JHS 3: Is This the Best Delay Pedal Under $100?
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If you’re hunting for a great delay pedal without blowing your pedalboard budget, the JHS 3 Series Delay might be the most underrated option out there. It’s clean, warm, giggable, and hovers around $99. In a world full of digital overkill and menu-drenched madness, the 3 Series Delay says: “You just want your tone to echo? Cool, I got you.”
Let’s dig into why this little white box punches way above its price.
Controls, Voicing, and What They Actually Do
You get four controls on the JHS 3 Series Delay:
Time: Goes from ~80ms slapback to just under 1 second (~800ms). It’s not infinite, but it’s plenty for anything short of ambient looping or U2 cover gigs.
Repeats: Set to 1 for subtle depth, or crank it past 3 o’clock for runaway oscillation. (Yes, it can self-oscillate — and it’s musical when it does.)
Mix: Gives you full wet/dry range. Around noon is the sweet spot for adding space without muddying up your core tone.
Type toggle switch: Here’s where the real magic happens. Flip it up for darker analog-style repeats (with rolled-off highs), or down for a cleaner digital voicing that retains more top-end.
It’s not modeling any specific classic — it’s more like a blend of Boss DM-2 warmth with the modern clarity of a Carbon Copy. And while it’s a digital pedal under the hood, the analog voicing feels surprisingly organic and tape-y.
Real-World Use: Studio, Live, and Everything In Between
We ran this through a clean amp, an edge-of-breakup amp, and a full-on high gain rig. Here’s how it held up:
Clean tones: The digital voicing preserves note definition beautifully. Great for funk, jazz, or country pickers who want delay without smearing.
Crunch tones: Analog voicing excels here. It darkens repeats just enough to let riffs and leads breathe. Great behind dirt pedals — no harsh trails.
High gain: Surprisingly usable. The repeats don’t stack up in a muddy mess like some budget delays do.
Live use: Easy to tweak on stage. No menus. No tap tempo, but for most genres that’s not a dealbreaker — especially at this price.
If you’re looping or need rhythmic precision, this isn’t your box. But for tasty leads, textured rhythm, or just adding atmosphere, the JHS Delay is a workhorse.
Build Quality: Simple But Solid
Like the rest of the 3 Series lineup, this thing is built like a fridge. No nonsense enclosure, center-negative 9V jack, and top-mount jacks make it board-friendly. The knobs feel tight and precise — none of that “wobbly budget pedal” nonsense.
It’s also surprisingly quiet. We ran it at high gain through a looper just to test floor noise, and it held up better than many boutique delays twice the price.
What It’s Not
It’s important to set expectations:
No tap tempo
No stereo
No presets
No modulation
No trails switch
But if you don’t need those features — or you’re the type of player who sets it and plays by ear — you’re not going to miss them. Especially not for $99.
If you want trails, check out the MXR Carbon Copy Deluxe. If you want stereo, check out the Walrus ARP-87. Just know you’ll be paying double or more.
Who It’s For
Players looking for a reliable, good-sounding delay on a budget
Pedalboard minimalists who want space without distraction
Gigging musicians who want a second delay flavor without eating up room or money
Bedroom players who want that ambient vibe without learning a new interface
If you’re a delay tweaker who lives for subdivisions, presets, and MIDI sync — this isn’t for you. But if you’re like most guitarists and just want something that sounds good when you stomp it, this is your pedal.
Final Verdict: Better Than It Should Be
JHS knows what they’re doing, and the 3 Series proves it. The Delay doesn’t pretend to be boutique, but it sounds and feels better than almost anything else in the $100 range. It’s the kind of pedal you buy as a backup and end up gigging with for years.
No flashy gimmicks. Just pure tone and solid build.