When John Mayer offers advice – be that playing tips, songwriting wisdom or gear picks – we listen. That’s why when Mayer openly recommended the Universal Audio UAFX Engimatic '82 Overdrive Special pedal amp to all young guitar players earlier this year, we took very careful note indeed.
Now, thanks to this last minute Cyber Monday guitar deal from Guitar Center, that very same pedal – which is inspired by an iconic Dumble tube amp, no less – is currently $50 off.
We know what you’re thinking. “John Mayer plays actual Dumbles, right?” Well, yes, you’d be correct; Mayer does indeed favor the experience of playing a traditional rig. When we interviewed him earlier this year, he told us he “grew up playing tube amps”. He needs to feel the “combustion” of an amp behind him to play.
That said, there are exceptions to the rule. In the past, he used a Fractal to record some guitar parts on Sob Rock, used an Axe-Fx III to perform with Khalid, and, more recently, played a Neural DSP Quad Cortex during a guest spot at Coachella.
So, Mayer knows first-hand just how good some modern day modelers are, and when you take into consideration his experience with playing some of the most elusive gear of all time – he owns Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Texas Flood Dumble, for crying out loud – his endorsement of the UAFX Enigmatic Special ‘82 is even more impressive.
Mayer has one of the best and most desirable guitar tones for blues, rock and pop guitar. So, if he recommends the UAFX, you can rest assured that it’s a quality piece of kit.
“I really like the UA Enigmatic [’82 Overdrive Special Amp] pedal,” Mayer told us, “and I think if you’re a young guitar player, that’s money well spent.”
And we completely agree with him. In our own review of the UAFX, we praised it for its deliciously smooth overdrive sounds, its impressive clean channel, and its versatile tone shaping. Thanks to its intuitive topography, it’s also a doozy to dial in a range of usable tones.
The two-channel pedal has Rock, Jazz and Custom tone voices, and six sound-sculpting control knobs, as well as a choice of three onboard cab and mic pairings – GB25, D65 and EV12 – more of which can be explored on the UA app. Simply pop it at the end of your existing pedalboard and away you go: Dumble tones for less than $350.
“The UA Enigmatic is a superb amp simulator that delivers creamy overdriven tones alongside a brilliant clean channel that takes pedals well,” wrote Guitar World’s Matt McCracken. “It’s much more than just a vehicle for blues licks too, giving plenty of versatility for a variety of playing styles.”
It's Cyber Monday, meaning this deal won't be around for much longer, so if you want to get your hands on the pedal amp the Mayer himself rates so highly, head over to Guitar Center.
While there, you'll find a bunch of other UAFX pedal amps on offer. The Ruby '63 – which was championed by The Edge during U2's The Sphere residency – is also down $50, as is the Marshall-inspired Lion '68 Super Lead.
Still on the hunt for more Cyber Monday deals? Stay tuned to Guitar World for more of the best Cyber Monday and Black Friday guitar deals that are still live
Shop more Cyber Monday deals
- Amazon: Cyber Monday instrument deals
- Positive Grid: Black Friday sale extended!
- Fender store: Save on Strats, Teles, and more
- Guitar Center: Up to 40% off
- Guitar Tricks:
$899$99 annual sub - Sweetwater: Cyber Monday - up to 80% off
- Thomann: Up to 70% off Cyber Week sale
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