It’s not just the costumes of the members of the Saguenay group Angine de Poitrine that attract attention: there’s also Khn’s double-neck microtonal guitar. This instrument was designed by Raphaël Le Breton, a luthier from Alma who owns the Lutherie Le Breton.
He admits that the surge in popularity of this group surprises him a lot. When he designed this guitar, he had no idea that part of his genius would have music lovers overseas dancing a few months later.
If some musicians more adventurous
like Steve Vai, popularized the two-neck guitar, few Western guitarists play such an instrument.
I haven’t seen any other ones exactly like this.
he says on the microphone of the show Public square referring to Khn’s white and black guitar.
The rock duo Angine de Poitrine.
Photo: Constantin Monfilliette
As soon as the musician contacted him, in July 2023, Lebrun was charmed by his project.
He already had a basic prototype: he still worked well. But it’s not a luthier, there were certain gaps in terms of functionality and ergonomics. This had to be reworked
he adds.
A unique sound
Instead of the standard for an instrument – a traditional guitar, a traditional bass – which is in semitones, there it needed to be in quartertones. Instead of 12 traditional notes, we drop to 24
explains Mr. Le Breton.
This unique design causes the frets on the guitar to be closer together, requiring a lot of precision when playing the notes.
The standard fretwork remains in place. We really come to install another fret between two [frettes] to fetch, precisely, another fraction in the range
continues the luthier.
It is this singular arrangement which creates the group’s own sound, whose signature we recognize on pieces like Sherpa et Tohogd.
To ensure smooth handling of the instrument, the luthier opted for the superposition of two classic bodies, a Stratocaster body and another Precision bass, two timeless pieces from the Fender brand.
When we see that he makes a switch between the two, it’s pretty fast.
Many messages
Since the group gained popularity, Raphaël Le Breton receives a lot of messages. People are curious: they want to know how he designed this now famous guitar. I even had someone from Poland contact me.
For the moment, he is not being questioned too much about the identity of the people hiding behind the masks of the Saguenay duo. In any case, he would not intend to reveal it.
I maintain professional confidentiality like a doctor with his patient. They asked me to keep it a secret
says the luthier.
For the future, he doesn’t know what Khn’s next guitar will look like, but he already knows that it will probably still go off the beaten track.
We’ll see if we can make it even more extravagant.
he concludes.