Iām an early-intermediate player and Iām looking to expand my gear a bit, but Iād really appreciate some opinions on which direction makes the most sense since my budget is a little limited right now.
At the moment I have:
a Squier Strat
an Epiphone ES-335
a Fender Mustang LT25 modeling amp
a Boss RC-2 looper
The biggest issues Iām running into with this setup are:
The LT25 has no FX loop.
That means my looper has to go first in the chain. Because of that, I canāt really separate lead tones from looped rhythm parts without buying more physical pedals. Whatever effects are active on the LT25 apply to both layers.
Limited on-the-fly control.
I know thereās a single latch footswitch option to switch between two channels, but that still feels pretty restrictive. Iād like more flexibility to change channels or toggle effects while playing.
Not enough effects to experiment with.
The Mustang only allows 4 effects at once, and Iād love more room to play around. For example:
stacking a Tube Screamer into another overdrive for lead tones
using an EQ pedal as a stompable tone shift
having expression-based effects like wah, volume, or even Bigsby-style pitch effects
My budget is around $400, which basically gives me two options:
Option A: Keep everything I have and add a Boss GX-10
Pros
Gives me pretty much every effect I could want
Feels like the biggest immediate jump in ānew toysā and creative options
Cons
From what I keep reading, the GX-10 is really best suited for FRFR speakers or at least an amp with an FX loop, so you can take full advantage of its amp/cab sims
I know I can turn the amp/cab sim off, but Iām still unsure how well it would pair with my current rig
Since my amp has no FX loop, Iād probably have to use the GX-10 mostly as an effects board into the LT25, which means things like chorus, delay, and reverb would still be hitting the front of the amp/preamp
Option B: Sell the Mustang LT25 and buy a Boss Katana 100 Gen 3
Pros
Probably the smarter long-term move
Has an FX loop
Bigger/better speaker
5 active effects instead of 4
More reliable overall, especially since my Mustangās LCD has given me issues before with random white-screening
Cons
It doesnāt feel like as dramatic a jump right now
Yes, it would fix the looper placement issue, let me use solo mode properly, and give me a little more flexibility - I could even pair it with a cheap latching FS-2 to switch between clean/dirt and activate solo boost by foot
But compared to the GX-10, it still seems like less of an immediate jump in features and experimentation
TL;DR
Do I follow my heart and get a Boss GX-10 while keeping a lower-end modeling amp, or follow my head and get the Katana 100, then worry about adding a multi-effects unit later?
Iāll answer your question with a questionā¦ are you considering/comparing the capabilities of the Boss GX-10 vs. the built in effects of the Katana + the Boss Tone Studio available online?
I personally would probably but the new amp & work with that which might fill the need more effectively in both the short & long runā¦
My 2 centsā¦
Good luck & keep it Fun!!!
I donāt have a strong opinion here. But one issue with modelling amps like the Katana: the effects and controls arenāt as accessible as they are on a multifx pedal.
Having said that, if you donāt mind apps, both the GX10 and newer Katanas have the option of Bluetooth app control.
But switching fx on and off on the Katana will require a separate foot controller, such as the official GA-FC or the Airstep.
You should factor those into your budget and expected usage/workflow.
Why a Katana? Why not a Fender Mustang GTX100. Has the Fx loop, comes with a foot switch that includes tuner and looper and has a much nicer app than the Boss (and anything you can do in the app you can also do on the panel)
I have considered the Tone Studio too, and while it does open some doors I do still find myself somewhat limited by being able to turn on and off certain affects with a footswitch - like how with the gx-10 I can stomp it and bring in a ts or eq for a lead line, or use its effects pedal for wah or pitch switch.
Certainly the answer - and the long term solution is to just have both and be done with it - but I can unfortunately only pick up either the amp or the fx pedal now - the other will have to wait until the end of the year.
So where I am the Katana retails for about 450 - the GTX (with footswitch) is around 600. So thereās that. I also havenāt been the biggest fan of Fender amps that have an lcd screen because my mustang randomly decided to stop working for about 7 months which made the amp basically useless - and the returns policy I had through Amazon was a nightmare.
That said - the new LTX50 has been catching my eye - its only 350 where I am - has a 12 inch speaker , fx loop ā¦ compared to the Katana it obvs only has 50W vs the katanas 100w (but I doubt I will ever need 100w here), but it does come with some nice extras like built in blue tooth and fenders footswitch support .
Yeah being able to stomp effects on and off is something I would put heavier weighting on right now - but obviously not if the amp is too big of a bottleneck for the gx-10 to work well.
I did look at combining the katana with a simple fs-2 which will allow me to switch between clean and dirty channel with one button and rhythm to dedicated solo mode with the other for like a tenner extra (if I just buy harley benton).
One reason I am hesitant to get the GA-FC ā¦ is that if I DO buy the amp first I will buy the fx pedal down the road which would make that GA-FC an expensive and redundant extension - at least fs-2 (6 and 7s) can be used to extend the gx-10
I should just add here - I am hesitant about spending money on expensive footswitches like that fender one or the GA-FC (FX) because I will eventually buy a good multi fx pedal like the gx-10 down the road if I buy the amp first. In that case the footswitch would be redundant because all my effects and stomp boxes would be done through the fx pedal right
Since, as you said, your budget is limited, you could look for a 2nd hand Katana or another good value amp with an FX loop. I donāt know where you are located but here in Switzerland where I live, I regularly see used Katanas going for a very reasonable price. They are mostly the 100 and the 50. Generally, Boss gear is well made and lasts well, so I wouldnāt think that itās a great risk to buy a Katana a couple of years old. That would keep you well below your budget.
It just means that you would have to wait until a suitable one comes up. It shouldnāt take too long. Itās one of the most popular (perhaps the most popular amp - the 50). I donāt know those amps but they have a great reputation.
yeah I see the 50 pop up a lot here (mostly the mk2) - but problem is it doesnāt have an fx loop (it also only has 3 effects built in at a time ).
I did do some more research and came across the Mustang ltx50 - which has the fx loop and 12 inch speaker at a considerably lower price than the katana 100 (I am never going to need 100 watts) - as well as some nice features like built in blue tooth and a really handy app for your phone that allows you to bring up pedals on the screen exactly as they would in real life.
I think this with the gx-10 is probably the best combination out there at the minute in terms of value for money
I sold my katana 50 2nd gen a couple years ago and bought a line 6 catalyst 60 which has an fx loop and had more sounds that I liked besides clean and crunchy on the katana. I still have it and use it alongside my other amp.
Right now I am really thinking about the fender LTX50 ā¦ it seems to be every bit as good as the katana with fx loop and bluetoothā¦ my local guitar shop is selling one second hand in excellent unused condition for 290 and offering to take 100 off that for my lt25ā¦
I wonāt tell you any is better than another. Iāll just tell you what I did. I started with an LT25. It was fine for awhile. Then I wanted something a little better. Got the LT50 (not the LTX50). Then got an Orange 12. And finally, I settled on the Boss Katana Gen3 100 with the EX footswitch and added bluetooth. To āgo with thatā, I bought a Blackstar Debut 50r specifically because it has a very clean channel and a loop since Iām building a pedal.
I considered the GTX100 for awhile but ultimately decided on the Katana since my buddy has a GT1000 and we can trade patches, learn from each other, etc. Iāve also read about the GTX having a spotty bluetooth. So, thatās a concern. I donāt think you can āhardwireā the amp to your laptop. I think you are stuck with bluetooth. With the Katana, I have both though I had to buy the bluetooth attachment.
I also have an RC-500. So, Iām rigged up now. I feel that the Katana, which has 7 amp models and effects, seems easier to me than the LTās which have dozens of amp models. It just feels easier to learn with it after the initial feeling of āthe LT is easier to useā. I think it is not, as youāre selecting dozens of pre-installed amps. To me that is confusing when looking for a specific āsoundā. Should I try the Marshall or the Fender or the xyz.
Anyway, I guess it depends on how you anticipate yourself finding your sound and which process seems easier to you to get it.
I donāt like software interfering with my pedals/amp. I do like an amp with an effects loop.
And i like tube amps.
I played a Katana for a year or two (at school), but i never really got āonā with it.
These days, a line6 spider does the job for me at school.
If you ask me, iād recommend the Harley Benton 15W tube amp. Cheap little tube amp with effectsloop, and handles pedals really wonderfull. Itās my go to amp at home.