Universal Audio has unveiled the latest amp modeller in its UAFX lineup and for fans of ‘90s rock and metal guitar tones it doesn’t get any more iconic, with the Knuckles ’92 applying the company’s dual-engine emulation technology on the mighty Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier.
For a generation of players, the Dual Rectifier was the ultimate tube amp. Many would argue it still is. High-gain, with a super powerful EQ section it defined an era of electric guitar tone, with the likes of Metallica, Tool, Foo Fighters and more having deployed it in their backline.
And, let’s face it, the Dual Rectifier looked damned cool with that diamond metal front plate and metal cage/vent grille.
Now you can access those tones from your pedalboard, with the Knuckles ’92 following the template set by its siblings in the UAFX lineup, with heaps of features all housed in a compact enclosure with some easter eggs for further shaping your tone.
UAFX amp pedals typically have a custom boost. The Lion ’68 Super Lead, for instance, has a boost based on the EP-III preamp. This, too, has a preamp boost but it is also paired with a Tube Screamer-style overdrive circuit that is the perfect complement to that Dual Recto gain, unlocking its versatility. We might know and love the Dual Rectifier for its high-gain tone but those cleans are hard to beat, too.
There is an onboard noise gate. You can switch channels on the pedal just as you would on the real guitar amp. But what makes these UAFX amp pedals so usable is how tweakable they are, especially once you connect them up to the app for deeper edits.
While the tube amp tones are hard to distinguish from the real thing, all dynamic and natural and musical, there is an ease of use and – crucially – zero maintenance required with the UAFX pedals. You can “swap out tubes” on this to custom-tailor your power amp to your liking.
Choosing between 6L6s and EL34s is something you can do at the touch of a button on your smartphone – likewise, toggling between tube-driven rectification or solid-state. And when you decide to go direct with this when recording you have all the physical room modelling features of Universal Audio’s flagship reactive load box and guitar recording unit, the OX Amp Top Box.
There are ample virtual microphone and speaker cabinet options, too. Knuckles ’92 arrives out of the box with an emulation a 4x12 British cab loaded with Celestion Vintage 30s, an oversized American 4x12 with V30s, and a 4x12 British cabinet with Celestion 75s. And there is a bonus trio of speaker cabs including the 1x12 EV12, 4x12 Celestion 80 and the 4x12 Brown.
Players can also play around with six mic and speaker options modelled on classic pairings from classic records, downloading artist-designed presets via the app. Inputs are mounted on the top of the pedal, including stereo 1/4” jacks and USB for updating for updating on your computer.
Priced £379/$399, the Knuckles '92 Rev F Dual Rec Amplifier is available now. For more details, see Universal Audio.
