Get all the bloom, chime, and grind of Leo Fender’s most iconic amplifier.

Vintage Fender tweed Deluxe amplifiers are the Holy Grail of tone for good reason. Their low-volume clean sounds are pristine and complex. And as you inch the volume upward, you’re greeted with sweet, blooming overdrive, before arriving at full-on distorted, utterly viscous tube saturation.

After two-plus years of research and development, Universal Audio is proud to introduce the Fender ’55 Tweed Deluxe plug-in for UAD-2 hardware and Apollo interfaces. Designed 100% by Universal Audio, and endorsed by Fender Musical Instruments, the ’55 Tweed Deluxe plug-in captures every nuance of this historically unrivaled tone machine by emulating every last ingredient of the hallowed 5E3 Deluxe circuit.

Fender '55 Tweed Deluxe

• Use your Apollo to track through the only authentic emulation of a 1955 Fender tweed Deluxe amplifier — with no latency
• Hear the results of an exhaustive two-year R&D project — the first real guitar amp emulation
• Easily track perfect studio amp tones with different microphone combinations and placements — without phase issues
• Re-amp previously recorded tracks with any UAD-2 hardware

Technical Overview

Note: This section provides a conceptual overview of the plug-in. For detailed control descriptions, see the Fender ‘55 Tweed Deluxe Controls section in this chapter.

The UAD Fender ‘55 Tweed Deluxe plug-in contains three distinct areas of technology that comprise the overall plug-in: The amplifier circuitry, the speakers, and the microphones. These items have all been separately and meticulously emulated using the latest state-of-the-art proprietary modeling techniques.

The 1955 Fender Deluxe

This particular Fender Deluxe amp, one of a long line of Deluxe models, was originally produced in 1955. Its simple feature set is comprised of two channels with a volume control for each channel and a single tone control shared by the two channels. The amp outputs approximately 15 watts into a single 12” speaker enclosed in an open-back cabinet covered with distinctive tweed fabric.

The 5E3 Circuit

The amp's electronics are designated by Fender as the "5E3" circuit. The circuit is simple compared to most amps, and contains five tubes: 12AX7 and 12AY7 preamp tubes, two 6V6GT power tubes, and a single 5Y3GT rectifier tube. There are no transistors in this circuit.

The 5E3 is well known for its warmth, touch sensitivity, and a fuzzy distortion characteristic that cleans up nicely as the guitar's volume is reduced. The preamp and power sections both run hot – breaking up easily in a musically pleasing way – creating layers of gain and distortion that are key to its dynamic response. The tube rectifier also contributes to its spongy, compressed quality.

Despite its simplicity, the amp is popular and surprisingly versatile with players – not just guitarists – in a multitude of genres. The complex interactions between the simple controls, preamp tubes, power amp tubes, and speaker provide an exceptionally wide range of excellent tones.

The interactive dynamic tonal response of the amp is legendary. The amp has been notoriously difficult to model because of the extreme interactions between components. However, the authentic sound and live feel of the amp is available with stunning accuracy in the Fender '55 Tweed Deluxe plug-in, which provides all the tools you need to easily produce great recorded guitar tones.

Speakers

Three classic speaker selections are available in the plug-in. In addition to the original stock speaker, two alternate speakers were carefully chosen that complement the 5E3 circuit and suit a variety of musical genres.

Each speaker has a unique frequency response and dynamic range, providing a wide sonic palette from classic American clean, British rock, and everything in between.

Microphones

Five high quality mics, from the vintage and modern eras, are available in the plug-in for capturing the sound of the amp. Two mics can be used simultaneously, each with its own level, high pass filter, and pan settings.

Because two mics can be mixed together, the available mics were selected to complement each other as well as the speaker itself. For example, you can choose a mic with punchy midrange to cut through the mix and blend in a second mic that has more low end to add body and depth.

Mic Placements

It can take experienced engineers years to find the perfect combinations of mic and position for every type of speaker. Even extremely nuanced adjustments to a mic's position in relation to the speaker cone can have a significant impact to the recorded sound of the amp.

With the Fender '55 Tweed Deluxe plug-in, this work is done for you. Each mic placement is carefully positioned for the optimum "sweet spot" and each placement is unique to the specific speaker that is selected.

An option to place the mic in a off-axis position is available, offering an alternate tonal option. As with the normal positions, the off-axis placements are positioned for optimum sound, and the placements are unique for every speaker selection.

Mic Mixing

In the physical realm, using two microphones on a single source can cause out-of-phase signals, resulting in undesirable sonic artifacts such as comb filtering. With the Fender '55 Tweed Deluxe, all phase alignment is done by our experts, allowing you to concentrate on the music. By using both microphones together, big and lush guitar tones are easily achieved.

Guitar Workflows

The Fender '55 Tweed Deluxe can be used with Apollo's Realtime UAD Processing and/or DAW setups with UAD-2 devices. For optimum results when playing live through UAD guitar amp plug-ins, and when processing previously recorded tracks, see the example setups in the Guitar Amp Plug-In Workflows section in this article.

Unison Interactions

The Fender '55 Tweed Deluxe takes full advantage of Unison technology available with Universal Audio's audio interface products.

Unison Impedance Interaction

When the plug-in is placed in a Hi-Z input's dedicated Unison insert within Apollo's Console application, the physical impedance of the Apollo Hi-Z instrument input jack is adjusted to inherit the impedance characteristics of the original amp hardware's input jack(s).

This physical impedance and electrical interaction between the guitar pickups and the amplifier input(s) is an important key to the accurate sound, dynamic touch response, and feel when playing through the amp with Apollo's Realtime UAD Processing.

Unison impedance interaction is available on all of the amp's four available inputs, and also when the guitar signal is split with the virtual "Y-cable" for patching into both of the amp's INST and MIC inputs simultaneously.

Note: Hi-Z input impedance interaction is unavailable with first-generation (silver) Apollo DUO/QUAD/FireWire rackmount models.

Unison Gain Controls

As with all Unison plug-ins, the main gain parameter (in this case, the amp's INST VOL knob) can be easily adjusted with bidirectional control using the physical preamp gain knob on Apollo's hardware panel.

By entering Gain Stage Mode, all primary gain parameters in the plug-in (INST VOL, MIC VOL, MASTER LEVEL) can be adjusted with bidirectional control using the physical gain knob on Apollo's hardware panel.

Fender '55 Tweed Deluxe Controls

The specific operation of all controls are detailed in this section. For an overview of the amplifier and operating principles, see the Technical Overview section in this chapter.

Amplifier Panel

Amplifier panel elements

Line/Normal

When this switch is in the LINE position, the signal is attenuated by -14 dB at the input of the plug-in. LINE pads high level signals, providing more headroom so the amp does not distort as readily as the NORMAL position.

Note: This control is not available on the original hardware.

The amplifier circuit was originally designed for passive instrument and mic level signals. When using the plug-in on low-level signals such as those from unamplified passive instrument pickups (e.g., electric guitars), this switch is typically best in the NORMAL position.

When using the plug-in on hotter signals (such pre-recorded tracks that have already been preamplified), this switch is typically best in the LINE position. LINE can also help get cleaner tones when using hotter instrument signals, such as those produced by humbucking and/or active guitar pickups.

Tip: The Master Level control can be used to compensate for the lowered output levels that occur when LINE is engaged.

Speaker Select

This rotary switch determines the active speaker model. Three speaker selections are available; each has distinct and highly usable sonic characteristics.

Speaker Descriptions

JP 12

Modeled on the original factory-installed 25-watt Jensen P12R speaker. It has a sparkly top and thick bottom, but not as much midrange as the other speakers. The quintessential sound of early country & western, blues, and rock 'n' roll.

JB 120

Modeled on the 120-watt JBL D-120F that was designed for Fender as an aftermarket speaker in the '70s. It delivers a glassy, snappy sound, a more airy presence, and a slight peak in the upper midrange.

GB 25

Modeled on the classic Celestion 25-watt "greenback" speaker that's popular with rock players. It has a warm, thick bottom end, buttery midrange, and a darker, more velvety treble response that's perfect when pushing the amp into distortion.

On/Off (Enable)

The OFF/ON toggle switch is the plug-in's glitch-free bypass control for comparing the processed sound to the original signal.

Tip: Click the power lamp to toggle the OFF/ON state.

When this toggle switch is in the ON position (down), plug-in processing is active and the red power lamp is lit. In the OFF position (up), plug-in processing is bypassed and the power lamp and mic buttons are unlit.

When set to OFF, UAD DSP usage is reduced (if UAD-2 DSP LoadLock is inactive). To unload the plug-in and conserve UAD resources, use the Power (UA logo) switch instead.

Unison Interaction

When the plug-in is placed in a Hi-Z input's dedicated Unison insert within Apollo's Console application, Unison's physical impedance interactions between Apollo's Hi-Z input and the amp's input jack selection remains active and can be switched, even when Enable is set to OFF. This feature allows the amp's input jack selections to control Apollo's Unison impedance interactions without otherwise processing the signal with the amp. You could, for example, record the signal dry but with Unison impedance interactions so the amp's sound can be subsequently added and adjusted to taste during mixdown, thus maintaining complete Unison modeling accuracy all the way through the tracking and mixing process.

Note: For specific examples, see the Guitar Amp Plug-In Workflows in this chapter.

Tone

The shared TONE control shapes the overall timbre of the signal at the INST and MIC inputs. Rotate TONE clockwise to increase treble and reduce bass; rotate counter-clockwise increase bass and reduce treble. Set the control straight up (approximately 6.5) for the most neutral sound.

The tone circuit is located between the preamp and power amp circuits. Generally speaking, as TONE is increased, it adds gain and increases distortion in the power section. Singing lead tones can be achieved at the maximum position.

TONE is not a clean control; it pushes the power section hard and has a broad effective range that interacts significantly with both VOL controls.

Instrument Volume

The INST VOL knob controls the volume and distortion of signals at the INST inputs. For the cleanest tones, keep this control around 2.5 or lower.

Due to circuit interdependencies within the original hardware, adjusting INST VOL will subtly alter the sound of the MIC inputs as well, even when INST inputs are not connected.

Increasing INST VOL with no INST input connection will reduce the gain available at the MIC input, resulting in a thinner sound with less bass at the MIC input.

	Unison Interactions
Default Apollo Control When the plug-in is placed in a Hi-Z input's dedicated Unison insert within Apollo's Console application, this parameter can be adjusted with Apollo's preamp gain knob (the hardware control on the interface panel) and/or the software knob in the plug-in interface. This bidirectional interaction is available even when Apollo is not in Gain Stage Mode.

Gain Stage Mode Control

When Apollo is in Gain Stage Mode, this parameter is the initial gain stage that can be controlled with Apollo's preamp gain knob. When this gain stage is selected in Gain Stage Mode, an orange outline surrounds this control in the plug-in interface as shown at right, indicating the parameter is available for bidirectional adjustment with the hardware knob and/or the software knob in the plug-in interface.

Tip: Press and hold Apollo's preamp gain knob for three seconds to enter or exit Gain Stage Mode. When in Gain Stage Mode, press Apollo's preamp gain knob to cycle through the available gain stages. See the Unison chapter in the Apollo Software Manual for details.

Mic Volume

The MIC VOL knob controls the volume and distortion of signals at the MIC inputs. For the cleanest tones, keep this control around 2.5 or lower.

Due to circuit interdependencies within the original hardware, adjusting MIC VOL will subtly alter the sound of the INST inputs as well, even when MIC inputs are not connected.

Increasing MIC VOL with no MIC input connection will reduce the gain available at the MIC input, resulting in a thinner sound with less bass at the MIC input.

Gain Stage Mode Control

Unison Interaction

When Apollo is in Gain Stage Mode, this parameter is the second gain stage that can be controlled with Apollo's preamp gain knob. When this gain stage is selected in Gain Stage Mode, an amber outline surrounds this control in the plug-in interface as shown at right, indicating the parameter is available for bidirectional adjustment with the hardware knob and/or the software knob in the plug-in interface.

Tip: Press and hold Apollo's preamp gain knob for three seconds to enter or exit Gain Stage Mode. When in Gain Stage Mode, press Apollo's preamp gain knob to cycle through the available gain stages. See the Unison chapter in the Apollo Software Manual for details.

Input Select

As with the original amp, four discrete input jacks are available; two each for the INST and MIC channels. The INST and MIC inputs can also be patched simultaneously using a virtual Y-cable, offering additional sonic options with Apollo's Unison technology.

To patch the source signal into an input, click the desired input jack. To patch into both the INST and MIC inputs simultaneously via the virtual Y-cable, click the input jack again.

Note: Y-cable patching into inputs INST 1 + MIC 2, and INST 2 + MIC 1, are not available.

The INST and MIC inputs sound similar, but not identical. All six input selections are accurately modeled, including the vintage Y-cable itself.

Note: The Y-cable input selections do not affect the amp's sound when used in standard (non-Unison) plug-in inserts. Y-cable input impedance interactions are only available when the plug-in is used with Apollo's Unison technology.

	Unison Interaction
Apollo's hardware preamp knob can be used to adjust this parameter when Input Select is set to Mic, and/or when this parameter is selected in Gain Stage Mode.

When the plug-in is placed in a Hi-Z input's dedicated Unison insert within Apollo's Console application, the physical impedance of the Apollo Hi-Z input jack is adjusted to inherit the impedance characteristics of the original hardware's input jack(s).

This physical impedance matching is an important key to the accurate sound, dynamic touch response, and feel when playing through the amp with Apollo's Realtime UAD Processing.

Note: Hi-Z input impedance interaction is unavailable with first-generation (silver) Apollo DUO/QUAD/FireWire rackmount models.

INST Inputs

Two instrument input jacks (INST 1 and INST 2) are available. The INST input has more treble and less bass versus the MIC input.

Both INST inputs are controlled primarily by the INST VOL knob. However, due to circuit interdependencies, adjusting MIC VOL will also subtly alter the sound of the INST inputs.

Signals at the INPUT 2 jack are attenuated by 6 dB. INST 2 is typically used with hotter signals (such as humbucking or active guitar pickups) for more clean headroom.

MIC Inputs

Two microphone input jacks (MIC 1 and MIC 2) are available. The MIC input has more bass and less treble versus the INST input.

Both MIC inputs are controlled primarily by the MIC VOL knob. However, due to circuit interdependencies, adjusting INST VOL will also subtly alter the sound of the MIC inputs.

Signals at the MIC 2 jack are attenuated by 6 dB. MIC 2 is typically used with hotter signals for more clean headroom.

Y Inputs

Using the virtual Y-cable patches into both the INST and MIC inputs simultaneously, which halves the impedance of the input when used with Apollo's Unison technology. This results in more midrange and less treble, smoothing out the top end as if a longer guitar cable was used.

Note: The Y-cable input selections do not affect the amp's sound when used in standard (non-Unison) plug-in inserts. Y-cable input impedance interactions are only available when the plug-in is used with Apollo's Unison technology.

Microphone Panel

Note: The controls for MIC 1 and MIC 2 are identical.

Microphone panel elements

Mic Select

Five microphones are available; each is described below. With such great mics and expert placements, it's always best to try a different mic (and/or speaker) before reaching for EQ when tracking or mixing.

Either of these methods can be used to select a mic:

• Click the mic icon within the microphone panel to cycle through the available microphones. Tip: Shift+click to cycle in reverse order.
• Click the disclosure triangle in the lower right corner of the mic icon to display the drop menu, then select a microphone from the menu.

Mic Select menu

Mic Descriptions

Dyn-57

Modeled from an original vintage Shure Brothers Unidyne III SM57 dynamic mic. A standard for capturing guitar amps, it has an upper midrange bump that makes guitars jump out of a mix. Its internal transformer also rolls off the bottom end, so no matter how much bass the guitarist dials in at the amp, it never gets tubby in the mix.

Dyn-421

Modeled from an original vintage 1962 white Sennheiser MD 421 dynamic mic. The MD 421 was a top choice for many guitarists in the '70s. This warm favorite is still popular with engineers for capturing huge sounding guitars. It's great at capturing transients and has a little extra bottom and softer top versus the SM57.

Rib-121

Modeled from a Royer Labs R-121 ribbon mic. This modern classic, a favorite guitar mic of many engineers, has lots of bass, low midrange, and a smooth (but somewhat lacking) top end. It has a similar big silky sound as the M 160, but with more headroom for louder sources. Often paired with an SM57 to add highs back into the mix, this mic captures so much bass that it's often helpful to engage the high pass filter to eliminate rumble.

Rib-160

Modeled from an original vintage '60s beyerdynamic M 160 ribbon mic. This handheld mic was frequently used in England by famous engineers to add big, silky tone to loud guitar amps. This mic captures less high end, so an amp's treble can be cranked without sounding brittle. For a classic buttery '60s tone, set the TONE knob to max and fatten it up with this mic in the OFF AXIS position.

Con-67

Modeled from an original vintage 1967 Neumann U 67 condenser mic in the original Ocean Way Studios collection owned by Allen Sides. The U 67 is the undisputed king of late '60s to mid '70s recording sessions. It has a sweet midrange, not too much bottom end, and a crispy top end that's not at all harsh. A very nice full range and even mic that's great for guitar amps.

Mic Pan

When the plug-in is used on a stereo source, this control adjusts the mic's position in the stereo panorama.

Tip: To return to the center position, click the "C" text label.

Note: When the plug-in is used in a mono-out configuration, this control is locked in the center position. For stereo operation examples, see the Guitar Amp Plug-In Workflows later in this chapter.

Mic Level

This knob controls the volume of the microphone. By adjusting LEVEL individually for both MIC 1 and MIC 2, a mixed blend of both microphones can be heard.

Note: When MIC MUTE is active, this control has no effect.

The available range is from Off (-Inf dB) to +12 dB. When set to the "0" position, the level is 0 dB (unity gain).

Tip: To return to the 0 dB position, click the "0" text label.

Off Axis

This switch places the mic in an optimized alternate position, resulting in a different sonic characteristic. OFF AXIS typically generates a thicker, more robust midrange response.

Click the button to engage OFF AXIS. Click the button again to return the mic to its default placement. When OFF AXIS is engaged, this button is lit, and the graphics in the plug-in interface reflects the modeled mic placement.

Note: When MIC MUTE is enabled, this control has no effect.

High Pass

This switch engages a high pass filter, reducing low frequency rumble that may be present with some source signals. The high pass filter cutoff frequency is approximately 82 Hz with a slope of 18 dB per octave.

Click the button to enable the high pass filter. The button is lit when the filter is active. Click the button again deactivate the filter.

Note: When MIC MUTE is active, this control has no effect.

Mic Mute

This switch disables the microphone. Click the button to mute the mic. The button is lit red when the mic is muted. Click the button again unmute the mic.

Mic Meter

This LED, located directly above the PAN knob, is a signal level indicator for the microphone. When the LED is green, audio is present at the mic. The LED glows brighter as the level increases.

Master Panel

Master panel elements

Master Level

This knob controls the level at the output of the plug-in. It adjusts the overall mix of the two MIC LEVEL controls.

The available range is from Off (-Inf dB) to +12 dB. When set to the "0" position, the level is at unity gain (0 dB).

Tip: To return to the 0 dB position, click the "0" text label.

Unison Interaction

Gain Stage Mode Control When Apollo is in Gain Stage Mode, this parameter is the third gain stage that can be controlled with Apollo's preamp gain knob. When this gain stage is selected in Gain Stage Mode, a green outline surrounds this control in the plug-in interface as shown at right, indicating the parameter is available for bidirectional adjustment with the hardware knob and/or the software knob in the plug-in interface.

Tip: Press and hold Apollo's preamp gain knob for three seconds to enter or exit Gain Stage Mode. When in Gain Stage Mode, press Apollo's preamp gain knob to cycle through the available gain stages. See the Unison chapter in the Apollo Software Manual for details.

Master Meters

The dual Master Meter LEDs (labeled L and R) are signal level indicators for the output of the plug-in. When audio is present at the left or right output channel, its corresponding LED glows.

The Master Meter LEDs are red when the virtual signal is clipped. If clipping occurs, reduce the MIC and/or MASTER LEVEL controls (and/or the DAW's master output) so digital clipping does not occur at the D/A converters.

Important: To prevent undesirable digital clipping at the plug-in output, reduce the MIC and/or MASTER level controls.

Power (UA Logo)

This switch completely powers off the plug-in. Click the UA diamond logo (above the MASTER LEVEL knob) to toggle the Power state. Power is on when the UA Logo is lit and off when the logo is gray.

The Power switch performs the same function as the host application's plug-in bypass control. Power is a hard bypass that conserves UAD DSP but may cause audible glitching as the plug-in is unloaded. For a soft glitch-free bypass, use the ON/OFF switch instead.

Power switch active (left) and powered off (right)

Note: DSP usage is reduced with the Power switch only when DSP LoadLock is disabled in the UAD Meter & Control Panel application. If DSP LoadLock is enabled (the default setting), this switch will not reduce DSP usage.

Graphic Panel

All microphones, placements, and positions (including normal and off axis positions) are accurately depicted in the graphic panel.

Note: Elements in the graphic panel are for display purposes only. There are no controls in this area.

Graphic panel

Guitar Amp Plug-In Workflows

UAD plug-ins can be used with any Apollo audio interface or UAD-2 DSP accelerator. Typical input (monitoring/recording) and output (playback/mixing) workflows for the two product types when using Fender 55' Tweed Deluxe are described below.

Apollo Workflows

Apollo's Realtime UAD Processing feature enables monitoring and/or recording through UAD plug-ins with no discernible latency. While using this feature, the plug-in can be recorded with or without amp processing, while still monitoring the processed signal.

Important: Whenever Apollo is used for input monitoring, software monitoring must be disabled in the DAW to prevent doubled signals. Consult the DAW's documentation for instructions.

Note: For related details, see the Apollo Software Manual.

Apollo: Live input processing

For the most authentic sound, dynamic touch response, and feel of the original amp:

1. Plug the guitar (or other passive instrument) into the Hi-Z instrument input on Apollo's front panel. The input is automatically switched to use the Hi-Z jack.
2. Within Apollo's included Console application, place the amp plug-in into the Hi-Z input's dedicated Unison insert slot. The Hi-Z input is routed into the amp with Unison impedance and bidirectional control interactions.
3. DAW tracks that use this Hi-Z input as its source will have the complete sound of the amp (Unison insert processing is always recorded).

Tip: Adjust the amp's INST VOL control with Apollo's preamp gain knob and/or enter Gain Stage Mode to adjust additional plug-in gain stages with the hardware knob.

Apollo: Recording dry with impedance interactions

Apollo's Hi-Z input signal can be recorded without the amp's sound processing, while still capturing the amp's input jack impedance interactions. This workflow allows you to record the signal dry but with Unison impedance interactions so the amp's sound can be subsequently added and adjusted to taste during mixdown, thus maintaining complete Unison modeling accuracy all the way through the tracking and mixing process.

To record or monitor Unison Hi-Z impedance interactions without amp processing:

1. Plug the guitar (or other passive instrument) into the Hi-Z instrument input on the front panel of Apollo. The input is automatically switched to use the Hi-Z jack.
2. Within Apollo's included Console application, place the amp plug-in into the Hi-Z input's dedicated Unison insert slot. The Hi-Z input is routed into the amp with Unison impedance and bidirectional control interactions.
3. Within the plug-in interface, set the amp's ON/OFF toggle switch to the OFF position. The amp's red power lamp turns off, but the impedance interaction remains active.
4. In the DAW, set the Hi-Z input as a track's input source. The track will now capture the amp's impedance interactions without the amp processing.

Tip: To monitor amp processing in real time while recording dry with impedance interactions, use the Apollo: Live stereo monitoring with impedance interactions workflow below in addition to this one.

Apollo: Live stereo monitoring with impedance interactions

To hear the amp's dual microphones in stereo, the plug-in must be used on a stereo source. However, Apollo's Hi-Z inputs are monophonic. With this workflow, two amp plug-in instances are used in Console: One in the Unison insert to capture impedance interactions, and one on a stereo auxiliary bus for amp processing so the mic pan controls can be adjusted.

To capture Unison Hi-Z impedance interactions while monitoring amp processing in stereo:

1. In Console, prepare an AUX for the workflow by muting (or lowering to zero) the SEND to AUX controls for all inputs except the Hi-Z input.
2. Follow steps 1, 2, and 3 in the Apollo: Recording dry with impedance interactions workflow above.
3. In Console, switch the Hi-Z input to MUTE. The input is no longer routed to the monitor outputs, preventing doubled signals.
4. In Console, route the Hi-Z input to the AUX by setting the SEND control in the Hi-Z channel to maximum. The dry signal with impedance interactions is routed to the AUX for further processing.
5. In Console, place the amp plug-in into an insert in the AUX. (The signal is not yet heard, because the Hi-Z input is muted.)
6. Switch the AUX from POST to PRE so the muted Hi-Z input is heard in the AUX. The Hi-Z input can now be monitored in stereo with complete Unison amp processing.

Tips:

• To record complete Unison amp processing in the DAW with this configuration, set a stereo track to use the AUX as its source.
• To record the signal dry but with Unison impedance interactions, set a mono track in the DAW to use the Hi-Z input as its source.

UAD-2 Workflows

The Fender '55 Tweed Deluxe amp plug-in can be used as a standard UAD plug-in inside any compatible DAW. Following the guidelines below, the plug-in adds great guitar amp color and tone on any signal source with any UAD-2 hardware.

UAD-2: Live input processing

When playing live through UAD plug-ins when loaded in a DAW using a traditional (non-Apollo) audio interface, the DAW's software monitoring feature is used, and throughput latency is determined by the hardware I/O buffer setting. In this scenario, you'll want to lower the I/O buffer to the lowest setting your system will allow.

Note: This technique is controlled by features within the DAW and/or audio interface. Consult the manufacturer's documentation for detailed procedures.

To minimize live input latency and get the best sound when playing through the amp plug-in when it's loaded in a DAW:

1. Set the hardware I/O buffer size to the lowest value the system will allow without audio artifacts. The lower the buffer size, the lower the latency.
2. To prevent doubled signals, disable the audio interface's hardware input monitoring feature (if available). Consult the audio interface documentation for instructions.
3. Insert the amp plug-in on the live input's channel in the DAW. For optimum results, use a Hi-Z instrument input (if available).
4. Enable software input monitoring in the DAW (and the low-latency monitoring feature, if available). You should now be able to hear the input through the amp plug-in.
5. Don't preamplify the guitar signal in the analog domain (audio interface preamps or other external mic preamps) or digital domain (gain controls within the DAW). The amp plug-in input is expecting low-level instrument signals, such as those from passive guitar pickups. If the amp sounds overloaded (but not like a guitar amp), try engaging the LINE switch in the amp plug-in's interface.
6. After monitoring and/or recording the live input, the I/O buffer size can be increased during playback to reduce the computer's CPU load. Throughput latency is irrelevant during playback.

Tip: To reduce latency when using a UAD-2 PCIe card or UAD-2 Satellite (Thunderbolt or USB models only), enable UAD-2 LiveTrack mode by clicking the mic icon in the UAD Toolbar at the bottom of the plug-in interface.

UAD-2: Playback processing

To add traditional amp tones to previously recorded tracks (aka re-amping), it's usually best to attenuate the previously-preamplified track back down to the passive low-level instrument signals the amp was originally designed for. This can be easily accomplished within the plug-in itself.

To process previously-recorded tracks with the amp plug-in:

1. Insert the amp plug-in on any mono or stereo source as you would any other plug-in.
2. Within the plug-in interface, set the amp's NORMAL/LINE toggle switch to the LINE position. LINE attenuates the input signal by -14 dB, so the amp behaves as it would if the signal was not already preamplified.

Tip: Don't record the dry input source signal at high levels. With very hot signals (e.g., approaching 0 dBFS), the amp's input can be overloaded, even if the plug-in is set to LINE mode.

History of the 1955 Fender Deluxe

The Deluxe began as one of Leo Fender's first ever amps to go along with his main business of selling lap-steel instruments. Early versions of the Deluxe (known as TV-front and later narrow-panel) came out in 1946, years before the release of his first solid-body electric guitars like the Esquire/Broadcaster/Telecaster (1950) and Stratocaster (1954).

With some tweaks and tube changes to the circuit, Leo eventually landed on the now historic, "wide-panel" 5E3 Deluxe in 1955. This version of the amp became legendary as the ultimate bar gig, mid-sized club, and studio amp. With a single 12-inch speaker and around 15 watts, it was just loud enough to compete with most country and jazz drummers of the '50s.

As rock 'n' roll began to take shape, and drummers and bass players starting digging in and getting louder, the Deluxe couldn't keep up. And it was that limitation of the 5E3 circuit being pushed into tube saturation that gave birth to the gritty, overdriven sound of rock guitar.

Even as Leo Fender made bigger, and cleaner sounding tweed amps like the 2x12 80-watt Twin, many players never gave up their Deluxe. This was nearly a decade before distortion and fuzz pedals even existed. If you wanted that overdriven rock sound, you needed to turn your amp all the way up.

Even as the '60s, '70s, and '80s saw many new ways to get distortion and that classic "tweed on 12" sound live at any volume, many guitar icons always took their Deluxe into the studio to capture the real deal. For them, nothing could replace the powerful and dynamic tones of their favorite guitar, and a cable plugged directly into that iconic, tattered, and road worn tweed-covered Deluxe amp. Regardless of the decade and musical genre, the Fender '55 Tweed Deluxe is what electric guitar is supposed to sound like: ICONIC.

The original Fender Deluxe amplifier

All visual and aural references to the Fender Deluxe, and all use of Fender's trademarks, are being made with written permission from Fender Musical Instruments Corporation.