Gravis
A short-scale (29-inch) steel-bodied electric bass with a single freely movable pickup, built to order in Kassel, Germany.
About this guitar
Gravis strips Verso’s movable-pickup concept down to its simplest form: one pickup, one passive tone or volume control, and a mono output on a 29-inch short-scale steel body. The pickup can be repositioned to any spot along the strings for tones from open and resonant to fat and bulky, and it uses the same interchangeable pickup line as Cosmo and Orbit.
Specs
| Body | Bent sheet steel, powder coated in RAL colors (8 standard colors) |
|---|---|
| Neck | Bolt-on (steel body attached to neck with a single screw), carbon-reinforced standard; Ash, Maple or Walnut standard (Cherry, Pear, Apple, Plum, Oak on request), C profile, 41mm width x 20mm thick |
| Scale Length | 29" short-scale bass |
| Fretboard Radius | 12" |
| Frets | Jumbo, rounded or semi-hemispherical fretends with hidden tangs |
| Nut | Bone (steel dowel pin) or TUSQ Black (vegan) |
| Tuners | Schaller M4 Bass (nickel or ruthenium/black) |
| Bridge | Solid brass |
| Pickups | 1x Verso Magnet Mount pickup (interchangeable/freely movable), same 6-voicing pickup lineup as Cosmo/Orbit |
| Electronics | Passive; single Volume or Tone control (set & forget low-pass filter) or no control, mono output only |
| Case | Mono Sleeve bag, sized for Gravis's short scale |
| Custom Options | Full build-your-own configurator on the maker's Order page, priced individually; base price above reflects the lowest ('Purist') configuration |
| Order Queue | As of Sep 2026: 2026 build slots closed, new orders placed into the 2027 queue. Lead time currently just over a year plus a 3-6 week build; 500 EUR deposit required to reserve a slot |
| Currency | EUR, excluding VAT/customs |
Quick answers
- How much does the Gravis cost?
- Verso Instruments lists it at $1,600 (USD). Dealer and used prices vary.
- Is the Gravis still available?
- It's available for preorder from Verso Instruments.
- Who makes the Gravis?
- Verso Instruments. Where it's built: Designed and built by product designer and luthier Robin Stummvoll in his Kassel, Germany workshop, with nearly all parts made in-house. It's listed here as a bass guitar.
- What warranty does Verso Instruments offer?
- Three-year warranty on production-related technical issues, covering full replacement or a 100% refund. Custom builds are non-refundable otherwise.
- How long is the wait for Verso Instruments gear?
- 2026 orders are closed and 2027 orders are open. A 500 EUR / $500 deposit secures a build slot. Lead time is a bit over a year, and the build itself takes 3 to 6 weeks.