Régis Floury

Luthier

©IsauraDocampo

Preserving culture through his craft

Régis builds his instruments wholly by hand
He is inspired by baroque lutherie and art nouveau
The first instrument he ever made was a flamenco guitar

Régis Floury, a Frenchman based in Galicia, defines himself as artisan, restorer and builder of string instruments. Thanks to his guitar studies at the Conservatory he knows how to play and listen, and his training as a cabinetmaker makes him a fine restorer and maker. Régis sees his craft not only as a manual process but also as a cultural tool, through which the memory and tradition of techniques of the past are preserved. His passion for wood and string instruments dates back to his childhood. He remembers the tale of a violin maker and an illustration of the disassembled instrument that inspired him to become who he is today.

Interview

©IsauraDocampo

©IsauraDocampo

How do you express your passion and drive for the craft?: I must always touch all the different materials and feel their transformation as I work. Sketching and then making is what allows me to express myself aesthetically and deliver a well made instrument, controlling the entire creative and manufacturing process.
Are there any specific techniques you master?: In addition to the traditional lutherie ones, I use marquetry and make both the gut strings and my own rosettes in vegetable parchment. All my work is religiously done by hand. Even the tools I use. I am a defender of ancient manufacturing techniques.
What do people not know about the making of an instrument?: Hearing a sound is not only a physical and psychological phenomenon, it is also a cultural one. The perception of a musical sound is influenced by the cultural framework of that specific moment.
How do tradition and innovation meet in your work?: I have a lot of experience with traditional techniques in crafting and restoring instruments, and at the same time my modern, innovative tools assist me in building and preserving the uniqueness of each instrument. I rely on my training in acoustics a lot.

Régis Floury is an expert artisan: he began his career in 2011 and he started teaching in 2021