Strymon El Capistan

[chrisom]

Anybody else pick up a Strymon El Capistan DSP Tape Echo simulator? What do you think of it? A bunch of people here were talking about auditioning them- some were against it due to YouTube vids and hearsay while others were psyched about it based on the same factors. I bought one and I LOVE it. I know at least one or two others got one, but wanted to open up a dialogue based on people who have actually played through one and hear what they think of it. Thanks- co

[AustinTx]

I just bought 2 of those little devils. I love them.
You can't judge that delay based on youtube vids.
The sounds are so adjustable...who knows how they set it up.

Started using Plexes in 1980 and have had 10+ EP3s and a couple of the tube models.
If you have a great sounding rig....the El Cap will not degrade up your sound.
You can setup the repeats to layback (just like an EP3) and not destroy your original
note even with lots of delay mixed in.

No such thing as a perfect delay...always a trade off somewhere, so far these are fantastic.

[chrisom]

I'm a little new with the controls. Is it hard to set up the "layback?" Thanks- co

[AustinTx]

Try the "Bias" adjustment, run it hot and the first repeat sits behind the original note, run it low and the first repeat is really loud and dynamic.

[chrisom]

Cool- Thanks. I'm really having a blast re-creating the sounds I used to get using my Echoplex

[somethin'else]

Man, I wish you hadn't of posted this. That Strymon looks REALLY Good. Nice website, nice, nice stuff. Thanks for the turn-on!

[AustinTx]

It is a great delay pedal, maybe the best yet.
It does not have the tone "thickener" like a Plex, i really don't want it to.
I like the tone of my amps, I don't want to depend on a pedal to give me a great sound.
Some of our favorite players from the past needed the Plex to thicken up thier sound,
they didn't have a Metroamp forum. We Do!

[Did J]

Got one El Capistan, chained with the Ola chorus, and it's an astonishing delay. I play it front my 2203, no fx loop, fantastic sounding, something like a real musical instrument and very creative too. You can try the +/-3db boost secondary fonction to involve dynamics. Anyway I'm kind of 'old school' guitar player, the capistan is something like 'touch sensitive' with the guitar. Still honey moon with it

Did J

[JimiJames]

It is a great delay pedal, maybe the best yet.
It does not have the tone "thickener" like a Plex, i really don't want it to.
I like the tone of my amps, I don't want to depend on a pedal to give me a great sound.Some of our favorite players from the past needed the Plex to thicken up thier sound,
they didn't have a Metroamp forum. We Do!

+1



After seeing & hearing the YouTube vid, I had to see for myself.
Went to Make'nMusic yesterday to check it out.
Well, I was very impressed to say the least.
I went through the factory settings and liked what was happening.
Strymon has a winner here. All the features of a tape echo with no hiss and tru bypass.
I can leave my Roland 201 Space Echo at home and have all the features including sound-on-sound, to-go, in a tight little package.
Sounds very analog and spacious. (bigger than my ADA999) The small realestate works for me also.
I would get this before a T-Rex Replica...

**5*Stars** from me.

oh, I didn't leave without buying one

[Omn]

Very nice pedal, both in front of the amp (12xxx) and in effect loops (Chieftain, 5150, 6100).

I want the Favorite though... Finally found one over here.

For Strymon

[NY Chief]

Went to Make'nMusic yesterday to check it out.

Great shop, jimi. Say "HI" to Teddy next time you're there. Bought a Ronnie Wood "Blackbeard's Island" Greco Zemaitis when I was there on a biz trip a few years ago! Teddy was great!

[chrisom]

Sounds great, Jose. Thanks for updating this post. Does anybody else have any Strymon El Capistan clips they've made? I'll try to make some myself and post them when I get time. I have mine connected to the stereo effects loop of my Marshall JMP-1 preamp with the loop set for the "low signal level" setting. The programmability of the JMP-1 allows me to blend in the effected signal with the dry. Then I run one of the main outputs of the JMP-1 into my Marshall Class 5. Sounds like heaven at 2a.m. ... Now I need to get a second Class 5 so I can have stereo...