The JHS 3 Series Tape Delay is a compact tape delay pedal from JHS Pedals, who describe it as "a simplified and faithful throwback to these classic units"1. It distils the sound and behavior of vintage tape machines, and is "mostly based on the Echoplex and Space Echo"2. The controls are Mix, Tape Speed and Repeats, plus a Flutter toggle that switches between mild fluttery modulation and the stock sound2.
What it does
Tape delay as an effect goes back to the late 1940s, when Les Paul strung two Ampex Model 200A reel-to-reel tape recorders together1. The Tape Delay takes that lineage and narrows it down: Guitar Pedal X described it as distilling "a number of the classic Tape delay units into a simplified format - mostly based on the Echoplex and Space Echo"2.
The pedal has four controls:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Mix | Sets the level of the delayed signal against your dry tone2 |
| Tape Speed | Sets the delay time from 15ms to 950ms1 |
| Repeats | Sets how many times the delay repeats2 |
| Flutter toggle | Up position adds mild, fluttery modulation; down position is stock2 |
The Tape Speed knob is the pedal's centrepiece. JHS explain that it "acts as a simulation of the RE-201's tape motor speeding up and slowing down"1, which means turning it while the effect is running produces the pitching, warbling shift you get from grabbing the speed control on a real tape machine. Delicious Audio simply calls it "Tape Speed (aka delay time)"3, and gearnews.com's Julian Schmauch notes that it sets "the delay's rate (or speed) with the Tape Speed dial" and creates a pitching effect while you turn it4.
Where it sits in the 3 Series
Within JHS's 3 Series range, the Tape Delay sits on the delay side of the family, alongside pedals like the Oil Can Delay. Its circuit is "mostly based on the Echoplex and Space Echo"2, and its layout is deliberately small: Mix, Tape Speed and Repeats knobs, with a Flutter toggle offering "Up Mild Fluttery Modulation / Down Stock"2. That makes it the simple, set-and-forget option for players who want the tape delay character without extra features.
Videos
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Questions
What does the Flutter switch do on the JHS Tape Delay?
The Flutter toggle changes the character of the modulation. In the up position it adds a mild, fluttery modulation to the repeats, in the spirit of a worn tape machine. In the down position it is stock, leaving the repeats unmodulated. It sits alongside the Mix, Tape Speed and Repeats knobs on the pedal's simple control layout.
How much does the JHS Tape Delay cost?
The Tape Delay was announced in February 2025 as one of three new $99 pedals joining the JHS 3 Series, a range of simple, affordable effects. It sits alongside the 3 Series Delay and Oil Can Delay in the lineup.
Sources (4)
- 3 SERIES TAPE DELAY, JHS Pedals
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-02-18
- JHS 3 Series Tape Delay, Delicious Audio, 2025-05-19
- Best Tape Delay Pedal: Get the Sounds of Echoplex and Space Echo on your Board!, gearnews.com, 2025-06-16
