NPD - El Capistan

What's Hot
FuengiFuengi Frets: 2849
Finally bagged one!

Never, ever actually played one before but took the plunge on Amazon at £250 and it's now sitting alongside my Dig and Flint. 

Took about a second to dial in some gorgeous repeats. Not sure what the mode switch really does yet. Seems to have some looping type function and a freeze hold thingy if you hold tap. 

Sounds great with the Peacekeeper (but what doesn't?) great sounding pedal. 
0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
«1

Comments

  • dogloaddogload Frets: 1495
    Good purchase! These used to get a lot of flak iirc but I've always loved mine.

    The 'loop' feature is effectively a tape loop that you dial in by holding the tap switch. I have to say that whilst i's fun to play with, I have never used it in anger. But I wanted it to replace an old valve Copicat, which it does in spades... warm and tapey, plus you have the option to dial in some nice wobble and even a very decent spring reverb.

    Definitely worth reading the manual though, get your head round the hidden functions too!
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • TimmyOTimmyO Frets: 7350
    Beautiful beautiful sounding pedal 
    Red ones are better. 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • It is the most natural tape delay emulation I have heard, stunning repeats, and very versatile, from slapback to long dark warm repeats, and the built in spring reverb is very nice as well. Superb choice, happy NPD!
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • FuengiFuengi Frets: 2849
    edited October 2018
    Had a little play with it today, really nice. Got the looper working ok and the hidden settings. 

    What I really like about Strymon pedals is that they are enough on their own, or with a bit of drive. You don't need other pedals added in. 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • WazmeisterWazmeister Frets: 9446
    Probably my fave ever pedal... try the ‘sound on sound’ mode
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • FuengiFuengi Frets: 2849
    Probably my fave ever pedal... try the ‘sound on sound’ mode
    Is that both switches down? The looper settling?
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • WazmeisterWazmeister Frets: 9446
    Fuengi said:
    Probably my fave ever pedal... try the ‘sound on sound’ mode
    Is that both switches down? The looper settling?
    Yes mate 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • FuengiFuengi Frets: 2849
    Fuengi said:
    Probably my fave ever pedal... try the ‘sound on sound’ mode
    Is that both switches down? The looper settling?
    Yes mate 
    Yep, fun times!   :3
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • robertyroberty Frets: 10893
    Yeah the spring reverb is a life saver for me, I keep a 'favourite' setting with mostly reverb for when I'm backline sharing or my tank plays up (happened once).  Congrats!
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • GagarynGagaryn Frets: 1553
    I love my El Cap, had it longer than any other pedal. Replaced a RE-201which I don't miss.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • CorvusCorvus Frets: 2924
    tFB Trader
    Love my El Cap too, I run El Cap into Flint to two amps. Got Chris @CustomPedalBoards to make me a neat dual-mono-to-stereo cable, so Cap stereo gets out via the Flint to the amps, sounds great, big & spacey.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • sgosdensgosden Frets: 1993
    Considering selling el cap to help fund HX stomp. But dunno if I can bring myself to do it. 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • RandallFlaggRandallFlagg Frets: 13929
    sgosden said:
    Considering selling el cap to help fund HX stomp. But dunno if I can bring myself to do it. 
    Don't, you will regret it. The Helix tape delay models aren't as good as the El Cap.


    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • menamestommenamestom Frets: 4641

    sgosden said:
    Considering selling el cap to help fund HX stomp. But dunno if I can bring myself to do it. 
    Don't, you will regret it. The Helix tape delay models aren't as good as the El Cap.
    I’m thinking of getting an El Cap and have a Helix LT (which I’ll probably be keeping).  Depends on your delay needs, but the Helix has loads on and enable delay stacking so it really depends on your application.   Also, the Helix constantly evolves with new models so It’s worth noting comparisons largely depend on the firmware version the comparison is being made against.

    Still, the there is an appeal of simple pedals that do one thing very well, I miss my MLJ for that reason.

    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • FuengiFuengi Frets: 2849
    Had a week to play around with the El Cap now. I'd say it pairs well with the Dig which I use for twinkling / sparkling, cascading delays. The EL Cap covers more warm and warbly territory.




    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • sgosdensgosden Frets: 1993
    sgosden said:
    Considering selling el cap to help fund HX stomp. But dunno if I can bring myself to do it. 
    Don't, you will regret it. The Helix tape delay models aren't as good as the El Cap.

    I'm a 80% helix user normally, and loves the space echo and transistor tape models. But el cap has just got something special, I think its the ability to adjust age/grit n the like to give the long repeats their own character.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • I love the way it self oscillates in time (i.e. immediately, with no delay before the oscillation starts) when you hold the button down - was trying to achieve that effect with a Rubberneck but it wouldn't do it without that tiny pause.  Actually I'm going to let my Boss DM2W go now as I use the El Cap more, even though they are different beasts really - the El Cap is just lovely and warm sounding.  
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • FuengiFuengi Frets: 2849
    Ooh, got me some nice little repeats today.

    Multi Head, Mode B, Delay at 11 o clock, Repeats at 2, Tape Age at 2, Wow and Flutter at 9, Mix around 12 and my Magnetic Effects White Atom gently fuzzing. Absolutely stunning even with my buttered fingers.


    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • JezWyndJezWynd Frets: 6021
    Gagaryn said:
    I love my El Cap, had it longer than any other pedal. Replaced a RE-201which I don't miss.
    I love the RE-201 but I have been wondering about changing it for something smaller with similar functionality. I was thinking of the Echorec, would the El Cap do similar things?
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • GagarynGagaryn Frets: 1553
    JezWynd said:
    Gagaryn said:
    I love my El Cap, had it longer than any other pedal. Replaced a RE-201which I don't miss.
    I love the RE-201 but I have been wondering about changing it for something smaller with similar functionality. I was thinking of the Echorec, would the El Cap do similar things?
    An El Cap makes an excellent replacement for a RE201. It lacks the bass and treble controls but you can get similar results from the tape age knob and low age contour secondary function. It can be made to sound remarkably similar - like really similar! Main differences are the El Cap has less noise and a better reverb -  didn't really use any of the reverb settings on the 201s.

    I had three 201's at one point. I had planned on keeping one but the El Cap really did make them redundant - admittedly I was swayed by the prices I got offered for them. Don't know what they sell for now but mine all sold for between 800 and 900 each which was too much money to give up for what was a very nice shelf ornament. They are cool though and I enjoyed tinkering with them for a while but the novelty wore off.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
Sign In or Register to comment.