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KATANA-50: Guitar Amplifier

Crafted Tones, Forged for Rock

Features

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.

With 50 watts of power and a custom 12-inch speaker, the Katana-50 delivers a commanding range of gig-worthy tones that gracefully slice through any band scenario. The amp also excels for home playing, with a uniquely efficient design and innovative Power Control that provides inspiring sound and response at low volumes. In addition, the Katana-50 includes integrated access to 55 BOSS effects, which are customizable using the free BOSS Tone Studio editor software. Up to 15 different effects can be configured in the amp at one time, enabling you to bring fully prepared tones to the stage in one amp.

  • Stage-ready 50-watt combo amp with a custom 12-inch speaker
  • Five unique amp characters: Clean, Crunch, Lead, Brown (derived from the Waza amp), and Acoustic (for acoustic-electric guitars)
  • Choose from 55 customizable effects with BOSS Tone Studio editor software
  • Store 15 different effects on board, with three effects available simultaneously
  • Dedicated gain, EQ, and effects controls for adjusting sounds quickly
  • Two memories for storing and recalling all amp and effect settings
  • Power Control for achieving cranked-amp tone and dynamic response at low volumes
  • Built-in tilt stand for optimal monitoring and sound projection
  • Pro setups available at BOSS Tone Central

Crafted Tones, Forged for Rock

More Info

A Refined Amp with Inspiring Tone

Designed for guitarists who are serious about their sound, the Katana-50 offers exceptional tone and touch response for stage playing, recording, and simply practicing at home. The custom 12-inch speaker is driven by a special method developed for the flagship Waza amp that optimizes the speaker and cabinet character. This gives you authoritative punch and cutting presence previously attainable only with high-end amp designs. In combination with the five selectable amp characters, the Katana-50 produces class-defying power and expressiveness to meet any playing situation.

Five Original Amp Characters, Honed for Rock Playing

Sharpened to perfection by the BOSS engineering team, the Katana-50’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 and recallable Tone Settings, the Katana-50 lets you perform anywhere with just a guitar and amp. Connecting to BOSS Tone Studio via USB provides access to 55 effects that are fully customizable for your needs. Going beyond standard distortion, delay, and reverb, the selection also includes powerful tone-shapers like pitch shifting, ring mod, slicer, and more. You can load 15 different effects in the amp at one time and use up to three simultaneously. Two tone Settings let you store custom amp and effects setups for instant recall, and you can always jump to the current panel settings at the touch of a button. It’s also possible to connect optional footswitches and expression pedals for hands-free control on the gig.

Grab-and-Go Operation

While the Katana-50 includes many advanced features, it’s amazingly simple to operate. Dedicated knobs for multiple gain stages and three-band EQ allow you to quickly dial in your tone by ear, just as you would with a standard tube amp. Essential effects parameters are adjusted with a simple knob twist, and memories can be stored with a brief button hold. The Power Control is great for throttling back the volume for small stages and home playing, and also includes a Standby setting that mutes the sound for switching guitars or taking breaks. And by flipping out the integrated tilt stand, you can easily angle the amp back for better sound projection.

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.

Crafted Tones, Forged for Rock

Specs

Specifications
Rated Power Output
50 W
Nominal Input Level
INPUT: -10 dBu (1 M ohm)
AUX IN: -10 dBu
Speaker
30 cm (12 inches) x 1
Controls
POWER switch
MASTER knob
POWER CONTROL switch (STANDBY, 0.5 W, 25 W, 50 W)

[AMPLIFIER]
AMP TYPE switch (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
PANEL button
Indicators
BOOSTER/MOD
DELAY/FX
REVERB
TAP
CH1
CH2
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
EXP PEDAL/CTL CH1/CH2 jack: 1/4-inch TRS phone type
USB port: USB B type
AC IN jack
Power Consumption
47 W
Accessories
Owner's manual
Power cord
Options (sold separately)
Footswitch: BOSS FS-5L
Expression pedal: Roland EV-5, BOSS FV-500L, BOSS FV-500H
Size and Weight
Width
470 mm
18-9/16 inches
Depth
238 mm
9-3/8 inches
Height
398 mm
15-11/16 inches
Weight
11.6 kg
25 lbs 10 oz
* 0 dBu = 0.775 Vrms

Accessories

EV-5

Expression Pedal

EV-5

Durable expression pedal for use with keyboards or other Expression-compatible instruments to control a range of functions and effects parameters.

Click for Details

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Phone

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