Strymon El Capistan dTape Echo Emulation Pedal at a Glance:
- Three classic tape machine emulations
- Easy access to 10 effects parameters
- Strymon: a philosophy of quality
Three classic tape machine emulations
Rather than emulating specific tape delay models, the Strymon El Capistan emulates three classic tape machine technologies, providing you with your choice of a single fixed-head and variable-speed motor, multiple heads and a variable-speed motor, or a sliding head and a fixed-speed motor. There are also three modes for each machine type, which let you switch delay time ranges, select active tape heads, and access sound-on-sound looping. When you add in the El Capistan’s parameter controls, you get the kind of sonic flexibility Sweetwater tone tweakers love, allowing you to dial in vintage sounds like Echoplex or Space Echo emulations, or come up with entirely new analog delay sounds.
Easy access to 10 effects parameters
With 10 easily accessible parameter controls, Strymon’s El Capistan is one of the most tweakable delay pedals to hit the market. Between the Time, Mix, Tape Age, Repeats, and Wow & Flutter controls, it’s easy to dial in a full range of echo effects and character. By depressing both footswitches, you can access another deeper layer of parameters, including Tape Crinkle, Tape Bias, and Low End Contour, as well as a lush Spring Reverb and a /- 3dB Boost/Cut function. Cooler still, you can hook up a footswitch to instantly recall your favorite settings, and when you plug in an expression pedal, you can take over any parameter on the fly.
Strymon: a philosophy of quality
Strymon pedals are quickly becoming an industry standard in professional-quality effects. They’re dedicated to offering exceptional customer service and, in their own words, making “gear that sounds better than anything you’ve ever heard.” This California-based company uses only the highest-quality components and powerful processors in their pedals. And each design offers more tweakable parameters than meets the eye for fine-tuning your tone. This construction and sound quality is the reason Sweetwater is impressed with Strymon, and why you find their pedals on the pedalboards of professional musicians around the world.