Be prepared to have fun building the Oskitone Scout open-source synth

It might not be the most versatile synth in the world, but there’s no denying the cuteness of Oskitone’s Scout, a tiny square wave synth that you can build yourself.

This Arudino-compatible monophonic beauty is proudly “no-frills”, and can also be purchased fully assembled ($125), but surely part of the fun is going the DIY route.

This brings the cost down to $60, and if you’re happy to 3D-print your own parts, you can pick up the Scout for as little as $42.

Controls are limited to a 17-note keyboard, a volume knob and an on/off switch, so hands-on tweaking is out of the question, but the Scout can be hacked if you’re that way inclined.

Find out more on the Oskitone website.

I’m the Deputy Editor of MusicRadar, having worked on the site since its launch in 2007. I previously spent eight years working on our sister magazine, Computer Music. I’ve been playing the piano, gigging in bands and failing to finish tracks at home for more than 30 years, 24 of which I’ve also spent writing about music and the ever-changing technology used to make it.