The Beetronics Swarm Limited Edition Royal Series is an analog fuzz harmonizer: a fuzz pedal that does not just clip your signal, it generates harmony notes alongside it. Beetronics describes it as a pedal that "sounds like a thousand killer bees coming to get you!"1
Under the hood, the Swarm works differently from a standard fuzz. In the maker's own words:
"It basically turns your input signal into a square wave, than multiplies and divides the frequency of that wave, giving you nine possible harmonies in two different octaves."1
Modulation is applied to those harmonies, so they can range from a nearly perfect tracking harmony to what Beetronics calls "wild and uncontrollable"1. The pedal is hand made in California1.
The Swarm Limited Edition Royal Series is sold out at Beetronics, as of October 20261. Other limited edition Swarm finishes, including the Silver Limited Edition, are also listed as sold out2.
What the Swarm does
A conventional fuzz pedal distorts your existing signal. The Swarm goes further: it converts your input into a square wave, then multiplies and divides that wave's frequency to create harmony notes one and two octaves away from what you play1. The result is a fuzz sound with pitched layers on top, and because the harmonies are generated from your own note, they follow your playing.
The modulation section is what sets the character. Beetronics says it takes the harmonies from "a nearly perfect tracking harmony, to a wild and uncontrollable" sound1, so the same pedal can sit politely under a riff or smear into something far less predictable.
The controls
The Swarm carries six controls, each with a bee-themed name. Here is what each one does, as described by Beetronics:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| WORKER | Sets the level of your input signal, now fuzzy and buzzy2 |
| SPECIES | Selects between 9 different intervals for your harmonies1 |
| QUEEN | Sets the level for one of the harmonies, which stay one octave apart1 |
| DRONE | Sets the level for the other harmony, one octave apart1 |
| STING | Sets how fast or slow the harmonies will follow your playing1 |
| MASTER | Sets your output volume1 |
FLIGHT deserves its own note, because it shapes the whole character of the modulation1:
"FLIGHT will set the response of the modulation. CCW the harmonies will keep it oscillating up and down, while CW it will" glide and hold from one note to the next1
In practice, WORKER and MASTER behave like the input and output volume controls of any fuzz, while SPECIES, QUEEN, DRONE, STING and FLIGHT are all about the generated harmonies: which interval you get, how loud each octave sits, how quickly the harmonies chase your notes, and whether they wobble or glide12.
Power and bypass
The Swarm requires a 9V DC power supply with a center negative plug, and draws only 7mA1. That current draw is low enough that the pedal is easy on a multi-output power supply.
No power supply is included with the Swarm Limited Edition Royal Series1. You need to supply your own 9V DC center negative adapter.
The pedal is true bypass1, so when it is switched off your signal passes through without buffering or coloring.
A Royal Series limited edition
The Royal Series is one of several limited edition runs of the Swarm. Beetronics has released the same circuit in a range of finishes, including the Swarm Fuzz Harmonizer Limited Edition, the Swarm Limited Edition "Donatello", the Swarm Fuzz Harmonizer Limited Edition Bambee, the Swarm Fuzz Harmonizer Pink Lemonade Limited Edition and the Swarm Fuzz Harmonizer Limited Edition Majin Bee. The Silver Limited Edition, also part of the Royal Series, was offered with 20 units available on its first batch2, and a Silver BF20 Limited Edition Royal Series version also exists3.
All of these limited editions share the same core design: an analog fuzz harmonizer with true bypass, 9V DC center negative power and a 7mA current draw1423. The differences between them are the finish and the size of the run, not the circuit.
Size and weight
| Measurement | Value |
|---|---|
| Enclosure size | 5.5" x 3.25" x 2"1 |
| Pedal size (including knobs and switches) | 5.5" x 4" x 2.75"1 |
| Pedal weight | 1 lb / 0.5 kilos1 |
| Package size | 6.75" x 5.25" x 3.25"1 |
| Package weight | 1 lb 8 oz / 0.75 kilos1 |
Warranty and returns
Beetronics offers a 30-Day Hive Happiness Guarantee on the Royal Series, with shipping not included1. To return a pedal, you email within 30 business days of receiving the order for an RMA form; a full refund applies if the pedal is returned in new condition in its original packaging, with a possible 15% restocking fee or store credit for wear or missing items. The return must ship within 7 days of receiving the RMA, and the refund is processed within 5 business days1. The standard Swarm Limited Edition carries a shorter 14-Day Hive Happiness Guarantee4.
Videos
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Questions
Is the Beetronics Swarm true bypass?
Yes. Beetronics lists the Swarm Limited Edition Royal Series, and every other limited edition version of the Swarm, as true bypass, so the pedal passes your dry signal untouched when it is switched off.
Does the Beetronics Swarm come with a power supply?
No. Beetronics states on the product page that the Swarm Limited Edition Royal Series does not include a power supply. You need your own 9V DC center negative supply to run it.
How many harmony intervals does the Swarm have?
The SPECIES control selects between 9 different intervals for the harmonies. The pedal turns your input signal into a square wave, then multiplies and divides that wave's frequency to generate the nine harmonies across two octaves.
Is the Swarm Royal Series still available?
No. Beetronics lists the Swarm Limited Edition Royal Series as sold out. Other limited edition Swarm finishes, including the Silver Limited Edition, are also shown as sold out on the maker's site.
How big is the Beetronics Swarm?
The enclosure measures 5.5 by 3.25 by 2 inches, and the pedal is 5.5 by 4 by 2.75 inches including knobs and switches. It weighs 1 lb, and the shipped package is 6.75 by 5.25 by 3.25 inches at 1 lb 8 oz.
Sources (4)
- Swarm Limited Edition Royal Series, Beetronics
- Swarm Silver Limited Edition Royal Series, Beetronics
- Swarm Silver BF20 Limited Edition, Beetronics
- Swarm Limited Edition, Beetronics
