Strymon Deco - Any direct experience?

[rabbit]

Thinking of one for a pal who records extensively, and plays guitar, but not jazz, really.

Thanks.

[feet]

Depends on what kind of sounds he's after, but if he's just going to record, there's plenty of plug ins that get you that tape sound for a whole lot less.

The flanging and chorusing and such are available via conventional methods but tape style byproduct effects are a little harder to find and are most incidental.

I use softube tape for the tape sound. Audiothing reels is a more fun, junky, effect-y version of you want dirty, lofi sounds. Waves abbey roads wasn't really for me.

If it's grit you're after, softube saturation knob is an awesome free plug that does just that. Harmonics is a much more involved version of something similar.

I combine a little preamp color/grit with a couple of those plug ins and I'm pretty happy. Was able to skip the deco. As a bonus, they really make amp sims come to life, and help you emulate older, octal amp and direct to console sounds.

[rabbit]

Thank you, feet.

I thought about the software thing but this is sort of a "gift" thing more than a practical one.
The recording application and the harmonic tremolo are probably just excuses to do an impulsive thing.

He might enjoy a new pedal on his board even if he does not record with it.

He might get cheered-up bit.

Besides, how can you not smile at a gift with a "Wobble" knob?

Still, I appreciate the input and have not decided.

[Jonni]

I have the deco. I am fascinated by it it but I still havent found any use for it. In some youtube videos it sounds like a lot of fun, but I havent got much out of the saturation for example. I have options i like more for pre, delay, flange and chorus. I’ll keep it as I plan to record more in the future. I also think I should explore it more in my live rig.

[Joeontheguitar]

I had it and sold it. While I needed it to get the late Beatles sounds, I don't need it for jazz. It can be useful, both the tape saturation and the double tracker, but for that money I can buy strings for a decade.

[RomanS]

I have one, in fact, it's the only "effect" I currently have on my pedalboard (other than utility pedals like a tuner, A/B-pedal, and my volume pedal for lap steel).
I don't play jazz, though, but rockabilly, Western swing, jump blues, early honkytonk country. I really love the Deco for slapback echo, gets much closer to the 50s slapback produced by running two tape machines, than analog delays do; the saturation side is also great - either as a fattening boost, or as a very low gain, natural-sounding OD into a clean amp.

[Jx30510]

It is a very versatile tool, so many options with the three-way switch (Which I still haven't really understood the technical aspect, but I've got used to what it actually does) and every setting, from flange, to chorus, slap back, and the wonderful Gilmour like delay at full setting (that one is glorious).. It's a great pedal
The tape saturation is just what I need at about a third to half setting, it enhances everything superbly.
The Deco can be a bit hard to apprehend at first. You've got to spend time with it, tweak it all around and just listen to the results, and try to understand what the settings do for you in very specific applications
It can be very useful for recordings, like a slight flange on drum parts, double tracking vocals in pure Lennon style, enhancing dynamics of a whole mix thru a bit of tape saturation..
The Deco is one of the most useful and musical tool I've ever heard, it is a lot more than just your one trick pony guitar pedal.
And I don't use plug-ins anyway so I can't compare it