The Reuss Plasmatron is a signature distortion and fuzz pedal developed by Copenhagen-based Reuss Effects with Stuart Braithwaite, the front man of Mogwai1. Braithwaite is well known for using the obscure 1990s Danelectro Fab Tone distortion as his main dirt pedal2, and the Plasmatron takes that sound and pairs it with a second circuit: an op-amp-driven Big Muff-style fuzz, running in parallel with a Mix knob to blend the two1.
The pedal was announced in August 2021, hand-built by the Reuss Effects team, with an initial run of 100 units expected to ship that October13.
Two circuits in parallel
The Plasmatron's core idea is its dual-circuit design: fuzz on one side, distortion on the other, with a Mix knob to blend them1. The distortion side is a clone of the 1990s Danelectro Fab Tone, the pedal Braithwaite has long used as his main dirt box21. The fuzz side replicates an op-amp-driven Big Muff, the op-amp variant of the classic Electro-Harmonix fuzz design1.
Reuss runs the two effects in parallel rather than stacking them in series, which is what the Mix knob is for1. Fully counterclockwise, you hear only the Fab Tone-style sounds; cranking the Mix control clockwise brings in the Muff fuzz tones, with both circuits audible at points in between3.
"Reuss is running these two effects in parallel, with that Mix knob on hand to select if you want full Fab Tone at the dial's counterclockwise extreme, full op-amp Muff fuzz at its clockwise extreme, or to investigate the uncharted hinterland between the two, blending in a mix of both."
The op-amp character is carried through in the components: Guitar World reported the pedal comes equipped with made-in-Japan NEC brand uPC4558 op amps, the same op-amp family associated with op-amp Muff circuits, along with 1SS133 clipping diodes3.
Controls and internal switches
Despite housing two circuits, the Plasmatron has a single footswitch, which is where MusicRadar noted it differs from a typical dual-drive stompbox: both circuits are always engaged together, blended by the Mix knob rather than switched between1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Mix knob | Blends between full Fab Tone-style distortion (counterclockwise) and full op-amp Muff fuzz (clockwise), with both in between13 |
| Internal Tight switch | Tames some of the bottom end of the fuzz1 |
| Full-range switch (Fab Tone side) | Switchable option to run a more full-range version of the Fab Tone, with usable tones from break-up to saturation1 |
| Pre-gain switch (Fab Tone side) | Switchable option to reduce the pre-gain of the input stage of the Fab Tone-style circuit, for greater control over the distortion3 |
The internal switches are the tweaks Reuss made to the original designs. Beyond the full-range and pre-gain options on the distortion side, the Tight switch addresses the fuzz side's low end, letting a player rein in some of the bottom end of the Muff-style circuit13.
On power, the Plasmatron runs on 9V DC with a center-negative plug2, and gearnews reported it can also run at 18V from a standard power supply for more dynamic range4.
History: Stuart Braithwaite's signature pedal
Reuss Effects announced the Plasmatron in early August 2021 as a signature pedal for Stuart Braithwaite of Mogwai41. The pairing made sense on paper: Braithwaite's main dirt pedal for years has been the 1990s Danelectro Fab Tone, an obscure distortion the Mogwai front man is well known for using2, and the Plasmatron puts a clone of it alongside a Muff-style fuzz1.
The name comes from Braithwaite's own Twitter handle34. For the enclosure graphics, Reuss and Braithwaite enlisted Aidan Moffat of Arab Strap to design the artwork1.
Reuss had form with signature pedals before the Plasmatron: the company's earlier Reuss Wine and Roses was a signature dual distortion.
How many were made
The initial run was small. Guitar World reported 100 pedals constructed for the unit's first run3, and gearnews noted Reuss had stated only 100 enclosures would be made, so a second batch could push orders into 20224. MusicRadar framed it slightly differently: the Plasmatron is not limited edition per se, but is hand-built in batches by small teams1. Either way, a player looking for one in 2021 is buying from a run of 100 hand-built units13.
The Plasmatron was hand-built in small batches by the Reuss Effects team, with only 100 enclosures made for the first run announced in 2021143. Prices at launch were given as €199.95 and a UK pre-order RRP of £199.9914.
Videos
Anders Marcuslund-Reuss (Reuss Musical Instruments)
Anders Marcuslund-Reuss (Reuss Musical Instruments)
MusicGearz
Questions
What pedals is the Reuss Plasmatron based on?
The Plasmatron pairs two circuits in parallel: a clone of the 1990s Danelectro Fab Tone distortion on one side, and an op-amp-driven Big Muff-style fuzz on the other. A Mix knob blends between them, from full Fab Tone-style sounds fully counterclockwise to full Muff fuzz tones fully clockwise, with any blend of the two in between.
How many Reuss Plasmatron pedals were made?
The first run was 100 units, announced in August 2021 and expected to ship that October. Reuss described the pedal as not limited edition per se, since it is hand-built in batches by small teams, but only 100 enclosures were made for the initial run, and a second batch could have pushed orders into 2022.
Who designed the Plasmatron artwork?
The enclosure graphics were designed by Aidan Moffat of the Scottish band Arab Strap. Reuss Effects and Stuart Braithwaite enlisted him to create the pedal's artwork for its 2021 release.
Where does the Plasmatron name come from?
The name comes from Stuart Braithwaite's Twitter handle. The Mogwai front man took the Plasmatron name for his online identity, and Reuss Effects used it for his 2021 signature pedal.
Sources (4)
- Mogwai's Stuart Braithwaite and Reuss Effects join forces for dual-circuit fuzz/distortion pedal, MusicRadar, 2021-08-04
- Plasmatron by Reuss Musical Instruments, RockBoard (PedalPedia), 2026
- Mogwai's Stuart Braithwaite teams up with Reuss Effects for signature Plasmatron pedal, Guitar World, 2021-08-04
- Mogwai's Stuart Braithwaite bags a signature Plasmatron fuzz monster, gearnews.com, 2021-08-03
Stuart Braithwaite
