JHS Pedals 3 Series Expands with Rotary Chorus, Tape Delay, and Oil Can Delay.
Three new $99 effect pedals added to 3 Series
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JHS Pedals has added three new $99 effects pedals to the 3 Series: Rotary Chorus, Tape Delay, and Oil Can Delay.
JHS 3 Series
The JHS Pedals 3 Series has three new models: the Rotary Chorus, Tape Delay, and Oil Can Delay. Each effect follows the simple design of the rest of the range with three controls knob layouts, with a toggle switch for added variations.
Priced at $99 each, they are well worth checking out, as Josh Scott designs some great circuits. These three new affordable pedals are all based on classic vintage effects, so there are some great tones to play with.
Tape Delay
The pedal pays homage to the history of tape delay, which began in the late 1940s with Les Paul’s pioneering work using linked reel-to-reel recorders. It also draws inspiration from later innovations like Ray Butts’ Echosonic (1953), the Echoplex EP-1 (1961), and the Roland Space Echo (1974).
Warble & Flutter
The 3 Series Tape Delay offers simplified controls for modern players. The Mix knob blends the original “dry” signal with the delayed “wet” signal. The Tape Speed control adjusts the delay time, mimicking the speed variations of vintage tape machines. The Repeats knob governs the number of echo repetitions, from a single slapback to multiple decaying echoes.
A Flutter toggle switch introduces a subtle modulation effect, simulating the wear and tear on aged tape mechanisms. This creates the sought-after warble and flutter characteristic of classic tape delays. The pedal offers delay times ranging from 15ms to 950ms.
Rotary Chorus
The rotary speaker effect, a decades-old musical cornerstone, is now available in an affordable and easy-to-use pedal format.
Initially created by the Leslie speaker for Hammond organs, this effect produces a swirling, Doppler-like sound heard in countless iconic songs, from The Beatles’ “It’s Only Love” to Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun.”
Leslie Speaker
The new JHS 3 Series Rotary Chorus pedal captures this classic tone. It features simple controls: Intensity adjusts the depth of the swirl, while Speed controls how fast it spins. A Room switch adds a touch of reverb, mimicking the sound of a microphone capturing the ambience of an actual Leslie speaker.
The pedal also includes a Volume control to adjust the overall output.
Oil Can Delay
This one is interesting and has a unique backstory, so I have saved it until last. The ‘Oil Can Delay’, the quirky electrostatic delay units of the 1960s.
These original devices, invented by Ray Lubow of Tel-Ray Electronics, used oil-filled drums and rubber “heads” to create a distinctive echo effect with vibrato and slapback characteristics.
Lubow licensed this technology to significant amp companies like Fender and Gibson before launching his brand, Morley.
Nels Cline
The revival of this vintage technology came about after JHS founder Josh Scott discussed unique delay sounds with Wilco guitarist Nels Cline at the 2022 Solid Sound Festival. Cline’s subsequent request for an oil can-style delay led JHS to develop a one-off pedal, which Cline used on Wilco’s albums Cruel Country and Cousin.
While not a signature pedal, the JHS Oil Can Delay directly results from Cline’s inspiration. The pedal features controls for Mix (echo/clean balance), Speed (delay time from 100ms to 330ms), Feedback (number of repeats), and a +/- toggle to switch between light and heavy modulation.
The modulation speed is linked to the delay time, mimicking the warble of the original oil can units. The JHS Oil Can Delay brings this classic, unusual sound to a new generation of players.
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