The JAM Pedals "Achenbach" Delay Llama mk.3 is a custom artwork version of the Delay Llama mk.3, the Greek builder's all-analog bucket-brigade (BBD) delay pedal. JAM Pedals describes it as "our warm, organic delay, reimagined through the artwork of The Simpsons artist John Achenbach"1. The circuit is identical to the standard pedal: same sound, different artwork1.
The mk.3 generation, announced in January 2022, added tap tempo with subdivisions and a HOLD self-oscillation function to the vintage-voiced bucket-brigade design1. BBD chips modeled after the Panasonic MN3205 produce the repeats, which JAM Pedals says blend naturally with the dry signal1. Maximum delay time is 600 ms1.
An analog BBD delay with tap tempo
A bucket-brigade delay passes your signal through a chain of capacitor "buckets" that hand the charge along step by step, which is what gives analog delays their characteristically darker, warmer repeats as the signal degrades with each pass. The Delay Llama mk.3 uses BBD chips modeled after the Panasonic MN3205, a classic choice in analog delay design1.
What separates the mk.3 from earlier Delay Llamas is the right footswitch. Tap it at least twice to set the delay tempo, and keep it pressed to engage the HOLD function, which pushes the repeats into self-oscillation for as long as you hold the switch1. A subdivision toggle selects eighth notes, quarter notes or dotted eighth notes1, so you can dial in rhythmic echoes against your tapped tempo rather than chasing the exact delay time by ear.
JAM Pedals positions the pedal's tape-like character, simple three-knob layout and 600 ms ceiling as suiting everything from subtle depth to classic slapback and spacious rhythmic echoes1. When the mk.3 was announced, MusicRadar noted the addition of the secondary tap-tempo footswitch and subdivision toggle to the vintage-voiced bucket-brigade circuit3, and Delicious Audio's write-up listed the 600 ms maximum delay time and the selectable trails or true bypass among its features3.
The controls
The front panel keeps things to three knobs and a toggle1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Time | Sets delay time1 |
| Repeats | Controls feedback1 |
| Level | Sets the repeats above the dry signal1 |
| Subdivision toggle | Selects eighth notes, quarter notes or dotted eighth notes1 |
| Right footswitch (TAP/HOLD) | Tap at least twice to set tempo; keep pressed for HOLD/self-oscillation1 |
Bypass modes and internal trimmers
The pedal ships in true-bypass mode, but you can switch it to buffered trails, which let repeats fade out naturally after you disengage the pedal instead of cutting them dead1. Delicious Audio's coverage of the mk.3 also noted this bypass-mode option3.
To change it:
- Disconnect power.
- Hold the TAP footswitch.
- Reconnect power and release after three LED blinks.
- Repeat the same process to return to true bypass; two blinks confirm the change1.
Inside the pedal are two trimmers. One sets the maximum number of repeats, which caps how far the Repeats knob can push the feedback before runaway. The second sets the trails fade-out time in buffered-bypass mode, controlling how long echoes ring out after you switch the pedal off1.
A hand-painted artwork edition
The "Achenbach" is one of several custom artwork versions of the Delay Llama mk.3, alongside the "Lechuk's Chest", "Monterey", "Why?", "Craboid" and "Relic" editions, all with the same sound and different artwork1. JAM Pedals has hand-built and hand-painted its pedals in Athens, Greece since 20052.
Every limited artwork pedal is a one-of-a-kind hand-painted piece. The pedal you receive will differ in detail from the photos shown1.
The Custom Artwork edition finishes offered with the mk.3 line included "Reverse", "Achenbach" and "Warer Lillies" at £2294. JAM Pedals' current listing for the Achenbach edition is £334.00, tax included1. Like the other custom artwork versions, it is a one-of-a-kind hand-painted piece, and the pedal received will differ in detail from the photos shown1.
What reviewers said
JAM Pedals lists the Achenbach edition of the Delay Llama mk.3 with the same core specifications as the standard pedal: 9V DC, center-negative power, dimensions of 7.5 x 12 x 5.6 cm / 2.9 x 4.7 x 2.2 in including jacks and controls, and a weight of 280 g / 0.6 lb1. The custom artwork versions share the same sound as the standard mk.3, with different artwork1.
Questions
Who painted the Achenbach Delay Llama mk.3?
The artwork is by John Achenbach, an artist who has worked on The Simpsons. JAM Pedals describes the pedal as its warm, organic delay reimagined through his artwork. Each one is a one-of-a-kind hand-painted piece, so the pedal you receive will differ in detail from the photos shown.
Does the Delay Llama mk.3 self-oscillate?
Yes. The right TAP footswitch has a HOLD function: keep it pressed and the repeats are pushed into self-oscillation for as long as you hold the switch. Tap the same switch at least twice to set the delay tempo.
How do you switch the Delay Llama mk.3 to buffered trails?
Disconnect power, hold the TAP footswitch, reconnect power, and release it after the LED blinks three times. Repeat the same process to return to true bypass; two blinks confirm the change. The pedal ships in true-bypass mode.
What is the maximum delay time on the Delay Llama mk.3?
600 ms. JAM Pedals says the tape-like character, simple three-knob layout and 600 ms maximum delay time make it suited to subtle depth, classic slapback and spacious rhythmic echoes.
How much current does the Delay Llama mk.3 draw?
120 mA at 9V DC, center-negative, according to JAM Pedals' product page. Premier Guitar's review notes the same 120 mA draw, so plan an isolated or adequately sized power supply output rather than a shared low-current tap.
Sources (4)
- “Achenbach” Delay Llama mk.3, JAM Pedals (www.jampedals.com)
- Delay Llama Limited Artwork, www.jampedals.com
- Jam Pedals Delay Llama Mk3, Delicious Audio, 2022-11-25
- Jam Pedals adds tap tempo plus subdivisions to its refreshed and upgraded Delay Llama mk.3, MusicRadar, 2022-01-25
