Verso Log: This funky-looking lap steel lets you slide the pickup around while you play
Lap steel guitars aren’t exactly known for radical reinvention. But every so often, something comes along that nudges the instrument in a new direction.
Enter the Verso Log, a quirky-looking slide guitar that turns one of the instrument’s most fixed components into something you can physically move around while you play.
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Described by its maker as a “universal playground for modern sound creation”, the Log’s defining feature is its freely movable magnetic pickup. Mounted magnetically to the body, it can be slid up and down the instrument to explore different tonal sweet spots along the scale.
“The pickup is no longer just a passive microphone but a creative part of your playing – all accessible through physical motion,” explains the brand. “Explore the entire scale with it and find an unheard spectrum of timbres and new playing techniques.”
Visually, the Log leans into its stripped-back aesthetic. The body is constructed from sheet metal – steel on top and stainless steel underneath – giving the instrument a distinctly industrial vibe while also making it extremely rigid. The steel top arrives in a striking Pop Lilac powder coat finish, contrasted with a raw stainless steel back.
Despite its unconventional looks, the Log sticks to a fairly traditional lap steel spec sheet. It features a 570mm (22.5″) scale length, six strings (.058–.013), and weighs around 2.3kg. The instrument works well with E or D tunings, as well as the classic A6 lap steel tuning.
The included pickup – dubbed the Magnet Mount LOG CUSTOM – is a specially designed single-coil with a slightly hotter wind than Verso’s standard models, clocking in at 7k. The pickup also features a thick steel baseplate designed to minimise magnetic interference with the fret markings and reduce body resonance and magnetic friction. Players can also opt to add a second pickup, which will then be wound as a humbucking pair.
Electronics are handled via two SMB pickup inputs and a switchable mono/stereo output, with a three-way switch allowing A, AB, or B configurations.
Up top, the headstock is made from high-density beech plywood, finished with linseed oil paint and fitted with six nickel-plated GEWA harp tuners. A tuning key is even clip-mounted inside the instrument for quick adjustments.
The Verso Log is priced at €699 and ships with an art print featuring a curated tuning chart on the back, and a foam-padded cardboard box.
Tempted? You might need to be patient. As the Log is a limited-run design by Kassel-based builder Robin Stummvoll, and due to high demand, current orders are closed – though prospective buyers can sign up to be notified when pre-orders reopen.
Learn more at Verso Instruments.
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Source: www.guitar-bass.net
