2020 German Vázquez Rubio "Divina" No. 11520 CD/PE

This 2020 German Vázquez Rubio “Divina” No. 11520 is a classical guitar with a cedar top and palo escrito back and sides, made in Los Angeles, California, made in the G.V. Rubio workshop.

A Workshop Guitar from G.V. Rubio

German makes the “Divina” in his workshop in Los Angeles. German supervises every step closely, while most of the work is done by his nephew, Anthony Vázquez – for many years his assistant in the shop. For the student or the player moving up to the concert stage, it is top of the line in every way.

Palo Escrito Back and Sides

Most striking of its materials is the back and sides: a beautiful set of palo escrito, one of the finest rosewoods of Mexico. Great to hear and easy to play, it is finished in lacquer.

Condition and Label

On the label: German’s signature, the year 2020 and the number 11520, with “Divina” written beside it.

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.