Founded by Don Buchla in Berkeley, California in 1963, Buchla is one of the pioneering names in electronic music synthesis. Don Buchla, alongside Robert Moog, is credited as a co-inventor of the voltage-controlled modular synthesizer. The company's first instrument, the Buchla 100 series Modular Electronic Music System, was commissioned by composers Morton Subotnick and Ramon Sender at the San Francisco Tape Music Center and became a foundational tool for experimental electronic music. Don Buchla was also a notable figure in the 1960s San Francisco counterculture, providing sound for Ken Kesey's Acid Tests and the Trips Festival.

Over five decades, Buchla developed a wide range of instruments including the 200 series Electric Music Box, the portable semi-modular Music Easel, the digitally-controlled 500 series, and innovative MIDI controllers like the Thunder, Lightning, and Marimba Lumina. The 200e series, a hybrid analog-digital modular system, represents the continuation of Buchla's modular design philosophy. The company also produces the Easel Command and 208C as modern extensions of the classic Music Easel platform.

Buchla instruments are prized for their emphasis on sonic exploration, advanced performer-instrument interfaces, and a design philosophy that diverges from the traditional keyboard-centric approach of most synthesizers. Notable artists associated with Buchla include Morton Subotnick, Suzanne Ciani, Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, Alessandro Cortini, and Deadmau5. Buffy Sainte-Marie's 1969 album Illuminations is among the earliest commercially released recordings to feature a Buchla synthesizer.

Buchla has 64 products cataloged on Equipboard, including Modular Synthesizers, Synthesizers, and MIDI Pad Controllers. Their gear is featured by 29 artists, with the strongest followings in Electronic, Rock, and Pop. Notable users include Morton Subotnick, Floating Points, and Alessandro Cortini. Most Buchla products sit firmly in the high-end, boutique range.