2001 German Vázquez Rubio (cutaway electric) No. 043101 CD/IN

This 2001 German Vázquez Rubio No. 043101 is a classical guitar with a cedar top and Indian rosewood back and sides, made in Los Angeles, California – a concert guitar with a cutaway, a Fishman pickup and on-board equalization.

A Cutaway Electric Concert Guitar

This concert guitar has a cutaway and a Fishman pickup with on-board equalization, which makes it perfect for the crossover player of flamenco, jazz or pop, or for the performing guitarist who prefers not to use a microphone.

Sound, Condition and Label

The sound is extremely responsive and open, with plenty of volume and character – even for a cutaway – and the trebles are very clear while the basses are steady and full. Playability is easy, with a very comfortable action. The condition is excellent, with no damage, repairs or significant wear of any kind. The 2001 label, a pictorial design German used in those years, is numbered 043101.

German Vázquez Rubio: Early Years in Paracho, Mexico

German Vázquez Rubio (also known as G.V. Rubio) has been making guitars since 1968 – over fifty years – and has developed his own signature sound that guitarists have come to love. He was born in 1952 in Paracho, Mexico, where there is an abundance of fine luthiers (with few exceptions, all of the finest guitars in Mexico come from Paracho). German’s first formal training began at eleven years old, when he left school to help support his seven siblings and went to work in the workshop of his uncle, Manuel Rubio. There, even at his young age, he made a conscious effort to make guitar building his life’s work.

“Desde 1968”

In 1968, at the age of sixteen, he made his first concert-level guitar (hence his label reads “Desde 1968”). German has since been able to learn from many different master builders such as Félix Manzanero, José Romanillos and Thomas Humphrey. He now resides in Los Angeles, California, where he builds a variety of both classical and flamenco models. He is also the maker of the real-life guitar from the Disney/Pixar film Coco – you can read more in our article on German Vázquez Rubio and the real Coco guitar.

First Prize in Mexico

In 2000, German won First Place at the Concurso Nacional de Constructores y Ejecutantes de Guitarras, Mexico’s national guitar-making competition.