Dobrato Resophonic closes doors

After 50 years of serving the community, Kent and Chris Viles of Dobrato Resophonics are retiring.

Kent and Chris met in 1971 when attending Western Colorado University. Kent was studying art and biology, and Chris was studying art history. Kent started working at Wildwood Music in 1975, and Chris left for a while to study weaving under the instruction of a master weaver before returning to Western to earn her teaching degree. She taught for many years while simultaneously helping Kent at the store. After about a year of working at Wildwood, they bought out the business.

Their business changed throughout the years to cater to the market. In the 80s and 90s, they moved into audio and video production, then low-voltage wiring and home systems during the Crested Butte construction boom. They even sold cell phones and satellites. When the 2008 recession slowed that work, he returned to instrument making and repair.

“We’ve always reinvented our business and come up with new things to keep it rolling,” said Kent.

In the 2010s, Kent developed his own guitar, the Dobrato, an electric/acoustic resophonic guitar with a beautiful, full-bodied voice. He took inspiration from the original resophonic guitars created in the 1920s. Beneath the cover plate is an aluminum cone that vibrates when the strings are strummed, producing a naturally amplified sound while still holding onto the classic sound of a resophonic guitar. A distinctive feature of the Dobrato is the lever mechanism, called the “B Bender,” that produces pitch-bending effects similar to those of a steel guitar. The lever lets a player create vibrato and pedal bends, creating a different, unique sound every time it's used. Even though the guitar is very “Country” in some respects, it has become more genre-versatile in the past decade. Each Dobrato guitar is handmade by Kent himself.

“Our instrument design is the crowning part of this whole epic journey of our business,” said Kent.

The Dobrato proved successful and has been purchased by famous musicians such as Tom Petty, Mike Campbell, Jimmy Buffett, Bob Weir, and many more. The Grammy Award-winning song, “If We Were Vampires” by Jason Isbell was inspired by and written on a Dobrato guitar. After Kent and Chris closed their shop at the end of October, the Dobrato will no longer be in production.

“When I’m done, it’s over,” said Kent. “I built the first one, and I’ll build the last one. Everyone who owns one will have a small piece of guitar history.”

Kent and Chris have long been patrons of the arts. They’re huge supporters of both community musicians and those just passing through. Chris taught high school art and childhood education for many years, and both have played a large role in music education in the valley. They’ve offered lesson and rehearsal space for teachers and students to utilize. For a long time, they held a kids music show at the I-Bar Ranch where young musicians could play in front of friends and family. They’ve taught and housed music lessons in their business and support music and art in any way they can.

“We’ve always tried to be really inclusive with students and getting kids involved in music education,” said Chris.

Kent and Chris are looking forward to retirement after a lifetime of hard work, with time to travel and pursue their personal interests. Chris hopes to spend more time weaving, and Kent will create more art and play his instruments on his own time and terms. Kent says that if he ever decides to get back into instrument making down the road, it won’t be the Dobrato.

They will spend the next few weeks cleaning out their space, which Chris said has been long needed. Gunnison Tough will utilize the Dobrato space for their retail operations. Though they will miss it, it’s time for a new adventure.

The music circle that sits outside of Dobrato on Saturday mornings won’t be going away, either. They’re looking for a new space to jam, possibly at IOOF Park or the Farmer’s market, but the right spot has yet to be found.

Above all, Kent and Chris are thankful for what the community has done for them over the past 50 years.

“We’re grateful to all the locals and tourists that have supported us,” said Kent. “We’re leaving on a really good note. What a wonderful ride it’s been.”