KATANA-ARTIST MkII KATANA-ARTIST MkII

KATANA-Artist MkII HEAD

Ultimate Katana Tone in a Powerful Amplifier Head

The Katana-Artist MkII Head brings you the premium sound and features of the flagship Katana-Artist MkII combo in a powerful 100-watt amplifier head. Cover any style with five amp characters and five variations, and color your tones with a wide range of onboard BOSS effects. Shape your voice with exclusive panel controls, including a three-way Contour switch, Global EQs, an adjustable Solo boost with dedicated delay, and five selectable Air Feel settings. And rock the stage with a roaring presence using the companion Katana Cabinet 212 Waza or your favorite external speaker cabs.

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Main Features

  • Professional 100-watt amplifier head with enhanced tone and exclusive features
  • Tube Logic design approach produces class-defying power, authoritative punch, and cutting presence
  • Robust analog class-AB power amp section delivers authentic tone and highly musical response
  • Five amp characters with five variations, plus Booster, Mod, FX, Delay, and Reverb sections with three variations in each
  • Three-way Contour for shaping the overall tonal color and Global EQ switch with three settings (customizable in BOSS Tone Studio)
  • Solo boost with onboard level control (dedicated delay and EQ can be applied to the Solo boost in BOSS Tone Studio)
  • Integrated dual amp expansion functions for GA-FC/GA-FC EX control and true stereo effects
  • BOSS Tone Studio editor software for customizing sounds with over 60 BOSS effects, pre and post EQs, dedicated Pedal FX, and more
  • Series/parallel effect loop and power amp input for preamps, modelers, and multi-effects
  • Eight Tone Setting memories for storing and recalling all amp and effect settings
  • Power Control for achieving cranked-amp tone and response at low volumes
  • Mic'd cabinet emulation on the line, USB, and phones/recording outputs
  • Shape the cabinet emulation with five onboard Air Feel settings (three presets and two settings configurable in BOSS Tone Studio)
  • Download and share Livesets at BOSS Tone Exchange
  • External control support via GA-FC/GA-FC EX foot controller, footswitches, expression pedal, and MIDI
  • Three speaker outputs: two 16-ohm and one 8-ohm (8-ohm maximum load supported)
  • Optional speaker cabinet tuned for the Katana-Artist MkII Head: Katana Cabinet 212 Waza

Download “BOSS TONE STUDIO for KATANA Mk II” for Windows/macOS

Powerhouse Amplification for Pro Stage Performers

The Katana-Artist MkII Head comes equipped with all the core features from its acclaimed combo sibling. Five unique amp characters and five variations provide 10 different tone options, while five simultaneous effects categories put the sound-shaping power of a massive pedalboard right inside your amp. And with BOSS Tone Studio, you can customize the onboard effects with over 60 different types and dive deep into internal parameters to craft your personal sound.

Loud and Proud

Command the stage with massive tones by connecting one or two external speaker cabs. The Katana Cabinet 212 Waza is perfectly tuned for the Katana-Artist MkII experience, providing the ultimate rock voice in a 2x12 configuration loaded with custom Waza speakers. Developed by BOSS, these speakers deliver the authentic response and character of the benchmark 25-watt British stack speaker from the 1960s while boosting the power capacity to 100 watts. Cabinets can be stacked to create a clean 4x12 setup, and the versatile design features a removable panel for closed-back or open-back operation.

Deep Tone-Shaping Tools

On the front panel, you’ll find exclusive features only available with the Katana-Artist MkII models. A three-way Contour switch lets you shape the amp's core tone, while three Global EQ settings are great for fine-tuning the overall sound for different guitars and styles. A foot-controllable, post-amp Solo boost function is also available, with a panel knob for fast adjustment plus dedicated delay and EQ that can be assigned in BOSS Tone Studio.

Integrated Dual Amp Support

Powerful expansion features make it simple to use two Katana-Artist MkII amps together. With Dual Link, you can configure each amp with independent settings and operate them from a single GA-FC or GA-FX EX foot controller. Blend clean and dirty tones, create wet/dry setups, and more. Stereo Expand lets you use one Katana-Artist MkII as the primary amp, with stereo effects like chorus, delay, and reverb distributed across both amps for a wide, immersive sound field.

Full-Throttle Sound Every Time You Plug In

Backed by BOSS’s Tube Logic approach, the Katana-Artist MkII Head delivers the authentic output distortion characteristics of genuine tube amplifiers, with the sound and feel becoming richer and more responsive as you turn up the volume. But unlike that classic tube amp, our variable Power Control lets you fly in the sweet spot without getting fired from the gig or kicked out of the house. The middle setting on the Power Control dials in half power as stock, but you can adjust its value in 10-watt increments via BOSS Tone Studio to meet your performing needs.

One-Touch Recall of Custom Setups

Onboard Tone Setting memories allow you to store your favorite amp character and effects setups for instant recall. After you’ve dialed in a sound with the panel controls, save it to the desired memory with a quick button hold. Eight Tone Settings (two banks of four) are available, with fast selection from the panel. And for hands-free operation on the gig, just connect external footswitches or the GA-FC/GA-FC EX foot controller.

Ready-to-Mix Direct Tones

Line, USB, and phones/recording outputs feature mic'd cabinet emulation for sending mix-ready amp tones to a PA system, computer DAW, or headphones. Shape the direct sound with selectable Air Feel settings on the rear panel, including three presets and two custom settings that you configure in BOSS Tone Studio. Two-channel USB audio is supported, allowing you to track in true stereo with many of the amp’s mod, EQ, delay, and reverb effects.

Compact Gig Commander

The optional GA-FC and GA-FC EX foot controllers are the perfect partners for the Katana-Artist MkII Head. They connect with a single cable, require no external power, and take up minimal space. With six footswitches, you can directly recall Tone Settings and independently turn the five effects sections on/off. They also support external footswitches and expression pedals, with customization via BOSS Tone Studio. The GA-FC offers standard control, while the expanded GA-FC EX provides the ability to control two amps together, connect another unit for additional foot control, and more.

Go Deeper with BOSS Tone Studio

BOSS Tone Studio takes the Katana-Artist MkII experience even further, allowing you to customize the amp for your style and touch. Change up the factory-loaded effects, adjust effect order, dial in global EQs, customize system settings, and much more. And with Livesets, you can save favorite setups and instantly reconfigure your amp for different playing situations.

Specifications
Rated Power Output
100 W
Nominal Input Level
INPUT: -10 dBu (1 M ohm)
AUX IN: -10 dBu (20 k ohms)
RETURN IN: -10 dBu (100 k ohm)
Controls
POWER switch
MASTER knob
PRESENCE knob
SOLO knob
GLOBAL EQ button
CONTOUR switch (OFF, 1, 2, 3)
POWER CONTROL switch (STANDBY, 0.5 W, 50 W, 100 W)
CABINET RESONANCE switch (VINTAGE, MODERN, DEEP)

[AMPLIFIER]
AMP TYPE knob (ACOUSTIC, CLEAN, CRUNCH, LEAD, BROWN)
VARIATION button
GAIN knob
VOLUME knob

[EQUALIZER]
BASS knob
MIDDLE knob
TREBLE knob

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

[TONE SETTING]
BANK button
CH1 button
CH2 button
CH3 button
CH4 button
PANEL button

[EXPAND]
EXPAND switch (OFF, STEREO, DUAL LINK)

[AIR FEEL]
TYPE switch (REC, BLEND, LIVE)
CUSTOM SETTING switch (OFF, M1, M2)
Indicators
ACOUSTIC
CLEAN
CRUNCH
LEAD
BROWN
VARIATION
BOOSTER
MOD
FX
DELAY
REVERB
TAP
BANK
CH1
CH2
CH3
CH4
PANEL
GLOBAL EQ
Connectors
INPUT jack: 1/4-inch phone type
POWER AMP IN/DUAL LINK jack: 1/4-inch phone type
LINE OUT jack: 1/4-inch phone type
SEND jack: 1/4-inch phone type
RETURN jack: 1/4-inch phone type
SPEAKER OUT 16 ohms A jack: 1/4-inch phone type
SPEAKER OUT 16 ohms B jack: 1/4-inch phone type
SPEAKER OUT 8 ohms jack: 1/4-inch phone type
REC OUT/PHONES jack: Stereo 1/4-inch phone type
EXP PEDAL/CTL CH1/CH2 jack: 1/4-inch TRS phone type
GA-FC/CTL SOLO/DUAL LINK jack: 1/4-inch TRS phone type
AUX IN jack: Stereo miniature phone type
USB port: USB B type
MIDI IN connector
AC IN jack
Power Consumption
77 W
Accessories
Owner's Manual
Power cord
GA-FC sticker
Options (sold separately)
Footswitch: FS-5L, FS-6, FS-7
Expression pedal: Roland EV-5, BOSS EV-30, FV-500L, FV-500H
Foot Controller: GA-FC, GA-FC EX
Size and Weight (Include handle and rubber feets)
Width
631 mm
24-27/32 inches
Depth
246 mm
9-11/16 inches
Height
296 mm
11-21/32 inches
Weight
12.4 kg
27 lbs 5.4 oz
* 0 dBu = 0.775 Vrms
*The specifications are subject to change without notice.

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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