineering team, the Katana-Head’s five amp characters offer everything from organic vintage tones to modern high-gain sounds. Clean is natural and transparent, while Crunch offers satisfying grit and response. Lead has a wide gain range to suit many styles, from fat, stinging blues solos to fluid legato shredding. With DNA inherited from the Waza amp, Brown delivers refined high-gain tone sought after by the world’s greatest rock players. The Acoustic character further enhances the Katana’s versatility, providing optimized tone that makes acoustic-electric guitars sound stunningly natural.

Leave Your Pedalboard at Home

With its built-in BOSS effects, the Katana-Head lets you perform anywhere with just a guitar and amp. Connecting to BOSS Tone Studio via USB provides access to 61 fully-customizable effects, and you can load your favorites into the amp’s various effects sections. Going beyond standard distortion, delay, and reverb, the selection includes effects types like pitch shifting, ring mod, slicer, and many more. Channel and global parametric EQs are available as well for powerful overall tone shaping.

Version 3 Effects and Control Features

Newly added with Version 3 are the Roland DC-30 Analog Chorus-Echo, BOSS GE-10 Graphic Equalizer, and 95E pedal wah effects types. These classics work great with any Katana amp character, but really dish up some special tonal magic when used in combination with the Brown character’s harmonically rich voice. The update also provides the ability to assign favorite parameters to the front-panel effects knobs, giving you greater flexibility for shaping your own unique effects tones on the fly. Additionally, you’re now able to control specific effects parameters from up to three expression pedals (connected via the rear panel and GA-FC foot controller), unlocking a new range of real-time command while performing.

Tone Settings: One-Touch Recall of Custom Amp and Effects Setups

One of the Katana-Head’s most powerful features is the ability to store favorite amp channel and effects setups in Tone Setting memories for instant recall. After you’ve dialed in a sound with the panel controls, simply save it to the desired memory with a quick button hold. Eight Tone Settings (two banks of four) are available, and you can easily select them from the panel. It’s also possible to use an optional external footswitch for hands-free control on the gig.

Grab-and-Go Operation

While the Katana-Head includes many advanced features, it’s amazingly simple to operate. Familiar controls for gain, presence, and the three-band tone stack let you dial in sounds quickly, while essential effects parameters are adjusted with a simple knob twist. And with the convenient Power Control, you’re able to roll back the overall volume while retaining the expressive tone and feel of a cranked-up amp.

Ready-to-Mix Direct Tones with Air Feel

The Katana-Head features line, USB, and phones/recording outputs with mic’d cabinet emulation, allowing you to send mix-ready amp tones to a PA system, computer DAW, or headphones. Connecting to BOSS Tone Studio provides access to three different Air Feel settings, letting you shape the tonal character of the direct sound to suit any performance scenario. The Version 3 update further enhances the direct USB capabilities, offering true stereo sound with many of the Katana’s modulation, EQ, delay, and reverb effects, including the newly added DC-30 Analog Chorus-Echo.

Connect and Control

The Katana-Head’s speaker out supports connection to your favorite 8-ohm or 16-ohm cabinet. And with the handy built-in monitor speaker, you’re able to check tones and practice anywhere without having to hook up a cab at all. Advanced players will appreciate the MIDI input, which enables easy integration with MIDI controllers and switching devices.

BOSS Tone Central

At the BOSS Tone Central website, you’ll find numerous free amp and effects setups for the Katana series. Created by pro guitarists, these setups provide ready-to-play sounds for various music styles, and also make great starting points for building your own sounds. They load into the memories in a Katana amp via the BOSS Tone Studio editor software, which is also available at the site. In addition to Katana effects selection and customization, BOSS Tone Studio gives you a convenient way to organize all your Katana setups for different gigs, recordings, and practice sessions.

Specifications
Rated Power Output
30 W (Using internal speaker)
100 W (Using external speaker)
Nominal Input Level
INPUT: -10 dBu (1 M ohm)
AUX IN: -10 dBu (20 k ohms)
RETURN IN: -10 dBu (100 k ohm)
Speaker
12 cm (5 inches) x 1
Controls
POWER switch
MASTER knob
PRESENCE knob
POWER CONTROL switch (STANDBY, 0.5 W, 50 W, 100 W)

[AMPLIFIER]
AMP TYPE knob (ACOUSTIC, CLEAN, CRUNCH, LEAD, BROWN)
GAIN knob
VOLUME knob
[EQUALIZER]
BASS knob
MIDDLE knob
TREBLE knob

[MULTI EFFECT]
BOOSTER/MOD button
DELAY/FX button
REVERB button
TAP button
BOOSTER/MOD knob
DELAY/FX knob
REVERB knob

[TONE SETTING]
CH1 button
CH2 button
CH3 button
CH4 button
PANEL button
Indicators
ACOUSTIC
CLEAN
CRUNCH
LEAD
BROWN
BOOSTER/MOD
DELAY/FX
REVERB
TAP
CH1
CH2
CH3
CH4
PANEL
Connectors
INPUT jack: 1/4-inch phone type
AUX IN jack: Stereo miniature phone type
REC OUT/PHONES jack: Stereo 1/4-inch phone type
SEND jack: 1/4-inch phone type
RETURN jack: 1/4-inch phone type
LINE OUT jack: 1/4-inch phone type
SPEAKER OUT jack: 1/4-inch phone type
EXP PEDAL/CTL CH1/CH2 jack: 1/4-inch TRS phone type
GA-FC jack: 1/4-inch TRS phone type
MIDI IN connector
USB port: USB B type
AC IN jack
Power Consumption
77 W
Accessories
Owner's manual
Power cord
GA-FC sticker
Options (sold separately)
Footswitch: BOSS FS-5L
Expression pedal: Roland EV-5, BOSS FV-500L, BOSS FV-500H
GA FOOT CONTROLLER (GA-FC)
Size and Weight
Width
470 mm
18-9/16 inches
Depth
228 mm
9 inches
Height
215 mm
8-1/2 inches
Weight
8.8 kg
19 lbs 7 oz
* 0 dBu = 0.775 Vrms
KATANA Series Quick Start Video

KATANA Series Quick Start Video step-by-step instructions

These Quick Start Videos contain step-by-step instructions that will quickly introduce you to its major features.Read more…

Downloads

Updates & Drivers

Support

If you have questions about operating your BOSS product, please check our Knowledge Base for answers to the most common questions.
You can also contact our Product Support department by phone or email.
In addition, we have a library of Owner’s Manuals and Support Documents that you can download and reference.

Owner's Manuals