A Modern Classic: Electro Harmonix Soul Food (Guitar Pedal Review)
The Klon Centaur is one of the most coveted guitar pedals in the guitar community. It has reached almost mythical status, with prices on the used market going for up to $13,000 CAD. Due to the almost amp-like, natural, classic rock overdrive sound and being a favourite among many iconic guitarists, has led prices to skyrocket in years gone by. This has led to many clones of the pedal to be more accessible to musicians. However, the original Klon Centaur was largely a mystery “its topology was largely kept top-secret thanks to an epoxy resin ‘goop’ covering its intricacies,” according to Guitar World. Further building to the lore and the exclusivity of the pedal.
Among these clones, one of the standout versions is the Electro Harmonix Soul Food. Known for their affordable pedals, the Soul Food is “designed for the tone conscious player who needs to cut through a mix without altering the voice of his or her instrument,” according to Long & McQuade. Electro Harmonix were able to create a faithful recreation of what makes the Klon Centaur unique, but also can be used as a clean boost for other pedals like fuzzes and distortions. Offering all of these features for the price of $121.50 CAD, certainly a more affordable price in comparison to the pedal it is based on.
When using the pedal myself, the clarity of the overdrive surprised me. As someone who has never played any Klon-type pedals before, I was very used to overdrive pedals altering the clean sound of the electric guitar. However, I found the amp-like overdrive sound of the Soul Food to be very refreshing, achieving the gritty but clear sound I was looking for. I also found the volume knob to be very effective, being able to capture a wide range of volumes that could work with any setup with some adjustments.
The treble control left more to be desired. While dialing in a sound, I found the treble control to be too harsh and too high in treble, while toning it back made it very bass heavy and muffled. Also, a common issue with Electro Harmonix pedals is there is a loud pop sound that comes through the amp when first engaged. According to other musicians on Equipboard.com “Many users reported a popping sound when engaging the pedal.”
Overall, I would recommend this pedal to other musicians looking for a Klon-esque sound or a light amp-like natural drive for their guitar tone.