Tone Profile
Tosin Abasi — Tone DNA & Signal Chain
Tosin Abasi plays custom 8-string Abasi Concepts guitars through a Mesa Boogie JP-2C, creating the Animals as Leaders sound — extended-range articulation, percussive thumb tapping, and polyrhythmic arrangements that sit equally in metal and fusion. His playing is as much about rhythm and composition as tone.
Tone Analysis
Tosin Abasi's tonal fingerprint across 10 dimensions, derived from their signature gear and playing style. Gain structure: high gain.
Tonal character: animals-as-leaders, extended-range, percussive-tapping, djent, ambient-clean.
Signal Chain
Tosin Abasi's core signal path — the order of guitar, pedals, and amp that defines the tone.
Signal Chain
Budget Recreation Options
Every budget tier below gives you an authentic path to Tosin Abasi's tone. Higher budgets add nuance — they don't fix a fundamentally wrong rig.
Buy the Key Pieces
Guitar and amp at the £500 sweet spot — these two items deliver 80% of Tosin Abasi's tone.
Compare all budgets →Sound Characteristics
Upgrade Path
Start with the £200 rig to validate the tone is right for you, then upgrade in order of impact.
- Guitar first — body and pickup type define the foundational character. A superstrat-family guitar is essential.
- Amp second — this is where 60% of the tone lives. Tosin Abasi uses a high gain-voiced amp.
- Essential pedals — EQ, Delay. These are not optional for this tone.
- Technique — pick attack, vibrato, and dynamics account for more tonal difference than any single gear upgrade at this point.
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FAQ
How To Sound Like Tosin Abasi — Common Questions
To sound like Tosin Abasi, you need a high-gain channel at moderate-to-high gain, combined with EQ, Delay. The defining tonal characteristics are: animals-as-leaders, extended-range, percussive-tapping. At £500, the key pieces are: Ibanez RG421 EX, Boss Katana 50 MkII.
Tosin Abasi's tone is built around Abasi Concepts Larada 8 (custom 8-string). The guitar archetype is superstrat, which gives the tone its characteristic animals-as-leaders. At the £500 budget tier, Ibanez RG421 EX is the recommended substitute.
Tosin Abasi's tone relies on a high-gain channel at moderate-to-high gain. Gain approach: high gain. The recommended amp at the £500 budget is the Boss Katana 50 MkII. Key tip: use a balanced EQ as a starting point and adjust by ear. See the full Amp Settings guide for exact dial positions.
You can start building a Tosin Abasi-inspired tone for around ~£298. At this budget, Epiphone SG Special, Boss Katana 50 MkII covers the core sound. The most important element is the drive source — a quality overdrive or distortion pedal is the priority.
Tosin Abasi's core effects are: EQ, Delay. Optional effects include: Reverb, Boost. The essential effects for recreating the tone at any budget are EQ and Delay.