The BSM Spice Box is a filter box for guitar installation, built as a faithful replica of the old MTC filter box that Ritchie Blackmore has used since around 19781. Rather than sitting on a pedalboard, it mounts inside the guitar: BSM says you can put it under the tone pots of most standard routed Stratocasters1. It is a mid-filter, using a toroidal coil with a selected core, and it also carries a treble bleed function intended to clean up the tone with a tighter bass response when the volume control is rolled back1.
What it does to your sound
BSM describes the mid-filter as doing something a standard tone control does not: it creates more chime and high-end, resulting in a warm and sweet tone with transparency that prevents the sound from getting muddy1. The treble bleed works alongside it, cleaning up the tone with a tighter bass response as the guitar's volume control is rolled back1.
Because it installs inside the guitar, the Spice Box belongs to the wider family of filter pedals and tone-shaping units, but it never touches the front of an amp or a chain of overdrive pedals: it shapes the guitar's own signal at the source1.
Who makes it now
The Spice Box is built using a 100% point-to-point production process without any PCBs or pre-manufactured parts1. The makers went a step further on tolerances and part selection, using capacitors with a tiny 1% tolerance and resistors with an even tinier 0.1% tolerance1. Because units are built in much larger parallel runs than Bernd's original process allowed, the price of each unit has been lowered noticeably1. The original instruction paper Bernd came up with, including his hand-drawn wiring scheme and supplemented by added drawings, is still used1. There is also a "Spice Box ... à la Dawk" edition, and it's the same price2.
The maker says the current build uses the exact same guts Bernd Meiser used, drawn mostly from his legacy, and follows the same 100% point-to-point production process without any PCBs or pre-manufactured parts1. Parts are selected to tight tolerances: capacitors with a 1% tolerance and resistors with an even tighter 0.1% tolerance1. The original instruction paper Meiser came up with, including his hand-drawn wiring scheme, is still used, supplemented by added drawings1. Because many more Spice Boxes are now built in parallel compared to Meiser's own process, the maker says the price of each unit has been lowered noticeably1.
Versions and limited editions
| Version | What it is | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| SINGLECOIL Spice Box ... à la Bernd | The standard unit, renamed from BSM Spice Box, same selected parts and point-to-point build | Permanent1 |
| Spice Box ... à la Dawk | Limited edition of 10 boxes mimicking the original appearance of the MTC box made by John "Dawk" Stillwell, with the same color code and a "rustic" design, branded mark instead of a sticker | Limited to 10, same price, no blem versions2 |
| Blem units | Units with resin on the case that cannot be removed, technically perfect inside | Sold at a very low price1 |
"Under the hood it's a 100% \"Spice Box ... à la Bernd\" using the same highly selected parts."
The à la Dawk edition is limited to 10 boxes and has no blem versions; the standard blem units, which carry resin on the case that cannot be removed, are sold at a very low price for players who do not care about the case's appearance1.
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Questions
What does the BSM Spice Box do?
It is a mid-filter for guitar installation, built around a toroidal coil with a selected core. Compared to a standard tone control, BSM says the mid-filter creates more chime and high-end, giving a warm and sweet tone with transparency that keeps the sound from getting muddy. It also includes a treble bleed function intended to clean up the tone with a tighter bass response when the volume control is rolled back.
Who makes the Spice Box now?
As of March 2026 the Spice Box is back in production, made by the SINGLECOIL company, the firm with which Bernd C. Meiser did the analysis and research of the original MTC modules back in 2013. It has been renamed the SINGLECOIL Spice Box ... à la Bernd and is available permanently, using the same parts and point-to-point build Bernd Meiser used.
Will the Spice Box fit under the tone pots of my Strat?
According to BSM, you can put it under the tone pots of most standard routed Stratocasters. The unit is designed for installation inside the guitar rather than on a pedalboard, so it needs no external power or floor space.
What does the treble bleed function do?
BSM describes the treble bleed function as intended to clean up the tone with a tighter bass response when the volume control is rolled back. In practice that means turning the guitar's volume down keeps the sound clearer and less bass-heavy instead of dull and muddy.
Is the Spice Box the same as the MTC filter box Ritchie Blackmore used?
It is a faithful replica of the old MTC filter box for guitar installation that Ritchie Blackmore has used since around 1978. BSM built it with the exact same guts Bernd Meiser used, drawn mostly from his legacy, and the à la Dawk edition even mimics the original MTC box's appearance.
What is the Spice Box à la Dawk?
It is a limited edition of 10 boxes that mimic the original appearance of the MTC box made by John "Dawk" Stillwell, with the same color code and a rustic design, and a branded mark instead of a sticker. Under the hood it is a 100% Spice Box ... à la Bernd using the same highly selected parts, at the same price, with no blem versions.
Sources (2)
- Spice Box, treblebooster.net (BSM), 2026-03
- News | BSM - Finest Treble Booster, BSM - Finest Treble Booster (treblebooster.net), 2026-03-14
Ritchie Blackmore