Relocating to France from the US and bringing with me a Boss katana mk2 100w and a telecaster.
I know I need a step-down transformer for the amp but read somewhere that it may create noise and that it was better to sell it and buy a new one over there.
Also the telecaster may sound different with a French made amp…
Does any one as experience with this kind of situation.
Feedback welcome.
Thank you.
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The step down transformer should only induce hum if it’s too close to your amp. Keep it as far away as the lead will allow and you should have no problems. General rule for a step down transformer is to rate it at twice the rated power consumption of the load. Buy a quality transformer, not a cheap eBay one, as the claimed power ratings on those aren’t reliable.
Also, you don’t have to buy a French amp. You could just buy another Katana with a 230V input.
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A lot of members from Europe buy their gear here. They ship all over the EU
@TheMadman_tobyjenner Toby lives in France he can give you scoop on Thomann I know he’s both at least 6 guitars from them
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Dominique
Don’t worry about getting gear here in France. As Rick mentioned, Thomann based in Germany provides a global service but also delivers to all EU countries at a reasonable cost.
I’ve bought most of my gear from them, to much too list here so a review of my Road Case aka now Learning Log may be better. HERE
Bar my Squier Affinity Strat, Encore acoustic and Washburn HB30, everything else was bought there - well not the Jack D Cigar Box, that came from the manufacturer in Italy !!
Apart from the voltage differences I doubt your amp would sound any different with the right power adapter. But I would think it better to buy something that runs on 220V by default. However I did think my old Marshal Goldline (orig UK 240V) had a little accent Francaise when I used it here 
kidding. Both Marshal and Behringer GX110 worked fine when I moved over from the UK !
Depending where you are going to be based, there are some decent music/guitar shops over here. So you could always search for something local. Having said that apart from guitar purchase I sourced a Fender Mustang III and a Line 6 POD Go from Thomann.
They also have a 30 day cash back returns process, if you are not happy with your purchase, Plus a good guarantee service. The 6 way switch on my Roadhouse Strat when on the blink after 10 months. They arranged the back shipment gratis, fixed the problem and sent the Strat back all within 2 or 3 weeks. Happy customer here.
Good luck on the move btw the way. Its a great place to live !
Thank you for the tips , I’ll keep the name of the shop in mind.
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I would sell and buy a new one personally. Then you avoid the issue and the clunkiness.
You may find that the cost versus getting a decent quality step-down transformer, plus shipping the Katana, may not be that great.
Also, if you buy a Katana in Europe, it will sound the same as your US Katana.
I doubt there are many actually French-made amps in the price range we are talking about.
Cheers,
Keith
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Well, you never know…you might get a nice French R effect you wouldn’t expect! 
apart from the bad joke I just wanted to say I wish you a good journey! Bon voyage 
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Good luck on your journey as you head back home Dominique. I hope everything goes smoothly - including your musical needs. I hope to catch up with you once you’re settled in and are able to resume a routine.
Cheers
Richard 
2 posts were split to a new topic: Do bands use different amps etc on international tours due to electrical differences?