01—Strymon
El Capistan
The convincing tape-delay sound — the U2 slap, the Floyd Echorec — without the actual Echoplex.
The single best dedicated tape-delay emulation in a stompbox. If you only want tape echo, buy this instead of a TimeLine.
02—On the bench
Strymon's dTape-only delay — a focused tape-echo emulation with three head modes (single, multi, slap), tape-age controls, and adjustable wow/flutter. El Capistan was the pedal that made convincing tape delay accessible without the maintenance burden of an Echoplex or Roland Space Echo. Tonally it covers everything from a fresh-tape U2-style slap (Vintage Operating Mode at low tape age) to a Pink Floyd-style multi-head with degraded tape and heavy wow. The MkII update added stereo I/O, an expanded tape-age range, and presets — but the dTape algorithm itself is the same algorithm Strymon has been refining for fifteen years. Lives on a lot of indie and americana boards as the only delay needed.
- 01tape-age knob actually changes the character
- 02multi-head mode is the Echorec / Floyd setting
- 03wow knob breathes more than a real tape would
- 04slap mode is U2-perfect without thinking
- 05stays musical at high feedback — never runs away
03—In the room
Where else this pedal lives.
- The Edge
- Joey Landreth
- John Mayer
- Adam Granduciel
JHS Lucky Cat if you want a cheaper tape echo; El Capistan if you want the reference.