The JAM Pedals "Relic" Chill is a hand-painted edition of the Chill, an analog sine-wave tremolo from the Greek maker JAM Pedals. JAM describes the Chill as "a no-frills analog sine-wave tremolo that captures the lush, flowing pulse of vintage Fender-style amplifie"1, meaning it reproduces the amplitude tremolo built into old Fender amps, where the volume of the signal swells up and down in a smooth wave. Each "Relic" unit is a one-of-a-kind hand-painted piece, and the maker notes that the pedal you receive will differ in detail from the one pictured1.
What it does to your sound
The Chill produces warm amplitude modulation, the plainest kind of tremolo: the signal's volume rises and falls along a sine wave. JAM describes its range as "From slow, mellow movement to surf and spaghetti-western rhythms, it delivers warm amplitude modulation with three controls that are quick to understand and difficult to misdial."1 The circuit uses carbon-composition resistors, which the maker says give it "an extra layer of harmonic richness"1.
The pedal also doubles as a boost. Set Depth to zero to remove the modulation, and Level becomes a harmonically rich clean boost1, which makes the Chill useful on a board even on songs that need no tremolo at all.
The controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Speed | Sets the tremolo rate |
| Depth | Controls modulation intensity |
| Level | Sets output |
Three knobs and no menus: JAM's own description calls them "quick to understand and difficult to misdial"1. For a player who wants vintage amp-style tremolo without extra waveform options, that simplicity is the point.
Power and practical details
The Chill runs on a 9V battery or a 9V DC center-negative supply and draws 6 mA1, a very light load that suits any standard pedalboard power supply. Bypass is true bypass1, so the circuit is out of the signal path entirely when the pedal is off. The enclosure measures 11.1 x 7 x 4.8 cm (4.3 x 2.7 x 1.8 in) including jacks and controls and weighs 230 g (0.5 lb)1, compact enough for a crowded board.
JAM Pedals offers a 30-day money-back guarantee with a refund no questions asked1, and ships DDP with 20% UK VAT and all duties included, with no extra charges on delivery1.
The "Relic" edition and the Chill family
The "Relic" treatment is about the artwork, not the circuit. JAM states that "Every limited artwork pedal is a one-of-a-kind hand-painted piece"1, so no two look alike. The same sound is available in other custom-artwork versions currently in stock, including the "Achenbach" Chill, "Amethyst" Chill, "Bliss!" Chill, "Hand in Hand" Chill, "Steampunk" Chill and "Summer Afternoon" Chill, all described by the maker as "Same sound, different artwork"1.
Because every "Relic" pedal is hand-painted as a one-off, the artwork on the unit you receive will differ in detail from the product photos1.
The "Relic" edition is a cosmetically aged version of the Chill sold directly by JAM Pedals, listed at £264.00 GBP as its regular price with tax included1. It shares the standard Chill's footprint, measuring 11.1 x 7 x 4.8 cm (4.3 x 2.7 x 1.8 in) including jacks and controls and weighing 230 g (0.5 lb)1. JAM backs it with a 30-day money-back guarantee, with a refund offered no questions asked1.
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Questions
Is the JAM Pedals Relic Chill true bypass?
Yes. JAM Pedals lists the Chill with true bypass, so when the pedal is off your guitar's signal passes straight through without any buffering from the circuit. Combined with its low 6 mA current draw, it is an easy pedal to place anywhere on a board without worrying about tone loss or power budget.
Does the Relic Chill take a 9V battery?
Yes. JAM Pedals specifies power as a 9V battery or 9V DC, centre-negative, so it can run either way. The current draw is 6 mA, which is light enough for almost any daisy-chain or isolated supply. As with any centre-negative pedal, use a standard 9V DC adapter and never a center-positive one.
How much current does the JAM Chill draw?
JAM Pedals lists the current draw at 6 mA. That is very low by pedal standards, so the Chill adds almost nothing to the load on a power supply and can share an output with other low-draw analog pedals without trouble.
Does Bill Frisell use a JAM Pedals Chill?
Yes. JAM Pedals' own product page for the Chill lists guitarist Bill Frisell among the players documented using the pedal, with a link to his artist page on the maker's site.
What is the difference between the JAM Chill and Big Chill?
The Chill is a straightforward three-knob sine-wave tremolo with Speed, Depth and Level. The Big Chill, announced in 2013, adds more features, including waveform, speed and expression controls and a CHOP feature, as reported by Delicious Audio at the time. The Chill versions all share the same sound and differ only in artwork.
Sources (1)
- “Relic” Chill, JAM Pedals (www.jampedals.com)
