William Laskin
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William Laskin CM,RCA |
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|---|---|
| Born |
August 23, 1953 Hamilton, Ontario |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Other names | Grit Laskin, The Masked Luthier |
| Occupation | luthier, musician |
| Website | http://www.williamlaskin.com |
William "Grit" Laskin (born August 23, 1953) is a Canadian luthier and musician, particularly notable for his high-quality instruments, acoustic guitar innovations (such as the "Laskin Armrest" and "Ribrest") and for his skill in the art of inlay. Larry Robinson, author of The Art Of Inlay, describes Laskin as "one of the most astonishing inlay artists in North America." His guitars have been exhibited as works of art by several museums.
As a musician, he has several solo albums, and is known as a member of Friends of Fiddler's Green. He accompanied Stan Rogers (sometimes under the epithet "The Masked Luthier of Dupont Street") both on recordings and on tour.
Laskin learned the trade though an apprenticeship with Jean Larrivée, beginning in 1971. He makes on average 20 to 24 guitars a year and he has made guitars for many well-known artists such as: k.d. lang, Owen McBride, Margaret Christl, Paul Mills, Ben Mink, Garnet Rogers, and Stan Rogers, Claudia Schmidt, and José Valle ('Chuscales').
He has written numerous books and articles, including The World of Musical Instrument Makers: A Guided Tour, which became the basis for the exhibit "Handmade for Music" at the Ontario Science Centre and various locations throughout Ontario in 1988 and 1989. Laskin is also one of the founders of the Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans and the Canadian Folk Music Awards.
A character in the Charles de Lint novel 'Moonheart' owns a Grit Laskin guitar.
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Wikipedia