Biography

     Benz Tschannen was born in Switzerland in 1949.  He began using hand tools at an early age under his father's tutelage.  The forest behind the family home provided a variety of woods: hazelnut, cherry, linden and maple, for his many boyhood projects of chip carving, woodturning, and building.

     After playing Ukulele for some years as a child, Benz was inspired to pick up the guitar upon hearing a recording of Segovia. That led to studying at the Conservatory of Bern with Miguel Rubio, and graduation with a Masters in Music in 1973.

    From 1970 to 1976 Benz taught classical guitar at Music Schools and Teacher's College in Switzerland.

     Benz moved to the United States in 1976 and started working in a custom cabinet shop.  In 1981 he began building his first musical instruments joining his musical and woodworking talents together.