“A masterclass in versatility, seamlessly bridging the gap between practice and performance”: Boss Katana Head Gen 3 review

Guitar World Verdict

Building on everything we love about the Generation 3 Katana combos – loads of effects, versatile amp voices, and USB-recording capabilities – the new Katana Head raises the bar. It offers gigging guitarists a highly-practical option for live performances, while the built-in 5-inch speaker makes it perfect for home practice. With its impressive features and reasonable price point, Boss has delivered an amplifier that truly does it all.

Pros

+Covers both home practice and gigs

+Tone editing capabilities from your smartphone

+Bloom function sounds fantastic and responsive

+Pushed amp type sounds great

Cons

-Footswitch and Bluetooth are an optional, paid-for extra

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It’s remarkable that the Katana is fast approaching its tenth birthday. Initially released in 2016, Boss’s now-famous solid-state amp has become the best-selling amplifier range on the market. From the recently discontinued pocket-sized Katana:GO to the upscale Artist model, the range caters to a wide variety of needs. Its long reign at the top is no surprise, but it does make me feel a little old…

Versatility has always been a hallmark of the Katana range. Whether you’re after a home practice tool with deep tone editing capabilities, a plethora of amp voices, a tonne of industry-standard effects or an amp with USB recording capabilities. There’s no denying that for home use, practice, and even recording, the Katana rules all.

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Ross has been a music lover and guitar player since the age of 8. He has spent the five years since graduating from university working in music retail, selling guitars, amps and more. Ross is particularly interested in electric guitars, pedals and amplifiers and his current rig includes a trusty 2009 American Standard Stratocaster and Vox AC30S1 with a few Walrus Audio and Way Huge pedals in between.