Strymon El Capistan V2 dTape Echo

Presenting the Next Generation (V2) of the legendary Strymon El Capistan dTape Echo Pedal.

Plug in, play a note or chord, and you feel it: All the warm, saturated, distinctive qualities and subtle nuances of vintage tape echo combine to instantly create an unmistakable atmosphere. With El Capistan you get everything from classic slapback echoes to psychedelic space explorations have stunning richness and depth, responding to each note and knob turn in a musically inspiring way. Turn up the repeats for organic delay feedback with just the right amount of grit. Dial in some spring reverb to further enhance the sense of space. Effortlessly create multi-layered ambient soundscapes with the tape-style sound on sound looper.

Transform your pedalboard into the inspiration machine it was meant to be.

This next generation update of the El Capistan provides three different tape machine types in one pedal, each with three unique modes and extensive control over tape quality, machine health and tone shaping.

Go from the full-range sonic stability of a fresh-from-the-factory echo machine, to the heavily fluctuating sound of a road-worn unit in need of service. Enjoy the full bodied sound of fresh tape, or dial in the dark, gnarled and vibey qualities of worn out tape.

Strymon's meticulously handcrafted dTape™ technology and powerful ARM DSP give you a range of tape experiences that would be unattainable with a single traditional tape machine. Plus you get sound on sound looping, all without the headaches of tape machine maintenance and repair.

This second generation El Capistan keeps the same rich magnetic tape echo tones from the original and adds significant new features, incorporating technological advancements, hardware improvements and design enhancements to give you additional flexibility, power, and ease of use on stage and in the studio.

MIDI
New full MIDI implementation means you can control just about every switch, knob, and setting remotely by sending MIDI commands from your controller or DAW via El Capistan’s EXP/MIDI jack or USB-C connection. The Delay time can be synchronized via MIDI Clock Sync, and the sync setting can be saved for each preset. 300 MIDI preset locations are available for loading and saving your favorite settings.

Hardware Improvements
A premium analog JFET input circuit ensures superb responsiveness to your playing, and you can select mono or stereo input with the flick of a rear panel switch. All this, plus a new ARM DSP chip provides more processing power for every sonic nuance, with less energy consumption on your pedalboard.

Spring Reverb
Some classic tape echo machines included small integrated spring reverb tanks tuned for limited bandwidth. For the El Capistan, Strymon captured this vintage vibe while creating a spring reverb algorithm with a gorgeous, gentle character that stands on its own, in addition to enhancing delayed signals, and now the control is right on the top of the pedal instead of having to dive into a secondary function.

Choose Your Bypass Mode
The El Capistan lets you choose electromechanical relay switched true bypass for a 100% untouched, unprocessed signal when the pedal is bypassed (this is the default setting), or you can opt for our premium quality buffered bypass that conditions your signal to preserve its integrity by preventing the high end roll-off that can happen due to longer cable runs.

Boost/Cut
We all need a lift every once in a while. El Capistan features a +/-3dB boost/cut secondary function that lets you add a little extra “oomph” when you engage the pedal — or dial things back a bit if you need a more subtle delay without changing your Mix control.

Stereo
No need to make compromises when it comes to signal routing or pedal placement — the El Capistan features full stereo in/out capabilities. The single TRS input jack allows El Capistan to keep its compact form factor while giving you the option to use a stereo input signal. A dedicated rear panel Input switch allows you to easily set El Capistan for operation with a stereo (TRS) or mono (standard TS) input source. Low impedance dual TS output jacks let you use El Capistan as a stereo effect.

Line/Instrument Level
Pedals aren’t just for guitarists. El Capistan’s adjustable input signal level makes it a versatile tool for endless applications from the studio to the stage. By setting El Capistan to line level input mode, you get 10dB of added headroom, allowing you to use El Capistan with bass guitars with active pickups, synthesizers, keyboards, effects loops, and more.