Info wanted about Laskin guitars

Subject: Info wanted about Gaskin guitars
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 10 Nov 05 - 06:09 AM

someone said they wanted to be buried with one on mudcat. then I saw Harvey Andrews play one last week, and he said Stan Rogers played one. I had never heard of them.

Does anybody know about them?
Info wanted - even from Gaskin himself!

Subject: RE: Info wanted about Gaskin guitars
From: Jeri
Date: 10 Nov 05 - 06:27 AM

Grit Laskin?

Subject: RE: Info wanted about Gaskin guitars
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 10 Nov 05 - 07:08 AM

obviously this is the man , and I am a prat.

Subject: RE: Info wanted about Gaskin guitars
From: Mooh
Date: 10 Nov 05 - 07:23 AM

I'm a-gaskin' for a Laskin. Superb guitars! Check his website, but prepare to drool. Mooh.

Subject: RE: Info wanted about Gaskin guitars
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 10 Nov 05 - 07:49 AM

The only one I saw so far was a nice enough guitar but you could drive a trolley bus through the action by about the 5th fret. Obviously just needed a set up. the neck was nice - also it seemed heavy - but perhaps I was wrong.

bout how much are they? Are the inlays optional - not really my cup of tea.

I'm looking for a new guitar - does anyone have experience of these

Subject: RE: Info wanted about Gaskin guitars
From: Mooh
Date: 10 Nov 05 - 08:47 AM

Don't judge it by its action, properly setup, as it doubtless was originally, it would be among the finest. Don't know specifically about prices, but it's safe to say they start at several grand. Once in a while a used one appears at www.12fret.com

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: Info wanted about Gaskin guitars
From: GUEST,Arnie
Date: 10 Nov 05 - 11:25 AM

I own a Laskin - in fact it was once his guitar. Every Laskin is a superb instrument all made by only Grit himself. Mine has an inlay of a woman dancer on the headstock- one he calls Lila's Jig. The tone and response is quite amazing - far superior than the Martin D18 I used since the 1970s. The tone on any guitar is subject to the tastes of the player of course and the type of music they play. My guitar cuts it well in flatpicking bluegrass and folk, and is nice for fingerpicking and jazz chording as well. It's a little bright for old time music, but I've figured out how to pretty much get the tone I want in most situations.
His inlay work is optional and unique for every guitar. His base prices have gone up in the last year, but you should contact him about it. (May be around $7000 US). His guitars are amongst the best in quality available in the world today.
Arnie Naiman

Subject: RE: Info wanted about Laskin guitars
From: Jeri
Date: 10 Nov 05 - 05:40 PM

Ooh look: some anonymouse admin weenie has corrected the guy's name. I suspect if WLD liked 'Gaskin', the weenie would change it back.

Eve Goldberg has a relatively un-adorned Laskin. They're beautiful with or without the inlay, and play beautifully. The process of getting one, I gather, involves Grit interviewing you as if you were adopting a child. I don't know though, I'd have to win a lottery or rob a bank before I could afford one.

Find me a crossroads, call up old Nick
Gonna get me a Laskin, so take me there quick
Devil says, "I'll take your soul down where it's hot,
But you want a Laskin!? Child, what ELSE you got?"

Subject: RE: Info wanted about Laskin guitars
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 10 Nov 05 - 07:03 PM

thankyou for this help - much appreciated!

Subject: RE: Info wanted about Laskin guitars
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 10 Nov 05 - 09:30 PM

thankyou whoever did that, and changed the title of the thread. it hard enough being an ignorant git, without having ones ignorance paraded hither and thus

Subject: RE: Info wanted about Laskin guitars
From: GUEST,Sandy Paton (sans cookie, apparently)
Date: 10 Nov 05 - 11:11 PM

My Laskin has nothing fancier on the headstock than a very accurate inlay reproduction of the Green Man logo of my record company. For my tastes, it's perfect, and it's a wonderful instrument. I've been playing it for nearly 20 years and love it.
    But you're right; they aren't cheap. I wouldn't have been able to afford mine, but it came to me as a gift. A bunch of Folk-Legacy artists and friends pooled their funds and ordered it for me. They presented it to me at one of our Folk-Legacy festivals -- a complete surprise! Even my wife and my two sons, who were aware of the scheme, kept the secret. Needless to say, I was blown away!
    Sandy

Subject: RE: Info wanted about Laskin guitars
From: karen k
Date: 11 Nov 05 - 02:04 AM

I remember that night well, Sandy and it is one I always will.

k

Subject: RE: Info wanted about Laskin guitars
From: GUEST,harvey andrews
Date: 11 Nov 05 - 04:15 AM

"The only one I saw so far was a nice enough guitar but you could drive a trolley bus through the action by about the 5th fret. Obviously just needed a set up. the neck was nice - also it seemed heavy - but perhaps I was wrong."


Now look here Weelittle, you sure were! As you were interested, I let you handle my Laskin....a very rare priviledge I allow to few people,and this is the thanks I get? Now you apologise to the lady right now, or else I'm a'comin' to getcha!!!! She suits me just fine!
Seriously, I have had the guitar set up by one of Britain's leading guitar makers who himself had never seen a Laskin before, but knew of them.
When he gave it back to me he said "It's like a cathedral in there". Via the net I understand he and Grit are now in communication.
I shall now go and take her out of her case and play, particularly above the 5th fret.

Subject: RE: Info wanted about Laskin guitars
From: GUEST,harvey andrews
Date: 11 Nov 05 - 04:17 AM

And what d'you mean "Heavy"?
I'm a callin' you out. Nobody insults my geetar and lives.
Yamahas at ten paces....are you man enough????

Subject: RE: Info wanted about Laskin guitars
From: Strollin' Johnny
Date: 11 Nov 05 - 05:33 AM

Well I liked it when you let me play it at Gainsborough, Harvey!:-)

I think a player gets used to his guitar's action, so when he plays someone else's it often feels 'wrong'. It's not 'wrong' of course, just not what he's used to.

I guess it's back to what I posted yesterday on another thread - guitars are very personal and nobody can tell someone else what to like or dislike. One man's meat............? (Ah, cue for a composition!)
S:0)

Subject: RE: Info wanted about Laskin guitars
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 11 Nov 05 - 05:43 AM

very sorry Harvey. didn't mean to offend you. The guitar sounded great. and looked good.

doesn't the action seem a trifle high-ish to you?

and I now I am fully sensitive of the honour bestowed on me letting me have a handle of your guitar. i will wash my mouth out with soap.

Perhaps the problem was that I had just bought an authentic Vee food slicer off the shopping channel and sliced a bit of my picking thumb off after a going at it a bit mad with a small carrot. I as stressed, unable to make a balnced decision. i'm sure your guitar and its set up are perfect.

Futhermore I admit that the statement I made was motivated wholly by malice and without foundation in reality. (John Cleese in A Fish Called Wanda)

good gig, by the way!
all the best

big al

Subject: RE: Info wanted about Laskin guitars
From: JohnB
Date: 11 Nov 05 - 12:01 PM

More info than you could ever want and I don't really know him.
I do know that Grit Laskin's birthday is the same as mine, 23rd August. We were camped beside him at "Songs of Sail" many years ago, (Great Festival sadly defunct) on the very day. I did not get a Laskin for my birthday though. Grit also plays Northumbrian small pipes (which I think he also made)plus other instruments too, performs solo and with 'Friends of Fiddlers Green" and is invloved with "Borealis Records" in Toronto. He started out making guitars as a student of "Larivee" and went on from there.
So why did he get all the talent? JohnB.

Subject: RE: Info wanted about Laskin guitars
From: GUEST,harvey andrews
Date: 11 Nov 05 - 12:31 PM

Okay, you're forgiven. I'll put the Yamaha back in its holster!
But I think Strollin's right, one man's guitar is another man's Blimey!

Subject: RE: Info wanted about Laskin guitars
From: Dave Swan
Date: 11 Nov 05 - 12:36 PM

On the Stan Rogers album Between the Breaks you can hear Grit Laskin singing and playing guitar, concertina, and northumbrian pipes. As John B. asked, why did he get all the talent?

Subject: RE: Info wanted about Laskin guitars
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Nov 05 - 02:47 PM

He's also a published novelist.

Subject: RE: Info wanted about Laskin guitars
From: Big Mick
Date: 11 Nov 05 - 02:52 PM

Jed Marum and I were fortunate enough to visit Grit's shop, or should I say studio, with Rick on one of our Beef Brothers forays. It was an experience I shall not soon forget. As was stated above, these beauties are handcrafted from start to finish by Grit. He does the artwork, he cuts the wood, he does the finish. When you look at them you see a beautiful instrument. When you play one, you get the real surprise. I expected it to be splendid to look at, and nice enough to play. Let me just tell you that they play better than they look, and there is no finer looking instrument anywhere. I will have one, one day soon.

If anyone is considering this, get your name on the list as soon as possible. They are built one at a time and there is a wait.

The inlays are a matter of choice and are paid for based on the actual hours needed to complete them. As Jeri points out, they look spectacular with or without the inlays.

I will have one.

Mick

Subject: RE: Info wanted about Laskin guitars
From: frogprince
Date: 11 Nov 05 - 07:12 PM

Will never have one of the guitars, but have been fortunate enough to hear Grit play and sing just a few feet away. He can write 'em. he can sing 'em, he can make great guitars to do it with. It ain't fair to the rest of us...

Subject: RE: Info wanted about Laskin guitars
From: Big Mick
Date: 12 Nov 05 - 08:26 AM

So much talent in such a decent, nice man.

All the best,

Mick