morphball
Joined: Dec 23, 2008
Posts: 3324
Pittsboro, NC
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Posted on Dec 29 2010 04:43 PM
That's a pretty good price for the quality, it really should have been on my radar when I was looking at the MXR CC, but the carbon copy got 'er done. (In fact, I'm still keeping it.)
So anyway, here's a little video of today's playtime:
Strymon El Capistan dTape Echo Demo
I think the delay is pretty good and sounds natural. I wouldn't call the "spring reverb" complete rubbish, just way too dry for me... though I know many players would probably only use a tiny bit of verb for ambiance, just not my ideal sound. I still haven't even played with the multi and single modes yet, but I bet it sounds good with some real reverb!
— Mike
http://www.youtube.com/morphballio
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rotnroby
Joined: Mar 31, 2010
Posts: 877
Santa Barbara Ca... in the 805
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Posted on Dec 29 2010 05:23 PM
Try the milti settings... Killer!!!!!!
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thankseddie
Joined: Oct 03, 2010
Posts: 27
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Posted on Dec 29 2010 05:48 PM
I had a Tech 21 RVB Boost pedal and it was really good, by far the best "non-boutique" reverb I've tried...and I've tried them all!
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Fady
Joined: Mar 07, 2010
Posts: 2226
North Carolina
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Posted on Dec 29 2010 07:02 PM
morphball
So anyway, here's a little video of today's playtime:
Strymon El Capistan dTape Echo Demo
Sounding good! Thanks for following through on the early review... with video at that! Gotta start scheming on how I go about getting my hands on one... 
— Fady
El Mirage @ ReverbNation
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kenposurf
Joined: Feb 23, 2007
Posts: 1650
Santa Rosa, CA
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Posted on Dec 29 2010 08:34 PM
Pulled the trigger..scheeech 
— www.northofmalibu.com
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rotnroby
Joined: Mar 31, 2010
Posts: 877
Santa Barbara Ca... in the 805
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Posted on Dec 29 2010 09:32 PM
Cool Proton... You will dig it...
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morphball
Joined: Dec 23, 2008
Posts: 3324
Pittsboro, NC
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Posted on Dec 29 2010 09:43 PM
kenposurf
Pulled the trigger..scheeech
Nice, hope you dig it! It shouldn't be too hard to resell if you don't!
Onslow, think of it as an investment in your tone, hahaha. (I don't think $300 is too steep for this though; I once came very close to getting a Line 6 M9 for more than that, just for the delay models... in hindsight I'm glad I didn't!)
Rob- I think you're right, the multihead does have a slightly nicer sound, I have a feeling that will be my favorite... which mode do you keep yours on?
— Mike
http://www.youtube.com/morphballio
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rotnroby
Joined: Mar 31, 2010
Posts: 877
Santa Barbara Ca... in the 805
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Posted on Dec 29 2010 10:17 PM
Tape head set to multi. Mode B. Tape age 9 o'clock repeats @ 1 o' clock . Wow & flutter around 12 o'clock I call it the Hank Marvin ...
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morphball
Joined: Dec 23, 2008
Posts: 3324
Pittsboro, NC
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Posted on Dec 29 2010 10:55 PM
Awesome. I'm trying it tomorrow...
— Mike
http://www.youtube.com/morphballio
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kenposurf
Joined: Feb 23, 2007
Posts: 1650
Santa Rosa, CA
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Posted on Dec 29 2010 11:14 PM
Cool..sold the Carbon Copy awhile back and have been using a Yammy Magicstomp w/Charlie Hall's patches...maybe everyone knows..he set up the delays for Hank Marvin back in the day...having been through the Fulltone (nice but costs too much and too much upkeep), the Memory man and a few others, I'm still searching
— www.northofmalibu.com
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morphball
Joined: Dec 23, 2008
Posts: 3324
Pittsboro, NC
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Posted on Dec 30 2010 04:09 PM
The multi-head mode is definitely cool, I know I'll be using it quite a lot. I spent some time today trying to coax a good "Apemen" sound out of it, I just love the over-the-top echo in "El Tortura"! I couldn't quite get the same growl, but that might be technique though, haha... anyway a really minimal "El Tortura" this time with real reverb and a little overdrive:
Strymon El Capistan dTape Echo Demo 2 (Multi-head)
Settings:
Multi-head, Mode B
Time 50%
Mix 75%
Tape Age 0%
Repeats 60%
W/F 75%
Reverb 0% (used tank on 6-6-6)
Low End Cont' 100%
Tape Bias 75%
Tape Crinkle 100%
— Mike
http://www.youtube.com/morphballio
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ruger9
Joined: Feb 19, 2009
Posts: 27
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Posted on Dec 31 2010 06:50 AM
I had the Tech21...for a day. I thought it was awful. Just too digital sounding, even with the tone control. Not even in the same league as El Capistan, and frankly I far preferred the tape mode on the Echo Park to the Tech 21.
The El Cap may well be as close a digital technology can get to real tape echo. It's not dead-on-balls-accurate, but it's the best out there. I still want a Blue Coconut Echoverb or ESE Echomatic. $$$$
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LaFleur
Joined: May 20, 2009
Posts: 525
Leipzig
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Posted on Dec 31 2010 07:01 AM
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Fady
Joined: Mar 07, 2010
Posts: 2226
North Carolina
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Posted on Dec 31 2010 07:15 AM
ruger9
I still want a ... or ESE Echomatic. $$$$
Hey morphball, now THIS (Echomatic 6 SE) is an "investment in your tone" ... it's only about $4,350 USD with the current conversion rates
... I'll keep my eyes on the El Capistan for the time being. Your review & video's are enticing; maybe Strymon should be putting you on the payroll. Troublemaker.
— Fady
El Mirage @ ReverbNation
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morphball
Joined: Dec 23, 2008
Posts: 3324
Pittsboro, NC
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Posted on Dec 31 2010 12:04 PM
I'm afraid I might "disappear" if I ever spent $4,350 on anything that wasn't a down payment on a house or car. Onslow, I'd probably figure on paying the full $300 for this though (if you're thinking used, that is), I really don't see many cheaper used ones hitting the bay any time soon:
http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=el+capistan&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=50&_mPrRngCbx=1&_udhi=&_udlo=
These prices are ridiculous. I think there was a supply/demand thing for a while (mixed in with some well-deserved hype), but I got mine in about a week.
LaFleur
try to lower the reverb settings. it will make your sound much clearer with the echo.
Thanks, I'll give that a shot. And sorry for the clipping... wow. I really gotta proof these before uploading them.
— Mike
http://www.youtube.com/morphballio
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SnorkelMonkey
Joined: Nov 11, 2010
Posts: 26
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Posted on Dec 31 2010 04:37 PM
Morphball, that demo sounds great!
I'm holding off on the El Cap until after NAMM this year. With all the good hype the cap got this year I suspect one of the big three will have something out for NAMM? I wouldn't doubt if one of them came out with a Binson or Meazzi type sim under $200? If Boss came out with something like that I would be all over it.
— Electro Echo Chamber, The Technical Side Of Time Based Effects. Echo, Reverb, Delay, Analog, Digial, And More...
http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/electroechochamber/
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morphball
Joined: Dec 23, 2008
Posts: 3324
Pittsboro, NC
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Posted on Dec 31 2010 08:51 PM
Thanks, SnorkelMonkey- Strymon has definitely upped the ante in digital delay effects, so I wouldn't bet against that. I think the only way I could be happier with this one is if they started selling a larger Favorites extension box, maybe with 3 or more switches. I already found 2 distinct echos I like (a sort of trailing rautalanka echo, and the last one I demo'ed which could also be good for Echo and the Bunnymen stuff); I'm sure I'll discover even more, which will all have to be dialed in each time... that would probably be a bear for those who are gigging.
— Mike
http://www.youtube.com/morphballio
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topsail
Joined: Jun 10, 2009
Posts: 317
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Posted on Jan 01 2011 07:23 AM
I bought a MXR CC last year and sold it in short order. I used it for a gig or two, but just didn't like the thing.
It really screwed with my over-all tone and even when dialing in just a slap-back setting it sounded like poop imho.
I'd like to demo one of these El Cap deals though.
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rotnroby
Joined: Mar 31, 2010
Posts: 877
Santa Barbara Ca... in the 805
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Posted on Jan 01 2011 12:07 PM
Hmmmmmm? I have a Carbin Copy and really like it.. I also use it for slapback .. I don't use the modulation button ..
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SnorkelMonkey
Joined: Nov 11, 2010
Posts: 26
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Posted on Jan 01 2011 01:27 PM
morphball
Thanks, SnorkelMonkey- Strymon has definitely upped the ante in digital delay effects, so I wouldn't bet against that. I think the only way I could be happier with this one is if they started selling a larger Favorites extension box, maybe with 3 or more switches. I already found 2 distinct echos I like (a sort of trailing rautalanka echo, and the last one I demo'ed which could also be good for Echo and the Bunnymen stuff); I'm sure I'll discover even more, which will all have to be dialed in each time... that would probably be a bear for those who are gigging.
That's very cool. Those are the things I look for too. This type of unit would be my gigging "Shadows" delay unit. If I could get some conformation that they've worked all the bugs out or if a company like Boss put something out like this I would be all over it. I have an old multi-head tube echo that does that Shadows sort of stuff but it's too fragile to take out to gigs.
topsail
I bought a MXR CC last year and sold it in short order. I used it for a gig or two, but just didn't like the thing.
It really screwed with my over-all tone and even when dialing in just a slap-back setting it sounded like poop imho.
I'd like to demo one of these El Cap deals though.
Topsail, an El Cap would be overkill for slapback delay stuff. You might be really impressed with a Ibanez DE-7? I can't recommend that pedal enough for slapback and long Echoplex like delays. Very warm and full sounding in the 'echo' mode pretty close to that plex tape tone (not overly dark with a loss of headroom either like a lot of analog delays) in a small affordable unit. I own a couple plex's and this one is the best bang for the buck imo. 
— Electro Echo Chamber, The Technical Side Of Time Based Effects. Echo, Reverb, Delay, Analog, Digial, And More...
http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/electroechochamber/
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