The GarageTone Axle Grease Delay is an analog delay pedal built on bucket-brigade circuitry, the older delay approach in which the signal passes through a chain of sample stages rather than being converted to digital. Truetone describes it as covering warm, musical repeats up to 450ms, from clean, subtle slapback to atmospheric, spacious textures and unpredictable oscillation. The pedal is no longer in production: it now sits in the Truetone Archive on the maker's site1.
The pedal was originally sold by Visual Sound, the Nashville-based company that has made effects since 1994, and Premier Guitar reviewed it as the delay offering in the GarageTone line2. Truetone, the company behind the Visual Sound products today, keeps the pedal documented on its archive page1. For other delay options in the current lineup, see the Truetone V3 Dual Tap Delay and Truetone V3 Tap Delay, or browse the wider Delay Pedals type page.
The controls
The Axle Grease keeps things simple with three knobs1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Time | Sets the delay time. Premier Guitar's reviewer described it as controlling the number of delay repeats per second2 |
| Repeats | Sets how many repeats follow. Past approximately 85% of its travel, the pedal begins to self-oscillate1 |
| Effect Level | Sets the level of the delayed signal mixed with your dry sound1 |
The self-oscillation threshold is a deliberate part of the design. Truetone states plainly: "Self-oscillation begins when the Repeats control is turned past approximately 85% of its travel."1 That gives players a predictable point where the pedal runs away into repeating feedback, which the maker counts among its unpredictable oscillation character1.
Premier Guitar's reviewer also pointed to tricks with the Time knob, describing "tweaking long repeats with quick Time knob adjustments to manually induce super-high squeals and low rumbles" as fun and easy sonic tricks2.
"Sonic tricks, like tweaking long repeats with quick Time knob adjustments to manually induce super-high squeals and low rumbles."
Power and size
The pedal runs on 9VDC with a center pin negative plug, and Truetone lists the current draw at 26 to 39mA, varying with the delay time1. That range is low enough for a standard 9V supply, though the draw changes as you lengthen the delay time, so a supply with headroom above the top of the range is worth having. The enclosure is a single compact pedal at 3.2" x 4.75" (81 x 120mm)1.
Archive status and the Visual Sound name
The Axle Grease Delay is an archived product. Truetone lists it under "GarageTone Series - Archive" on its site, meaning it is not part of the current range1. The pedal's history runs through the Visual Sound name: Premier Guitar's review describes Nashville-based Visual Sound as a maker of effects since 1994, and the GarageTone line as the range the Axle Grease belonged to2. The same pedal appears on this site as the Visual Sound GarageTone Axle Grease, and the maker's story is on the Truetone brand page.
Videos
Truetone
GuitarCubeChina
Ernie Williamson Music
Questions
Is the Axle Grease Delay analog?
Yes. Truetone describes the Axle Grease Delay as using analog bucket-brigade circuitry, the same approach older analog delays used, where the signal is passed through a chain of sample-and-hold stages. Truetone notes that this circuitry processes more signal samples, which is part of how the pedal produces its warm, musical repeats.
How long is the Axle Grease Delay's maximum delay time?
Truetone lists the maximum delay time at approximately 450ms. That range runs from clean, subtle slapback up to atmospheric, spacious textures, according to the maker's description of the pedal.
How do you make the Axle Grease Delay self-oscillate?
Truetone says self-oscillation begins when the Repeats control is turned past approximately 85% of its travel. Premier Guitar's reviewer also found that tweaking long repeats with quick Time knob adjustments could manually induce super-high squeals and low rumbles.
What power supply does the Axle Grease Delay need?
The Axle Grease Delay runs on 9VDC with a center pin negative plug. Truetone lists the current draw at 26 to 39mA, varying with the delay time, so it can be powered from a standard 9V supply rather than needing anything unusual.
Is the GarageTone Axle Grease still in production?
No. Truetone now lists the Axle Grease Delay in its Truetone Archive, meaning it is no longer a current product in the lineup.
Is the Truetone Axle Grease the same as the Visual Sound Axle Grease?
Yes, it is the same pedal. The GarageTone Axle Grease was originally made by Visual Sound, a Nashville-based company that has made effects since 1994, and it now appears on Truetone's site under the Truetone Archive.
Sources (2)
- GarageTone Axle Grease Delay, Truetone, 2026
- Visual Sound GarageTone Axle Grease Delay Pedal Review, Premier Guitar, 2010-10-20
