This is the Bluetooth receiver I use to connect my computer (or phone, or tablet) to the aux input on my amp for lessons, backing tracks, etc., and itās a lot cheaper than that one. Works great.
https://www.amazon.com/Upgraded-Bluetooth-Cancelling-Headphones-Hands-Free/dp/B08KY684PB/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?crid=1I3OIDBE1DV6N&keywords=Bluetooth+receiver&qid=1700592752&sprefix=bluetooth+receiver%2Caps%2C2138&sr=8-5
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Maya, I donāt think you could go wrong with either the Fender LT25 or the Katana. I have an older Fender Mustang GT-40 and like the tone, but I have also looked at the Katana. As a beginner, you will benefit from the extra support you can find on this site, since Justin has a several lessons on using the Katana amp and many in the community have and use the Katana amp. Have fun with your new purchases.
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For sure ā¦thanks man!
Iām confused as to why the Bluetooth adapter - wouldnāt just using a 3.5" corded jack line from the aux. Jack straight from amp to phone, laptop, etc work just as well?
Is it just so you can have a wireless connection allowing more freedom to place phone, laptop, etc wherever you want it? Thanks
I found having all the wires (guitar cable, wire from laptop to amp, headphones) to be inconvenient. I got tripped up by them while moving around. So I went wireless from guitar to amp (Line 6 Relay G-10) and from computer to amp (Bluetooth receiver.) It gives me a lot more freedom to move around.
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Iāll check it out - thanks Mark.
Thats near as much as the katana mk2 itself haha
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Wait, Iām just now seeing the (Line 6 Relay G-10) part - I thought all was needed was the Bluetooth receiver. Now Iām really confused.
BT reciever is to get the computer (or phone) backing audio into the amp instead of a cable.
The G-10 is to turn the connection between the guitar and amp wireless
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If you just want to connect your computer or phone to the amp wirelessly, then the inexpensive Bluetooth receiver is all you need. I also wanted to eliminate the cord from the guitar to the amp, thus the Line 6 wireless system. And there are other wireless systems Iāve seen advertised that are a lot cheaper, but I canāt vouch for the quality.
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Allright mon! Gotcha - as I stumble from my practice session to get dinner and not kill myself from getting tangled in the cords - thanks
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Old thread, I know. Iāve been using a Fender Champion 40 as my practice amp of choice in my usual practice room. Iāve been very happy with it.
But Iām starting to find myself in scenarios where I want to practice my electric guitar away from home. Iāve been working on a bunch of electric blues material lately and want to practice it on my electric when Iām visiting family for the Thanksgiving holidays. So I wanted to get a little portable practice amp that can be powered either via battery or A/C for a little extra versatility. Preferences heading towards amps that can plug into an existing rechargeable power bank rather than having a built-in rechargeable battery or being too reliant on disposable batteries.
I wasnāt heavily set on too much modeling capability for fiddling with tones, because as mentioned above, I spend the vast majority of my time either playing totally clean or just with a little reverb. BUT, having built-in metronome capability is a nice-to-have, plus the ability to connect an external music player for playalong purposes.
I found a good price of $50 for a previous-gen NUX Mighty Lite BT amp on Amazon. I almost ended up with some cheapie very minimal amp, but this one checked all the boxes for stuff I wanted plus has some other things to play with later.
Hi @Mustela
There are a lot of opinions around the forums on stuff people have liked to use. Not always under a search term youād expect either. 
Here is my set of goodies: Really need amp for beginner - #9 by sequences
I recently went on a week-long trip and used the laptop with headset most often. When I leave for Christmas to see family, Iāll certainly take the laptop, but possibly also the helix without its speaker and just the portable speaker and the headset.
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If you are traveling headphones and a fender mustang micro would be worth a shot?
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I considered a headphone amp. I just want a little more versatility. over the holidays, Iām sure my family is going to want to hear me play something.
I didnāt mention it in the thread, but there are jam groups in town I have a goal to participate in. Most of the time Iād use my acoustic, but thereās a blues jam group thatās more electric-friendly, so long as you have a little amp. they donāt want big amps because they meet in public spaces like pubs or library community rooms.
thatās why I was shopping portable battery powered amps.
interface to laptop is an option that would work, too. but I donāt travel with a laptop unless I have to. I use a laptop to work on lessons on justinguitar and truefire most of the time, but I have an old phone I use for that if Iām traveling. said old phone is pretty much just for music stuff, anyway. I do have a Focusrite interface. My wife is the one who wanted it, even. I suppose if I was bringing the laptop, I could technically bring that. It just gets a lot less simple to just play.
If you are going to a jam group then the minimum youāll need would be something like a Boss Katana 50 or similar.
Most practice amps wont cut it, even if they claim to be ā40Wā or whatever (Iām looking at you, Positive Grid Spark 40).
Personally, I would look at something like a headphone amp (Nux or Mustang Micro) or small amp (Positive Grid Spark Go, Nux Mighty Lite, etc.) as a portable practice tool and, if you think you want an amp for jam sessions, look at that as a separate setup, as that will definitely not be as portable.
Cheers,
Keith
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well I did order a Nux Mighty Lite for travel purposes.
But you think a larger amp would be suitable for that kind of jam? Iāve got a Fender Champ 40 and usually use it on vol 2-3 so itāll get plenty loud. I just figured itād be much louder than necessary for the jam since they specify small amps only.
In my experience, a typical 40W solid-state modelling/practice amp isnāt loud enough for a jam. The Katana 50W is loud enough but thatās designed to be loud enough for gigging. Most practice amps arenāt
Note that the wattage figure that most amps claim can largely be ignored, as it bears very little relation to how loud the amp gets. And, just as importantly, it doesnāt tell you whether the amp will actually sound good at high volumes.
But it does depend on what the other players are doing. If everyone else is using small practice amps, then it may be fine. But if thereās a drummer, and itās an acoustic kit, then youāre going to need something that will keep up with it.
A lot will also depend on the space. When Iāve gone to jams, theyāve always been in rehearsal rooms which are relatively sound insulated, and sound treated. But in those cases, they often also have amps you can use.
I would ask for clarification on what they mean by āsmall ampsā. You could bring a physically small tube amp which would blast the windows out. I would also check on whether there will already be amps at the venue that you can use.
Cheers,
Keith
Thats not the case anymore if you pair it with a Xsonic U looper which connects via the Katana 50 USB port as well as many other non FX amps.
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Ha, no. I apologize if Iāve given the wrong impression about the jam.
There are no drums. This group is guitars-only. Maybe some other stringed instruments like a bass or something. The groupās regular jams are even explicitly acoustic-only.
The blues group meets in a local library. Theyāre definitely not using a rehearsal space. No sound treatments. Two objectives as far as I understand:
Hear the group
Donāt disturb the other people in the library or pub as the case may be.
I havenāt attended this groupās blues jam, so Iāll certainly ask āhow smallā in regards to the amp before I show up. But I have attended their regular acoustic jams. Iāve also attended a local ukulele groupās jam and thereās someone there who shows up with a u-bass and a tiny amp. But everyone else is acoustic (mostly ukuleles, but theyāre also open to other acoustic stringed instruments like mandolins and guitars). They meet in a coffee shop with no separation between the music and the other patrons. These are the sorts of jams I have in mind right now. The kinds of places you can disappear by playing muted strums if you get lost.
Right now I have fewer opportunities for the kinds of jams youāre referring to, mostly because I just donāt know many people who play at that level. A coworker of mine has a band and has extended an offer to jam with me. His band is acoustic, though. Not sure if he has a drummer. String bands are very popular in my area. Also another coworker who plays drums but is not in a band has extended an offer to me. Iām not really equipped to jam at that level yet. I can only play a couple songs well enough for that sort of thing and thatās hardly enough material to base an entire jam off of.
In that case, you can probably get away with your Champ 40.
Cheers,
Keith