Draft:German Vazquez Rubio

German Vazquez Rubio (born in 1952) is a world-renowned Mexican luthier and craftsman who currently resides in Los Angeles, California; where he continues to make and sell guitars from his shop.

Biography


German Vazquez Rubio was born in Paracho, Mexico in 1952. At the age of eleven, he dropped out of school to support his siblings by working in his uncle's guitar shop. Vazquez eventually left Paracho and emigrated to the United States in the 1970's, where he continued his craft.

Legacy
For centuries, Vazquez's hometown of Paracho has been known for its luthiers, who make instruments in their entirety by hand. Its history of guitar-making dates back to at least the 18th century. More recently, Paracho has seen a boom in guitar sales and tourism following the release of Coco (2017 film), in which a paracho-style guitar is central to the plot. Coincidentally, Vazquez, a Paracho native, was the luthier who worked with Pixar to design the guitar for their movie. A large bronze sculpture of a guitar at the entrance of Paracho has been decorated to match Vazquez's creation, paying tribute to their former resident and master luthier.