2022 German Vázquez Rubio "Solista" No. 40622 SP/IN

This 2022 German Vázquez Rubio “Solista” No. 40622 is a classical guitar with a spruce top and Indian rosewood back and sides, made in Los Angeles, California; Adam Kossler plays Brouwer in the video above.

The “Solista” and Its Bracing

The “Solista” was German’s most recent concert model when it was introduced, and it carries the bracing system he first developed for his elite guitars. The bracing fattens the tone, above all in the trebles, and gives the guitar a warmer sound overall. The system was so well received in the elite models that German introduced it in this simpler design, keeping the same high standard of sound – Indian rosewood for the back and sides in place of more exotic woods, and less ornate inlay work.

Playability, Condition and Label

Playability is a breeze, with a very smooth and comfortable neck, and the guitar has enough power for any concert setting – in ensemble or solo. It also has a 20th fret for a high C natural. The model usually has lacquered back and sides – this one was French polished throughout. Although used, it is in excellent condition, with only some very mild wear in the finish. The 2022 label is numbered 40622 and signed by German, with “Solista” written beside it. Versatile and strong, it is a fine concert guitar by any standard.

In the Video Above

Adam Kossler plays Leo Brouwer’s “El Decamerón Negro” on a 2022 German Vázquez Rubio “Solista”.

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.