Interview with Luthier Grit Laskin
"It feels appropriate to me that when you’re open to other arts, other things in the world, your own creative output is going to be richer and more dimensional because of that.”
Long recognized as one of the leading builders in this new Golden Age of guitar making, Grit Laskin has a reputation that undoubtedly precedes him. Even if you're new to the world of boutique guitars, you've likely heard of the Laskin-style arm bevel or soundport, or been struck by his groundbreaking and exceedingly photogenic inlay work, which goes far beyond the scope of even the most extravagantly inlayed 42-style instrument. But as much as he allows his creative and curious mind to use the guitar as a canvas on which to explore, Grit's the first to acknowledge that his guitars would be dismissed if their tone and craftsmanship didn't far exceed expectations. That is something the lifelong performer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist never loses sight of, and the reason why his guitars are so highly regarded among players and builders alike.
On a recent trip to Toronto, I got the full scoop, from his youth as a gofer in a recording studio and then apprenticing with the great Jean Larrivée, to launching his own shop where he's consistently innovated in design, tone and style.
Along the way, he's never slowed down with additional projects, whether that be recording and performing—his band, Friends of Fiddler's Green, is still going strong after 50 years!—or co-running the artist-friendly folk record label Borealis, hosting a music camp, co-launching the Canadian Folk Music Awards, and authoring several books and writing countless songs (Pete Seeger covered his song "The Photographers"!).
“To me, instrument makers are part of this phenomenon of the artisanal values in our modern society.”
Have we mentioned, too, that he led the fight for Canadian luthiers to have better, duty-free access to materials and pioneered the use of Recon stone on instruments? Or that he builds and donates guitars to benefit causes close to his heart, and has never patented his bevel concept, leaving it in the public domain so any luthier could use it? Or that he's the recipient of Canada's highest civilian award, the Order of Canada? All in a day's work for Grit!
Grit Laskin’s workshop, photos by Lindsay Straw
As impressive as his accomplishments are, it's his expansive approach to life and his love of learning and connecting with people through the arts that make Grit so truly endearing. When it comes to creating his deeply personal inlays, he says:
“What has meaning for you in your life, and then tell me what it is and tell me why it has meaning, so I can understand how to depict it for you. One time somebody said, ‘Well, fishing.’ I said, ‘Okay, but what is it about fishing?’ He said, ‘You know what, it’s not even catching the fish. It’s that I can slow down from my normal hectic life as I stand in the stream, waiting for a bite, in beautiful nature on a gorgeous day. That’s what I long for, is the mood and the quietness and the pace drop.’ So I tried to capture that, as opposed to, well, here’s a trout at the end of a line. [laughs] So it’s things like that—I just love doing that, and I love the challenge.”
Grit Laskin Guitar Inlay / Photo by Zane Dumont
It can be tempting with a guitar as visually stunning as one of Grit's to be overly precious with it, but like every luthier we've ever asked, Grit loves to see his come back to him with some wear and tear:
“We open the case and look at how perfect the guitar is and it’s been about 11 years, and they’re so proud of how perfect it is. And my only thought is, 'Don’t they like it? Don’t they play it? Where are the scratches? Where’s the dings? What’s wrong?' That’s what I think. And then I see one where all the finish is gone from the back from a belt buckle, and his sweat and nails have pulled half the finish off the neck, and then from slashing with a pick there are all these marks down to the raw wood. But! The angle of the neck is perfect, the top arch is perfect, it sounds great – I am a happy camper. That’s what you want.”
That is a small taste of our record breaking two hour chat! Listen now on YouTube, Spotify or PodBean.
Grit Laskin
Quick Facts
Go-to listening: Pete Seeger; The Weavers at Carnegie Hall; Peggy Seeger; Pharis & Jason Romero; Cathy Fink, Marcy Marxer & Tom Paxton's latest album; Alison Krauss & Robert Plant
Favorite tonewoods: Ebony, wenge and ziricote
Beloved pastime: Jigsaw puzzles
Favorite Toronto restaurant: Adega
Grit Laskin workshop photos by Lindsay Straw
