Electro-Harmonix Soul Preacher Compressor

No problem with using it. Has two controls - volume and threshold and one treble boost switch. It is not true bypass pedal.

I use it within the board of effects, each of them is minimum 20 years old: Big Muff Pi -> Soul preacher -> Ibanez Phase Tone -> MXR 10 band graphic equalizer -> Vox wah-wah -> Line 6 POD Pro - 60 watt solid state combo of German provenience. My guitar is Fender Stratocaster '73 and Fender Lead II '79 with Seymour Duncan's humbuckers. In fact POD Pro is very versatile by itself so maybe this setup is not so necessary. But I am used to it and I love this sound. The compression rate surely can be very high (not printed by design) stated subjectively. At that time I tried to get Black Finger which was the compressor of my dream, but in Eastern Europe it was not so easy to get these things. But I am quite happy with the Soul Preacher as well. The combination with cleaner patches on POD (as Fender Twin) gives me thick, full bluesy tone, very creamy and lasting. No noise can be heard even without noise gate. Little problem is that this chain of pedals (maybe due to its age, but rather that any of the effects is true bypassed) partialy removes some harmonic frequencies when in switched-off state. I am working with my friend on more proper switching.

Yes, I use it more than 20 years with no problem. No backup is needed.

I have never dealt with the company. I have thought they do not exist now, but I have seen their web site some time ago. I was little dissapointed that many of their famous pedals aren't reissued (Black Finger, Electric Mistress, Cry baby and many others).

I am playing more than 30 years. I used to play in coverbands with own material too, now I am playing live only seldom. But at home I record a lot, exclusively my instrumentals. The style is more of blues and jazz than in younger years, when it was mainly rock. I like all EH electronics, though many people expected them home made due to their look. But now it is classical, vintage design. The sound of the Soul Preacher is a part of my "signature" sound. It must not be stolen, because there is no chance to get another one again.

This compressor has two knobs and a hi-boost. Pretty easy to use. Good sounds with a minimum amount of tweaking!

I use this for my live setup which is very simple. Strat->Soul Preacher->Small Stone (original)-> Marshall JCM 2000 DSL 401 with a Deluxe Memory Man in the FX-loop. The pedal is super noisy which is very much expected. It has a massive amount of boost and you can definatly be heard when switching this little monster on. It is really good as clean boost for clean solos with lots of sustain, brilliant for slide too. Doesn't affect the volume as much when boosting the overdrive channel on the amp but gives a nice solo sound with tons of sustain.

I've only owned it for a couple of months but it has packed up on me already once but miraculously, without any reason started working again. I have used this on a gig without a backup. I still don't depend on it too much as it is over 20 years old.

I play retro type pop music and this quite a good pedal for the type of music our band plays. I would have rather used a fuzz for leads and solos but it get's a bit complicated if I have to turn the OD to clean on the amp, turn on the fuzz and sing at some point too. A compressor is easy to slap on in front of a driven amp. And this pedal looks super cool too. Real 70's style. I also own the Small Stone and Deluxe Memory Man that I mentioned earlier and a Vintage Rat, E-H Polychorus, U.S. Big Muff, Lovetone Meatball, ZVEX Fuzz Factory, Dean Markley Overlord, Boss Super Overdrive, Boss GE-7, Boss CH-2, Jim Dunlop Crybaby, Ibanez Phase/Tone and a Russian Big Muff. If the Soul Preacher were stolen I probably wouldn't look too hard for another one. I would try to get hold of a vintage MXR Dynacomp or something. I just liek all the E-H stuff and everytime I find something I get it if I can afford it.

Two knobs: Volume and Threshold, plus a switch for treble response. No need for a manual, just spend a bit of time with the unit and you'll grasp the concept pretty quickly. Also has a 9V power jack.

Well, it is noisy, but that is somewhat expected for a compressor Switching off the treble boost will help, but then the sound is a bit muddied. I had never owned a compressr and didn't know what to expect (I probably still don't) so I was a bit unimpressed with the effect. Of course, compression isn't really an "in-your-face" effect. I wanted a bit more sustain, so I bought the Soul Preacher thinking it would be a wonderful solution. Instead, I heard my sound get squashed and was never pleased with it.

Until one fateful day... I was (once again) trying to get a sound that I liked out of it and an incredibly nauseous fuzz began dripping from the amp. I quickly surmised that the dying battery was the cause and kept playing until the battery was killed. It sounded like an Atari with emphysema towards the end, but for a few minutes I got a great, unique sound that my other fuzzboxes couldn't come close to.

I then used one of those multi-voltage adapters from Rat Shack and pinpointed the voltage at which the fuzz is born. 4.5 volts. Once in half-dead emulation mode, the Threshold knob functions more like the Distortion knob on a fuzzbox. There is still some sustain added too. Volume is pretty much the same as regular.
For sound quality as a compressor: 6. As a belching box of sonic velcro: 10. So I guess the average is 8?

Never a problem. Bought it used nearly a year ago. Volume pot date code says 1979.

One of the many Electro-Harmonix effects that has not been reissued.

I thought that I had simply bought a dust-collecting semi-rare effect until I discovered the Charlie Manson lurking within the Soul Preacher. Now I always am surprised to hear the fuzz that this thing barfs. It is a lot of fun! Therefore, my overall rating reflects the unintended use of the Soul Preacher.

Has volume and threshhold knobs plus treble boost switch. Simple enough.

Pretty much an average 70s compressor . Adds sustain when amp is clean or adds gain if amp is distoted.

Never broken down in nearly 20 years, dependable enough.

I'd buy it again . Has pretty good compression abilities and AC adaptor jack. Use it with a Big Muff and you have a Deluxe Big Muff.