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David Rubio is well known for his eclectic output of fine musical instruments – in addition to guitars, Rubio was a master craftsman of Baroque "period" instruments, including lutes, viols, cellos and harpsichords. He is arguably the most important guitar maker to emerge from England – his instruments were played by Julian Bream very early on, and late in his career, the 8-string "Brahms" model was popularized largely by Paul Galbraith and members of the Brazilian Guitar Quartet. This guitar was built for Alice Artzt, who was a leading recording artist and solo concert player in the 1970s through the 1990s and was meant to be a backup guitar to her 1967 Rubio. Although she never took possession of it, the dedication still survives with an inscription on the inside of the heel (see photo).
This is an excellent example of David Rubio's superior craftsmanship, featuring understated but tasteful decorative inlays in the headstock (this seems to be a fusion of Rubio's admiration of Simplicio with inlay flourishes found in his baroque instruments - particularly his very ornately inlayed harpsichords). The materials used are exquisite, particularly the CSA rosewood on the back and sides. The tone is thick and rich with incredible sustain, especially in the higher registers. It has excellent volume without being boomy, and therefore lends itself naturally to any kind of recital or concert situation. It also has the beauty and lyricism for which he is best known. Since these photos were taken for our site, the guitar has had a new set of Rodgers tuning machines installed, otherwise the guitar is in excellent original condition with no damage or repairs. We consider this instrument both a players dream and highly collectable.
