The Universal Audio UAFX Woodrow '55 Instrument Amplifier is a digital amp-in-a-box pedal that models the Fender 5E3 'Tweed' Deluxe, the 1955 wide-panel 1x12 combo. Universal Audio describes it as an authentic end-to-end emulation of the classic '50s combo, recreating the warm tube-style breakup tones of the Fender tweed amps1. It arrived in July 2022, almost exactly a year after the first UAFX pedals launched, as one of three model-specific virtual amp pedals alongside the Ruby '63 and the Dream '652.
The 5E3 it models is a really simple circuit, with no reverb or modulation, a single Tone control, and interactive volume controls: the Mic input volume interacts with the Instrument volume, and the channels are automatically ganged when both volumes are up2. Premier Guitar notes that a 5E3 has a single tone control, and that the interactive tone and volume controls are part of what defines the circuit3.
What it models and how it is controlled
Sound On Sound's Dave Lockwood found the Woodrow '55 "models all the subtle nuances of a Fender 5E3 'Tweed' amp, including the interactio" of its controls2. The pedal carries the amp's simple control set into a stompbox format, with the Mic and Instrument volume interaction preserved from the original circuit2.
The pedal also adds things the original amp never had:
- Three different boost types1
- Mic and speaker pairings, described by the maker's material as world-class studio amp sound with preamp boosts4
- Three 12-inch speaker simulation options, selected via a Speaker toggle4
- A room ambience control borrowed from Universal Audio's OX cabinet emulator3
- An additional speaker mode, a Fender 1x12 cab with a vintage JBL D-120F speaker, added via the free UAFX Control app4
- Bluetooth connectivity4
The Speaker toggle's three 12-inch simulation options are the core cab choices, with the JBL D-120F-loaded Fender 1x12 available as an extra mode through the app4.
Live and Preset modes, and the footswitches
The pedal runs in one of two modes: Live or Preset. By default, the two footswitches select Live and Preset mode versus buffered Bypass, and both footswitches can be reassigned via the UAFX Control app2. That app is also where the additional speaker mode is added4.
Stereo operation
The Woodrow '55 has stereo ins and outs4. Audio connectivity consists of four unbalanced jacks, two in and two out2. With both inputs in use it runs in true stereo, and if you use one input and both outputs, you are actually running two phase-locked instances of very slightly different amps, an approach that gives a wider, double-amp feel from a mono source2.
Delicious Audio's buying guide describes it as a fully-featured, digital, stereo emulation of the classic '50s 1x12 combo Fender Tweed amp5.
What it does not have
Sound On Sound's review is clear about the omissions: there is no MIDI or external control, no effects loop and no headphone output2. The modeled amp itself has no reverb or modulation2. Power is external only: 9V DC through a standard 2.1mm center-negative connector, with a required 400mA current capacity that not all pedalboard power supply outputs may provide2.
The 400mA current requirement rules out many compact power supply outputs and daisy chains. Check your power supply's per-output rating before building the Woodrow '55 into a board.
Where it came from
Universal Audio launched the Woodrow '55 in July 2022 as one of the first three model-specific virtual amp pedals in the UAFX range, alongside the Ruby '63 (a 1961/1963 Vox AC30) and the Dream '65 (a 1965 Deluxe Reverb)2. The three were announced in June 2022 at $399 each, available for preorder1. GuitarPlayer later grouped the Woodrow '55 among Universal Audio's amp pedals based on a '55 1955 Fender tweed Deluxe, alongside models based on Fender blackface amps, a 1963 Vox AC30, and a trio of 1960s British amps6.
The room ambience control traces back to Universal Audio's OX cabinet emulator, and the company later brought its speaker, cab, mic and room modeling to a compact pedal as the OX Stomp3.
What reviewers said
Premier Guitar's reviewer found the Woodrow '55 not inexpensive, but judged that its ability to span the expanse between a pedal solution that comes up short and the real deal makes the price look like a real bargain for the tweed Deluxe experience3.
"The Woodrow '55 really is a delightful little amp, full of nuances and historic tonal references."
Lockwood also found the dynamic speaker modeling gives clean tones something impulse responses cannot2.
Videos
Sweetwater
Universal Audio
Superdanger Studios
Questions
What amp is the UAFX Woodrow '55 based on?
It models the Fender 5E3 Tweed Deluxe, the wide-panel 1955 1x12 combo. Universal Audio's emulation covers the circuit's subtleties, including the interactive volume and tone controls and the way the two channels gang together when both are turned up.
Does the Woodrow '55 have MIDI?
No. Sound On Sound's review notes there is no MIDI or external control, no effects loop and no headphone output. Universal Audio's later firmware 2.0 update added MIDI to other UAFX pedals such as the Knuckles '92, but the Woodrow '55 was reviewed without it.
Does the Woodrow '55 run on a battery?
No. It requires external 9V DC power using a standard 2.1mm center-negative pedal connector, and it needs a supply with 400mA of current capacity, which not every pedalboard power output provides.
Can the Woodrow '55 run in stereo?
Yes. It has two unbalanced inputs and two unbalanced outputs. With both inputs used it runs in true stereo, and with one input feeding both outputs it runs two phase-locked instances of very slightly different amps.
What is the Woodrow '55 Live and Preset mode?
The pedal runs in one of two modes: Live or Preset. By default its two footswitches select between Live and Preset mode versus buffered bypass, and both footswitches can be reassigned through the UAFX Control app.
Does the Woodrow '55 have reverb?
No. The modeled 5E3 circuit is simple, with no reverb or modulation and a single Tone control. The pedal does include a room ambience control borrowed from Universal Audio's OX cabinet emulator, which is not the same as a reverb effect.
Sources (6)
- UAFX Amp-In-A-Box Pedals, Delicious Audio, 2022-06-16
- Universal Audio UAFX Amp Pedals, Sound On Sound (www.soundonsound.com), 2022-07
- UAFX Woodrow ’55 Review, Premier Guitar, 2022-12-12
- UAFX Woodrow '55 Ovedrive, Delicious Audio, 2023-09-05
- Best Tweed-Style Overdrives & Fender-in-a-Box Pedals In 2024, Delicious Audio, 2024-11-13
- “Giving rock and metal players an authentic emulation of the punishing 5150 amp”: Universal Audio's fifth amp-in-a-pedal creation, the Anti 1992, aims to emulate the Van Halen-loved Peavey 5150 amplifier, GuitarPlayer (www.guitarplayer.com), 2024-08-20
