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Une histoire de passion... la passion et la passion |
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Cantons et guitares |
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M. Normand Boucher and his first guitar, 1933
Mr and Mrs Boucher 50 years together...in 1992
Norman guitar Number 1, 1967
Inside the first shop
Outside the first shop
The most seen label
The business card
The unique concept of the neck
Normand in the shop
Normand Boucher, 1917 - 1997
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Translated in 2003 by M. Joel Burgess from the French version
La Patrie, Quebec, is a little village located in the Eastern Townships by the side of mount Mégantic. Its name is related with its founders who were French Canadians coming back to their country after being immigrants in eastern United States. The population is around 475. More than 150,000 guitars are built here every year… But…Who is behind this industry in La Patrie? Who is behind the music that can be heard by the mountain sometimes? Is there one guitar player in Quebec who never touched one of these guitars? Lots of legends are heard, but only one is true…
Normand Boucher is one. He was born in 1917 in Coaticook, Quebec and established himself in La Patrie in 1940. That is where he met Fernande Robidas who will become is wife in 1942. The family will grow over the years with 4 children, Claude, Louise, Richard and Martyne. Normand Boucher has always been a musician; his father gave him his first guitar when he was 11. Over the years, it became an old dream to be able to build himself his own guitar. Later in the sixties, M. Boucher, now a woodworker, is making doors, windows, furniture and cabinets in his own shop. One of his sons is insisting on having a guitar, so he decides to try to build it himself. Guitar No 1 is then born in 1967, and interestingly, M. Boucher designed also all the tools he needed to work with the best wood he found that could be used. After this positive experiment, there would be more guitars to be built in the small shop. "Les guitares Normand enrg" started in 1968.
The design of the instruments in the beginning was based on a Martin model with it’s X bracing and the Dreadnought shape of the body. But The neck joint is unique; it is bolted on the body with no heel. A new concept, "à l’avant garde", and very efficient in controlling the adjustment of the instruments. That was new at the time but today in the XX1st century, a lot of major makers are using a bolt on technique. The first goal for M. Boucher was to build a quality guitar at an affordable price using lots of the local wood resources. Around 1970, M. Boucher meets with M. Robert Godin who runs the La Tosca music store in Montréal. M.Godin then starts selling Norman guitars with success. The company moves on and in 1972 is now called "Les guitares Norman Inc" a courageous decision, Normand Boucher is now 55 years old, he is leaving the cabinet making for full time guitar making. Also in 1972, M. Godin starts a new distribution company "Sibécor" witch will buy the whole Norman* production.
Between 1970 and 1976 in the province of Quebec, a new strong political movement is growing in this "post-Woodstock" era and many artists are showing there patriotism by using on stage guitars built locally, Boucher’s guitars. This era is knowned also for its "back to the country" movement, which is good for the Norman* guitar market. The company is growing and producing up to 5000 units per year. But then, end of the '70's, the two man having different views for the future, will each go their own way. In September 1980, bad times, fire, a major fire is burning down the whole shop, everything, the shop is gone with all the tooling, in a matter of a few hours. An important decision has to be taken by Normand Boucher, he his now 63 years old and he decides to rebuild. In February 1981, the new shop is ready, production is running again. The company within the years as diversified, making classical guitars, electric guitars and a line of "grand concert" size guitars called "folklore".
In the mid 80’s, another major decision, 70 years old Normand Boucher puts an end and sells the shop and the tooling to a local entrepreneur who continues the production of the trademark. It is easy to identify a genuine Norman* guitar, its using quality woods, its got a bolt on with no heel neck. The label inside the body can be of four known types (see the picture of one on this page). The first guitars had no labels though; the model and name of the shop were stamped on the back inside the body. Generally speaking, these vintage guitars have matured very well, some of them are quite rare.
M. Boucher never stopped making guitars, his latest and last, a unique model named "NBoucher" has a nice abalone shell rosette. He was working before his death on a bridge truss rod system which would reduce the strings tension applied on the top of the guitar. He died on December 21st 1997 at the age of 80. His two sons, Claude and Richard, who know the secrets, are still making guitars and selling wood to many well known luthier. Their instruments are aimed toward the mid and "haut de gamme" market and are entirely made by hand, one by one. Robert Godin bought the Norman* factory in 1989 and kept the trademark running. He is today with his other lines of instruments a major worldwide member of the guitar industry.
The village became over the years one of the biggest guitar maker in America and we should not forget to give some credits to Normand Boucher, "Maître Luthier" who is a former founder of the La Patrie guitar industry.
…This is the music that can be heard sometimes by the mountain…
Norman* guitars today :
Guitars from Claude Boucher :
Guitars from Richard Boucher :
Original French publication : http://bilan.usherbrooke.ca/bilan/pages/collaborations/3525.html |
