Of course it’s not. But that is a purely subjective. I’ve played with a number of solid state amps over the years: Roland JC-120, Line 6 Flextone III, Roland Cube 60, and most recently, the BOSS Katana 50 and Artist amps. The sounds I’ve gotten from all those amps have been stellar. Especially when I was playing my old Cube 60, I’d show up to a gig and people couldn’t believe the sound I was able to coax out of that amp.
And speaking of the Cube, Vinni Smith, maker and proprietor of V-Picks guitar picks, once told me that (at least at the time) he gigged with a Roland Cube 30. Now this guy can play!
A visitor to this site left a comment recently claiming that no solid state amp could ever match the feel and dynamics of a tube amp and then further going on to say that those of us who have or like solid-state amps like “cheap” sound. I actually laughed out loud at that statement, but to be honest, that condescending attitude pissed me off.
I’m one of those “tube amps are the only good amps” folks. Now I’m following my own philosophy that I share here: If it sounds good and plays good, it is good.
But cheap sound? Cheap sound my ass! Tell that to the likes of Albert King and Andy Summers and Joe Satriani. Tell that to the thousands of people who use solid state units like the Kemper Profiling Amp, Fractal Audio AxeFX, and Line 6 Helix, not to mention the thousands who’ve purchased Katana and competitor solid state amps. And speaking of the Helix, tell Pete Thorn his sound is cheap.
For me, I’ve gigged with both the Katana 50 and Katana Artist a number of times. With the 50, the guys in a band I played in several months ago remarked how big the sound was. The Katana Artist has an even bigger sound.
I get it. Haters gonna be haters. Ain’t nothin’ I can do about that. But to whoever it was who made that comment, there’s lots of evidence and more importantly, lots of well-known artists that prove you wrong.
I admit that I struggled when I first heard and played the Katana 50. How could an amp that wasn’t all-tube sound and play this good? I quickly got over that once I started gigging with amp. But like it or not, technology has now caught up to the point where the lines are blurred between solid-state and tube amps.
But then, maybe they were always blurred. Looking back at the old Roland JC-120, no one could argue about its performance and sound quality as a clean platform. The distortion on it absolutely sucked. But that’s not what you bought it for in the first place. You put pedals in front of it and used the on-board chorus. And make no bones about it. That amp has been around for over 40 years and used by lots of artists.
Fine. For the tube amp cognoscenti, go ahead and believe what you believe. I’m not here to change your minds. But for me and thousands of others across the world, we’ll enjoy the fruits of what new technology has to bring.
Guitar Gear 
Dear Goofydawg, You misunderstand what people are trying to tell you. If I wanted to play solid state I would rather play V-amp 2 or line 6. The gear you are shilling (specifically the Boss Katana) is cheap sounding. Having heard examples of the Katana, I can reasonably say it has 1 and only one tone that even rates as decent sounding(it happens to be A BLUES TONE). Solid state does very well at some applications. It excells as an acoustic platform, as a c lean pedal platform, or as a rhythm based accompaniment. The katana excells at NONE OF THESE categories. You may like it, and to each his own, but for leads(tell me that solid state does a good job of catching the transients, or a stellar job of distorting according to output, and I will tell you that you will get bogged down in terms like “tracking” and variable input, when tubes dont need to track or determine input levels to work right they just work, because that is how tubes work, all you are trying to sell is emulation, and software engineering.). Given your profession it is no wonder you are a fan, honestly the way you write and talk about the Katana it does SEEM like you work for Boss. I happen to feel Boss schills cheap equipment(used to love them, have come to hate them due to high output pickups and cheap boss op-amps and buffers, Boss EVEN in the WAZA series pedals they use crap buffers that distort with high output pickups(hook up a Boss pedal and play Duncan Full Shred or Dimarzio SD-1 through and you will hear a subtle buzzing when bypassed, that is the cheap buffer overdriving).. I personally have spent thousands on Boss pedals over the years only to realize they caused a lot of problems that getting true bypass pedals fixed)). I am a high gain lover and while a v-amp 2 does a good job at rhythm, nothing cuts it like tubes(and frankly about cheap sound, tubes are so old they should be cheap, only manufacturers are driving prices. Although the new mini head trend is lowering prices(ironically now that I actually own a Mesa Mark V, they come out with cheap alternatives). So laugh all you want at my/our ridiculous feelings that solid state does not generally cut it, but it took years of playing to come to that conclusion, and fools like you and Brian Wampler and Josh Scott asserting that we are mistaken about solid state and buffers can keep on posting your opinions, I am trying to get those just starting playing to really think about their needs, and in the case of people that use the aforementioned pickups, to not make a mistake and buy gear they will come to regret.(I do still have two Boss pedals, they are currently for sale so I can replace them for true bypass pedals). P.S. I only posted once here but have the feeling you have been sniping at me since, since cheap sound was in my reply, take it how you want, i do agree if it works for you go for it, but people do need an opposing view to be truly informed, get hurt feelings over that!!(btw, the best rhythm sound I have ever heard was from a v-amp2, it was a Mesa sim and had a definition that I cannot even get out of my Mark V!!! from a 100 dollar multi effects box….metal sound obviously, but I wont switch back, because as playing progresses, leads become more important, and rhythms get buried so why bother with a stellar rhythm sound and no lead, i would rather have a stellar lead and ehh rhythm.)
People are trying to tell me? What people? It’s only you, Tim. Are you one of those people who troll forums and blogs that talk about the Katana just so you can rip on people? Trying to correct them? What a waste of energy.
Besides, it’s all subjective, Tim. You like what you like. I like what I like. But calling those of us who happen to like particular gear fools and shills is just plain ridiculous. If what you have has worked for you, that’s great. I have no problem with it. What I do have a problem with is people trying to play penis measurement games like you.
And please don’t mistake my enthusiasm as me being an employee of BOSS.
I played a Cube 40 all through my college years and loved it. Now I’m using a Henriksen Blu which is very nice. Solid state amps have some major advantages but I still love my Allen Amps Accomplice Jr too.
That Henriksen Blu amp is AWESOME! I actually considered that one. I’ll never get rid of my tube amps though.