My friend, this was the most helpful video ever for this amp. I just bought an mk2 artist and nobody at any point explained what the f the stickers were for and how I could use my fs6 and my gafc with it or my exp/volume pedal. I feel a ton better about my purchase now. 👌
Hell Bruh! At least you got to talk to someone! Mine came on a freight truck!! It's taken me a bit to get this sucker figured out..and I STILL don't know what the hell I'm doing!! And at my age, I'm not getting any sharper!🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤜🤛🍺🍺🎼🎶🎶🎶🎶
@NoWayOut55 you ain't lying !! The old days are clearly over and all the millenials have taken over the industry !! These cpu apps and programs not to mention the patches and every other damn thing definitely makes it interesting !! Especially for those os us who actually started this hobby when the tube amps were hot and stomp pedals were coming out like hot cakes !! Now if only I was a bit mire savvy with the cpu maybe this wouldn't be taking so long to get down 🤣
I got a Katana several months ago and found it very complicated to work with. But I'm an old guy used to just plugging into an old amp and turning it up. Videos like this have been very helpful so thanks and stay cool.
I recently purchased this beast. I have to say, at 62 although not a technophobe, I am behind the times with modern amps. Your guide is pretty much idiot proof, and I thank you for that. I recently formed a covers Band and needed an up to date stage amp. This info is invaluable. Well done my friend.
@@GuitarZero2Hero I actually bought it as a bundle, with the GA/FC, FS6 and a boss expression pedal. I have the ME-80, but I am struggling with that so I am hoping to get what I need from this set up. I basically only need a nice clean tone, a 70's/80's classic rock distortion and wah. So should be a walk in the park :)
@@roytaylor6559 Should be easy enough then! Good luck - I have a tone video here so that might help when it comes to using the tone studio - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-uL3-KNbpbrc.html
I just got one and I'm 78 not being worried by the tech stuff just the amp, it replaced an AC30 which became impossible to lift. This is a beauty, I use it with my old Roland RE-201 echo and nobody has come up to me saying that my sound has altered as I downloaded an AC30 patch. For country I found a Fender Super Reverb patch and with the Tele it works a treat so don't worry too much about all the tech stuff, just use it and learn as yo0u go, it's the best money I ever spent since 1964.
I was about to comment that you can actually do 3 expressions but after hearing you say that, I can now say that you can have 4 pedals!! 😂🤣😂. 2 through GAFC 1 in the back 1 (mainly wah) through your guitar input. Thanks so much on showing just what this amp can do with pedals!!
This was beyond helpful! I have the Katana 100 mark 2 but didn't buy any footswitches with it. I love the amp as is, but seeing the pure scope the footswitch and expression pedal can offer (especially wah!) this is a must buy I think.
This was such a thorough walk through of the GAFC. I'm a new owner of a katana head and regularly refer back to this video for set up of the GAFC and expression pedals. Thanks so much!
amazing (shake my head) the number of people "phoning in" for requests. I'll thank you for a concise yet full explanation of a switch box I an considering. You answered all my potential questions - so thank you very much
Thank you so much for the upload! I am still trying to figure out my Katana 100 and my GA-FC footswitch. Good to know my next purchase should be an expression pedal, as well!
9:45 that is the coolest part. I bought a zoom pedal and was seriously disappointed in the expression pedal options. it's a pretty simple matter to have the exp control ALL the effects instead of just a few. i was kinda upset zoom left that function out. I'm super stoked that I'll be able to do it with my amp instead. yeah I have to buy the GAFC and exp pedal, but such is life.
Would love for you to do a tutorial lesson for 3am by matchbox 20 on acoustic. ! The way you do your lessons are the best I’ve seen for a newbie like me
Just ordered my Katana head MkII and GA-FC EX today so this was very helpful thanks, will be back as soon as it arrives. An EX update would be useful, cheers.
Man, you've almost sold me on this amp for my 1st one. It's tough picking a 1st amp, I have no idea how to even test one, so videos like this help, thanks dude!
This is a fantastic video! I currently have a boss gt100 and a peavey bandit. I'm looking to consolidate and simplify and was looking at the katana 100 + footswitch. As cool as this functionality is, by the time you have the original footswitch, optional expression pedal, and looper/tuner in your loop, you almost end up at the same place. If there was a looper built in, that would be the icing on the cake. Did anyone else consolidate down to the katana from a multi effects and have any feedback from your experience? Thanks!
update: got the mk1 version of the GA-FC and used your vid as reference to re-label it to mk2 setup. I also got a AMT exp pedal and a boss momentary. Now to update the software, download tonestudio, and figure that crap out lol
Saved to my Boss Katana playlist. Very helpful, indeed! I'm a Katana newbie (and fairly fresh to guitar, to boot), and while I'm fascinated by the Katana, and the technology available to electric guitar players in general, sometimes I wonder if I'd been better served by using a barebones amp, since I seem to be spending a lot of time learning the ins and outs of the Katana and its accessories rather than practicing my skill on the actual instrument. I know, I can always use the Katana in a barebones mode, but the temptation is always there and I'm only human. 😄
Don't use the footswitch yet.Just use the amp itself.Get to know that first.Then you will understand why the footswitch is made.Also, there is a great App for Android phones , you can edit the amp on your phone .
How have you progressed with it? I've had it for about 4 months myself and I have only just started to use the different channels, and just got the GAFC. I tend to keep it on the panel setting with the clean amp and a little blues boost and plate reverb.
Totally agree. I had the 50 until I learned it pretty well then realized the 100 does soooo much more- I sadly had to build a pedal board for just the controllers and expression pedals because the boss modeling amp sound so great--- I'm totally addicted. Better than drugs though, and you have so much dang clean fun goofing around- man I wish I had the raw talent and brains/memory my man here does--- I have to practice constantly just to b a Crappy musician... but it's still fun to me!!! RockOut!!
Great video, thnx for posting. Please note one thing you didn't mention ... long-pressing on any of the patch/channel buttons engages a volume boost in the power amp stage (i.e. NOT the Channel Boost SOLO boost that you showed in your video). Since this video was posted, the latest software version (as of OCT '22) has also introduced new functionality to the GA-FC, as follows : Long-press on the EFFECTS button takes you into another mode where the button functions change as follows : CH1 : Channel SOLO BOOST ( the one in this video) CH2 : Switches the function of the expression pedal plugged into the back of the GA-FC (exactly like you've used the FS-6 "B" button). CH3 : Delay1 tap tempo CH4 : Delay2 tap tempo Hope that helps someone 👍. BOSS have also just introduced a new version of the GA-FC (the GA-FC-EX) with even more additional functionality (AFAIK *THREE* expression pedal inputs). That would need a whole new video 😊. Sadly, still no way to cycle through the RED-YELLOW-GREEN options for the BOOST, MOD, FX, DELAY and REVERB for individual channels. If they could do that, then we really would have a beast, but my guess is that this would need a whole new version of the GA-FC again, in which case they might as well add a.couple of expression pedals as well, akin to what LINE6 did with their floor controllers 👍🤘🤘
Thanks for the update Kevin! If you're after a controller that can cycle through red yellow and green options, check out the airstep katana edition pedal. I did a review on that recently. Cheers Dave
@@GuitarZero2Hero thanks for the reply Dave. Yeah, I looked at that unit a while back. While I agree it's a game-changer for owners of Katana 50W models, I have a 100/212 Mk2 and discounted it for various reasons - mainly because it's not better than the GA-FC, just offers a slightly different feature set and the GA-FC has closed the gap significantly with the latest software version. Yeah, you gain the ability to toggle through the RED-YELLOW-GREEN effects options (except DELAY and REVERB), but you lose the ability to have an expression pedal with function switching right at your pedal board connected through the back of the AIRSTEP and need to run separate cables back to the Katana. There's a lot of smoke and mirrors and mis-information out there about the Katana Librarian app too. Yes, it's great that you can use it wirelessly with the AIRSTEP, but it connects perfectly well directly from your phone or tablet to the Katana just as well, using a standard USB cable + OTG adapter. The fact remains that, LIKE THE AIRSTEP, it's a third-party app, neither owned nor controlled by BOSS, and compatability is solely the responsibility of the makers of those products. There is always the possibility that BOSS might break that compatibility when they issue software updates and it's the responsibility of XSONIC and the Librarian developers to keep up (which isn't always the case). Peace 🤘🤘
I have the katana 100w single 12, the ga-fc and I'm running the fs-6 off of the ga-fc, I just recently purchased the zoom g3xn. I plan to run it off the back of the amp. I may add a looper to this setup and run it with the g3xn. Really liked your video. Only thing I wish is that all these pedals ran the same type cord, either the TRS or the standard cord. Now to build a pedal board.
Hi, and thank you. Using the GAFC with the Katana 100 mkII, how do you go back to the sound as it was saved after you’ve modified it, say by adding effects in & taking them out? The only way I’ve found is to switch to another sound and then back again. Thank you!
@@UncleTonyGuitar Yeh it's not, you need to assign that to an additional footswitch. The Airstep KATANA can provide that though. It's a bit more flexible but needs to be plugged in the USB port. Search that up on YT if you're interested.
I have a question for you....can you run an EV-5, FV-500H and the FS-6 with the GA-FC EX and a looper off the back of the amp on the 100mk2 ?? And if so how would that look / sound ??
I have a question, what will happen to a pedal that is both expression and volume pedal at the same time? Like the BOSS FV-500H. Will it function as both volume and expression at the same time? thank you
Hello Dave, great video. I have probably a dumb question I cant figure out. I have a boss katana 50 ARTIST MK2. with the GA-FC. when you press the effects button on the GA-FC, where do I set the levels of each effect. For example, If preset 1 is my clean preset and while I am playing I hit the Effects button to add my effects, where do I set each effect so when I press the effects the button I know what my effects will sound like. thank you, TS
I read the comments. Didn't see this particular question: So let's say I make preset 1 an OD boost and nothing else. So as I'm playing in preset 1, can I then turn on and then turn off, say, reverb or flanger in the foot switch while staying in preset 1 OD? Or does switching to "Effects" on the foot switch take me out of preset 1 and into Panel mode?
Thanks. 100 Mk2. TRS cable from ga-fc to katana. Mosky tap switch connects to ga-fc with TRS or TS cable? Switching controls feedback, not tap tempo. Suggestions? Thanks!
Thank you for this video. I'm looking to buy this combo amp want to use it with my boss me 70 multi-effects pedal board. Would I simply put it in front of the amp on a clean channel?And are there any compatible features with it being boss as well? It has an expression pedal on it too so Idk if that changes anything. Thanks in advance.
Do you have any tones tested with a electric guitar with a Piezo pickup installed? I'm waiting for my Gibson that will have a Piezo Bridge installed.....
Will you do a video with the new GA-FC EX? Also how about if you have a GA-FC EX plus a GA-FC, and expression pedals? Boss documentation really doesn't tell you much.
Just bought katana mk2 100 watt, and waiting for the GAFC to arrive. Can any other footswitch (may be boss fs7?) show its current ON / OFF state on its led indicators? You mentioned that FS6 can't and it's a risk for sure. May be there's an alternative? Looking for a device to switch A and B banks and be able to see which is currentrly running
I just wish they would allow assigning different options to the footswitch plugged into the back panel of the amp. That would allow 2 of either on/off or tap while allowing the use of 2 exp pedals via the GA.
Great Video, thank you. At around 12:20 when you demo a/b pedal and expression pedal. it appears that basically, B button becomes unusable, is there any way to still use this button, so perhaps you can use that to trigger the expression pedal to swap between volume and an effect like Wah? or is this only achievable by running the 2nd wire so you would have one from pedal one from GAFC one from guitar to the amp? add in a lopper and I think that puts you up to 5 wires running from a pedal board to the amp, is this accurate?
Hello . I have a katana head and a Boss fv50-L volume pedal. When I connect the pedal to Ga-fc volume drops a lot. Is this due to low frequency? Do I have to have High Frequency to get volume of katana Head? Thanks for reply .
I have a blackstar ht5r, can I use the katana 100 as an effects pedal (blackstar fx send to katana fx return)? I think it is also designed to be a poweramp, but I would like to use it like an effects pedal as well.
Does an expression pedal with a toe switch allow me to turn the expression effects on and off? i.e. Do I always have to have Pedal Wah enabled??? Thanks everyone
Alrighty, I have an amp foot switch that allows me to switch channels on the 50 mkii, can I plug that into the gafc and change channels or just banks? i.e. go from a clean to a dirty channel, and then have the gafc just handle the effects? Or is possible to use just an foot switch input on the back to change channels and then use actual pedals instead in the fx loop?
Can I use an expression pedal in the first GA - fc input and the fs-6 in the second input (with a TRS jack in the central output of the fl-6)? So I could use three pedals at the same time and assign different effects and function to each of them?
