Friedman BE-OD Overdrive Pedal

Retailing in the region of £174.99

On the menu for January 2026 are the Friedman Guitar Pedals, freshly added and carefully selected. These New units are available to order online with fast, secure delivery from trusted UK retailers. Read on for full details, specifications, demos, videos, reviews, and the best places to buy the Friedman Guitar Pedals today.


Description

On the menu for January 2026 are the Friedman Guitar Pedals, freshly added and carefully selected. These New units are available to order online with fast, secure delivery from trusted UK retailers. Read on for full details, specifications, demos, videos, reviews, and the best places to buy the Friedman Guitar Pedals today.

The Friedman BE sound has become the go to tone for those who want an extremely high gain version of the iconic British black and gold amps. Before that tone away was locked away in amps that easily cost over £1000, now you can get that tone in any kind of valve amp using just a single pedal. The Friedman BE-OD is an extremely powerful pedal that produces the exact tone you would expect with that BE branding.

POWER!

The original BE tone is over the top high gain madness with a refined British midrange and note to note clarity that is just unmatched. Somehow Dave Friedman managed to fit a tone that requires a huge valve amp in to a single pedal unit. That includes all of the gain that makes the amp so popular with everything from blues to classic rock and metal lovers.

6 Controls

On the front of the pedal you have 6 controls that make it so easy to dial in your exact sound. On the EQ side you have Bass, Treble and Presence controls which all work very similar to how you would expect an amp to respond. Moving on to the other controls you have the usual level and gain controls as well as something called the tight control. This single control helps tighten up the low end for heavier sounds and give that tube amp like response.

Made In The USA

Like everything that caries the Friedman badge the BE-OD overdrive pedal is proudly designed and  made in the USA by some of the best engineers that have ever touched an amplifier. This is the perfect replication of the BE-100 amp in a compact pedal format. 

Pro Grade

Since the pedal was first released it has found its way onto the pedalboards of many major artists including people like Tosin Abasi who now uses the BE-OD for his main live drive sound through a clean valve amp. He has two of these on his pedalboard, that's how much he loves them!

Specifications

  • Overdrive Pedal based on the Friedman BE100 tube amplifier
  • Controls: Volume, Gain, Tight, Bass, Treble and Presence
  • Power supply via 9V DC Power Supply (Not Included)

Additional information

Weight 0.5 kg

Brand

Friedman

Friedman are renowned for delivering the tone and feel of hot-rodded vintage British amps, refined to perfection by Dave Friedman. Hand-built in the USA, their amplifiers and pedals capture that rich, harmonically complex sound that defined classic rock, while offering modern reliability and versatility. From the legendary BE-100 head to the Dirty Shirley and Small Box, every Friedman product is crafted for players who demand boutique quality, powerful tone, and road-ready performance.

 

Category

Guitar Pedals

Tags

EQ

While Ed Sheeran primarily relies on the natural sound of his acoustic guitar and vocals, he occasionally uses EQ (Equalization) to shape and enhance his tone during live performances or in the studio. EQ pedals or onboard preamps can allow him to adjust the frequency response of his guitar signal to suit the acoustics of different venues or to achieve specific tonal characteristics. Here’s how EQ might be utilized in Ed Sheeran’s setup:

1. **Tonal Shaping**: EQ can be used to adjust the balance of frequencies in the guitar signal, allowing Ed Sheeran to shape his tone to his liking. For example, he might boost the midrange frequencies to bring out the warmth and presence of his acoustic guitar, or cut certain frequencies to reduce any harshness or mud in the sound.

2. **Feedback Control**: In a live setting, EQ can help control feedback by notching out problematic frequencies that might cause the guitar signal to feed back through the amplification system. This can be particularly useful when performing in venues with challenging acoustics or high volume levels.

3. **Room Correction**: In situations where the venue’s acoustics are less than ideal, EQ can be used to compensate for any deficiencies in the sound. By adjusting the EQ settings, Ed Sheeran can tailor the guitar tone to sound more balanced and natural, regardless of the room’s acoustic properties.

4. **Matching Gear**: EQ can also be used to match the tone of Ed Sheeran’s guitar to the sound of other instruments or equipment in his setup. For example, he might adjust the EQ to complement the tonal characteristics of his vocal microphone or to blend seamlessly with backing tracks or other instruments.

Overall, while EQ may not be a central component of Ed Sheeran’s guitar effects setup, it can still play a valuable role in shaping his tone and ensuring that he achieves the desired sound in different performance environments. Whether used subtly for tonal shaping or more aggressively for feedback control, EQ allows Ed Sheeran to tailor his guitar tone to suit his musical vision and performance needs.

New

This is brand new, fresh in, and a UK warranty is included. New Gear always comes from trusted UK music retailers.

Overdrive

Like a golden layer of melted cheese — warm, gooey, and just put it all over. It adds just the right amount of richness and grit, turning a clean signal into something smooth and savoury. Designed to mimic the natural breakup of a tube amp pushed to its sweet spot, overdrive delivers the flavour of classic rock and blues in every bite. From creamy mid-gain warmth to crisp edge-of-breakup sparkle, it’s the comfort food of guitar tone — simple, satisfying, and endlessly versatile. Whether it’s a mild crunch or a full-bodied roar, overdrive is where good taste begins.

Volume

Volume pedals control the output level of a guitar signal using a foot-operated treadle. They allow smooth volume swells, dynamic control during playing, and easy muting between songs. Volume pedals can be placed at different points in the signal chain to either control overall loudness or adjust gain and drive behaviour when positioned before distortion or overdrive pedals.