A native of Amos, in the Abitibi region of Québec, Canada, André Lavoye developed an early interest in science and studied aeronautics before beginning his career as a luthier in Montréal in 1986. A grant from the Canada Council for the Arts enabled him to pursue his training and from 1988 he worked in Paris, in the workshop of Serge and Frédéric Boyer. There, he met Jean-François Raffin, from whom he learned the trade of bow making in the early 1990s. He continued working as a luthier in various Parisian workshops, including that of Jérôme Dariel. He later worked in Hong Kong with Sandra Wagstaff and in Brussels for La Maison Bernard alongside Jan Strick.

• Round stick of red-brown Pernambuco
• Ebony frog with silver mounts
• Three-part button
• — grams
• #792