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Friedman BE-OD Metalplay button

Friedman BE-OD Metal

Friedman BE-OD Metalplay button

Friedman BE-OD Metal

FRIEDMAN BE-OD OVERDRIVE demo by Pete Thornplay button

FRIEDMAN BE-OD OVERDRIVE demo by Pete Thorn

Friedman

collapse expand iconDescription

The Friedman BE-O2 Brown Eye overdrive pedal brings the coveted sound of the Friedman BE-100 amplifier to the stage and studio in a rugged, pedalboard-friendly package. Designed to capture the tone that has made the BE-100 an icon. With controls for Volume, Gain, Tight, Bass, Treble and Presence, you can dial in everything from a subtle tube-like breakup to an aggressive, saturated overdrive. The Brown Eye Overdrive's responsive circuitry and premium components provide dynamic, touch-sensitive overdrive that cleans up beautifully when you roll back your guitar's volume knob.

Authentic Tube Amplifier Tone

The Brown Eye Overdrive recreates the tone and feel of Friedman's renowned BE-100 amplifier, delivering the warmth, compression and harmonically rich overdrive that tube amp enthusiasts crave. Its fully analog circuit uses high-quality components to emulate power amp and preamp tubes, capturing the natural sag, bloom and three-dimensional quality of an all-tube signal path. The Brown Eye Overdrive responds dynamically to your playing for a fluid, expressive tone that inspires creativity.

Sculpt Your Sound With Responsive Tone Controls

With six responsive knobs—Volume, Gain, Tight, Bass, Treble and Presence—the BE-O2 Brown Eye Overdrive provides extensive tonal control in a compact pedal. The Gain knob takes you from a hint of tube-like grit to a saturated lead tone, while the Tight control lets you tweak the low end for a focused, articulate sound or a loose, vintage vibe. The active Bass, Treble and Presence knobs allow for precise EQ shaping to suit your guitar and amp. Dial in a bold, mid-pushed tone for solos or a scooped, open sound for chords—the possibilities are nearly endless.

Road-Ready and Built to Last

The BE-O2 Brown Eye Overdrive is built in the USA from high-quality components selected for their durability and tone. Its rugged, powder-coated enclosure is designed to stand up to years of performance use, with premium footswitches and jacks. Friedman's commitment to no-compromise tone and construction means this pedal is ready for your biggest shows and will continue to inspire for decades to come.

Friedman BE-O2 Brown Eye Overdrive Pedal
Friedman BE-O2 Brown Eye Overdrive Pedal
Friedman BE-O2 Brown Eye Overdrive Pedal

collapse expand iconFeatures

  • Authentic British overdrive tones
  • Volume, Gain, Tight, Bass, Treble and Presence
  • True-bypass switching
  • Can be powered between 9-18VDC (no battery)
  • Assembled in USA

Featured Articles

collapse expand iconReviews

4.61

41 Reviews

94%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend

Perfect for humbuckers or noiseless "single coil" pups.
Fantastic tone. A must have for any guitarist.
Best High Gain Amp like pedal, Ever.
Great pedal !
Very nice Pedal

Most Liked Positive Review

5

Great pedal !

Great sounding pedal I have many distortion and overdrive pedals and this one is has it dialed in ! It has tons of gain , I turned down the trim pot to 9:30- 10 :00 from the factory setting , and the gain dial is a lot more friendly / usable . If you have a decent amp this will turn it into a beast , it was a perfect match for my 2204 with no effects loop was thinking of modding it (loop and gain mod) now I don't need to ! thanks Friedman it has great dynamics and touch and feel , glassy , sag , etc... well worth it get one you'll be happy you did !

VS

Most Liked Negative Review

3

Needs mid control

I use this pedal on my board for a high gain setting (I play about 20 songs per set and 3 or 4 of them are higher gain, think 80s metal). The sound quality if this pedal is amazing. This pedal makes my Vox sound like a cranked Marshall. However...I wish this pedal had a mid control to help cut through a mix better. I bought it on clearance and I cannot return it :( ... If I could I would buy the JHS Angry Charlie.

Filters
Best Uses
  1. Home Studio24
  2. Performances24
  3. Professional Recording22
  4. Amateur Recording20
  5. Outdoor Events / Games15
Cons
  1. Limited Selection Of Effects2
  2. Jacks are placed low on the pedal1
  3. Poor Sound Quality1
  4. Switch button a little stiff.1
  5. Build quality1
Describe Yourself
  1. Experienced28
  2. Professional Musician6
  3. Novice2
Pros
  1. Excellent Sound Quality33
  2. Responsive29
  3. Compact21
  4. Versatile19
  5. Good Selection Of Effects8

Reviewed by 41 customers

  • Friedman is very good

    5

    Verified BuyerVerified Buyer

    submitteda year ago

    bySteve

    fromCerritos CA

    Submitted as part of a sweepstakes

    Friedman is very good equipment all around

  • Friedman BE-OD - best in class always on brutal articulation

    5

    Verified BuyerVerified Buyer

    submitteda year ago

    byJ

    fromTexas

    Submitted as part of a sweepstakes

    Enough gain for Cannibal Corpse, more sizzle than that "Eddie" pedal and Buckethead level articulation. All at the same time! Running on the clean channel of a Marshall DSL into a V30 2x12. Drop a TS in front of it and you effectively turn up to 11!

  • This ended my tone chasing addiction

    5

    submitted2 years ago

    byHowie

    fromEast Los Angeles

    I am no longer a tone chaser. This pedal solved all my lifes problems.

  • Why did I wait so long to buy this?

    5

    submitted2 years ago

    byDave

    fromCarlsbad, CA

    I guess I didn't realize it doesn't have a battery option? No worries, I run a powered pedal board. This pedal turned my Marshall 2204 into a an absolute fire breathing monster. I have bought lots of dirt boxes and been disappointed, I was sold on this as a keeper pretty Much immediately. I only wish I'd bought it sooner.

  • Amazing

    5

    submitted2 years ago

    byArty

    fromSpartanburg SC

    I primarily use Helix and when I do use my tube amp I have been using Strymon brand pedals but after becoming found of the Friedman BE 100 amp in my Helix ,I decided to try the BE OD Pedal and it blew me away . Not only did it compare nicely to the BE 100 tone but it absolutely sound so rich and tight especially on the HI Gain end , it blew my strymon riverside away , if your looking for plenty of high gain distortion and a really rich quality tone ,this is the pedal you want , from a bluesy rock sound to a hard rock bite all the way to a metal crisp sizzle, this pedal can carry the load with a velvet high gain growl Friedman is known for , excellent pedal

  • Great pedal for 80's overdrive!

    5

    Verified BuyerVerified Buyer

    submitted3 years ago

    byDonna

    fromEast TN

    The best sounding overdrive pedal I've ever heard. Nails 80's high gain sound.

collapse expand iconQ&A

Have a question about this product? Our expert Gear Advisers have the answers.

  • submitted6 years ago

    asked byJosh

    fromBurbank

    Has anyone used the BE-OD on bass? Any low end loss?

    Has anyone used the BE-OD on bass? Any low end loss?

    Open Reply - Beau
    This over drive pedal is meant for a guitar but would also work on a bass. It would have minimal low end loss.

  • submitted7 years ago

    asked byAC

    fromNJ

    Can this be used with. SS Champion 40 amp

    Can this be used with. SS Champion 40 amp

    Open Reply - Gear Specialist
    Yes it can.