I began playing music as a child, starting with accordion, and then moving to guitar and piano as a teenager and experimenting with other instruments including harmonica, ukulele, banjo, and mandolin into adulthood. I quickly started dismantling and rebuilding my own guitars to understand their design and fabrication, and to identify and resolve their issues. I worked on repairing guitars as a hobby and built my first instrument, a ukulele, out of scrap wood in France.

In 2022 I first came to the Yukon, where I discovered the vibrant music community. Throughout 2023 and 2024 I trained with several professional luthiers both in France and Canada. I first learned the basics of setups and instrument building from french luthiers Paul Humblet and Débora Brémont. I then trained under french luthier Jordan Wencek where I expanded my knowledge of the theory and mechanical principles behind the sound and function of the guitar. Here, I developed artistic and technical skills pertaining to lutherie. In April-May 2024, I completed an intensive guitar-building course under canadian luthier Sergei DeJonge in Quebec where I constructed a dreadnought guitar from 100% Canadian wood: sitka spruce, flamed maple, torrefied maple and cherry. This experience solidified my dream of turning my passion into my profession. I am now fortunate to call Whitehorse my home and to offer lutherie services to local musicians.

- Jean Defontaine