The Mexican vihuela, a key instrument in mariachi music, likely originated in western Mexico in the early 1800s, coinciding with the rise of organized mariachi groups around 1840.  While its exact origins are unknown, it takes its name from the Renaissance-era Spanish vihuela.  Distinguished by its rounded back and smaller, figure-eight shape, early vihuelas were often crudely made with available materials. Cedar and tacote wood are preferred for resonance.  Instrument maker Roberto Morales Sr. is credited with refining the modern vihuela around 1943, with input from musicians like those in Mariachi Vargas.  

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