GV Rubio Fleta

[Section_10]

Has anyone played one of his Fleta models? How did it sound compared to the Hauser, I've played the Hauser before but brand new so it wasn't too good yet. The cedar Fleta i'd imagine would sound good right away.

[daniel711]

The Fleta and Hauser designs are radically different, with different sound characteristics suitible for different types of repertoir. Are you just set on buying a Rubio?? Or are you at all concerned with the TYPE of instrument you want?? If you're interested in the Fleta design then compare Fleta designs from other makers, and do the same for Hausers. The only things these two models have in common are 6 strings and 19 frets. Why does it have to be a Rubio, if you're looking at two diametrically opposed designs? You're putting the horse before the cart....

[Section_10]

Let me re-word the question. The Rubio Hauser is an excellent guitar. That model that he offers is good at what is simulates. Is this also true for the Fleta model that he makes, or is it an awful representation of the Fleta sound. For instance, does the Kenny Hill Fleta do a much better job at representing Fleta than the Rubio one? That is what I meant.

[sl455]

Can't help but I'm a big fan of GV Rubio. I own his Hauser model made in 2000. Opened up beautifully. I'd love to try one of his Fleta models as well. On a tangent, I met up with Aaron Green today and something about our conversation today might shed a bit of light on the Hauser/Fleta. Green was showing me his guitars (about 5 of them, 3 brand-one-week-old-new). One he described more "Hauser-like" and the other more "Spanish." Green is a builder grounded in many good, hearty traditional methods although he doesn't make copies. We can safely generalize Hauser and Fleta to be excellent examples of their respective styles (German/Spanish). The differences came through in his guitars. Underneath you could still hear the great qualities that make an Aaron Green guitar; out of that is what he and the client were going for (more this, more that.) He's a very talented maker.

That said, Rubio is also a very talented maker and obviously grounded in good traditional methods. After my encounter with Green today I think what I'll assume about Rubio's models will be what I just said about Green's different guitars (tailored to the clients--I don't want to say "model" because he himself doesn't go by that.) I'm sure the Fleta model will have that beautiful, rich, bassy Fleta sound while still having that quintessential Rubio quality. To me the Rubio guitars I've played have all been wonderful guitars, from his lower-priced cedar to his concert Hauser/Torres models. All have had great tone, playability, good color palatte. But you already know that.

[Pepe Vergara]

I have not done a fleta model yet. However, some collegues have, and in each case the Fleta guitars take a while to develop. THe bracing seems to be a lot rigid. I have played a real Fleta (about 30 years old) that sounds very good. Not volume wise, but the quality of the harmonics and balance in general.

[justinG]

I'm happy to report I am just now playing the fleta model by Rubio, and am very impressed. It is just as good as his Hauser model. There are differences of course from the bracing, but there is still the same sound that I was thinking of. This is slightly more powerful of a guitar, resonates a lot better, maybe due to the cedar top. Very good sustain as well. The high F#, E, D, B, G (3rd Fret) on the E string each have a very good resonating effect afterwards, usually guitars will only do that have some frequencies in response to the top tuning. But this guitar does it very well on many. Volume is about the same, perhaps louder, and is still very colorful like the Hauser. It appears his neck towards the last fret gets thinner all the way to the last fret. I like that since each note can be heard w/o buzz. Some of my other guitars can be punched as hard due to having the same width of the neck throughout. Can't compare this to a real Fleta but can say from what I heard, it's a great guitar, very balanced, perhaps more than a fleta. Some Fletas are known for strong trebles but not so much on the bass. This would be due from the very stiff bracing. Excellent guitar.

[Section_10]

That last reply was actually by me by the way, somehow used another users name.

[sl455]

Good to hear that about the GV Fleta--thanks for your input. Makes me want to play one and I guess that's another happy booster for me, knowing that GV is still putting out and doing great things.

I've often wondered how many guitars he puts out annually. I know some really wonderful luthiers who like to work what they call small batches, about 12-15/year. I get the feeling that GV really does churn out guitars in comparision to other luthiers.