“A new level of sonic excellence, several years in the making”: Tosin Abasi has released his own compressor pedal that promises to fix common compression complaints – and improve your tone | Guitar World

Said to help deliver the dynamic response of a driven tube amp, the Micro-Aggressor becomes only the second stompbox of Abasi's gear firm

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Abasi Concepts has launched its second-ever pedal in the form of the Micro-Aggressor Compressor.

Back in 2018, the firm – which is headed by Animals As Leaders virtuoso Tosin Abasi – partnered with esteemed pedal maker Brian Wampler to producer the now-sold-out Pathos distortion pedal.

Abasi Concepts has now brought its second stompbox to market, and it's been described as a compressor pedal with some all-important twists. Badged as a “boost-style compressor,” the Micro-Aggressor promises to equip any electric guitar with “vibrant, expressive tones”.

Its creation has been driven to counter what Abasi calls the “sterile” tonality of transparent compressors, and therefore vies to add character to your signal for a “satisfying feel”.

It does so thanks to two compression circuits designed to shape and enhance the transient attack of every note played without sacrificing the thickness and grunt of guitars. This, it adds, is “ideal for maintaining clarity in extended-range instruments”.

As for the pedal itself, a Level dial alters the boost of the primary compression circuit, while a Clarity control provides a tilt-style equalizer that focuses on clarity in clockwise positions, and makes things thick when turned anti-clockwise.

Bloom controls the compression, and Smack the level of the parallel secondary compression circuit, which is focused on transparency and low-end impact.

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A premium transformer acts as the pedal’s beating heart, mimicking the dynamic and organic response of a tube amp – meaning it could prove to be a handy sidekick for amp modeler users, especially.

Tosin Abasi, though, recently ditched his much-adored Axe-Fx in favor of a stereo Bad Cat Amp rig for AAL’s tour with Dream Theater and Devin Townsend.

“When I plugged into the new Bad Cats I didn’t have to look for my sound first – it was immediately there,” Abasi previously said of the new setup. “I hadn’t heard such clarity and definition before.”

His new pedal, then, seems to spring off that digital-to-tube transition. It features top-mounted jacks for easy pedalboard integration, and true-bypass switching.

“After several years of development, we are very proud to introduce the Micro-Aggressor: a boost-style compressor crafted for guitarists seeking vibrant, expressive tones,” writes Abasi Concepts.

“Elevate your tone with the Micro-Aggressor and experience a new level of sonic excellence.”

Priced at $249, the Abasi Concepts Micro-Aggressor is available to pre-order now. The first batch of pedals begins shipping on November 18.

Head to Abasi Concepts for more information.

Back in May, Abasi Concepts launched its first bass guitar with the headless Larada bass, expanding its “signature aesthetics, ergonomics, and playability to a whole new audience of creators”.

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A freelance writer with a penchant for music that gets weird, Phil is a regular contributor to Prog, Guitar World, and Total Guitar magazines and is especially keen on shining a light on unknown artists. Outside of the journalism realm, you can find him writing angular riffs in progressive metal band, Prognosis, in which he slings an 8-string Strandberg Boden Original, churning that low string through a variety of tunings. He's also a published author and is currently penning his debut novel which chucks fantasy, mythology and humanity into a great big melting pot.

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