Buchla & Friends 2026 Brings Rare Hardware To Downtown LA

A two-day, headphones-only gathering called Buchla & Friends 2026 will take place Jan 24-25 at C&I Studios in downtown Los Angeles, promising hands-on access to boutique and legacy synthesizers and more than 70 exhibitors. The lineup centers on Buchla gear alongside modular systems, full-size polyphonic keyboards and boutique instruments, with free general admission tickets available for attendees.

Organizers are pitching the event as community-forward, aimed at makers, collectors and anyone who wants to experience rare and vintage-style hardware in person. The headphones-only format means demos and play time will be through personal or supplied headphones, so bring closed-back cans if you want to avoid sharing sound in crowded demo bays. Expect close-up interaction with modules and panels, the kind of patch cable choreography that drives GAS and sparks improvisational feedback effects.

C&I Studios in DTLA offers a compact, walkable environment for exhibitors and visitors to trade tips, troubleshoot modular rigs and compare tactile interfaces. For collectors, the show is a rare opportunity to inspect condition, panel wiring and connectivity on legacy Buchla units that rarely travel. For makers, it’s an environment to see boutique builds side-by-side, compare approach to West Coast versus other synthesis philosophies, and make face-to-face connections that often lead to collaborations and trades.

A related afterparty will follow in downtown Los Angeles, organized with Perfect Circuit and the SoCal Synth Society. That late-night extension is meant to keep the conversation going beyond the show floor, giving makers and players a place to demo live patches, swap parts and network in a less formal setting.

Practical details matter: because the event is headphones-only and hands-on, plan for hygiene and power needs, pack any special adapters or 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch converters for personal headphones, and bring a small selection of patch cables if you want to test signal flow on modular rigs. Free general admission tickets have been announced, but popular demo times and specific exhibitor sessions can fill up, so arrive early to prioritize the stations you most want to try.

Buchla & Friends 2026 is a concentrated chance to touch, hear and compare rare instruments that are usually siloed across private collections. For players chasing inspiration or collectors vetting buys, it’s a practical, community-driven weekend to feed GAS, make contacts and return to your studio with new ideas or leads.