Even in the days of 2″ magnetic tape, achieving the characteristic odd-order harmonic saturation and classic tape effects to your live sound was a near impossibility. Strymon’s Deco Tape Saturation & Doubletracker pedal not only makes these effects possible, it puts them on your pedalboard in an easy-to-access format. With the Deco, you can dial in the rich harmonics you crave, double your sound, and thicken it up further with natural detuning, or go even further with auto flanging, chorusing, or full-on tape delay. And, in true Strymon style, there are tons of adjustable parameters onboard the Deco, allowing you to dial in a wide range of fun and inspiring tones.
Two fully detailed tape deck emulations in one
It’s impressive enough that Strymon managed to pack one high-definition tape machine emulation in the Deco pedal, let alone two of them. But you don’t have to dive deep to appreciate the quality of the Deco’s processing – just roll up the saturation control and bask in the warm glow of the harmonic overtones. Up to about 10 o’clock, the Saturation effect is subtle, introducing the non-linear odd-order harmonics that make old-school engineers nostalgic for the days of 2″ tape. Push the Saturation knob above 10 o’clock, and you achieve the effect of pushing the tape machine into the red. At 1 o’clock, the effect crosses over into lush and vibrant tape overdrive, which is absolutely amazing on your pedalboard, and when you blend in the Doubletracker sound in one of three unique modes, the range of thickening effects is absolutely astounding.
Tap into classic double-tracking tape effects
Tape overdrive is just the beginning of what the Deco has in store. In the Doubletracker section, you’ll find additional controls (both on the surface and “hidden” in the secondary knob functions) that allow you to add flanging, chorusing, slapback delay, and vintage tape echo to your tone. The Wobble control also serves to spice up your effect, adding a range of character from mild detuning to surprisingly musical chaos to your sound. You can also widen the stereo spread (the Deco, like most Strymon pedals, can run in stereo or mono), add auto flanging, and filter out highs and lows to better contour the effect.
Strymon: a philosophy of quality
Strymon pedals are quickly becoming an industry standard in professional-quality effects. They’re dedicated to offering exceptional customer service and, in their own words, making “gear that sounds better than anything you’ve ever heard.” This California-based company uses only the highest-quality components and powerful processors in their pedals. And each design offers more tweakable parameters than meets the eye for fine-tuning your tone. This construction and sound quality is the reason Sweetwater is impressed with Strymon, and why you find their pedals on the pedalboards of professional musicians around the world.
