"The articulation is sensational even with the overdrive knob cranked, and every note rings true no matter what you’re playing”: Universal Audio UAFX Enigmatic ‘82 Overdrive Special pedal review

Has UA committed heresy with its digitization of the holy grail of guitar tone? We find out…

Universal Audio UAFX Enigmatic '82
(Image: © Olly Curtis / Future)

Guitar World Verdict

Dumble tone veneration aside, the UA Enigmatic is a superb amp simulator that delivers creamy overdriven tones alongside a brilliant clean channel that takes pedals well. It’s much more than just a vehicle for blues licks too, giving plenty of versatility for a variety of playing styles.

Pros

  • +

    Deliciously smooth overdrive sounds

  • +

    Surprisingly good clean channel

  • +

    Versatile tone shaping

  • +

    Easy to dial in a variety of sounds

Cons

  • -

    UAFX Control app wouldn’t work on my Android phone

  • -

    Slight delay when channel switching

  • -

    Could be too specialist for some

You can trust Guitar World Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing guitar products so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

Universal Audio UAFX Enigmatic ‘82 Overdrive Special: What is it?

Based upon arguably the most famous of Alexander ‘Howard’ Dumble’s designs, the Universal UAFX Enigmatic ‘82 Overdrive is the latest in a line of iconic amps made minute by the California company. Much more than just another Dumble-style overdrive pedal, this fudge-colored amp emulator looks to give us guitarists access to some of the most fabled tones of guitar history.

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Ratings scorecard
TestResultsScore
Build qualitySalted caramel-hued solidness ★★★★1/2
UsabilityHardware great, app connectivity not★★★★
SoundsExcels at blues and beyond too ★★★★1/2
OverallSurprisingly versatile ★★★★1/2

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Matt McCracken
Junior Deals Writer

Matt is a Junior Deals Writer here at Guitar World. He regularly tests and reviews music gear with a focus on guitars, amps, pedals, modelers, and pretty much anything else guitar-related. Matt worked in music retail for 5 years at Dawsons Music and Northwest Guitars and has written for various music sites including MusicRadar, Guitar Player, Guitar.com, Ultimate Guitar, and Thomann’s t.blog. A regularly gigging guitarist with over 20 years of experience playing live and writing and recording in bands, he's performed everything from jazz to djent, gigging all over the country in more dingy venues than you can shake a drop-tuned guitar at.