william Laskin guitars
Acoustic | Classical Guitars
EST. 1971 | Canada
“Every guitar is a conversation between the player, the wood, and my own curiosity.”
William Laskin | Guitar maker
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Laskin is the originator of the Armrest and Ribrest body bevels, now widely adopted across contemporary luthiery, and a co-originator of the Sideport Soundhole, changing how players physically and sonically experience the instrument. His innovations are grounded in function, shaped by a deep understanding of how musicians actually play.
His guitars are internationally recognized for their tonal clarity, playability, and individuality. Each instrument is built in direct response to the player. At the same time, Laskin has redefined the role of decoration in instrument making through his pioneering inlay art. The guitar becomes a narrative surface, with engraved compositions in shell, stone, metal, and ReconStone that communicate ideas, histories, and identity.
In 1997, Laskin became the first and only musical instrument maker to receive Canada’s Saidye Bronfman Award for Excellence, the country’s highest honour for fine craft. In November 2012, he was appointed to the Order of Canada in recognition of his impact on both instrument making and Canadian cultural life. His guitars are held in permanent collections and played by artists and builders around the world.
After more than five decades, Laskin continues to build each instrument to a clear standard. It must first be a superb musical tool, responsive, expressive, and alive in the hands of the player. Everything else follows from that.
laskin guitars
ABout
William “Grit” Laskin: Master Luthier, Guitar Innovator & Inlay Artist
Meet legendary Canadian luthier William “Grit” Laskin, building guitars since 1971. From pioneering ergonomic guitar bevels to world-renowned inlay art, Laskin shares his philosophy of sound, craftsmanship, and storytelling from his Toronto workshop. A master builder shaping the modern guitar.
Laskin guitars
demo
This extraordinary 50th Anniversary mid-size guitar by master luthier Grit Laskin celebrates five decades of guitar making. Featuring Brazilian rosewood, Sitka spruce, and deeply personal inlay art honouring Peggy Seeger and Ewan MacColl, “Grit Gives Peggy A Hand” is both a tonal and visual masterpiece.
william “Grit” laskin
“I take pieces of trees and turn them into instruments that can stir human emotion.”
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His guitars are played by artists including k.d. lang, Rik Emmett, Jesse Cook, Tom Cochrane, Stan Rogers, Ottmar Liebert, Ben Mink, Ken Whiteley, James Keelaghan, Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer, and Kobukuro in Japan, among many others. His peers have also commissioned his work, including leading figures from Collings, Sadowsky, and Martin, reflecting his standing within the global luthier community.
Laskin’s influence extends beyond the instrument itself. In 1988, he co-founded the Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans (ASIA), serving twice as president and authoring the organization’s first Code of Ethics in 1993. That work helped define professional standards for modern luthiery.
His contributions to music are equally significant. A multi-instrumentalist and songwriter for over 40 years, Laskin has performed widely and had his work recorded by artists including Pete Seeger and The Tannahill Weavers. In 1996, he co-founded Borealis Records, Canada’s first national folk label. The label grew to represent more than 80 artists and nearly 240 releases before transitioning to True North Records in 2021. In 2005, he helped establish the Canadian Folk Music Awards.
Laskin is also an accomplished author. His books include The World of Musical Instrument Makers (1987), A Guitarmaker’s Canvas (2003), and Grand Complications: 50 Guitars + 50 Stories (2016), along with his novel Angel Could Smell the Fire (1996) and the mystery The Stradivari Formula (2024).
Recognized with the Saidye Bronfman Award in 1997, the Estelle Klein Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010, and the Order of Canada in 2012, Laskin’s work reflects a consistent philosophy. A guitar must first succeed as an instrument in sound, response, and playability. Only then can it carry deeper meaning as an object of art and human connection.
life with strings attached | ep 100
In this milestone 100th episode of Life With Strings Attached, we return to where it all began with William “Grit” Laskin. More than five decades into his career, Laskin reflects on guitar making as both craft and inquiry, exploring how perception shapes sound, how innovation emerges from experience, and what it means to remain an artisan in a rapidly changing world.
Recorded in his Toronto workshop, this conversation offers a deeper look into the thinking behind the work, where instruments are not only built to perform, but to carry meaning over time.
william “grit” Laskin
life with strings attached | ep 1
Jamie Gale speaks with legendary luthier William “Grit” Laskin about guitar making, sound perception, and the enduring mysteries of the instrument. A thoughtful conversation on craftsmanship, innovation, and what it means to be an artisan in a digital age.
group of seven Project Profiles
Grit Laskin on Inlay Art, Craft & Inspiration
In this Group of Seven Guitar Project profile, master luthier William “Grit” Laskin reflects on his early fascination with guitar making and the evolution of his groundbreaking inlay art. Drawing inspiration from painter Frederick Varley, Laskin reveals how storytelling, portraiture, and deep research shape his approach to guitars as artistic narratives.
