Self-taught guitar builder Sean Kochel has always been a compulsive tinkerer, even as a child. Years ago, he and his father side-hustled by dismantling homesteader farmhouses, barns, commercial buildings, schools, and ice houses, and Kochel began building cigar-box guitars using their stockpile, nicely coinciding with the increasing popularity of stringed instruments made from reclaimed and natural materials.

The Kochel Resonator exemplifies the weathered, rough-hewn character of its builder’s home state, Montana. The body is made from old-growth alder, with the top being pine from a mercantile store built in the 1860s. The chunky neck is maple harvested locally, while the fretboard is from a 125-year-old walnut tree. Kochel carves fret markers from spent shell casings. The biscuit is maple, and the cone is a Replogle made in California of spun-aluminum alloy. The nicely shaped nut is elk bone, and the tuners are Gotoh Vintage.

The Kochel is powered by a Magneto Design Lab P90-Mini in the neck position and a piezo in the bridge. Volume and Tone knobs are shotgun casings, and a three-way toggle is standard. In keeping with the guitar’s vibe and appearance, all metal parts are aged. The overall look and feel is irresistibly funky.

When played acoustically, the Kochel’s aged timbers render a natural resonance and volume. Plugged in, the P-90 adds smooth texture while the piezo brings a haunting, keening quality that worked well with overdrive running to a ’66 Ampeg Reverberocket.

The Kochel has a 24.5″ scale and action set high for fingerpicking and slide playing (it can be lowered).

If you’re a roots blues, Americana, or folk player, the Kochel Resonator can lend your presentation an authentic sound and look. Perhaps more important is its feel – like you’re holding something soulfully historic. It’s a winner in every respect.

This article originally appeared in VG’s November 2023 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.