NEW Boss Katana Bass Amp vs Fender Rumble Studio! 

Awesome as always guys! Could you add a top-camera above the amps so we can see the knob-fiddling going on? For the Fender in-depth demo later, make sure you update the amp to the latest firmware via Wifi, it addresses a few bugs. I have the Fender rumble stage 800, which is what you should compare to the Boss Katana bass 210. Or compare the Fender studio 40 (smaller brother of the stage, which is identical software and modeling-wise to the 800) versus the Boss 110. I don't own a Boss Katana 210, but do have the Boss Katana Artist MK2, so I can share some interesting insight regarding usability. The fender has fewer 'direct' knobs to tweak. The user interface screen however is pretty fast to go around and is only a few menu-levels deep. Fender could tidy up the UI a bit, but it's simple to operate if you're just mildly digital adept. The great benefit of having the screen as the Fender has, is that when you change presets, you actually see the name of the presets, amp, settings and levels of everything. This is a drawback of the Boss screenless design, because when you change presets, you can only see activated things by the lights, but not the levels of knobs or names of the presets. That is quite unhandy actually, because you have to remember your presets. So to be honest, I feel the Fender design is the better one. The optimal would be something entirely else, and that would be where physical knobs would only rotate and have lights around them to show the setting. That way, physical and digital blends together better. Then a optimum can be found for a selection of knobs for quick change AND onboard screen for info display and deeper settings. It's a shame the guitar industry is still so hampered by old habits such as 'tubes are better' and 'digital is scary and sounds thin', because to be honest, those digital amps are really the better choice for all but pro gigging players and are perfectly equal substitutes for tubes since about the last 5 years. I'm a software architect for a living, so it kinda hurts that my hobby is still so far behind the UI/UX-scene. But I digress... For the Katana Artist mk2, I mess around in tone studio a lot, for with the Fender everything can be done from the amp (or Fender tone app, which I never use because the amp is great). Fender needs to polish things better though. And not very many updates have been given to the stage since its release (which is the same software as their Mustang btw), which wonders if Fender really keeps improving it still or that we've reached then end of it (which would still be OK really, but there's things to improve). The tones in the Fender stage 800 are also great. I did test it in a store against the Boss 210 and liked the Fender better. Boss should not have created such a strange dongle Bluetooth setup. That's a poor design afterthought if you ask me. Ps1: I switched from a Rumble 500 to the stage 800. The cabinets are even identical, it's just the modeling that the 800 has that makes it much more versatile then the normal rumble (which I got tired of the sound of). The amp models and effects in the Fender are plain awesome. Ps2: I come from having many top-range and custom-built amps with pedalboards and all. I sold it all and now just have the stage 800 and Katana MK2. To be honest, these 2 amps do everything to about 90% well as the originals, for a total of 15% of the price (about 1500 EUR for the pair of them). The complexity is also vastly reduced, making things more fun to tinker with. Ps3: best way to explore presets are using a looper pedal. Record a loop, put your bass away and then flip through presets/settings and listen closely. By the way, the update process of the Fender is smarter (hook it up via Wifi and it updates itself pretty much). With Boss you need drivers and a pretty outdated procedure to update the amp. It's actually strange Boss dropped a few balls here, since they had 2 years of time to steal all the good ideas from Fender. Cheers!

Lee's face when Nate said "shitload of presets" was priceless!

I preferred the Fender. it sounded more pleasing to my ear.

I own the katana 210 and about to test its gig ability now next Saturday! The 1w mode is perfect for home practice 👌

Fantastic playing by Lee through the Fender! Love it

The Goldgious Squier Jazz Basses almost stole the show. It was interesting to see you change your mood according to the tones. Great video!

Awesome playing lads!

Gent's... Great opening track, takes me back to the good old days... 💙👊😎💙👊😎

Nathan and Lee, brilliant as always fellas, thank you. Editors and production team. Why do I have to watch *only* Nathan/Lee during the demo? Why aren't we getting visual context for adjustments being made to the amps too? It ruins the understanding of what I'm hearing. I mean - this is a demo for things you, as a business, are trying to sell, right?

Presets/Effects:: 7:07 - Rumble Studio 16:32 - Boss Katana (I personally found the Rumble Studio more Intuitive, which is impressive considering it gives you more customization with the effects. It sadly doesn't have a 4-band eq. It also takes about 30 seconds to start up.)

I picked up my studio rumble used for 250$ USD. For me a beginner/ intermediate player that’s currently trying to dial in sounds I love it. I find the app has some serious bugs that still need to work out but it’s so easy to use the controls on the amp I’ve stopped using the app all together. There is a delay in the Wi-Fi also but it’s pretty easy to work around. All together a pretty great piece of gear. Definitely check it out

Yes!! About time the Fender Studio 40 had limelight.. Amazing little amp .

Ah now, in regards to the Rumble footswitch - the footswitch is the same MGT-4 footswitch with 4 stomps and 4 modes (quick access / presets / FX / Looper) that comes included with the Rumble Stage 800 and been a staple pedal for the Mustang series of amps for a long time - it's around €70 (cos I bought one) and you can only access the amps looper functions (which are great) with the pedal, you can't use the looper without one. It's sturdy, well built and responsive. Looper functions aside, it's well worth getting in my opinion.

I have the ruby red metallic Nathan is playing. Yes it's expensive for a Squier, but the fit, finish and tone is great regardless of price. They seem to be disappearing fast here in OZ.

Opening was glorious. Always fun, cheers, fellas.

Need a Katana bass. Just so much stuff you can do with it

Weight is definitely a big factor. Both sound good, I think the Fender sounded more like a bass amp with a solid bottom

What more could I want? A head version of the Katana of course. :-)

I could prolly listen to you guys all day

You guys keep mentioning doing an in depth review of the Fender Rumble Studio. I can't seem to find it on your channel? Did you guys end up being scared about entering the menu on the Studio and managing all the settings? 🤣I just find the Rumble Studio 40 to be a contender for best small bass amp out there. Not in the least because of all of the great options to hook up with effect chains and stereo send/return and dual XLR-outs (pre/post or stereo options in the menu). Please do an in depth review! 😁👌

How about doing the fender rumble stage 800 comparison or review

I can dig it

I have the rumble stage 800. I don’t need anything else. 800 watts with the 2 built in 2x10s and my other 2x10 cabinet. Great amp!

How’s that Fender Rumble Studio 40 review coming lads?! Looking forward to hearing what you can do with it :) please use a PBass ;)

Leave it to these 2 fellas to make a budget rig sound like a million quid :)

When are you going to do the review of the Fender Rumble Studio 40? I have one myself now but would love to see what you can do with it :)

Where is the video comparing the Katana to the Ampeg?

That face at 10:45! Lol

The Fender sound near the end very 80s Level 42 style!!!!........😎😎🎸🎸🤘🏼🤘🏼✍🏼✍🏼

Woow verry good

i knew you would compare the baby Fender practice amp with it out of gate. The Stage is the one to look at imo

Great video and amazing playing. I just don't really see the need for an overly digital bass combo. I think the big selling point of the guitar amp was its affordability which meant it was genuinely competitive. The bass version is not that well priced and has too many competitors. I would love to go to somewhere like Andertons one day and try bass amps out. I'm still looking for a bass amp that truly suits me.

"Let's not play anything in E" *reverts to E for 75% of the entire demo*

Well, a Rumble that actually sounded decent…. That’s a first. Just a pity the only options are 40 watt for the studio for a 1x10 or 800 watt for the stage. Fender have sorted out modelling it seems. Leaps and bounds better than their other D class amps. Boss is a good unit. But doesn’t really have any actual amp models. Just 3 basic settings and a load of FX. What it does is good. It’s good, but it’s Boss. For once I prefer the Fender.

Hi Nathan and Lee, Maybe you can rectify a bit of poor marketing from Fender. In your upcoming Fender Rumble studio 40 and Stage 800 video, it may be a good idea to show those amps physically next to the regular Rumble 40 and 500 (if even only for a section of the video). And then show how identical these are. And then carry on showing that the Studio and Stage have the modeling (and truly identical tone, overdrive and switches) of the regular Rumble v3 40 and 500 (it's in the presets and in there as amp types. What Fender neglects to convey properly is that the Studio and Stage are actually the regular rumble v3 40 and 500, but with added modeling capability. Which makes the Studio and Stage the way better choice I think. More bang for the buck. It would have been smarter if Fender had just called the Rumble v3 40 the "Rumble v3 40 Plus". And for Stage have kept the wattage to 500 and then just have called it "Rumble v3 500 Plus". Or Mod instead of the word Plus. Anyhow, you get the idea. I think many people just buy the regular Rumbles and completely overlook the Stage and Studio. Which is a bit of shame really. Also note: the Stage has the foot pedal MGT-4 included. If you compare that to the Boss 210 which needs the Bluetooth dongle and pedal purchased separately, it's pretty much even.

New video ideas #1 Boss Katana Bass vs Boss GT-1B vs Boss Gx-100(since it has a few Bass elements) #2 GT-1B vs GX-100 vs Line 6 Pod Go vs Zoom B6 Or thoughts to this online community what does everyone think?

What series are those? Squier basses with gold hardware? 😍

For my ears Fender has a more prominent and natural sound. More volume and presence. Boss is flatter.

What basses are you playing please gents?

4:05 what kind of presets?

I do love the modern squire guitars, but to be honest these anniversary ones seemed a bit… swing and a miss for me. A gold plated squire? C’mon. BUT that red one Nate’s got looks amazing

If youre looking for a decent alternative to a Katana, the Peavey Vypyr solid state 75w 1x12 or 60w 1x12 hybrid tube combo will definetly give you a bang for the buck.

Rumble the clear winner imo. The katana did not sound pleasant at all.

Stage

I have tried to play through a few Boss Katana's and they give me a headache. I will stick with tube amps.

shouldnt a bass amp be more Scottish Claymore...and a guitar amp be more Katana...lol🤔

First comment

Skipped through the entire video to find some slap, but I didn't.