The Haunted Delay is a limited edition signature delay pedal built by Pro Tone Pedals with Mark Holcomb, the Periphery guitarist. It was designed, in the maker's words quoted by Guitar World, to be "an ambient-style delay like your favorite vintage tape echo, with gig-ready durability to last you decades without a $1,000 price tag"1. The run was capped at 150 units, with shipping beginning September 15th, 20141.
Controls
The pedal carries three knobs, each covering a wide sweep:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Delay | Sweeps delay times from 25 milliseconds to 450 milliseconds1 |
| Repeat | Runs from a single regeneration to infinite feedback1 |
| Mix | Sets the level of delayed signal mixed with straight guitar tone1 |
| Volume | Adjusts overall output from unity gain to a 20db boost, enough volume to drive your amp to the edge1 |
At the longer Delay settings, Guitar World reports the pedal "introduces some slight note crunching similar to the vintage tape delay systems from past decades," which is where the tape echo character comes from1. The Repeat control's ability to reach infinite feedback means self-oscillating, ambient washes are on the table, while a single regeneration keeps things tidy for rhythmic parts.
High-gain amps and the signature run
Pro Tone Pedals designed the Haunted Delay to work well with modern high-gain amps as well as classics, according to Guitar World's launch coverage1. That matters for players running saturated rhythm tones, where a delay that stays clear under distortion is the difference between a usable ambient layer and mud.
The run of 150 was split with a collector's wrinkle: the first 50 off the production line were autographed by Holcomb himself1.
This was a one-time limited edition. If you are hunting one secondhand, the signed first 50 units are the rarest of the run.
Holcomb's later delay
Holcomb's signature delay story did not end with the Haunted. In 2019, Seymour Duncan teamed up with him on the Mark Holcomb Dark Sun, a delay and reverb pedal2. Players comparing the two will find the Dark Sun adds reverb to the formula, while the Haunted remains the earlier, tape-echo-flavored take on his delay sound.
Videos
Mark Holcomb
Kaosware
Abel Hernandez
Questions
How long is the delay time on the Haunted Delay?
The Delay control sweeps from 25 milliseconds to 450 milliseconds, a range that covers tight, short repeats through to the longer, ambient-style settings the pedal was voiced for. At the longer settings, Guitar World notes the repeats pick up a slight note crunching similar to vintage tape delay systems from past decades.
Is the Haunted Delay true bypass?
Yes. Pro Tone Pedals specifies True Hardwire Bypass for noise free operation, so when the pedal is switched off your guitar signal passes through without the delay circuit loading it.
What power supply does the Haunted Delay need?
It runs on a standard 9 volt negative tip BOSS style adapter, the same center-negative supply used by most compact pedals, so a typical pedalboard power supply or one-spot style adapter will run it.
How many Haunted Delay pedals were made?
It was a limited edition signature pedal with a run of 150 units. The first 50 off the production line were autographed by Mark Holcomb.
Where is the Haunted Delay built?
Pro Tone Pedals describes the Haunted Delay as proudly built by hand in the USA, in a durable aluminum housing.
Does the Haunted Delay work with high-gain amps?
Yes. According to Guitar World's coverage of the launch, the Haunted Delay was intentionally designed to work well with modern high-gain amps as well as classics, which fits Holcomb's use of heavily distorted rhythm tones in Periphery.
Sources (2)
- Pro Tone Pedals Introduces Limited-Edition Mark Holcomb Haunted Signature Delay Pedal, Guitar World, 2014-08-19
- Seymour Duncan Unveils New Mark Holcomb Dark Sun Delay/Reverb Pedal, Guitar World, 2019-03-22
