bsm

The passive box works with two custom-made toroidal transformers providing that analog flair of Ritchie Blackmore's AIWA TP-1011 reel-to-reel tape deck from the '70s.

Waldmohr, Germany (October 10, 2017) -- Good news for all Ritchie Blackmore fans. The high output level of many BSM Treble Booster and preamp units often causes problems with the following modulation unit, especially with the echo unit that is necessary and important for the real post-'74 Blackmore sound. BSM solved this problem with the RB box (aka Ritchie´s Box), a pure passive looper with two custom-made special line transformers. In the first step the input level is transformed to 50 percent to have the standard level for overdrive-free processing in other modern effects. In the second step the signal is pushed up again to 100 percent in the return section to the original output level. With this tricky thing it´s also possible to combine todays modelling effects and old-style treble boosters!

The RB box is passive with two custom-made toroidal transformers, adding that analog flair of Ritchies AIWA TP-1011 reel-to-reel tape deck to all digital echo and delay machines.

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A Teutonic treble-booster master builds a Blackmore-inspired overdrive.

Germany’s BSM is the brainchild of Bernd Meiser, a fellow you might call obsessive about treble boosters. He’s made dozens of variations—most from an enraptured perspective on Richie Blackmore’s killer Deep Purple tones. Meiser’s pedals are no-frills and a bit spendy. But as his sizable cult can attest, they are the real deal if you’re chasing the sweet-to-the-ear singing leads of Blackmore, Gallagher, or Iommi.

His Supreme overdrive plies the same waters, but instead of a variation on Blackmore’s Hornby-Skewes booster, the Supreme emulates the overdrive tones Blackmore extracted form his modified Aiwa reel-to-reel deck. Meiser has toyed with this concept before. But the Supreme is ostensibly a medium-gain version that retains the modified Aiwa’s signature cutting tones.

The results are still overtly and satisfyingly hot. If you use British-style amps and like lead tones that walk the fences between sweet, stinging, and white-hot, the Supreme is a thing of wonder. It works less well with classically Fender-ish amps. (My silverface Bassman, which can be coaxed into Marshall-y zones, was an exception, but Twin Reverb users should beware.) The “medium-gain” virtues of the pedal’s design are heard best when playing chugging chords—a task at which the Supreme excels.

Test gear: Fender Jazzmaster, Fender Jaguar, Fender Telecaster Deluxe, Orange OR50, silverface Fender Bassman, blackface Fender Tremolux, Fender Vibro Champ

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A take on the classic Vox Treble/Bass Booster that fueled many British-rock hits.

Waldmohr, Germany (June 15, 2017) -- The BSM RMG model is based on the British Vox Treble & Bass booster made in the mid '60s. The BSM RMG is a custom version of this Vox unit made as a homage to the famous Byrds guitarist Roger McGuinn and his signature "jingle-jangle" sound. The tone control allows an extraordinary amount of versatility. It can add a lot of twang and spank to any guitar sound. By pronouncing the percussive attack in a very musical way, any guitar will sound more "in the face" that way.

Features:

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