You can set the GTX-100 to very quiet for home use, its not a problem.
What is is that all the different presets have different levels (obv not master level but) so changing between them can change volume a lot, this tbh is a feature rather than a fault but not so 3am bedroom friendly!
The XLR output I have not used yet I should give it a go now I can, but its supposed to be 100% the same as the actual sound (I guess minus some speaker colouring). Unlike the USB output wich is supposed to be poor.
Headphones work great with it too, though if thats the primary focus then there are probably better options.
The GTX-100 comes with the foot switch, if you are buying that anyhow then the GTX-50 doesnt make sense unless you find it (and the footswitch?) on sale
I noticed the same thing with my Marshall Code (presets volume level), itās made me jump in my chair a few times Thatās why I like the idea of the preset set list on the GTX, I can switch between my preferred and selected presets without any surprises.
Yeah Iād like to use the XLR for recording as itās less of a hassle than setting up the mic and much better quality than USB.
Good to know the headphone output is good, although I prefer not practicing with them if I can.
I was initially looking at the GTX-50, but like you said, price wise the GTX-100 is only $40 - 50 more with the footswitch, and the size and weight difference is negligible so will be considering that one instead.
The GTX-7 footswitch (that comes with the GTX 100) is awesome. It has three modes 1) Preset allows you to quickly move through different tones, 2) effect mode allows you to turn on or off specific effects in your chain, and 3) looper mode allows you to do multi-layer loops.
Once you have all of your presets set up, you donāt really need to use the app or the physical controls on the amp. You can do almost everything you need with the footswitch and the knobs and your guitar.
Another thing that I really like is that the footswitch doesnāt need power, so there are no extra cables or cords around. One plug from the amp to the wall for power. One cable from the amp to the footswitch. One cable from guitar to amp. This has ended up being a big one for me. Every time I think about adding an external pedal or looper, Iām reminded that I would need to deal with batteries or come up with an extra plug for power and, at least so far, I havenāt felt that external pedals would give me enough extra performance to offset the convenience of my current set up.
Thanks for the input Rob, thatās really helpful. That does sound very convenient, and is my preferred way of interacting with the amp. Spend a couple of nights configuring presets using the apps, then just use the footswitch to move between them (or turn effects on/off) and use the amp knobs to tweak or experiment on the fly. Makes for less fiddling every day and more practice time, and like you said everything is streamlined cable-wise.
Firas, your experience with the Princeton makes sense - itās just an amp, not a modeller, even though itās a solid state imitating a tube amp. The fender amps were mostly known for their clean sounds rather than overdrive, so youād need pedals etc.
Your questions, which Rob and Rob have also answered somewhat.
Attenuation is not an issue - attenuation is really a valve amp thing (or a modelling-as-valve thing). Volume & Gain control the modelled amps controls, master controls the speaker output itself independently. Yes it sounds good at low volume.
I use the XLR line out almost every day. Itās permanently hooked up to my Focusrite interface. In fact, I only use the amp either via its speakers or the focusrite. I might have plugged headphones directly into it a long time ago, although now if I use headphones itās via my Focusrite. I havenāt used itās USB out.
The XLR out uses speaker cabinet modelling. So itās the sound of a miced amp, not the sound of a raw line out. Similar concept to what youāre hearing through the speaker, thatās also cab modelled.
Quality of XLR out is good, all my recordings have been via XLR out.
I used the bluetooth streaming for backing tracks a couple of times, but I find it more convenient to play backing tracks on my PC rather than via the amp.
Thanks dude, and cheers for the likes you gave me
Yeah, the footswitch is awesome. I have one on my GTX-50, really only ended up with a GTX50 instead of 100 because I found one for sale lightly used on ebay pretty cheap, from an older gent that had bought it and then had to move into a retirement village.
Here is where we differ a bit, I use the footswitch & presets a lot, but I also am constantly tweaking and setting up new presets. 99% of the time I use the app for it rather than physical controls.
The only crap thing about the Mustang GTX is that the app is mobile & iPad only. So you canāt use your PC to configure the amp. I would find that more convenient.
Yep, sure can, I have that and used it for the dive bomb in my Lonely Boy cover. The EXP-1 is built like a tank. I donāt use it much though!
Hi Firas, you started an interesting thread, thanks for that. I canāt contribute but Iām highly interested and bookmarked the thread to follow.
Great insights from @jkahn and @Majik, whoās always giving us so much helpful advice! Thank you!
Thanks for all the clarifications JK. I really appreciate it
@Helen0609 Youāre very welcome. If thereās one thing Iāve always been good at, itās asking a lot of questions about anything new that Iām learning Lots of great answers and insights from everyone in the community here
GTX-100 to 2i2 via xls, and direct to headphone out + zero master volume
Its mono as expected but doesnt sound bad for that (you can do 2xXLR if you want stereo - the amp only has 2 speaker anyhow)
Some of the presets sounded a bit rough, most sounded decent and very like the amp
Good variety as expected
If I was just playing at the computer though Archetype Petrucci sounds a better. Its more limited (only 4 āampsā and fewer pedals etc) but the modeling seems better and it can do stereo.
I visited PMT London today and they had both the Fender Mustang GTX100 and the Boss Katana 100 MkII amps (I might as well test the Katana while I was there since everyone raves about them). The staff there were very friendly, they setup me up with a Fender Strat and gave me free reign to try out both. I spent around 40 mins. with both amps. Hereās what I felt about them (just my personal preferences and initial impressions, as this is nowhere close to being an in-depth review):
The Fender has a very easy to use and intuitive interface with the physical knobs as well as the digital LCD screen. I could not only scroll between presets, but even customize them (tweak existing FX or add new ones) pretty easily without using the mobile app (Iāll still be using the mobile app, but this is good for quick on the fly tweaks and adjustments). Thatās very convenient. I could also see all the FX and the levels they were configured with on this little LCD screen. Itās tiny but well laid out, has good resolution, and provides great feedback on the settings and any changes I made to them.
The Katana in comparison, while simple to use and intuitive in terms of having straightforward knobs, preconfigured sounds/amp models (clean, crunch, etc.) but the lack of any kind of screen was a definite negative for me as I couldnāt see what FX were being used. Since this amp doesnāt have a mobile app, this would force me to use the PC app which is too cumbersome for me.
As with most modeling amps, out of the 190 presets saved, I only liked a handful of them which is to be expected, maybe 10 of them at the most. That being said, the ones I liked, I loved. Most of them were Fender amp models: Twin, Deluxe, Blues Junior, Princeton not so much. I even liked some of the high gain ones, but keep in mind I only know the basic version of Zombie to test those out with. So I played around with the presets I liked, tweaking the EQ, gain, reverb and even adding some Overdrive FX to them. I loved the variety of sounds I could get with just those few amp models.
Generally speaking, I liked the Fender tones much better. They sounded fuller than the Katana to me, and I especially liked the tones when I added Overdrive to them on the Katana more so than the Katana. Of course the cleans on the Fender were absolutely beautiful! Literal music to my ears (pun intended)
I thought the attenuation levels/knob on the Katana would be a must for me, however, using both the Master Volume and Volume knobs on the Mustang worked better for me. I especially liked that the Volume knob adjusted the preset volume level as they each have different volumes (which was an annoying thing with my Marshall Code 25 as I had to edit those through the app and couldnāt do it using the physical knobs).
So overall, getting the chance to play around with both amps next to each other was a great experience that confirmed my choice of the Fender Mustang GTX100. Am I biased? Oh for sure! Iāve been practicing with Mustang Micro for the past 3 weeks, but Iām not reviewing these amps for other people just for me and my tastes and preferences. Iām sure that both amps can do a lot more once you get into their respective FX editing tools (Fender Tone & Boss Tone Studio), I just wanted to know which one sounded better out of the box for me.
Now unfortunately, PMT canāt ship directly to Kuwait if I order through their website. Iād have to order it here in London, and take it as extra luggage on my flight back to Kuwait which is a hassle and more expensive. Luckily, Thomann do offer door-to-door shipping directly to Kuwait via UPS Express, so Iām talking to them to place that order for me to hopefully receive it in a few weeks once Iām back home in Kuwait.
Thank you all again for your feedback and inputs, as itās helped me narrow down the right amp for me that will hopefully carry me through the upcoming stages in my guitar learning journey
The Katana is a good amp but not a true modeler (you only get a few prebuilt amp types), its advantage is with metal and having a huge range of āgenuineā boss pedals build in.
The fender is a proper full on modeling amp but you generally get clone pedals. It obv works best modeling fender amps but the AC30 etc are great too, its less good at the heavier stuff, and I think the interface given the controls is pretty slick.
Yeah thatās what I gathered from all the in-depth reviews of both that Iād read and seen. I just needed to hear both for myself. Since my preference is more towards clean/crunch/low-gain tones it fits that Iād like the Fender tones more. Itās reassuring to hear them both for myself as I donāt have that option back home since none of these are available locally and ordering online blind (or deaf rather) is very risky for me as returning anything would cost me international shipping fees which is expensive.
Ouch! Yeah New Zealand is quite a bit further than Kuwait. What did you get and where from? Warmoth website direct? I was contemplating getting a Warmoth roasted maple neck for my Squier Affinity Strat a while back but I thought better if it as Iād already spent twice as much as itās worth in upgrades so far They were worth it though
You wonāt be disappointed. I have a Mustang III and replaced all the āfactoryā presets over the years. The amp models are pretty darned good IMHO even if the presets are OTT and the GTX is the next generation. I donāt think youāll need Thomannās 30 Day return package and Iāve never had any issues with UPS. Enjoy once youāre back home.
@RobDickinson the things we do for our hobbies/obsessions Please @mention me when you get everything together and post it on the forums. I love seeing what other people put together for future inspiration.
@TheMadman_tobyjenner Thanks for the reassurance Toby Iāve been loving the sound of the Mustang Micro, I just needed the same amp models with the ability to edit them and a bigger speaker which the GTX series essentially is. Looking forward to adding it to my stable of guitar equipment
I have a feeling Iāll need to find my Marshall Code 25 amp a new home once the Mustang GTX arrives or maybe keep it for the Marshall amp models. Weāll see.
Thatās why I like the idea of the preset set list on the GTX, I can switch between my preferred and selected presets without any surprises.
Lots of great answers and insights from everyone in the community here 
