Foldable Mantispa Bass by Sébastien Gavet Debuts at Guitar Summit 2025
French luthier Sébastien Gavet was on hand at the Guitar Summit 2025 in Mannheim, Germany last week to unveil a remarkable new instrument called the Mantispa bass. Based on his existing guitar of the same name, the new model is a headless, multi-scale, foldable bass guitar.
“It weighs 2.4 kg (5.3 lbs) in its 4-string version, and just like its little sister, once unfolded you get the same arm and leg support points for playing seated, whether on the right or left leg,” the builder explains. “The two strap buttons allow you to attach a strap for playing while standing.”
Gavet offers the bass in four or five-string versions. It’s built with an alder body, maple neck, and maple fingerboard, and even some of the mechanical parts are made of maple with black anodized aluminum. For electronics, it has two hand-wound Growl Buren pickups and either a Delano or a Darkglass preamp. Both options have a 3-band EQ with an active/passive switch.
“As with all models, it is fully custom-built, from wood selection, neck profile, choice of scales, neutral fret placement, to finishing options,” Gavet adds.
The Sébastien Gavet Mantispa Bass is available for order starting at €3,200 ($3,756 USD) for a four-string.
Sébastien Gavet Mantispa Bass Specs:
| Scale: | 32″ to 34″ |
| Body: | Alder |
| Neck: | Maple |
| Neck Shape: | Customer Choice |
| Fingerboard: | Maple |
| Frets: | 24 |
| Inlays: | Dot |
| Pickups: | Growl Buren JB Pickups |
| Electronics: | Delano Preamp, Darkglass Optional |
| Hardware: | Brass and Anodized Aluminum Sébastien Gavet |
| Other: | Foldable Design, Headless Construction |
| Orientation: | Right or Left Handed Available |
In his time with No Treble, Kevin has met hundreds of amazing bassists and interviewed icons like Jack Casady, Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Marcus Miller, and more. He's a gigging bassist performing jazz in Northern Virginia and bluegrass with The Plate Scrapers up and down the East Coast. Kevin appreciates all genres of music, from R&B to metal and everything in between. Connect with Kevin on Facebook and check his performance schedule on his website.
