Yoann Charbonnier – musical instrument maker

Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur – 1983

Because of his passion for the guitar and his fascination for wood, Yoann Charbonnier has decided to become a music instrument maker at an early age. After secondary school, he has begun to study carpentry and obtained a BMA in cabinetmaking. Then, he has studied at ITEMM, the Institut technologique des métiers de la musique, and joined the workshop of Joël Laplane, who became his Maître d’Art in 2008. There, he taught him his knowledge and passed on his workshop to him.

Since 2008 – Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant label

Research and innovation

Yoann Charbonnier restores stringed instruments. He works with traditional and ethic methods, respectful of each object and its history. An important part of his work is the choice of woods and the study of acoustics, combining power, clarity and homogeneity. He also works on the aesthetic he combines with comfort for the future musicians.

Transmission

The workshop represents a legacy, as Joël Laplane inherited it from the Carbonell family, who settled in France in 1922, and passed it on to Yoann Charbonnier. What they all have in common is not just the history of the workshop, but also the values, the ethics, and the techniques it has embodied since the early 20th century. Aware of this heritage, Yoann Charbonnier works with respect for this history, while adding a touch of modernity.

In 2022, a fire destroyed almost all of Yoann Charbonnier’s workshop, and Fondation Rémy Cointreau has supported him so that he could work again with a woodworking machine and a compressor.