The Katana series from Boss is one of the most popular modeling guitar amplifiers. The series have different wattage amps with great sound and features.
Recently they released new amplifiers – Boss Katana Bass. These are modeling bass amps with various features and amp tones.
Currently, there is 60 watts and 160 watts version. This is the review of the Katana 110 Bass which is a 60-watt bass modeling amplifier.
Design
The design of Boss Katana Bass amps is very minimalistic and looks modern. It’s similar to Katana guitar amplifiers.
The front of the amp is slick and features a black grill cloth and the Boss logo. The back is closed and has various inputs and outputs.
On the backside of the Boss Katana 110 Bass amp, you have an FX loop, phone output, USB connection, balanced output, and other default I/O.
And every control knob and option is on the top side of the amp. Very similar to Boss Katana 50 and other combos.
The control panel has silver in color and the knobs and buttons are black. It looks beautiful and classic. I love the whole design of the Katana Bass amp.
Amp Models
Boss Katana 110 Bass offers three types of bass amp tones. You can choose between vintage, modern and flat. You can control the gain and volume of each amp sound.
The vintage amp mode has a warmer tone. In general, I love the vintage amp sound and I think this amp captures the vintage vibe pretty well.
The modern tone is brighter, clearer, and has more punch. If you want to add a bite to your sound, then this is the right mode. Great for modern heavy music.
And the flat mode is very interesting and useful. This is just a flat EQ sound. And works like a DI sound. In my opinion, this feature makes Katana Bass a great recording amplifier.
Also, there are shape and pad switches. The shape works like a mid-scoop and adds brightness to the sound. And the pad adds attenuation.
I think Boss Katana Bass 110 is a very diverse bass amp and is great for practice, recording, and playing in small venues.
Effects
Effects are very interesting in this amplifier. It has two effects options. The first section includes comp and drive, and the second section has two banks for effects.
With a comp and drive switch, you can add six types of compression and six types of overdrive effects.
And in the FX section of Boss Katana Bass 110, you can use effects such as delay, reverb, enhancer, bass synth, etc. Twelve effects in total which is great for tone diversity.
Effects are separated by colors – green, orange, and red. It makes it easier to navigate through various effects and distortions.
Each section has dedicated knobs to control effects. Additionally, the FX section has a tap button that allows you to set a custom delay time.
How Does Boss Katana Bass Sound?
Amps sounds and effect options are great in the Katana Bass amp. But what about the sound quality? Is it as good as a guitar amp counterpart?
I can say that yes, it’s a great-sounding bass amp with lots of awesome features. I can’t remember any other modeling bass amp that has this sound quality and features.
My favorite amp tone is modern. I like how powerful and clean it is. It has a universal sound and can be used for any genre of music. You can play rock, metal, pop, etc.
The vintage amp sound is warmer in tone. And it captures and emulates a vintage bass amp tone pretty well.
And I love that they included flat frequency mode. It produces a very clean and rich sound. You can customize it as you want. And it’s great for recording.
Not only amps but effects sound great too. Nothing digital about them. They are crisp and rich, and you can create different bass tones.
I don’t know what is the source of sound quality – technology or speaker. Perhaps both. A custom 10″ speaker delivers great tones. And as I’m guessing, Boss uses some high-end technology.
Features
Now let’s talk about Katana 110 Bass features. And it has so many great and unique features that I might miss some of them.
First of all, this amp has two speakers. The main one is a 10″ custom speaker. But it also has a 1″ high-frequency tweeter. It can be engaged with a switch.
This adds another sound layer and makes the tone richer and more diverse. I love this feature.
Even an equalizer is advanced in this bass combo. It has bass, low mid, high mid, and treble knobs. Mids have additional buttons which allow you to change sound even more.
Also, with a blend switch, you can engage the dry/wet signal and adjust it with a knob.
Another feature I like is that you can dial in tones and save them. It has two banks and each bank has three channels. So, you can save up to six custom bass tones.
Also, there is a fourth knob – panel. This uses the current panel settings. As you can see, it’s very easy to switch between channels.
Boss Katana 110 Bass combo allows you to control the power. You can use the full 60 watts or only one. I tested it and it’s great when you want to practice your bass riffs.
A footswitch is sold separately. You can use Boss footswitches like FS-6, FS-7, and FS-SL. I don’t have any of these and can’t tell you how they work.
Final Thoughts
So, here is my final thought about the Boss Katana Bass 110 combo. I think that this is the best bass combo in this category. It is packed with features, and effects, produces a great tone, and it’s a very diverse amplifier. It can be used for any genre of music.
Perhaps my favorite feature is the flat EQ tone. Because this makes it a great recording amplifier. Also, if you want to have a modern or vintage bass tone, you can. And also, the price is very good compared to the sound quality and amount of options you get.