Deco support

To use a Tap switch with the Deco, you must first set the pedal to TAP expression mode.  You can find details on how to set the pedal in this mode here.

A Tap switch connected to the Deco’s EXP input will control the Lag Time knob on the pedal.  The Tap tempo has a fixed 1/8 note subdivision, so tapping in 1/4 notes with an external tap switch will return 1/8 note repeats on the Deco.

Power up your pedal holding down both Tape Saturation Bypass and Doubletracker Bypass switches.  While continuing to hold down, turn the Lag Time knob.  When turning to the left, the Tape Saturation LED indicates Instrument Mode.  When turning to the right, the Doubletracker LED indicates Studio Mode. If this method does not change the LED status, then your Deco does not have the latest firmware. Please send an email to [email protected] and we will help you out.

Each of our Strymon digital effect pedals (excludes OB.1) have the ability to be used with mono or stereo connections.  Here are 3 different connection setups you can use with these pedals.

Mono Input => Mono Output

For Compadre, Riverside, and Sunset:  Connect a standard mono TS instrument cable into the INPUT and connect a mono TS instrument cable to the OUTPUT of the pedal.

For blueSky and Ola:  Connect a mono TS instrument cable into the LEFT INPUT and LEFT OUTPUT for a mono connection.

For BigSky, Mobius, NightSky, TimeLine, and Volante:  Connect a mono TS instrument cable into the LEFT INPUT and LEFT OUTPUT for a mono connection.  On the TimeLine and Mobius ONLY, make sure that the switch on the back of the pedal is set to STEREO IN/OUT.

For all other Strymon two footswitch Strymon pedals, connect a standard mono TS instrument cable into the INPUT and connect a mono TS instrument cable to the LEFT OUTPUT of the pedal.

Mono Input => Stereo Output

For Mono INPUT and Stereo OUTPUT on our small 2 footswitch pedals:  Connect a standard mono TS instrument cable into the INPUT and connect a mono TS instrument cable to both the LEFT and RIGHT OUTPUTS of the pedal.  (excludes Compadre, Riverside, and Sunset)

For blueSky and Ola:  Connect a mono TS instrument cable into the LEFT INPUT and a mono TS instrument cable to both the LEFT and RIGHT OUTPUTS for stereo output.

For BigSky, Mobius, NightSky, TimeLine, and Volante:  Connect a mono TS instrument cable into the LEFT INPUT and both LEFT and RIGHT OUTPUTS for stereo output.  On the TimeLine and Mobius ONLY, make sure that the switch on the back of the pedal is set to STEREO IN/OUT.

Stereo Input => Stereo Output

For Stereo input and Stereo output on our small 2 footswitch pedals (except blueSky and Ola), you must first open up the pedal to move the internal jumper over the LEFT 2 pins to set the pedal for TRS Stereo input.  Please see the following FAQ for further information on this setup:

How to Set My 2 Button Strymon Pedal for Stereo Input

Once the pedal is set for TRS Stereo input, make sure to use a TRS Stereo cable into the INPUT and connect a mono TS instrument cable to both the LEFT and RIGHT OUTPUTS of the pedal.

For blueSky and Ola:  Connect a mono TS instrument cable into the LEFT and RIGHT INPUTS along with both LEFT and RIGHT OUTPUTS for stereo input and output.  The internal jumper on these pedals does not need to be adjusted to work in stereo and should be left in its default position (connecting the left 2 pins when viewed from below).

For BigSky, Mobius, NightSky, TimeLine, and Volante:  Connect a mono TS instrument cable into the LEFT and RIGHT INPUTS along with both LEFT and RIGHT OUTPUTS for stereo input and output.  On the TimeLine and Mobius ONLY, make sure that the switch on the back of the pedal is set to STEREO IN/OUT.

The range of time for  Deco’s delayed Lag Deck is from -.3ms to 500ms. More information, including Tips and Tricks for each section can be found in the Deco User Manual.

Wide Stereo Mode generates a wide stereo image. To engage this mode, press and hold both footswitches, while turning the Wobble knob. Turn past 12:00 to turn Wide Stereo Mode ON. Turn to the left of 12:00 to turn OFF. Below are more details on each setting:

Wide Stereo Mode – OFF

This is the standard configuration from the factory. You get a true stereo dual-deck configuration.

With Sum and Invert modes, each output channel contains a Reference Deck and a delayed Lag Deck and full stereo independence is maintained throughout.

In Bounce mode, the delayed right Lag Deck feeds the left Reference Deck to produce a stereo image when you connect both left and right outputs, even with a mono input. If connecting only the left mono output, an additional repeat will be heard on the left output.

Wide Stereo Mode– ON

If the input is stereo, it is summed to mono. The input is then sent to the left output channel through the Reference Deck, and to the right output channel via the delayed Lag Deck to create an adjustable stereo spread.

The Blend control acts as a Pan control by adjusting the relative levels of the decks.

Wide Stereo Mode is automatically disabled if the right output is removed.

• Saturation [High Trim secondary] – 50%
• Volume [Low Trim secondary] – 0%
• Blend [+/- 3dB boost/cut secondary] – 50% for unity gain.
• Lag Time [Auto-Flange Time secondary] – 50%
• Wobble [Wide Stereo Mode toggle secondary] – 0% for OFF

Deco is set up for True Bypass from the factory. It can be set to work in either True Bypass or Buffered Bypass modes.  To toggle between the two bypass settings:

• Unplug power to the Deco.
• Press and hold down both BYPASS switches on the pedal as you plug in the power supply.
• Then, while still holding the switches down, turn the BLEND knob to light up either the TAPE SATURATION or DOUBLETRACKER BYPASS switch lights.

• The TAPE SATURATION light sets the Deco to True Bypass.
• The DOUBLETRACKER light sets the pedal to Buffered Bypass. (Note: the Deco is ALWAYS in Buffered Bypass mode when the RIGHT OUTPUT is connected.)

We have tested the Moog EP-2/EP-3, Roland EV-5, Mission Engineering EP-1 and EP-25K, and they will all work with our pedals to varying degrees.  (There may be others but we haven’t tested them yet.)

We recommend using expression pedals that have a minimum 25k ohm or higher potentiometer such as as the Moog EP-3 or Mission Engineering EP-25k.

To set the EXP input for an expression pedal:

• First, unplug power to Deco.
• Press and hold down both Bypass switches as you plug in the power supply to Deco.
• While still holding down the bypass switches, turn the Saturation knob completely counter-clockwise to set the pedal to expression pedal input mode.  Release the bypass switches.

To control a parameter knob on Deco with the expression pedal:

• Unplug power to Deco once again.
• Press and hold down the Saturation Bypass switch as you plug in the power supply to Deco.
• While still holding down the bypass switch, turn the knob you would like to control with the expression pedal.  The maximum setting you turn to on the knob will set the maximum setting for the toe position on the expression pedal.

To set the EXP input to TAP switch mode:

• Unplug power to Deco.
• Press and hold down both Bypass switches as you plug in the power supply to Deco.
• While still holding down the bypass switches, turn the Saturation knob to the 12:00 position to select TAP switch mode.
• Release the bypass switches.
• A TAP switch connected to the EXP input will control the Lag Time with 1/8th note tap division.

To set the EXP input to Favorite switch mode:

• Unplug power to Deco.
• Press and hold down both Bypass switches as you plug in the power supply to Deco.
• While still holding down the bypass switches, turn the Saturation knob all the way clockwise to select Favorite switch mode.  Release the bypass switches.
  • To save a Favorite setting, press and hold the Tape Saturation Bypass switch.

You can set the input for the Deco for either mono input or TRS stereo input. The pedal ships in mono configuration from the factory. Here’s how to adjust this configuration.

• Remove the back cover of your pedal.
• On the left side of the circuit board, you’ll see a jumper that can be set in two positions.
• Place the jumper on the left 2 pins for TRS stereo input.
• Place the jumper on the right 2 pins for mono input. (This is the factory setting)

In order to use the TRS stereo input, you’ll need a TRS stereo input adapter like this one. You can purchase one here.

Yes. Once you adjust the secondary function settings on your Strymon pedal they will not change after powering down your pedal until you manually change them again.

All Strymon pedals sold within North America (except OB.1) include a 9VDC 660mA power supply. OB.1 includes a 9V battery.

We recommend a power supply that provides 9VDC (center negative) at a minimum of 250mA.

Do not subject your Strymon pedal to any voltage above 9V. Doing so will damage your pedal and void your warranty.

For further information, please see our blog post on powering your effect pedals at the following link:

Gear Guide: Using the Right Power Supply for your Strymon Pedal

All pedals (except TimeLine, Mobius, and BigSky):

You can, but please take these precautions:

First, make sure the dip switches on the bottom of your Pedal Power are set to the NORMAL (9V) position.  Do not subject your Strymon pedal to any voltage above 9V as doing so will damage your pedal and void your warranty.

Brigadier, blueSky, Deco, DIG, El Capistan, Flint, Lex, Ola, and Orbit all require a minimum of 250mA of current.  You will need to use output 5 or 6 on your Pedal Power 2+ with the standard black power cables.

OB.1 only requires 20mA, so you can use outlets 1 through 4.  Make sure to use the Pedal Power 2+, the original Pedal Power 2 does not provide enough current (mA).

A better solution would be to use our Strymon Ojai high current power supply which offers five (5) high current 9V DC outputs which can each power any of our pedals.

We don’t recommend using daisy chain power supplies. Ground loops are commonly caused when using a daisy chain power cable to power multiple pedals. This creates a ground loop between every pedal in the daisy chain. Ground loops allow stray magnetic fields to introduce hum into your signal path.

If the only type of effect you use is distortion you may not have (or hear) the ill effects. But, if you have modulation and delay pedals the likelihood of ground loops wreaking havoc on your signal is high.

If you don’t plan on using the included power adapter, we recommend an isolated power supply. An isolated supply works by using a transformer (or multiple transformers) to keep every power outlet completely electrically isolated. We offer two fully-isolated, high current DC power supplies, Ojai and Zuma. Click below for more info:

Based on customer feedback, on October 15, 2014 we added two new features to Deco:

Studio Mode

Since we released Deco, we’ve discovered that there is more interest in studio usage than we had originally anticipated. We want to provide the best possible experience for those who may be using Deco in studio environments, and in setups where a hot input signal is present (synth, very hot effects loop, etc). Given that, we have implemented a new selectable Studio Mode power-up option, which specifically tailors the Tape Saturation range for those applications.

Additional Saturation Range

To better accommodate players with low output guitar pickups and light playing style, we have extended the range of overdriven saturation at the tail end of the Saturation knob.

How do I determine if my Deco has the new features?

Power up your pedal holding down both Tape Saturation Bypass and Doubletracker Bypass switches. While continuing to hold down, turn the Lag Time knob. When turning to the left, the Tape Saturation LED should indicate Instrument Mode. When turning to the right the Doubletracker LED indicates Studio Mode. If this method does not change the LED status, then your Deco does not have the update. Please send an email to [email protected] and we will help you out.

All of the inputs and outputs on our pedals use MONO TS unbalanced connections.  You can use a TRS cable to plug into the inputs and outputs of the pedals, however, there is no benefit to using TRS balanced cable over a MONO TS instrument cable.

All Strymon products are crafted with love in the USA, right in the Los Angeles, California area.

4.5″ deep x 4″ wide x 1.75″ tall

These dimensions apply to the following pedals:

• blueSky, Brigadier, Deco, DIG, El Capistan,  Flint,  Lex,  OB.1, Ola, Orbit, Riverside, Sunset

Yes, they feature high-impedance inputs and accept up to +8dBu, instrument or line level.

Strymon Non-Transferrable Limited Warranty

Warranty

Strymon warranties its products and their varying components to be free from defects in material and workmanship for the following periods of time from the original date of purchase when purchased from an Authorized Strymon Dealer:

• Effects Pedals
  • 2 Years – Compadre, Iridium, NightSky, Riverside, Sunset, Volante,
  • 1 Year – BigSky, blueSky, Brigadier, Deco, DIG, El Capistan, Flint, Lex, Mobius, OB.1, Ola, Orbit, TimeLine
• Eurorack Modules
  • 2 Years – AA.1, Magneto
• Power Supplies
  • 5 Years – Zuma, Zuma R300, Ojai, Ojai R30
  • 1 Year – Factory power supplies for pedals
• Accessories
  • 1 Year – MiniSwitch, MultiSwitch Plus, original MultiSwitch, MIDI EXP Cables, DC Power Cables, EIAJ-05 Link Cables, 24V Power Adapter for Ojai/Ojai R30, Polarity Reversal Adapters, Voltage Doubler Adapters, Daisy-Chain Power Cables

If the product fails within the warranty period, Strymon will repair or, at our discretion, replace the product at no cost to the original purchaser.

Exclusions

This warranty covers defects in manufacturing discovered while using this product as recommended by Strymon. This warranty does not cover loss or theft, nor does the coverage extend to damage caused by misuse, abuse, unauthorized modification, improper storage, lightning, or natural disasters. Damage caused by any of the above circumstances may result in a non-warranty repair fee.

Products that were purchased from an unauthorized dealer are not covered under warranty.  The warranty is non-transferrable and does not cover used or second-hand products.

Limits of Liability

In the case of malfunction, the purchaser’s sole recourse shall be repair or replacement, as described in the preceding paragraphs. Strymon will not be held liable to any party for damages that result from the failure of this product. Damages excluded include, but are not limited to, the following: lost profits, lost savings, damage to other equipment, and incidental or consequential damages arising from the use, or inability to use this product. In no event will Strymon be liable for more than the amount of the purchase price, not to exceed the current retail price of the product. Strymon disclaims any other warranties, express or implied. By using the product, the user accepts all terms herein.

How to Obtain Service Under this Warranty

For North American customers: Contact Strymon through our website at http://www.strymon.net/support for Return Authorization and information. Proof of original ownership may be required in the form of a purchase receipt.

For International Customers: Contact the Strymon dealer from which the product was purchased from in order to arrange warranty repair service.

To locate your nearest authorized Strymon dealer, please use the following link:

Authorized Strymon Dealers

You can also contact Strymon directly at (805) 468-8788 or (800) 980-8160 for help finding your nearest authorized Strymon dealer.

Strymon products purchased from an authorized dealer are covered by a manufacturer’s warranty.  A purchase receipt from an authorized dealer is required with any request for warranty service.

Please note that any Strymon products that have been purchased from an unauthorized dealer are not eligible for coverage under the manufacturer’s warranty. If you are uncertain, please contact Strymon directly at (805) 468-8788 or (800) 980-8160 before your purchase.

***NOTE: Warranties for Strymon products are non-transferrable.  Second-hand items, including sales from websites such as craigslist, Ebay, and Reverb are not covered by a manufacturer’s warranty.  Furthermore, there are no authorized dealers on Amazon, Ebay, or Reverb selling “NEW” Strymon products in the USA.***

Your warranty is valid in the region of purchase. For example, if you buy your product in Japan, any service-related issues will need to be handled in Japan. Products purchased in the United States can only be repaired in the United States.