MY STORY
LEO BUENDIA
I’m a one-man operation shop with a deep-rooted belief in the value of music and craftsmanship.
With the perspective and experience of a performing musician, I began my career as a luthier in my hometown of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Years later, I moved to Oakland, California to specialize in the construction of high-end steel string acoustic guitars in a 40 month apprenticeship to the renowned Ervin Somogyi. Upon completion, I founded Buendia Guitars.
I build one-of-a-kind custom guitars with the depth of sound and immediate response desired by professional musicians and guitar players around the world.
The process of discovering together with my clients exactly what they want or need in a guitar fills my work with a sense of meaning.
I come from a culture that places great value on connectivity and conversation. Admittedly I find great joy in working alone in a very focused and detail-oriented way; but it is working with people, and not just wood, that makes this my true calling.
While my teacher’s lineage is apparent in every guitar I build, my goal is to maintain a beginner’s mind so that every guitar can be as truly unique as its player.
