Will it be a passing trend like the once-popular but ultimately uncool synth guitar, or could it become a revolutionary instrument that redefines the electric guitar?
The decision lies in the hands of guitarists around the world, who will ultimately determine the fate of Robin Stummvoll’s high-tech Verso Sine guitar. For now, however, business is booming.
Robin Stummvoll, a German luthier, crafts these unique guitars in his workshop in Kassel, Germany. “I personally hand-select each piece of wood, ensuring the instrument is crafted to last a lifetime,” Stummvoll explained. “Only native German woods are used, carefully stored and dried for years, sometimes decades.”
The guitar necks are finished with a thin resin coat, rubbed in and followed by layers of natural oils, creating a “smooth, organic feel.” The solid ash body is coated with traditional linseed oil paint.
What sets the Verso Sine apart from traditional six-string electric guitars? For starters, it comes in both six and seven-string models. However, the true innovation lies in the “Sine Pad” – a flat piece of powder-coated steel that sits slightly raised over the guitar’s body.
This spring-loaded Sine Pad can be pressed down, altering the distance between the pickup and the strings, allowing for volume shifts. This adjustment enables a mechanical, expressive swell or tremolo effect.
“Pressing the Sine Pad is a deeply satisfying and natural gesture, offering a whole new perspective on the instrument,” Stummvoll said. He described the guitar as “visionary and creative, simplistic yet avant-garde.”
A video demonstrating the guitar in action shows how the Verso Sine can perform the duties of volume control, a whammy bar, and a few pedals, producing a fuller, airy sound perfect for creating synth-like pads in ambient music.
An optional accessory called the Lehle Expression is available for “pedal nerds, synth geeks, and producers.” Developed in collaboration with Lehle, this compact module uses a magnetic hall sensor to measure the distance to the Sine Pad. This generates a control signal that can be used in four ways:
Expression – Control two pedals (or synths) with expression capabilities.
USB Midi – Control parameters in your DAW via USB-B.
Control Voltage – Control analog synths that accept CV.
Switch – Switch your amp or pedal with an internal relay.
Depending on the specifications, prices vary. For a left-handed seven-string model with the Lehle Expression, the cost is 3,390 euros (approximately A$5,600). Orders for 2025 are already closed, but Stummvoll is now accepting orders for 2026.
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