Guitar amps · owner-verdict comparison

Boss Katana 50 Gen 3 vs Orange Crush 35RT: what real owners say

Real owners lean toward the Boss Katana 50 Gen 3: 65% of 625 owners recommend it, vs 42% of 12 for the Orange Crush 35RT.

Verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube owner comments — affiliate reviews excluded. Sample sizes differ; judge accordingly. How we score

Boss Katana 50 Gen 3

65%of 625 owners recommend
65% recommend · 15% neutral · 20% don't
Owners praise
  • Incredible value and bang for the buck
  • Great tones across cleans and amp models
  • Huge range of built-in effects covers what you'd buy as pedals
Owners complain about
  • Default and out-of-box tones can underwhelm until dialed in
  • Editing and deep menu interface is unintuitive
  • Can sound processed compared to a real tube amp
Full owner report →

Orange Crush 35RT

42%of 12 owners recommend
42% recommend · 25% neutral · 33% don't
Owners praise
  • Rich, valve-like tone
  • Excellent clean channel
  • Great value for the money
Owners complain about
  • Gain channel divisive, fizzy or dark
  • Too loud for bedroom practice
  • Stock speaker limits the tone
Full owner report →

Which should you buy?

Get the Boss Katana 50 Gen 3 if
  • ✓Budget players wanting the best value amp
  • ✓Bedroom and jamming players at variable wattage
  • ✓Guitarists replacing a pile of pedals
  • ✓Anyone wanting many built-in effects and tones
Skip it if
  • Players chasing fuzz or tube-amp responsiveness
  • Anyone needing an effects loop (get the 100)
Get the Orange Crush 35RT if
  • ✓Home players wanting big, valve-like tone
  • ✓Small-gig and practice guitarists on a budget
  • ✓Players who run pedals through an FX loop
Skip it if
  • Players needing quiet, low-volume bedroom use
  • Metal and high-gain players wanting tight distortion

What Boss Katana 50 Gen 3 owners say

“This amp is a no brainer. Cheap and delivering a great sound and loaded with features.”
— @088Noir on YouTube
“Told my parents i wanted world peace for christams, but if i couldn't get that, Id want the amp instead lol”
— @jakerobertson5198 on YouTube
“now it has a wool blanket thrown over it”
— @ReductioAdAbsurdum on YouTube

What Orange Crush 35RT owners say

“Who ever put a tuner inside an amp is a genius”
— @jacobseraphin685 on YouTube
“It's tones are very good. It's not as versatile as other amp in its price range (built in fx etc) but it's focused on quality sound is the best.”
— @toro514 on YouTube
“The Orange is kind of a one trick pony. It’s a good trick, but still. The distortion tones are dark and sludgy. I had one for a hot minute but quickly got tired of it.”
— fatherbowie on Reddit

Boss Katana 50 Gen 3 vs Orange Crush 35RT: frequently asked questions

Is the Boss Katana 50 Gen 3 or the Orange Crush 35RT better?

Real owners lean toward the Boss Katana 50 Gen 3: 65% of 625 owners recommend it, vs 42% of 12 for the Orange Crush 35RT.

Who should get the Boss Katana 50 Gen 3?

Owners point the Boss Katana 50 Gen 3 at budget players wanting the best value amp, and bedroom and jamming players at variable wattage.

Who should get the Orange Crush 35RT?

Owners point the Orange Crush 35RT at home players wanting big, valve-like tone, and small-gig and practice guitarists on a budget.

What do owners complain about?

The most-cited downside of the Boss Katana 50 Gen 3 is default and out-of-box tones can underwhelm until dialed in. For the Orange Crush 35RT, it's gain channel divisive, fizzy or dark.