Hailing originally from Detroit, Michigan, David Friedman began his career fixing, building and modifying amps. He was good at it and got progressively better and better. He got so good that he ended up becoming the go-to tone-guy for artists like Eddie Van Halen, Steve Stevens (Billy Idol, Michael Jackson) and Jerry Cantrell (of Alice in Chains), among many others. Eventually, he created Friedman Amplification to crystallize the craftsmanship he developed through the years into his own products.
Although the company has grown considerably since its beginning (it now offers an array of amps, heads, cabinets, pedals, guitars and even pedalboards), Friedman has still the humility and dedication to inspect, play, and sign every single amp that leaves his facility.
Hand built in Los Angeles, California, Friedman’s pedal line is a noteworthy success story for a truly boutique manufacturer: their overdrives, in particular, can be found near the top in many big online musical instrument stores searches. Unsurprisingly, considering David’s expertise, they are all gain pedals, with the exception of a compressor, check it out in this interactive gallery (click for video demos).
The company’s most popular pedal to date is the BE-OD, which models the characteristics of the standout BE-100 amplifier head. Here are a few shoot out videos to give you a better idea of what it can deliver:
