“The all-in-one music creation companion”: Donner’s IR-loaded, FX-equipped Hush-I Pro could be the hi-tech headless travel guitar you actually want
Donner has expanded its range of headless electric guitars with the Hush-I Pro – a revised take on the firm’s flagship Hush-I model from 2022 that ushers in some potentially game-changing specs.
Those familiar with Donner’s instruments will recognize the Hush-I Pro’s design, which is spearheaded by a unique detachable body, removable upper and lower body rests, and a headless neck-through design.
This futuristic, ergonomic approach is retained for Donner’s latest release, with the lightweight instrument marketed as a comfortable, easy-to-transport piece of kit for the traveling guitarist.
However, what you won’t recognize is the updated control panel, which plays host to the Hush-I Pro’s biggest upgrade: the H1 chip.
Said chip supports high-definition audio sampling rates and a host of new sound algorithms. These pave the way for some suitably 21st century appointments, including built-in effects, Impulse Responses, and “acoustic guitar tone simulations”.
There are overdrive, compressor and bypass effect modes, with a suite of modulations, delays and reverbs to boot. These are arranged into 18 factory preset tones, but, naturally, can be manipulated.
There are also 20 IR slots and eight “Legendary Tone Simulations”, which allow for easy switching between pre-set virtual acoustic guitars. A neat addition with some potential, but the specifics behind precisely which “legendary” tones are covered is unclear.
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The redesigned panel is in charge of manipulating all those effects and tones. It boasts Air Boost and Tone Boost controls, as well as a master volume and configurable ‘Value’ and ‘Edit’ knobs, which can be used to tweak individual parameters.
A USB-C port, headphone/speaker jack, and Bluetooth pairing button can also be found on the panel, with the Hush-I Pro offering wireless audio input and a built-in rechargeable lithium battery.
There is also a metronome, tuner and OTG recorder. Digital bells and whistles aside, the Hush-I Pro has a mahogany body core (available in natural or white finishes) with a laurel or maple stainless steel-fret fingerboard and dual-action truss rod.
With all that in mind, it’s been labeled by Donner as “the all-in-one music creation companion”. The fact it ships with a gig bag, strap, monitoring headphones, a USB cable, picks and more goes a long way to affirm that aim.
Such quirky headless travel guitars certainly appeal to a niche market, but if there’s one that could convince the average player to take a leap and test the waters, the Hush-I Pro looks well-equipped to do just that.
The Hush-I Pro is available now for $377.99.
Visit Donner to find out more.
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Matt is a Senior Staff Writer, writing for Guitar World, Guitarist and Total Guitar. He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 16 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt records for a number of UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.
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