Frederick Boissonnault

Fred has always been interested in musical instruments. It was when he walked into a luthier’s store one day that he had a revelation: to become a double bass luthier. 

He then began apprenticing with various luthiers, first with guitar maker Bernard Vachon, then with violin maker Gilles Blouin. Little by little, Fred discovered and learned the ins and outs of the trade, and befriended several Montreal luthiers. 

In 2010, he met renowned cello maker Michèle Ashley. Fred became her assistant, perfecting his skills and acquiring new technical knowledge that he would later transfer to the double bass. 

In 2017, he won a sound award for his first double bass at ISB Ithaca. For several years now, “Fred Boiss” has welcomed a variety of orchestral and jazz musicians to his Mile End studio in Montreal, where the double bass is the guest of honor