Incoming NPD x 2 (Strymon content)

[El Tele Lobo]

Been working my tail off in x-ray and finally decided to treat myself to some new gear. Ordered a Strymon El Capistan and Flint last night after wanting both for awhile.

Nothing really wrong with my old stuff (Joyo d-Seed delay 1st gen and EHX Ocean's Eleven reverb) aside from wanting to try something new. I think the EHX was a little complicated for me...funny considering how complicated Strymon stuff seems to appear, but it was almost too much stuff and too many shifting secondary functions depending on effect selected. I think I'm going to save up for a Wampler Terraform as part of the reason I wanted the Ocean's Eleven was for the integrated (though limited) modulation effects. I think I now like flanger, envelope filter and phaser enough to justify it. Always liked rotary. Anyway, I need to save a few more months for that one.

Any of you guys have either of these pedals and care to share your thoughts?

 

[GoldieTop]

I don't have a Flint, but it's on my short list of pedals I'd like to get eventually.

I *do* have an El Cap, and that pedal is fantastic! As a certified Delay Addict, I have way too many delay pedals. But the El Cap stands out in the sea of delays- there's just something about it. It has an ineffable quality that's hard to clearly explain but very easy to hear. (And, also importantly, "feel".)

I own a number of other pedals that offer a take on 'tape delay', including the Timeline, Eventide Timefactor, a few Lovepedals, and others. And again, the El Capistan manages to shine and stick out, despite the stiff competition. Not only does it sound great, but it has a very well-thought out and useful set of controls. I would really encourage you to learn the basic controls first, and spend a week or so getting to know them inside and out, and *then* do the same with the secondary controls. Because once you have an understanding of how the controls work and interact with each other, you can get such a wide variety of awesome sounds that it's somewhat surprising! From really clean, almost Hi-fi repeats with no modulation, to the dirtiest, darkest, murkiest repeats that will waver and quaver as much as you'd like.

There's only one pedal that I personally have that can compete with the El Cap when it comes to tape style delay tones- and that's the Line 6 Echo Park. The Echo Park also has that 'certain something' to it that can't easily be described, but is heard and felt immediately once you play it. That being said, the El Cap kills it in the versatility category. The Echo Park has one knob for modulation, one knob for mix, one knob for repeats, and one knob for speed (or tap tempo). So you can't manipulate the tape tones in the same way as you can with the El Cap.

And I would love a Flint! I think that the El Cap and Flint combo is kind of perfect. There's no one solution that fits everyone's needs, obviously. But if someone is looking for a great sounding combination of tasteful delay and reverb, you'd be hard pressed to find anything that can outclass the El Cap/Flint combo. Sure, there's always big box Verbs and Delays. And there are standalone pedals that will give you more of the crazy, textural and soundscape styled tones. But for bread and butter delay and reverb sounds?

Hard to beat.



Let us know what you think once you have had some time with them, OP!

 

[bluesholyman]

Congrats on the new pedals!!!

I've never owned either of those, by choice. I find that the Strymon stuff has a "sound" to it that I personally didn't care for. I always wanted a Flint, thought it was the mac daddy of verb/tremolo because EVERYONE was raving about it, but after having a Strymon Volante for a week I sold it just as quick. I tried a Flint and felt that same kinda "sound" I didn't care for in the Volante, so I was no longer interested in strymon.

For tape tones, my goto has been a Belle Epoch Deluxe (which has since been replaced by a Flight Time, not tape, but I'm happy.) For reverb, a digitech Supernatural and for tremolo kinda stuff, I have a Pulse Doppler ( the reincarnation of the Doppleganger.) Not everyones cup of tea.

Seriously congrats though - they make great stuff and lots of people love it. I find I am in the fringe with those who don't care for Strymon.

 

[El Tele Lobo]

Congrats on the new pedals!!!

I've never owned either of those, by choice. I find that the Strymon stuff has a "sound" to it that I personally didn't care for. I always wanted a Flint, thought it was the mac daddy of verb/tremolo because EVERYONE was raving about it, but after having a Strymon Volante for a week I sold it just as quick. I tried a Flint and felt that same kinda "sound" I didn't care for in the Volante, so I was no longer interested in strymon.

For tape tones, my goto has been a Belle Epoch Deluxe (which has since been replaced by a Flight Time, not tape, but I'm happy.) For reverb, a digitech Supernatural and for tremolo kinda stuff, I have a Pulse Doppler ( the reincarnation of the Doppleganger.) Not everyones cup of tea.

Seriously congrats though - they make great stuff and lots of people love it. I find I am in the fringe with those who don't care for Strymon.

I’m not sure I won’t find myself there. I think it was the EHX Canyons delay and reverb that I sent back almost immediately because it had a very unnatural an artificial sound to it. Very sterile sounding to my ear. So we’ll see what I think of Strymon.

The Belle Epoch will be my next choice if I don’t like the El Cap. I used to have a Supernatural reverb… One of the best reverb pedals I’ve ever used.

 

[vjf1968]

Been working my tail off in x-ray and finally decided to treat myself to some new gear. Ordered a Strymon El Capistan and Flint last night after wanting both for awhile.

Nothing really wrong with my old stuff (Joyo d-Seed delay 1st gen and EHX Ocean's Eleven reverb) aside from wanting to try something new. I think the EHX was a little complicated for me...funny considering how complicated Strymon stuff seems to appear, but it was almost too much stuff and too many shifting secondary functions depending on effect selected. I think I'm going to save up for a Wampler Terraform as part of the reason I wanted the Ocean's Eleven was for the integrated (though limited) modulation effects. I think I now like flanger, envelope filter and phaser enough to justify it. Always liked rotary. Anyway, I need to save a few more months for that one.

Any of you guys have either of these pedals and care to share your thoughts?

I have the Flint and I can assure you that you won't be disappointed. There is a trick you can do by turning the decay all the way up and adjusting the mix. You get a nice long pad type effect. Be sure to read the manuals to learn the secondary functions like changing order of the trem and reverb, tap divsion, reberb boost, trem boost, ect. The input of the Flint can accept a TRS plug for stereo but you need to open the pedal and change the jumper.

I don't own the El Capistan but I do have the Deco, Volante, Compadre, and the Nightsky. You won't be disappointed just know that there is no stereo input option on the El Capistan.

 

[Cosmicdancer]

I own the Flint and I adore it. For the longest time, I swore I wouldn’t own a Strymon pedal. Not because they aren’t great, but because of the price tag and the fact that there are plenty of other effect makers that have more reasonable pricing. I happened upon a great deal for the Flint and went for it. No regrets. It’s wonderful. The 60’s reverb is fine, but nothing special. The 70’s and 80’s reverb settings are terrific. All three tremolo settings are ace. I still don’t see myself paying the hefty price for other Strymon pedals, but if I came across another monster deal for an El Cap, I’d go for it, too.

 

[FenderLover]

Got 'em both, plus Deco and Lex. Get yourself an expression pedal or two, and you're set! The Roland EV-5 is cheap plastic toy, get a Moog EP-3. Much more substantial, removable cord, less expensive than EV-5.

 

[FenderLover]

You won't be disappointed just know that there is no stereo input option on the El Capistan.

Yes, there is. The mono input was before May 2012.

How do I enable the TRS stereo input on El Capistan? - Strymon

Get support for your Strymon product here. Read FAQs, download product manuals, or contact us and we'll help you out.

www.strymon.net

 

[JL_LI]

I use two pedals, an equalizer and a delay. I have other pedals sitting in a drawer. Funny thing about pedals. They’re either just right or disastrously bad. And you actually have to master them. Good for you @El Tele Lobo . Now the fun starts.

 

[FenderLover]

...Funny thing about pedals. They’re either just right or disastrously bad. And you actually have to master them...

I've never heard it put that way, but how true! When I see someone diss a perfectly good pedal, I wonder WTF? I understand personal preferences, but sometimes I also think a lot of other factors may get in the way of enjoying something for what it is.

 

[vjf1968]

Yes, there is. The mono input was before May 2012.

How do I enable the TRS stereo input on El Capistan? - Strymon

Get support for your Strymon product here. Read FAQs, download product manuals, or contact us and we'll help you out.

www.strymon.net

I never had a El Capistan. So its the same as the Flint in which you have to open up the pedal and switch the jumper.

 

[FenderLover]

correct

 

[El Tele Lobo]

Supposed to arrive today…

 

[El Tele Lobo]

Missed my drop off and signature on delivery. Still trying to steer it to a pickup location. Man, though, the Sweetwater team is one of the best I’ve worked with! Top professionals. Always get a live person on the phone. Great communication. Really impressed!

 

[wulfenganck]

I bought a Flint (second-hand) around 2013 and immediately fell in love with it. I actually liked it so much that I tried out the El Capistan back in 2018. Both have been on my pedalboard ever since I bought them, you can't get do wrong with them!

 

[Big Twang Theory]

Nice score, congrats! I own both, and they are both amazing! Also had the Terraform, as well. It's REALLY good. I only sold it to fund an amp purchase, and I'll probably get it again down the road.

 

[FenderLover]

This should give you a little GAS while you're waiting:

 

[Lies&Distortion]

What you run all that stereo mess into?

 

[dogmeat]

the Flint is easier to use than it looks, remember that its also a Trem pedal. a great pedal that is a permanent fixture on my board. it sits right next to my El Capistan. the Cap has a lot of knob fiddling and I only really like a couple settings. but they sound great

as for a rotary, I got a Lester & when set right it works very well and sound the part (I also have a real Leslie type cab). only thing about the Lester is it likes it's own power supply

 

[FenderLover]

What you run all that stereo mess into?

It's a wet/dry/wet setup.
Top right to top left (just comp, gain EQ) gets split to the Dry; ground isolated split goes to a volume pedal then to the right bottom row. From there, to the left in stereo and to wet amp channels (Lexicon Signature 284 recording amp).

Like most boards, only a couple things on at any given time.