The JHS Pedals 3 Series is a collection of pedals designed to give you affordability and simplicity without compromising quality. Each 3 Series pedal is made by us in Kansas City, Missouri, using high-quality components, rigorous quality control, and close attention to every detail. Each pedal features three simple controls and a switch that provides a wide range of sounds, perfect for beginners and pros alike. The JHS Pedals 3 Series will inspire your playing and allow you to explore new sounds at a very affordable price.
How the "Oil Can" delay came to be
After being demobilized in 1946, Ray and Marv Lubow founded Tel-Ray Electronics, which specialized in repairing televisions and radios. As the company grew, Ray also became interested in audio inventions, particularly delay. Les Paul had already invented an effect called "tape echo," but the goal was to design a more compact and practical version of this oversized effect. Inspired by this idea, Ray filed a patent on June 30, 1959, for an electrostatic delay device known today as the oil can delay.
These delays contained oil in a tuna-can-shaped drum. This drum was driven by a belt mechanism that rotated it, while a special disc—on which the "charge" of the audio signal was written and read through rubber cleaning "heads"—was used. The playback speed was directly linked to the drum's rotation speed. The oil acted as a protective layer to hold the audio signal's "charge" electrons in place, creating a unique echo effect with elements of vibrato and slapback delay. Ray Lubow began licensing the oil can delay technology to amplifier manufacturers, including Fender, Gibson, and Rickenbacker. In the late 1960s, Ray and Marv decided to market their devices under their own brand and launched Morley, now a legendary effects company. Ray chose the name to bluntly tease their competitor, Leslie: "Why settle for less with a Leslie when you can have more with a Morley?" Morley manufactured oil can delays until 1989.
Why are we making one?
During Wilco’s 2022 Solid Sound Festival, JHS founder Josh Scott was chatting with legendary guitarist Nels Cline. Nels brought up the subject of weird delays, leading to an in-depth discussion about the strangest pedals they had ever used. A few days later, Josh received a message from Nels asking if JHS offered an "oil can" style delay and began explaining the specific sound he was looking for in that type of echo. Although JHS did not have one in its official lineup, Josh and his team developed a unique oil can delay pedal. When they gave it to Nels, he liked it so much that he used it during the recording and touring for Wilco’s "Cruel Country" album, and now for their latest album, "Cousin."
Although the JHS Oil Can Delay is not a signature artist pedal, we are grateful to Nels Cline for inspiring it. We are proud to offer you this unique pedal for your collection.
CONTROLS
MIX
- Controls the blend of the echo and clean signal. To the left, the signal is quieter; to the right, louder.
SPEED
- Controls the delay time from 100ms to 330ms. To the left, the signal is shorter; to the right, longer.
FEEDBACK
- Controls the amount of feedback or repeats of the delay signal. To the left, the signal is quieter; to the right, louder.
+/-
- The toggle switch allows you to change the intensity of the modulation. In the low position, the movement is subtle, and in the high position, the movement is more intense. The modulation speed is linked to the delay setting (shorter is fast, longer is slow, reminiscent of the "swish" of an oil can based on the delay speed).
JACKS
INPUT
- 1/4" jack on the right side of the pedal.
OUTPUT
- 1/4" jack on the left side of the pedal.
POWER - Requires 9V DC center-negative power and consumes 65mA. Do not exceed 9V DC. You will void your warranty.
THIS PEDAL REQUIRES A STANDARD 9V DC CENTER-NEGATIVE POWER SUPPLY, CONSUMES 65 mA, AND MEASURES 4.4" x 2.38" x 1.06".