Universal Audio Astra
What if you could have the classic studio modulation of a 1976 bucket-brigade chorus, a legendary '70s rackmount studio flanger, and the optical tube tremolo of a '60s American amp — all in one pedal on your board? That's the Universal Audio Astra Modulation Machine. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
In this episode the UAFX Astra takes center stage, running into my Prisma Guitars Sunset loaded with Lollar Novel Foil pickups in the bridge and neck.
Universal Audio built the Astra around their dual-engine UAFX processing platform, and the modulation models are genuinely end-to-end circuit emulations rather than approximations. Three onboard modes plus two additional downloadable effects cover the full classic modulation spectrum:
Chorus Brigade — UA's complete circuit emulation of the legendary Japanese bucket-brigade gray chorus stompbox, circa 1976. Lush, thick, saturated chorus with vibrato mode available — the most authentic recreation of this pedal's preamp section and BBD chip ever placed in a stompbox.
Flanger/Dblr — the only end-to-end circuit emulation of the legendary late-'70s rackmount bucket-brigade studio flanger/doubler. Organic whoosh, complex doubling textures, and a density that goes well beyond anything a conventional flanger can produce.
Trem 65 — stem-to-stern model of tube-driven optical tremolo from classic 1960s American amps. The real amplitude tremolo feel — the same movement and depth you get from a vintage circuit, not a digital simulation of it.
Free at registration: the Phaser X90 and Dharma Trem '61 — a MXR-style phaser and a uni-vibe-style tremolo that round out the palette significantly.
Dual-engine processing means you can run two instances of the same effect simultaneously — two bucket-brigade units at once, or two tremolo circuits — for a full stereo spread of complex, layered texture. Live/Preset modes, silent switching, preamp coloration, and true/buffered bypass complete the package.
The Prisma Guitars Sunset — built from reclaimed hard rock maple skateboard decks by designer Nick Pourfard — with Lollar Novel Foils in both positions brings the kind of clear, harmonically complex single-coil voice that makes every modulation effect sound three-dimensional rather than flat.
🎛️ Universal Audio Astra Modulation Machine: https://www.uaudio.com/products/astra-modulation-machine
🎸 Prisma Guitars Sunset: https://www.prismaguitars.com/collections
🎸 Lollar Novel Foil Pickups: https://www.lollarguitars.com/novel-foil
🔊 Benson Amps Vincent: https://www.bensonamps.com/amps/vincent
