Tosin Abasi about playing a six-string guitar

Known for unorthodox guitar style and applying highly complex techniques on an 8-string guitar, Animals As Leaders’ Tosin Abasi is the ultimate shredder and progressive metal composer of modern day. Although he is seen most often with an Ibanez custom 8-string TAM100 signature model, we wanted to ask Tosin if he ever plays a regular six-string any more. This is what he said…

Tosin Abasi: Actually, I’ve made a conscious effort to start playing six-string again, because it got to the point where I was on eight [-string] so much that whenever I picked up a six-string it felt foreign and I didn’t like that. I really like the way six-string guitars feel [when it comes to] the scale length, the size of the neck – with a six-string guitar you can have a slightly fatter neck and it actually isn’t a problem. Also the removal of the strings, going back to six allows my brain to feel like a weight has been lifted and I can think a little clearer. So lately I’ve been doing a lot of improvisational practice with just the six-string and when I get back on my eight-string it’s like refreshing. It’s more demanding, but it’s also like now the eight-string feels newer to me. Even if I spend two hours on the six-string, if I pick up my eight, I’m like “whoa, this is cool!” and it has a creative burst.