2019 German Vázquez Rubio "Divina" No. 42819 SP/PE

This 2019 German Vázquez Rubio “Divina” No. 42819 is a classical guitar with a spruce top and palo escrito back and sides, made in Los Angeles, California – a workshop guitar from 2019, with the oval label of that year.

About the “Divina”

This model is made in the G.V. Rubio workshop in Los Angeles. It is made under German’s strict supervision, with most of the work done by his nephew Anthony Vázquez, who has worked alongside him in the shop for many years. In every way it is a first-class student and entry-level concert guitar.

Woods and Sound

The materials are striking, above all the beautiful palo escrito of the back and sides, a very fine rosewood from Mexico. The sound is great, and it is easy to play.

The Label

The oval “German Vazquez R. – Constructor de Guitarras” label used for the 2019 Divinas is signed, dated 2019 and numbered 42819; “Divina” is written at the bottom.

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.