BK
This arrived incredibly well packaged in a very nice gig bag. The gig bag holds the guitar and everything else you'd need to start playing. And it is a very small form factor. There is a good functioning internal tuner on this guitar, which is a rarity. So, you won't need an external tuner. It comes with a high quality USB charging cable, a truss rod bar for the spoke wheel truss rod, earbuds, a bunch of extra pieces for when you lose parts of the headless string retainer—a must for those of older eyesight—a strap that doubles as a carrying strap for the case, and the two metal pieces that easily attach to the main guitar to form the "body."
This guitar is a real step forward in headless design. I normally take all kinds of photos of the guitars I review, but on this one I just took a couple of the things that I found new and different. First photo is of the back, where what looks like a battery cavity is actually a holder for two hex wrenches and houses the sort of "string through." You actually see the strings enter from the bottom here—no tray for the ball ends, no strings through the tuning mechanism. This is my favorite headless stringing mechanism, and I have six different headless guitars with six different mechanisms.
Photo two shows something equally unusual—a regular bridge. You can adjust the saddle height and intonation just like on any non-headless guitar. I had to make sure I wasn’t seeing things.
Donner has been upping their guitar game lately, and I own about half a dozen Donners. This one is my new favorite. I love headless guitars, but I hate stringing and setting them up. This guitar solves all the problems I usually face with that.
As for how it plays: it arrived with a lot of relief in the neck, which I adjusted using the spoke wheel truss rod. After straightening it, the setup was perfect. The action was 6/1000 on the low E and 5/1000 on the high E. The bone nut was cut perfectly, first fretted notes were spot on, and intonation at the twelfth fret was perfect.
The neck is flawless, with excellent fret work. The frets are stainless steel with ball ends—no sprout, no high frets, and very smooth. The slim C carve is very comfortable. There’s also a little plastic cap at the end of the string retainer to protect your fingers from string ends. It hangs nicely on a cello stand, too. The guitar weighs about five and a half pounds and has a smooth, finger-friendly tuning mechanism.
I played it with and without the internal effects and tried the different guitar and amp simulations. I’ve only scratched the surface, even after playing it a couple hours per day for four days. The built-in battery seems to last quite a while. The earbuds are useful when quiet practice is needed. Even when plugged into a crummy amp, it still sounded okay—likely thanks to the Alnico V pickups.
I don't know if this will be anyone's main gigging guitar, but for practice and travel, it's excellent. I own several headless and travel guitars, and this is definitely one of the nicer ones.
My only small criticism is about ergonomics: it’s designed somewhere between how I’d usually hold a headless and a regular guitar. It took some experimenting to find a comfortable seated position. I often end up in classical position with headless guitars, which is harder to do here—but that’s minor, as I mostly play standing.
Lastly, I’d love to see Donner or someone else make a 24-inch short scale version of this design. I have a brachial plexus injury that weakens my left hand, and even before that I’ve always preferred Mustang/Jaguar scale lengths.
So, there’s my two cents. Overall, this is a wonderful, feature-rich, and thoughtfully designed headless travel guitar.
Sage D.
Just when I thought Donner couldn't do any better, they release this beast. It is near perfection. I liked the original hush guitar for what it was. Light, convenient, portable, flexible, but it lacked aggression. It was meant for cleaner play. That's the problem, I'm a metal guy. Then walks in the X Pro. It's everything I loved about the Hush, but with everything else I wanted out of it. I can literally plug in my headphones, and jam ANYWHERE. And it's even got some great saved tones modeled after famous bands/albums that you'll recognize by the names given to them. Oh, and it looks cool, which helps. It's like a Strandberg but at a fraction of the cost and has everything you need built into it. I mean seriously there's very little you could do to improve this guitar. It's a work of art.
Lorien
I was torn between getting the Hush-I Pro or the Hush-X, but when I heard the Hush-X Pro was coming, I decided to wait—and I’m glad I did. It’s an excellent travel electric guitar packed with great features.
What I Love About It:
Compact, well-built, and premium feel – The guitar has a nice heft to it without being too heavy, and it packs down into a compact gig bag that’s well-made with good storage. The roasted maple fretboard and stainless steel frets feel smooth and effortless to play. I chose the white version, and it looks absolutely stunning.
User-friendly controls & great tuning stability – The built-in tuner is fantastic—precise, easy to use, and a great addition for travel. Once you get used to the controls, the interface feels pretty intuitive.
Customizable tone settings – While I initially experienced an issue with overdrive and heavy distortion presets cutting out, this was easily fixed by adjusting the noise reduction (NR) settings in the Tone menu. Lowering the NR value from 55 to around 35-45 for those presets made a huge difference, and it was simple to save the changes for each sound group.
Responsive customer service – Donner’s support team responded within 24 hours. Although they were hesitant to assist at first since I didn’t buy directly from them, they ultimately provided a quick fix.
Things to Keep in Mind:
Unique feel & balance – This isn’t a traditional full-sized electric guitar, so it sits a bit differently on your lap and when using a strap. However, that’s expected with a travel design.
Needs a proper stand – Standard guitar stands don’t fit well, but I found that a Stagg violin/viola stand works perfectly for it.
Final Thoughts:
Now that I’ve dialed in my settings, I’m really enjoying this guitar. It’s a fantastic option for travel—high-quality, great-sounding, and built to last. With its sleek looks and solid playability, I see it holding up well for years to come. If you're looking for a portable yet powerful electric guitar, this one is worth considering!
JBogs
Having both the Hush I Pro and X Pro, I can tell ya some of the differences.
1. Strings, the X Pro has nickel wound and I Pro has bronze.
2. You don't need to turn on the X Pro, just plug and play like a regular guitar. The I Pro needs to be on.
3. Obviously the pickups
4. String tension adjusting can be done by hand on the X Pro, whereas it's doable on the I Pro, but you're best off using the included allen key (that is conveniently hidden in the guitar)
5. Location of 1/4" jack, 1/8" jack and USB-C is on the bottom of the X Pro
6. Color options, both come in white. The X Pro has a black option, the I Pro has a natural wood option
7. Two more frets on the X Pro
8. Probably a a few differences in the software, but I haven't tinkered too much there yet
I haven't gotten too far into the configuration and built in options yet, but will update this post with my findings. So far, it's very playable (good action and such). My X Pro is solid, no fret buzz anywhere.
In summary, this is a great niche guitar as well as a daily player. Build quality is good and you can't beat the price point for the options. If you're in the market for a travel guitar, look no further.
David A. Smith
I've been having an absolute blast with this guitar! Ever since I got it about a month ago, it’s been my go-to instrument. If you pick one up, I’m sure you’ll love it too.
What makes it so great?
Full-size feel, ultra-portable design – This guitar delivers the feel of a full-sized instrument in a highly travel-friendly package. As someone who primarily plays a Telecaster, I needed a guitar that was easy to take anywhere—something lightweight, compact, and carry-on friendly. My Tele was just too cumbersome. This guitar, however, is the perfect travel companion while still feeling like a full-sized instrument.
Great out-of-the-box setup – It arrived ready to play, which is rare. Even when I’ve bought new Fender guitars and basses, they needed proper setup first. With this, I had a fantastic playing experience right away.
Sleek design & solid feel – It looks amazing and plays just as well. Despite being about half the weight of my Les Paul, it still feels incredibly sturdy and well-built.
Built-in amp & headphone-friendly practice – The onboard amp options are a fantastic touch. While I usually use my own gear, the available tones are genuinely interesting, and the ability to plug in headphones makes it perfect for quiet practice.
Unbeatable value – A guitar that plays this well, sounds this good, and is this portable at such a reasonable price? It’s a no-brainer. Honestly, I would have paid more for something that solves the problem of practicing while traveling so seamlessly.
A couple of minor drawbacks:
Needs a stand – It doesn’t fit standard guitar stands, which makes storage tricky. Leaning it against a wall isn’t ideal, and for now, I’ve been placing it on the floor (luckily, I haven’t stepped on it—yet). Hopefully, Donner will release a compatible stand soon!
Overall, this guitar is a fantastic option for musicians on the move. Highly recommended!
Rick
First off I have played guitar for 30 years and was greatly reluctant and worried in purchasing this basically due to the only musical instruments that I have ever owned was one of any of the major brands. This guitar however is the best of all of them roles into one....from the sound, the feel, or the light weight, one of the best if not the best I have ever owned or played. Once I got used to the the absence of the head stock and the tuning at the bridge,no big dea.... This guitar along with its many onboard FX is completely awesome, I love it and will now check more into the Donner brand
Scarlett
Picked up a stand for it-DONNER DS-3, and it fits like a glove. If Donner made a custom stand, that’d be the cherry on top.
Henry
Needed something quiet for apartment practice, and this is perfect. Plug in headphones, and you’re good to go—no amp, no noise complaints.
Evelyn
Bought this as a backup guitar, but honestly, it’s so good I find myself reaching for it more than my main axe.
Ethan
Holds tuning like a champ. The headless system works way better than I thought, even after bending strings like crazy.
Harper
The sustain on this thing is crazy. Wasn’t expecting much from a compact guitar, but it really sings, especially with some reverb and delay.
Benjamin
Didn’t think I’d use the Bluetooth feature, but it’s actually awesome. Makes it super easy to jam along with tracks from my phone.
Amelia
The built-in tuner is a lifesaver. No more fumbling around with a clip-on or app—just tune up and go.
Mason
Honestly, the price is a steal. You’re getting a full-on guitar with effects, amp modeling, USB recording, and a travel-friendly build. Could’ve easily cost more.
Charlotte
This thing is a workhorse. Been gigging with it, and it holds up great. Super easy to set up, no fuss, just plug and play.
Lucas
Tones are super versatile. Can go from clean and bluesy to full-on metal with just a few tweaks. The humbucker really kicks when you need it.
Mia
The roasted maple fretboard is absolutely gorgeous. Feels premium, looks even better in person, and plays smooth as hell.
Elijah
Battery life is killer. Played for hours without even thinking about charging. No more worrying about forgetting extra cables or adapters.
Isabella
Took it to a buddy’s jam session, and everyone was impressed. Sounds way bigger than it looks, and the pickups have a really nice punch.
James
The headless design threw me off at first, but now I can’t imagine going back. Super well-balanced, easy to adjust, and honestly, it just looks badass.
Sophia
Plugged straight into my laptop with USB-C, and boom—recording in seconds. No extra interface, no hassle. Perfect for laying down quick ideas.
Noah
Love how this thing plays. Slim C-neck is crazy comfortable, and the tuning stability is rock solid. Haven’t had to adjust it much, even after long sessions.
Ava
Didn’t expect much from the built-in effects, but man, they actually sound legit. Amp modeling is on point, and being able to tweak the settings is a huge plus.
Liam
Neck feels smooth as butter, and the frets are rounded off nicely. No sharp edges, no rough spots—just clean and easy playability right out of the box.
Emma
This thing is a beast for travel. Fits in my carry-on, super lightweight, and doesn’t take up space. Took it on a flight last week, and it was a breeze.
Oliver
Been using this guitar nonstop since I got it. Plays great, feels solid, and the built-in effects are a game changer. Perfect for jamming late at night without waking the whole house.