The Beetronics Overhive Custom Shop Ouija is a limited Custom Shop edition of the Overhive, a mid-gain overdrive pedal. Beetronics describes the Overhive as a versatile, medium-gain overdrive that enhances your amp's natural character with warmth, clarity, and just the right amount of bite, and says the Ouija delivers warm, articulate gain that responds to your playing and enhances your amp's natural voice1.
The pedal is aimed at players who want an overdrive that works with the amp rather than replacing its character. Beetronics says it cleans up with your guitar's volume knob and responds naturally to your touch, and that it suits both stacking with other drives and standalone use1.
The Ouija is a limited Custom Shop unit and is listed as sold out on the Beetronics product page1. Other Custom Shop Overhive units, including OV1636 and OV1451, are also shown as sold out23.
Controls and switching
The Overhive's control set is built around two toggle switches that reshape the pedal's character, alongside the usual drive, tone and volume controls found on the Overhive line12.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Body switch | Adds a low-end boost1 |
| Hive switch | Changes the pedal's overall feel, from tighter and more focused to bigger and smoother1 |
| Tone control | Shapes the pedal's frequency response4 |
| Master volume | Sets the output level4 |
The Body switch is the practical one for working players. Beetronics suggests it is great for when you are switching guitars during a set, or any time you feel like adding a low-end boost4. If you move between a bright single-coil guitar and a warmer humbucker instrument mid-gig, the switch gives you a quick way to fatten things up without redoing your knob settings.
The Hive switch is the more tonal of the two. On the Ouija, Beetronics says it changes the pedal's overall feel, moving from tighter and more focused to bigger and smoother1. On other Custom Shop Overhive pages the company describes the same switch as toggling between fat and focused tones, great for dialing in any rig2. In practice it gives you two overall characters from one pedal, which is part of why Beetronics calls the Overhive highly versatile.
How it responds and stacks
Beetronics positions the Overhive as a dynamic pedal rather than a fixed-gain box. The company says it cleans up with your guitar's volume and responds naturally to your touch, making it suitable for stacking or standalone use1. On the Custom Shop 420 edition page, Beetronics also states that the Overhive stacks beautifully with boosts, fuzzes, and high-gain drives5, so players running multi-pedal drive chains can use it as a foundation or a coloring stage.
The core sound description is consistent across the Overhive family. Beetronics describes a round and warm tone that respects your amp, enhancing its best qualities while dynamically reacting to your playing, with a punchy and direct feel, warm musical break up and singing sustain4.
Custom Shop versus the standard Overhive
The Custom Shop Ouija is one of a series of individually built limited editions of the Overhive. Beetronics lists Custom Shop units by serial number, including OV1631, OV1636 and OV1627, each a one-off version of the same Overhive mid-gain overdrive3. Other Custom Shop editions include the OV1451 and the Custom Shop 420, alongside earlier limited runs such as the Babee Blue and Blackbee editions.
The standard series Overhive is the regular production version of the same circuit6. The Custom Shop units carry the same core design, controls and true bypass switching2, with the difference being the individual build and finish of each unit. Because each is a single piece, availability is a matter of what happens to be listed at the time.
Buying and warranty
The Ouija was listed at a regular price of £216.00 on the Beetronics product page, and is shown as sold out1. Beetronics offers a 14-day money back guarantee on the pedal1. The power supply is not included, so a standard 9V center-negative supply is needed1.
Questions
What does the Body switch do on the Overhive?
The Body switch adds a low-end boost. Beetronics suggests it is useful when you are switching guitars during a set, for example moving from a brighter guitar to a warmer one, or any time you want more bottom end from the pedal without turning up the gain or volume.
What does the Hive switch do?
The Hive switch changes the pedal's overall feel, moving between a tighter, more focused character and a bigger, smoother one. Beetronics describes it on other Custom Shop Overhive pages as toggling between fat and focused tones, which makes it handy for dialing the pedal into different amps and guitars.
Is the Beetronics Overhive true bypass?
Yes. The Overhive Custom Shop Ouija uses true bypass switching, which keeps your signal path untouched when the pedal is disengaged. The same true bypass switching is listed on other Custom Shop Overhive units, so it is standard across the Custom Shop versions of the pedal.
What power supply does the Overhive Custom Shop use?
It runs on 9V DC with a center-negative plug, the same standard used by most pedalboard power supplies. The power supply is not included with the pedal, so you need a standard 9V center-negative supply or an isolated pedalboard output to run it.
Is the Overhive Custom Shop Ouija still available?
No. The Ouija is listed as sold out on the Beetronics product page, and other Custom Shop Overhive units such as OV1636 and OV1451 are also shown as sold out. Custom Shop units are limited individual builds, so once one sells it is generally gone.
How is the Custom Shop Overhive different from the standard Overhive?
The Custom Shop units are limited editions of the same Overhive mid-gain overdrive circuit, each built as an individual piece with its own serial number and finish, such as the Ouija, OV1451, and the 420 edition. The standard series Overhive is the regular production version of the same pedal.
Sources (6)
- Overhive, Beetronics
- Overhive Mid-Gain OD Custom Shop OV1451, Beetronics
- Overhive Mid-Gain Overdrive • Standard Series, Beetronics
- Overhive Mid-Gain Od Limited Edition Babee Blue, Beetronics (beetronicsfx.com)
- Overhive Mid-Gain Overdrive • Custom Shop • 420, Beetronics
- Overhive Mid-Gain Overdrive • BEE STOCK, Beetronics
