Hello all - I have a Boss Katana 50 MK II and it is great. However, I am not especially interested in deep diving into software for effects, etc. I am a beginner and will be a home player primarily but hope to jam with peeps eventually. Is there are an equivalent amp which I could get which doesn’t require me hooking up my phone to get more effects?
Many thanks,
Go well
Ben
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There’s amps like a Fender Mustang which have a small screen and a couple of buttons that you can use to get access to most or all of the amp settings through “menu diving”.
But, frankly, most people find the apps to be easier to use. Trying to access effects and other programming (because regardless of how you do it is still programming) on a small screen with menus and a navigation buttons is usually quite slow and painful.
If you are looking for wireless app access on a phone or tablet, unfortunately, the Katana MK2 doesn’t support Bluetooth which some other amps (including the new Katana Gen 3) do.
But you can get the XSonic Airstep controller which gives you a foot controller for the Katana MK2 (and other models) and also gives you Bluetooth app control.
Cheers,
Keith
Thanks a lot for this, Keith. I have watched the video: it looks to be just what I am after. Presumably, you simply plug it in and it connects to the app via Bluetooth, effectively meaning the amp can then be controlled via Bluetooth?
Thanks again!
I’ve recently gone from the Mk11 50 Katana with Airstep to the Fender Mustang GTX100. I’d echo much of the reply from Keith above. I suppose what I’d add is that the GTX100 (or the GTX50) does come with 190 different presets and I’d think most people could find at least a few acceptable tones in there for whatever style of music they want to play.
The Mustang can hook up to the phone but it’s really only a convenience thing. Most of the time I play with the same preset so the only button on the amp or app I touch is the on/off switch. The Fender phone app is pretty good - if I wanted to make changes to a preset I’d definitely use the app over the panel (even though it is possible).
I’m not saying go and buy a Mustang because I’m not sure if it solves the problem you have with the Katana
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I have an MKII amp and tbh hardly ever use any of the controls, either on the amp, phone or PC. (I use a modelling pedal instead).
You’ve probably got more tone controls on it than most amps and should be able to get almost everything you want out of it without an app.
Footswitches are great for storing the handful of tones that most of limit our use to.
I take it you have watched Justin’s review of it? 
Exactly!
Cheers,
Keith
Absolutely I have! Watched it before I bought it!
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Well I used to have digital amp Marshall Code and as a begginer it was too much of everything to handle. I just wanted a nice clean tone, just below breaking… but couldn’t find the sound I wanted. I still think that there was something wrong with that amp, but the guy who bought it from me tested it and didn’t complain one bit.
Anyhow… I steped back from digital to classic and bought myself a tube amp. I love it. Recently I wanted some more effects and went with the classic solution with pedals. It is more expensive and it is more gear, but I take it as a part of a process and learning curve. And I find it much more managable and the tone suits me better 
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I understand ya want a modeler amp.
However ya might consider what Bostjan @bk2 says.
It’s where I landed too after quiet a while at playing.
If ya get a plain amp with tones you dig, it really may be all you need.
Ya don’t have to go crazy with pedals either. I got 4 (last pedal I got was near 3 years ago) that are tone changing. Like a phaser or flanger (neither of which I use). But point is, to me. Do ya wanna play guitar or do you want to constantly fiddle with menus (computers)?
I pretty much turn a vol. knob to the loudness I want and away I go.
I also pretty much take this thought to the max.
I like playing acoustic guitar near as much as I like playing electric.
Nothing more straight forward than playing acoustic guitar.
Pick it up, tune it up and play away. It’s natural me playing, for good or for bad.
Food for thought?
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Warning: /rant 
And so:
This. I’ve also been thinking about all this amp stuff from my beginner perch in guitar land. My thoughts tend toward those of Bostjan and Jim: For me, I want to learn to play guitar (both acoustic and electric) well, and find fiddling with amps and pedals - at this stage - too much noise (pun intended). I have a Spark 40, and currently play it set to sound like a tube amp. I do literally nothing else with it. (I don’t play acoustic amplified.) It’s nice to know that I can do other things when I’m ready, but honestly I’ll probably shop for something new at that point. If for no other reason than better technology! (I received the Spark for Christmas 2022, and it has recently been updated).
I have complete respect for folks who love dialing in tones! And I love my toys! But as a beginner I already have more things to think about than my brain and body can assimilate, and wonder if money couldn’t have been better spent on a less flexible but higher quality (and/or perhaps more portable) amp. /end rant 
I am definitely interested to hear the views and experiences of others in this realm. There’s always a good chance I’m missing something!
There’s nothing wrong with having an amp with the ability to create hundreds of tones and not using it for that.
In fact, that’s how most people end up using all of these modelling units, especially if they are gigging musicians: they’ll often have 3 or 4 sounds, with some variations (like the ability to add a boost, or an effect like delay, etc.)
The only fiddling that needs to be involved is in finding those sounds in the first place, as those sounds are going to be fairly specific to you. It sounds like you’ve already done that. Then, once you’ve done that, store them into preset slots, disconnect the computer/app and start playing.
You are then no worse off than buying an amp that only does one thing.
If you are like me, I would say this point is specific to the Spark 40 and not to modelling amps in general.
I got the original Spark 40 soon after its launch (well, I say “soon”; it took them nearly a year to deliver it) and I found it to be unsatisfying and rather gimmicky compared with other amps. I particularly disliked how reliant on the app it seemed to be to use it (and a large part of the hype around it was based on the capabilities of the app which I, personally, didn’t find useful or particularly innovative).
The Spark 40 is a decent enough practice amp and is great value for money, but you are suggesting that there are options that are higher quality then I wouldn’t disagree with you. And those options may include other modelling amps.
I will point out that “higher quality” and “more portable” don’t tend to go together: typically bigger, heavier amps tend to sound better. A lot of this is to do with the size of the speaker and the amount of air they can move. They also tend to be a lot louder (which contributes to them sounding better).
Note that the power rating of these amps is mostly meaningless: the Spark 40 claims to be “40 Watts” but a full-cranked Spark 40 (aside from sounding rattly and distorted) would be easily drowned out by some 5W guitar amps.
For ultimate portability, you may want to consider looking at headphone amps, like the Mustang Micro Plus, or NuX MP3 assuming you are good with using them with headphones. I would consider these as an adjunct to another amp rather than your main amp, but they are useful for travelling.
Then, if you do decide to upgrade from the Spark 40, you can focus on a great sounding amp that doesn’t have to be portable. And your best bet there, if you can, is to visit a store and try some out.
Cheers,
Keith
Blackstar Id.Core 40
Thanks. I have looked at the ID40 and the reviews seem impressive. I think that as @Majik says, there is nought wrong in having a very capable amp (which I have in the Katana 50 MK II) and not using all of them and, so, I am probably going to stick with what I have… although I have ordered the AirStep…!
Thanks so much to all of you. Getting the views of others is so helpful: appreciate it.
Go well,
Ben
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I actually have a very simple setup, a Bugera infinium 5W tube head with a choice of 2 speaker cabs, an Orange 1x8” and a Harley Benton 1x12” Celestion vintage cab. As an alternative amp I can use a Hotone Mojo Diamond 5W head if I need to use a Fx loop. I also have a relatively inexpensive Sonicake Matribox multi Fx unit that can either go into the Amp or go into my iPad to go into GarageBand. It works very well for me and didn’t cost a lot of money (roughly £600 in total).