Abasi Concepts, the gear company of Animals As Leaders guitarist Tosin Abasi, showed a prototype compressor pedal in November 2022. At the time it was unnamed, with no release date announced, and it was only the second pedal the company had developed1. Abasi Concepts later released a compressor called the Micro-Aggressor, which this prototype is understood to have become.
What it does
Abasi described the design as a compressor with a difference. Instead of the traditional squash that stamps notes down, he wanted something that makes notes feel like they are popping, with an amp-like feel and character, taking a fresh approach to transients1.
"Something to make the notes feel like they're popping, as opposed being stamped down. It's basically the ideal compressor for the fast percussive techniques I love to use and it does it with and amp-like feel and character."
The pedal's most visible feature is its indicator: the Abasi logo is rendered in LEDs and lights up as the compressor works on transients, so you can see the compression happening as you play1.
Controls and demo
The prototype carries three dials, a toggle switch and a footswitch. Abasi did not share what the dials and switch do1.
Abasi demoed the pedal on an eight-string Larada two ways: one with a clean-picked arpeggio display, the other with percussive slap rhythm techniques, showing how the design holds clarity across extended-range playing1.
At the prototype stage Abasi considered calling the pedal the "Micro-Aggressor" but shared no other details, and no release date was given1. The released product is covered on the Micro-Aggressor page.
Questions
Did the Abasi Concepts prototype compressor ever come out?
The prototype Abasi demoed in 2022 was unnamed and had no release date at the time. Abasi Concepts later released a compressor called the Micro-Aggressor, which the prototype is understood to have become. See the Micro-Aggressor page for the released product's details.
What was different about the prototype compressor's approach?
Tosin Abasi described it as making notes feel like they are popping rather than being stamped down, with an amp-like feel and character. Rather than the traditional heavy squash of a compressor, it takes a fresh approach to transients, which suits the clarity extended-range guitars need.
