Scott’s Synth Stuff Throws Down: The New Bee SK17 – Budget FX Pedal or Secret Synth Weapon?

15. February 2026

SPARKY

Scott’s Synth Stuff Throws Down: The New Bee SK17 – Budget FX Pedal or Secret Synth Weapon?

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Ever wondered if a $55 pedal could turn your dry mono synth into a rave bunker beast? Scott’s Synth Stuff dives headfirst into the New Bee SK17, a pint-sized multi-effects pedal that claims to do it all—modulation, delays, reverbs, amp sims, and even USB audio. Scott’s no-nonsense style means you get the real dirt: what slaps, what flops, and whether this box is just for guitarists or a legit synth sidekick. If you’re tired of plastic promises and want to know if cheap gear can punch above its weight, this one’s for you. Spoiler: the SH-101 gets a serious glow-up.

Tiny Box, Big Promise

Scott’s Synth Stuff doesn’t mess about with pointless gear, so when the New Bee SK17 landed uninvited on his doorstep, expectations were low. But this little pedal, clearly aimed at guitarists, had enough features to make even synth nerds raise an eyebrow. For $55, you get a compact digital effects unit with a surprising amount of tricks up its sleeve.

It’s got the basics: quarter-inch ins and outs, a headphone jack, USB power, and a bracket to hang it off your synth. The interface is simple—rotary encoder, five buttons, and a colour display. Sure, it’s mono (don’t expect lush stereo fields here), but for mono synths like the SH-101, that’s not a dealbreaker. The real shocker? The effects actually sound decent, and it’s a steal for the price.

This thing's a steal. So it is a tiny little effects pedal.

"This thing's a steal. So it is a tiny little effects pedal."

© Screenshot/Quote: Scottssynthstuff (YouTube)

FX Buffet: Modulation, Delays, and More

The SK17 isn’t just a one-trick pony. It packs in amp models, cabinet sims, modulation (chorus, phaser, flanger, vibrato), delays, reverbs—including shimmer and cloud—and even a built-in tuner. That’s a lot of sauce for a pedal that costs less than a night out in London.

Scott shows how the pedal’s effects chain is modular: you can swap the order of modules, tweak parameters, and save your own presets. The compressor and amp models are more useful for guitars, but the modulation, delay, and reverb sections are where this thing shines for synths. If your mono synth is as dry as a British sense of humour, this pedal is a fast fix.


Portable Powerhouse: Battery and USB Tricks

Here’s where the SK17 starts flexing. It’s got a rechargeable battery that’ll last seven hours, so you can take it from the studio to the stage without hunting for a socket. The USB port isn’t just for charging—it doubles as an audio interface, letting you record your synth straight into your DAW, effects and all.

Bluetooth is on board too, with one channel for streaming audio and another for connecting to the companion app. Whether you’re jamming in a field or recording in your bedroom, this pedal’s got the flexibility to keep up. For live sets, it’s a no-brainer; for studio work, it’s a handy little backup.


Sound Demos: From SH-101 to Sonic Street Weapon

All right, here's the juice. Here's the modulation. This is what I'm really interested in.

"All right, here's the juice. Here's the modulation. This is what I'm really interested in."

© Screenshot/Quote: Scottssynthstuff (YouTube)

Scott plugs the SH-101 into the SK17 and lets rip. Preset browsing is instant gratification—chorus thickens things up, phaser and flanger add movement, and the delays and reverbs go from subtle to full-on space cadet. The amp models can add grit, but it’s the modulation and time-based effects that really transform the SH-101 from vanilla to club-ready.

The demos prove the SK17 isn’t just a toy. Sure, some effects are more useful than others (noise gate on a synth? Nah), but the overall upgrade is massive for such a cheap box. If you want to hear the pedal’s full madness—especially those shimmer and cloud reverbs—watch the video. Words can’t do the chaos justice.

App Attack: Edit, Share, and Tweak

Editing on the pedal itself is fine, but the companion app is where things get slick. Bluetooth connects your phone, and suddenly you’ve got a touchscreen editor for every effect, plus a community library of user presets. It’s like synth social media for your pedalboard.

Scott shows how easy it is to tweak parameters, save custom sounds, and download wild patches from other users. For $55, this level of customisation is unheard of. If you’re the type who likes to get lost in endless preset swapping, this app will eat your weekend. Just don’t blame us when you lose track of time.

You can save the presets and you can actually share. And there's a whole library, a public library, like a social media library of effects…

"You can save the presets and you can actually share. And there's a whole library, a public library, like a social media library of effects, combinations or presets that people have created for this thing."

© Screenshot/Quote: Scottssynthstuff (YouTube)

This article is also available in German. Read it here: https://synthmagazin.at/scotts-synth-stuff-im-haertetest-new-bee-sk17-billig-fx-pedal-oder-geheimer-synth-waffe/
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