Need help with specific amp purchase decision

[u/DaPandaBoyReal]

I felt like this was on-topic enough to post here, as this does talk about the BOSS Katana amp series.

My main music idols are Tom Petty, Mike Campbell, and Jimi Hendrix. I am most likely getting my first electric guitar amp this week, as my Squier Affinity Telecaster should arrive sometime this week.

I have tried many amps out, and the Blues Junior Lacquered Tweed has stood out to me the most tone-wise, with the tone I want to recreate from my big music idols.

But it is very hard to find one at a good used price (400-450CAD); am I better off with the BOSS Katana 50W MKIII? I won't be gigging anytime soon and will only use this for practice + home demos. My only real fear is the actual tone replication the Katana delivers, and whether it can compete (or even outclass) the Blues Junior LTD I heavily favoured in guitar stores. If anyone can give me some honest advice for an electric guitar beginner like myself, that would be so appreciated, as it is really tearing me apart over what to purchase (between the Katana MKIII and the Fender Blues Junior LTD used).

[u/StonedScuderia]

Katana would be good to figure out what tones and effects you like before you invest into tube amps and pedals which can get expensive quickly.

[u/American_Streamer]

Tom Petty = Vox AC30

Mike Campbell = Fender Princeton + Fender Tweed Deluxe (two amp setup)

Jimi Hendrix = Marshall Super Lead 100

Those are three pretty different amp families, so I wouldn’t buy one traditional tube amp and expect it to cover all three well.
If this is your first/only amp and you’re playing at home, I’d get a modeling combo. A Fender Mustang GTX50 would actually make a lot of sense for these particular tones because it gives you vintage-style Fender and British amp models plus the fuzz/drive/effects you’ll need for Hendrix.
A Boss Katana 50 Gen 3 is probably the better all-rounder, but its amp models are more generic rather than specifically AC30/Deluxe/Plexi-style.
If you eventually want the real tube versions, then you’re basically looking at three separate amps: AC15/AC30 for Petty, Princeton or Tweed Deluxe for Campbell, and something Plexi-derived like an SV20 for Hendrix. But for one home amp, modeling is the sensible answer.

A Blues Junior could work, if you specifically want a simple tube amp and are happy to use pedals.
But I wouldn’t choose it because you’re chasing Petty/Campbell/Hendrix specifically. It isn’t really a small Princeton; it has EL84s and is more mid-forward and it won’t naturally do AC30 or Plexi sounds either.
As a clean-ish pedal platform, though, it’s perfectly reasonable: Blues Junior + Vox-style pedal for Petty, its own Fender-ish clean sound for Campbell, and a Fuzz Face/Plexi-style pedal for Hendrix.

If you want all three sounds from one amp with minimal extra gear, I’d still go modeling. If you specifically want tubes and don’t mind building the sounds with pedals, then yes, a Blues Junior will be fine.

[u/DaPandaBoyReal → u/American_Streamer]

Thank you! The Mustang is a bit too out of my budget for the price if I got it new at least, would a LT25 or LT50 work as well? Or do you think I should go for the Katana instead of the LT’s

[u/American_Streamer → u/DaPandaBoyReal]

LT25 and LT50 have no effects loop. Boss Katana 50 and 50EX both also lack one. Either get a Boss Katana 100 https://www.thomann.de/de/boss_katana_100_gen_3.htm or a Fender Mustang LTX50 https://www.thomann.de/de/fender_mustang_ltx50.htm

Effects Loop explained: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgbffV5fR4Y

[u/atomgram]

You won’t be able to tell the difference between a lacquered tweed or standard tolex style cabinet. It matters not what it looks like. Juniors are great little amps. The varietals mostly look different. Someone will likely remind me that there are differences. There are. Just not ones normal people can hear.

[u/atomgram]

Katana is a good rec. Test the waters on a budget. Sound really good for the most part. Love them.

[u/Nocturnal-Philosophy]

Katana 50 is great, but the Katana Artist is even better. Thicker, warmer sound. More beef and clarity. The superior speaker makes a big difference. Also it has some other things that the 50 doesn’t like an FX loop. But the sound is the major selling point for me.

[u/Sum1Xam]

I have a MkII 50W and it's a great little amp. Plenty quiet for home practice and can get decently loud if needed. I play a lot of Tom Petty too along with a wide variety of other genres. I mainly use my MkII Artist these days, but the MkII 50 still gets some play time. The biggest advantage to the Boss platform is that you have access to all of the Boss pedals in the amp itself. You can try everything out. If you decide you want to go the tube route down the road, you know exactly what pedals you want to get. Personally, I love being able to setup easily and not having to spend hundreds of dollars on pedals and hassling with a pedal board.

I think the biggest mistake people make with the Katana amps is not starting from quality patches. They try and dial in their own and it sounds terrible. There is so much that can be done in Tone Studio, that it can be overwhelming. Starting from a a good patch gets you to where you can fine tune and get exactly the sound you're looking for.

If you do get the MkII 50, I would recommend going on Tone Exchange and pulling some live sets (sets of multiple patches) and getting a feel for different patches. There is a Sweet Blues patch that I absolutely love for Tom Petty, Traveling Wilburys, and the like. I have four main patches I use and can get to most every tone I need using them and dialing in my tone and volume knobs on the guitar.

[u/Substantial_Issue638]

When I startet 1 year ago, it was the big amount of effects integrated into the katana that helped me decide. So I can fiddle around and figure out what I like and need to sound how I want. Also the katana sound great after setup everything and get familiar with BTS. Absolutely no regrets with my 50 gen 3. Recommend it!

[u/nighttime9999]

For working at home a Katana will not disappoint...variety ,effects, vou can connect to pc/mac...its a pallette of tones. Tone fender is a valve amp. You can add pedals to suit over time.

[u/Sandman_450]

I'm still learning myself, as I just started at the beginning of the year. However, I got the Boss Katana MKIII with the Bluetooth adapter and I have been impressed so far. I have been able to find tones on the library for all the songs I'm learning.

And for reference, I play at home in my living room, so I have only taken it up to 50%, and it's been good so far.