Not hardly! That was you talking to @swink !Maybe? Ask Miles, he's the guy who started this thing!
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The Combo Club
- Thread starter ChefKen
- Start date
'Evening folks! I changed my avatar to introduce my new fave duo right now. Nah, the Ampeg tube rig didn't get replaced, but I hadn't bought a combo for what seems like months and had a hankering to try the new BOSS bass amp series out. I don't think I'm quite ready to give it a full review mainly because there's so much I haven't tried yet and feel I need more background in case there are questions from the club. I will say this, I don't know what Roland did, but the hype is somewhat true; this thing grew a major pair underneath its chassis and I like it!
This, the Katana 110, is the smaller of the two models currently being sold. The other combo, the 210, is a 160-watt, two ten, with the exact same layout as the 110. Mine is a 60-watter, but if you know or have owned anything from Roland, you know they're historically beefy products. I'm not gonna get into the Class-D vs. Class A/B argument that TB has had going on the past couple of months in some threads, but my 60-watt Markbass combo hid under the bed after the Katana's first open E-string!
And after promising myself I'd bever go back to a modeling amp after the Stage 800, I am finding this one the perfect compromise between having no options to too many. Work if from the top panel and its happy as a clam (and so am I) or hook up a USB cable, the Bluetooth adaptor I ordered to go wirelessly is sitting on a boat somewhere lost, and open up the BOSS Tone Studio and find a plethora of pedals, preset tones, and enough to keep ya busy until the next gig. As of this evening, I created my first keeper for a song from Les Mis we're working on. I wanted a fat double bass tone to work with the orchestra I'm playing along with and the Katana handed it to me in spades. Yep, the tube rig would've offered me probably an even warmer tone, but this one is surprisingly pleasant to use. I'm running through their Vintage preamp, one of three to choose from, slight compression, a defretter, and chorus; all from one unit and nary pedalboard to be seen. All I know is as I worked on the tune tonight it matched up perfectly with my Hofner bass and that's exactly what I was aiming for when I bought it. It cuts through the other music way better than my other combos...yes, even my Rocket Bass 112.
I'm using it primarily for working in Command Central and no plans on schlepping it anywhere. Though the box is compact, it is nearly 40 lbs and a chunk to haul to and fro. The bigger brother is just under 60 lbs; not much 20 years ago when every guitar amp I owned weighed 40-60 lbs, but today with all the lightweight gear we've gotten spoiled by it. Still, if the occasion came up and I thought I could get away with this combo working, I just might try it outside these walls.
The Katana isn't gonna do the Phil Jones' clean-as-a-whistle tone, and though there's an Ampeg preset in their library, I'm not buying that one either. But I'll tell ya what I do think it sounds like...an old Fender lead sled when men were men and transformers were king. It's got that wallop in the bass region, a slightly scooped mid (though with its four-band onboard EQ, plus graphic and parametric EQs in the library, there'll be no problem getting out whatever sound I'm looking for. But first hearing, I thought to myself, they stole from Leo! It's very nice though and I'm completely happy with the tone I'm getting or can create, at least for this week.
So at this point, am I recommending it? Nope, I still need to do some experimenting (minus the oobleck, thank you) with the features before deciding to put my complete support behind it, but if you're looking for something new that doesn't use the same ICEpower module as everyone else, then I recommend checking one out at your local store and seeing what you think. I've read where some didn't like it, but quite a few have bought one combo or the other and are quite pleased with their purchase.
Okay, that's it for now. Feel free to chime in if you have a question or wish to make a comment. I'll be around this weekend so I'll make sure to stop by and respond. The two pics below are one of the control panel and the other is the Katana sandwiched between my two Beatle basses. Thanks for reading!
This is one of the best non-reviews I have heard
.
- Oct 22, 2015
- 21,156
- 256,696
- Disclosures
- I am an affiliate for Ari Cap.
'Evening folks! I changed my avatar to introduce my new fave duo right now. Nah, the Ampeg tube rig didn't get replaced, but I hadn't bought a combo for what seems like months and had a hankering to try the new BOSS bass amp series out. I don't think I'm quite ready to give it a full review mainly because there's so much I haven't tried yet and feel I need more background in case there are questions from the club. I will say this, I don't know what Roland did, but the hype is somewhat true; this thing grew a major pair underneath its chassis and I like it!
This, the Katana 110, is the smaller of the two models currently being sold. The other combo, the 210, is a 160-watt, two ten, with the exact same layout as the 110. Mine is a 60-watter, but if you know or have owned anything from Roland, you know they're historically beefy products. I'm not gonna get into the Class-D vs. Class A/B argument that TB has had going on the past couple of months in some threads, but my 60-watt Markbass combo hid under the bed after the Katana's first open E-string!
And after promising myself I'd bever go back to a modeling amp after the Stage 800, I am finding this one the perfect compromise between having no options to too many. Work if from the top panel and its happy as a clam (and so am I) or hook up a USB cable, the Bluetooth adaptor I ordered to go wirelessly is sitting on a boat somewhere lost, and open up the BOSS Tone Studio and find a plethora of pedals, preset tones, and enough to keep ya busy until the next gig. As of this evening, I created my first keeper for a song from Les Mis we're working on. I wanted a fat double bass tone to work with the orchestra I'm playing along with and the Katana handed it to me in spades. Yep, the tube rig would've offered me probably an even warmer tone, but this one is surprisingly pleasant to use. I'm running through their Vintage preamp, one of three to choose from, slight compression, a defretter, and chorus; all from one unit and nary pedalboard to be seen. All I know is as I worked on the tune tonight it matched up perfectly with my Hofner bass and that's exactly what I was aiming for when I bought it. It cuts through the other music way better than my other combos...yes, even my Rocket Bass 112.
I'm using it primarily for working in Command Central and no plans on schlepping it anywhere. Though the box is compact, it is nearly 40 lbs and a chunk to haul to and fro. The bigger brother is just under 60 lbs; not much 20 years ago when every guitar amp I owned weighed 40-60 lbs, but today with all the lightweight gear we've gotten spoiled by it. Still, if the occasion came up and I thought I could get away with this combo working, I just might try it outside these walls.
The Katana isn't gonna do the Phil Jones' clean-as-a-whistle tone, and though there's an Ampeg preset in their library, I'm not buying that one either. But I'll tell ya what I do think it sounds like...an old Fender lead sled when men were men and transformers were king. It's got that wallop in the bass region, a slightly scooped mid (though with its four-band onboard EQ, plus graphic and parametric EQs in the library, there'll be no problem getting out whatever sound I'm looking for. But first hearing, I thought to myself, they stole from Leo! It's very nice though and I'm completely happy with the tone I'm getting or can create, at least for this week.
So at this point, am I recommending it? Nope, I still need to do some experimenting (minus the oobleck, thank you) with the features before deciding to put my complete support behind it, but if you're looking for something new that doesn't use the same ICEpower module as everyone else, then I recommend checking one out at your local store and seeing what you think. I've read where some didn't like it, but quite a few have bought one combo or the other and are quite pleased with their purchase.
Okay, that's it for now. Feel free to chime in if you have a question or wish to make a comment. I'll be around this weekend so I'll make sure to stop by and respond. The two pics below are one of the control panel and the other is the Katana sandwiched between my two Beatle basses. Thanks for reading!
Bonus points for the oobleck refrerence.
This is one of the best non-reviews I have heard
You heard it? I had to read it!
And you intervened.
Fight your own wars if you please, but do not involve me.
I didn't. You did. No wars, just observations. Counter-observations. Whatever.
Sorry, hearing and reading are the same to me on TB. You are entitled to your different interpretation.
You could have used a text to speech app.
Deeded? I don't want an app that requires a deed!
This is one of the best non-reviews I have heard
Thank you, my friend. This poor club knows what it’s like when I really put a review out there!
Believe it or not, my original plan was to just toss a blurb or two out there and be done with it. Yeah, that didn’t happen.
Used the Katana today to add done bass to On My Own, from Les Miserable. Using the Hofner, it was a deep, powerful tone and I thought blended in with the orchestral music behind the vocals. Even the vocalist thought it sounded great, filling in the space reserved for such instruments.
It was an enjoyable session and was done in two takes; one for vocals and one for the bass. I plan on trying the effects in the coming days, though I’m less interested in them being I’m not much of an FX kind of player. Still, I will go through them and report back.
OK I suppose it's combo club 'cheating' if I get a TC Bam200 mini head (again), and duck tape it on top of the 16lbs Elf 300W 1x10 cab I have? (-Never shoulda sold that little Bam200..
)
I think maybe that might solve my 'combo type' portability problems nicely, even iffen I don't get a club number here?
I also have some interest in the PJB dbl 4 too but I'm a bit hard of hearing (besides being a bit daft maybe?
) and I don't think the 4" speakers will do all that well for me, as I notice I have some little trouble with the external 3" ones used with my PC. The Elf has a really good 10" speaker and from previous experience I know it moves good air. ~So maybe the solution has been right under my nose all along, I just need to reacquire that damn Bam200... -The Bam plays fairly transparently so it'll be a lot different from my PF20T, but that's probably a good thing, right? 
Anyway I'll prolly use the lightweight Vox BA 108 combo I bought for a few more days and then return it to GC for a refund. ~I believe it's gonna be replaced by some duck tape...
As you can see, I do love experimenting with gear.
(~And I greatly appreciate GC's policies!
)
)I think maybe that might solve my 'combo type' portability problems nicely, even iffen I don't get a club number here?
I also have some interest in the PJB dbl 4 too but I'm a bit hard of hearing (besides being a bit daft maybe?
) and I don't think the 4" speakers will do all that well for me, as I notice I have some little trouble with the external 3" ones used with my PC. The Elf has a really good 10" speaker and from previous experience I know it moves good air. ~So maybe the solution has been right under my nose all along, I just need to reacquire that damn Bam200... -The Bam plays fairly transparently so it'll be a lot different from my PF20T, but that's probably a good thing, right? Anyway I'll prolly use the lightweight Vox BA 108 combo I bought for a few more days and then return it to GC for a refund. ~I believe it's gonna be replaced by some duck tape...
As you can see, I do love experimenting with gear.
(~And I greatly appreciate GC's policies!
)
OK I suppose it's combo club 'cheating' if I get a TC Bam200 mini head (again), and duck tape it on top of the 16lbs Elf 300W 1x10 cab I have? (-Never shoulda sold that little Bam200..
I think maybe that might solve my 'combo type' portability problems nicely, even iffen I don't get a club number here?
I also have some interest in the PJB dbl 4 too but I'm a bit hard of hearing (besides being a bit daft maybe?
Anyway I'll prolly use the lightweight Vox BA 108 combo I bought for a few more days and then return it to GC for a refund. ~I believe it's gonna be replaced by some duck tape...
As you can see, I do love experimenting with gear.
(~And I greatly appreciate GC's policies!
Boy, are we two peas in a pod. I read your posts and am forced to relive the decisions I’ve made in the past, some good, many bad. But that is half the fun, right?
Re-but the Bam and relearn why you got rid of it in the first place. At least that’s how it’s worked for me. Or...continue your journey onward trying new combos or separates until you’re finally happy. Something to kick around.
What’s your maximum price range? If it’s at Bam-level, then you’ll be limited but not without choices. If you can higher, how about one of the TE Elf combos to go with your Elf cab? I think that’d be a great pick as you’d enjoy versatility to the max with an assertive sound behind it. I respect transparency but it bores me. I like amps with a voice that I use to speak through. Ooh, very philosophical!
The PJB Double-4 you mentioned is a perfect example. You might really like it and be surprised that you can hear it, but the combo is incredibly transparent, like a tasty vanilla ice cream. I owned one and it was Indy but needed some sprinkles. My Boss Katana is that combo. Lots of sprinkles! It won’t work for you, but unless you crave that transparency is keep looking.
Good hunting!
- Oct 22, 2015
- 21,156
- 256,696
- Disclosures
- I am an affiliate for Ari Cap.
OK I suppose it's combo club 'cheating' if I get a TC Bam200 mini head (again), and duck tape it on top of the 16lbs Elf 300W 1x10 cab I have? (-Never shoulda sold that little Bam200..
I think maybe that might solve my 'combo type' portability problems nicely, even iffen I don't get a club number here?
I also have some interest in the PJB dbl 4 too but I'm a bit hard of hearing (besides being a bit daft maybe?
Anyway I'll prolly use the lightweight Vox BA 108 combo I bought for a few more days and then return it to GC for a refund. ~I believe it's gonna be replaced by some duck tape...
As you can see, I do love experimenting with gear.
(~And I greatly appreciate GC's policies!
A different perspective, based solely on what I have here to work with:
Would pair my Elf with a PJB C2 for maximum One Hand Carry goodness. That's a weight savings of 14 pounds over a single PJB Cab 27, and probably a shave less than 20 pounds for the entire not-a-combo rig o' doom. Speaker diameter be da
ned* it will be impressively loud.There is a 40 pound carry to gig the PJB BG-400. Could make it behave like an Elf with a Trace Transit B in the signal chain. Here making it behave like Aunt Peg with a VT Bass in the signal chain. If I put the VT Bass in the Elf signal chain, I get an angry Elf in an SVT. "Clean" isn't always musical.
I elected to pair my Elf with PJB Cab 27s instead of the Trace Elliot 2x8 and 1x10 offerings because I both like full range cabs and the PJB presence. It is, briefly, something I decided I want to have on stage with me. Gear is as much a part of our stage presence as we are .... Whether people notice it consciously or not doesn't matter. It registers.
An Elf combo rig would have been very acceptable to me had I not already owned the head. For different reasons .... I have what I have and it's a pretty fair arsenal IMO
*
= r
Spent a few hours with my MarkBass Micromark 801 today. I’ve had a few little amps along the way. This guy continues to impress.
This is probably my best example of the sound I want from my Fender bass:
