BOSS ups the ante with the latest release to its flagship Katana Artist amp. The Artist MkII put more tones, more features, and more tone-shaping potential right at your fingertips. Katana's five Tube Logic amp models now include an alternate voicing each (accessible via the Variation switch), for a total of 10 core tones available directly from the front panel. And with five simultaneous FX onboard to diversify your sounds, a 3-way mid Contour for smoothing out vintage voicings, and an adjustable Solo boost all within stage reach, the BOSS Katana Artist MkII supplies an even more classic-amp-like playing experience. Despite its simplicity, inside this streamlined 1x12 are the bones of some of the most sophisticated amp rigs on the planet, including MIDI footswitch support and a stereo link to envelop both sides of the stage in lush 3D reverbs, delays, and more. The Artist MkII's Class AB power section delivers 100 watts of that tube amp push and pull. And a custom-voiced WAZA 12" speaker delivers the punch, richness, and harmonics of a British green-backed speaker stack, all with the convenience of a highly giggable 1x12.
The BOSS Katana Artist MkII packs five distinct amp voicings, optimized for the best possible sound with the updated cabinet and custom speaker. Clean, Crunch, and Lead cover the gamut from chiming clean tones and gritty rhythm tones to solo-worthy high-gain leads. As an added bonus, the Brown setting is derived from the BOSS Waza amplifier — think iconic '80s metal. And finally, the Acoustic mode allows you to plug-in your acoustic-electric guitar too. What's really handy in the Artist MkII is that each amp gives you an alternate voicing with a press of the Variation switch, creating a total of 10 core tones for you to sculpt your sound. And with a 3-way Contour switch to tame or enhance your midrange, there's no end to the tonal variations you can explore directly from the Artist MkII's front panel.
Our favorite amps are marked by their distinctive tone stacks. The Katana Artist MkII allows you to sculpt the response of your Bass, Middle, and Treble controls within the Tone Studio editor to best suit your amp and guitar choice.
Moving from rhythms to lead work usually requires an output boost to achieve parity levels. Traditionally, this has been accomplished with clean boosts, overdrives, volume pedals, and our personal favorite — the 10' long jump to reach the amp's master volume at the last possible second. The BOSS Katana Artist MkII gives you a footswitchable Solo boost with adjustable output to boost your level to center stage and return you to sensible rhythm levels.
While the Katana Artist MkII offers a Power Control for getting cranked-amp tone at a low volume level, you can achieve truly silent operation onstage or in the studio by connecting the amp's line output to a line input on your recording device or a PA, completely bypassing the speaker. Cab emulation is available on the USB and headphone outputs, as well, so however you choose to monitor your Artist MkII, it'll feel like you're standing in front of an amp. Selectable cab resonance (Vintage/Modern/Deep) and Air Feel miking emulation (direct, distant, or blended) allow you to tailor emulated tones to taste.
Got a floor unit or tube preamp you can't live without? You can access all 100 watts of the Katana Artist MkII's Class A/B power section using the MkII's power amp input. Here you bypass everything before the power amp and speakers, so what you hear is exactly what you expect — only live and in living color.
You can fill every side of a stage with breathtaking stereo effects using the Katana Artist MkII's built-in Stereo Expand link. Simple master/slave operation by way of a single guitar cable makes setup a breeze. In this mode, you can access choruses that envelop the listener in a swath of oceany motion. Delays that ping-pong from ear to ear. And reverbs that descend like a cloud upon a room.
The Katana Artist MkII supports 60 timeless BOSS effects, and you can load an entire series of them for instant access. The amp's Booster/Mod, FX/Delay, and Reverb controls give you easy one-knob access to up to five simultaneous effects type, with a color-coded button to switch between preset effects. To completely customize your effects and amp settings, connect the Artist MkII to your computer via USB and load up the Tone Studio software. Here you can create your own setup, or download setups created by pro guitarists at the BOSS Tone Studio website. Best of all, the Katana Artist MkII can store multiple custom amp and effects profiles for instant recall, making this combo a versatile multi-channel amplifier.
The green backing on the Artist MkII's stock speaker communicates more than just color. The WAZA G12W's unmistakable throatiness and presence — a sound which Eddie identified as "brown" — are inspired by a consummate 25-watt British speaker of the 1960s. But unlike the original, this green meanie is engineered to weather all hundred watts of your Artist MkII's power section, without unwanted breakup or limiting. This means whether you're chunking out clean chords or dropping progressive metal powerbombs, the WAZA G12W is able to dish out every ounce of tone your Katana can throw at it.
The Katana-Artist MkII elevates the premier model in the Katana lineup with next-generation features and flexibility. Newly voiced variations for all five amp characters double your tone choices, while onboard effects categories have been expanded from three to five. Exclusive front-panel controls provide even more sound-shaping options, including a three-way Contour switch, Global EQ with three customizable curves, and a Solo boost with adjustable level. And with powerful new dual amp functionality, it's easy to link and control two Katana-Artist MkIIs for massive, ultra-wide tones.
Just like its predecessor, the Katana-Artist MkII has been designed with extra detail for discerning pro players. BOSS's custom Waza speaker puts the ultimate vintage rock sound under your fingers, while the cabinet's wide baffle and semi-closed back provide focused, punchy tones with rich low end and big midrange fullness. In addition, every Katana-Artist MkII amp character has been specially voiced for optimum response with the speaker and cab.
A key element to the Katana-Artist MkII's powerful sound is the 12-inch Waza speaker, developed by BOSS to deliver the wide dynamic response, smooth midrange, and rich harmonic overtones of the benchmark 25-watt British stack speaker from the 1960s. Through detailed analysis of original speakers and careful selection of the magnet, cone material, and other elements, the Waza speaker embodies the full mojo of this legendary speaker while boosting power capacity to 100 watts.
The Katana-Artist MkII features the same core updates introduced with the Katana MkII amps. Variations are now available for the five amp characters, providing 10 different tone options to choose from. And with five simultaneous effects categories, you have the sound-shaping power of a massive pedalboard right inside your amp. Connecting to BOSS Tone Studio lets you dive much deeper if you want—customize the sections with over 60 different effect types, change the order with four different chains, and much more.
On the front panel, you'll find some exclusive features only available with the Katana-Artist MkII. A three-way Contour switch lets you shape the amp's core tone, while three selectable Global EQ settings (adjustable in BOSS Tone Studio) 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 dedicated panel knob for fast adjustment.
Powerful expansion features make it simple to use two Katana-Artist MkIIs together. With Dual Link, you can configure each amp with independent settings and operate them from a single GA-FC foot controller, allowing you to blend clean and dirty tones, create wet/dry setups, and more. Stereo Expand lets you use one amp as the master and the other as the slave, with onboard stereo-compatible effects like chorus, delay, and reverb distributed across both amps for a wide, immersive sound field.
Backed by BOSS's Tube Logic approach, the Katana-Artist MkII 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. Just throttle back the overall volume as needed to enjoy inspiring, cranked-amp sound anywhere you play.
With onboard Tone Setting memories, you can store your favorite amp character and effects setups 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, with fast selection right from the panel. And for hands-free operation on the gig, just connect external footswitches or the GA-FC foot controller.
Line, USB, and phones/recording outputs feature mic'd cabinet emulation, letting you send mix-ready amp tones to a PA system, computer DAW, or headphones. The direct sound can be shaped with three different Air Feel settings, which are accessible from BOSS Tone Studio. Two-channel USB audio is supported, allowing you to track in true stereo with many of the Katana-Artist MkII's mod, EQ, delay, and reverb effects.
The optional GA-FC foot controller is the perfect partner for the Katana-Artist MkII—it connects with a single cable, requires no external power, and has a slim, rugged profile that takes up minimal space. With six footswitches, you can recall Tone Settings and turn the five effects sections on/off. The GA-FC also supports external footswitches and expression pedals, with default assignments that include tap tempo, bank selection, foot volume, and Pedal FX. Assignments can be customized via BOSS Tone Studio, including pedal control of up to three parameters at once.
BOSS Tone Studio has also evolved alongside the Katana MkII amplifiers. The interface has been updated with a refreshed look, and many parameters have been consolidated into the main screen for faster workflow. There's also a dedicated Pedal FX category, making it easier to assign wah and pedal bend effects to a connected expression pedal. And if you're a first-gen Katana owner, it's possible to import your custom patches and use them all with the Katana-Artist MkII.
| Type | Solid State |
|---|---|
| Number of Channels | 2 x banks, 4 x tone channels |
| Total Power | 100W (50W/0.5W power settings) |
| Speaker Size | 1 x 12" Waza Craft speaker |
| Inputs | 1 x 1/4" (instrument), 1 x 1/8" (aux in) |
| Outputs | 2 x 1/4" (16 ohm), 1 x 1/4" (8 ohm internal speaker), 1 x 1/4" (headphones/record out), 1 x 1/4" (line out with Air Feel) |
| Effects | Boosts, Modulation, Delay, Reverb and more (58 total effects) |
| Reverb | Yes |
| EQ | 3-band EQ |
| Amp Modeling | Acoustic, Clean, Crunch, Lead, Brown, Cabinet Resonance |
| MIDI I/O | In |
| USB | 1 x Type B |
| Effects Loop | Yes |
| Headphones | Yes |
| Software | Boss Tone Studio Editor |
| Footswitch Included | No |
| Footswitch I/O | 2 x 1/4" (GA-FC, channel select/expression) |
| Construction Material | Semi-closed back cabinet |
| Height | 20.3" |
| Width | 24.8" |
| Depth | 9.8" |
| Weight | 41 lbs. 15 oz. |
| Manufacturer Part Number |
KTN-ART-2 |
