Tosin Abasi, visionary guitarist of Animals as Leaders, worked directly with Fishman to create a signature pickup set optimized for progressive metal’s most demanding requirements—extended range guitars, complex harmonic content, and tonal flexibility across multiple playing techniques. The Fluence Tosin Abasi Signature set represents the ultimate intersection of cutting-edge active pickup technology and the uncompromising sonic vision of one of modern metal’s greatest innovators. For djent, fusion, and progressive players, this signature set is nothing short of transformative.
Key Features
The Tosin Abasi Signature set features Fishman’s proprietary multi-voice architecture with two distinct voices crafted specifically for extended-range applications. Voice 1 delivers a modern active high-gain tone optimized for extended range guitars (6, 7, and 8-string models). The frequency response is carefully tuned to maintain clarity across the entire extended range—from punchy lows to articulate highs—without sacrificing aggression. This voice excels at pinch harmonics, sweep picking, and modern high-gain applications.
Voice 2 presents an organic, open tone with single-coil-like character despite being implemented in a humbucker format. This voice provides remarkable contrast to Voice 1, delivering bright articulation and airy presence—exceptional for clean tones, ambient passages, and dynamic voicing transitions mid-song. The ability to switch between extreme high-gain and organic clean character mid-performance is a game-changer for progressive compositions requiring tonal diversity.
Available for 6, 7, and 8-string guitars with proper specifications for extended scale instruments, the Tosin Abasi Signature set maintains perfect tonal balance across all string ranges. The active circuitry is optimized for the frequency demands of extended range playing, ensuring clarity doesn’t diminish across the expanded range.
Sound & Tone
Voice 1 (Modern Active High-Gain) immediately commands attention with its surgical precision and aggressive character. The tone is incredibly tight—perfect for rapid-fire picking passages and machine-like rhythmic patterns. Sweep picking clarity is exceptional; individual notes remain articulate even during complex multi-string passages. Pinch harmonics are responsive and cutting, sitting perfectly in band mixes without piercing or harsh qualities. The frequency response is aggressive but musical, rejecting the “digital” quality that plagues some modern metal pickups.
Extended range players particularly appreciate how the high-gain voice maintains clarity across all strings. The low strings punch with authority; the high strings remain articulate without getting thin or weak. This consistency across the range is a hallmark of exceptional extended-range pickup design.
Voice 2 (Organic Open Tone) is the revelation. Despite being a humbucker-format pickup, Voice 2 achieves genuine single-coil character—bright, airy, and dynamic. Clean tones bloom with natural sustain and shimmer. This voice is perfect for Tosin’s signature clean passages, ambient interludes, and dynamic voicing within complex progressive compositions. The contrast between Voice 1 and Voice 2 is profound, allowing guitarists to span from extreme metal to subtle, beautiful textures without leaving the instrument.
Who Should Buy the Fishman Fluence Tosin Abasi Signature
Extended-range players—particularly those wielding 7, 8, or 9-string guitars—should seriously evaluate the Tosin Abasi Signature set. If you play progressive metal, djent, fusion, or any style requiring tonal flexibility across extreme playing contexts, these pickups are exceptional.
Players drawn to Animals as Leaders’ innovative approach to extended-range guitar will find these pickups capture Tosin’s sonic vision brilliantly. For musicians composing complex progressive pieces requiring stark contrasts between modern high-gain and organic tones, the Signature set’s two voices are invaluable.
Live performers benefit from the reliability and consistency of active pickups across diverse venue electrical environments. Session musicians recording extended-range material appreciate the professional-grade clarity and flexibility.
If you exclusively play 6-string guitars or prefer completely passive designs, the Signature set may be overkill. Additionally, if your extended-range guitar has limited cavity space, confirm dimensions before purchasing.
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If you found this review helpful, check out these related articles:
- Fishman Fluence Mick Thomson Signature Review: Slipknot-Approved Aggression
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