Grit Laskin Steel String TFOA Custom 25th Anniversary Kingfisher

In celebration of the 25th anniversary of The Fellowship of Acoustics, we have already had the pleasure of offering several beautiful guitars, but when it comes to inlay work, this Semi Jumbo Steel String by William ‘Grit’ Laskin is the most fascinating one yet!

The fingerboard and headstock feature beautifully detailed inlays depicting several kingfishers, a bird that can occasionally be spotted by the pond behind our beautiful historic villa. Laskin’s intricate inlay work is an exceptionally time-consuming process that can take up to 175 hours. It involves combining nine types of shell, fifteen types of stone, four types of ivory and bone, and three different metals. Every detail is carefully cut by hand from an original pencil drawing before being precisely inlaid into the ebony fingerboard and headstock veneer.

William ‘Grit’ Laskin builds his guitars to professional concert standards, whether steel-string, flamenco or classical instruments. His guitars are known for their clear, balanced sound and rounded, mature musicality. A broad frequency range delivers a full and rich voice without sacrificing definition, balance or projection. This guitar excels in that respect, thanks to its cocobolo body and Sitka spruce top with non-scalloped bracing. An armrest and ribrest bevel provide additional playing comfort, while the sideport soundhole directs sound towards the player as well.

William ‘Grit’ Laskin is a renowned Canadian luthier and artist who has been building handmade acoustic guitars since 1971. He is internationally recognised for his distinctive inlay work, creating intricate, narrative scenes using materials such as mother-of-pearl, shell, stone and various types of wood. Alongside his artistic approach, Laskin has also introduced important innovations in guitar making, including the armrest and ribrest, which improve playing comfort without affecting the instrument’s tone. In recognition of his outstanding contributions to lutherie and applied arts, he has received the prestigious Saidye Bronfman Award for Excellence and was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada.

This guitar has been carefully inspected for condition and playability, then set up to our Gold Standard by a luthier. We make sure it arrives in your hands exactly as it should: sounding its best, playing effortlessly and ready to be enjoyed from the very first note.