Donner HUSH-I "Silent Guitar" -- Your Questions Answered!

Рет қаралды 24,126

Күн бұрын

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Several months after the pre-release of Donner's HUSH-I "Silent" Travel Guitar, I'm back with some answers to viewer questions and a few highlighted features of the exceptional design sense that went into this instrument.
It's one of my favorite pieces in my guitar collection, to be honest, and the few nit-picky things that may come up in the online discussions are by no means a detraction from its incredible versatility and usefulness in the studio and as a practice instrument. It seems they can be a little hard to find north of the border, but try to get your hands on one if you can, because it's a tool for any guitarist to have around.
[NOTE: Since I shot this video, it looks like the price may have gone up on Amazon. It's still well under $300, and that's still less than half the price of the nearest comparable model, the Yamaha SLG200S (at $753 USD)...which is also billed as a "Silent Guitar," and also has strings you can still hear when you strum them :P]
Here's where you can find it (updated as stock updates):
*Amazon USA: amzn.to/3c4UlYs
*Amazon Canada: sold out
*Donner USA: shrsl.com/3o8ja
*Donner Canada: sold out
*affiliate link
0:00 Intro
0:52 What gauge strings does it use?
1:37 What is the action like?
2:43 Can I add a pickup?
4:30 Does the Allen key work the tuning pegs?
6:23 Where do I clip the tuner?
7:07 Why isn't there a tuner built in?
8:08 What?! NO REVERB?!
10:08 It's not really silent, is it?
11:58 Really cool design features
13:33 IT'S A STRAP!!
14:17 Wrap up (and please join!)
Go follow Donner to get the first hand updates on new product releases and promotions:
Donner Instagram:
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/ donnermusicofficial
Donner KZfaq:
/ donnerdeal
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Пікірлер: 98

@martinhunter8777 Жыл бұрын

Great review - many reviews are just see how much noise I can make, I really appreciate a “this is how it is” review. Thanks very much.

@aaronglacier9213 Жыл бұрын

I appreciate this review. I’ve never played guitar before but it’s my goal for 2023. I think I’ll start with this

@TomislavIvanFlis 11 ай бұрын

How is it going for you? Don't give up!

@aaronglacier9213 11 ай бұрын

@@TomislavIvanFlis I ended up buying an Affinity Stratocaster, threw some new strings, tusk nut, tuning trees and thornbucker on to replace my stock humbuckers. It’s been a lot of fun getting the hang of new songs

@CalebStratton Жыл бұрын

Awesome review! Just got mine a few days ago and I can confirm that this thing has had some serious thought put into it. Most importantly, I totally agree that it does exactly what it advertises. If you need something light, portable, and quiet this is 100% the guitar. However, I do wish it could be a bit quieter. I'm a student, and want to be able to practice in a dorm type setting without worrying about bothering a roommate. I've found that if you just turn up the volume quite a bit its a decent way to practice strumming quite softly, but you can also put some cloth between some of the strings to really mute the sound.

@woodsnstrings Жыл бұрын

See if you can find a hard felt ukulele pick. They do wonders for quiet strumming.

@woodsnstrings Жыл бұрын

Another thing you can do is what generations of people have done before: practice in your room ;)

@Djckw2 8 ай бұрын

10 seconds in and I've already subscribed for being called a "string-a-ling". 😄 Amazinggg name haha, looking forward to seeing more of your vids

@woodsnstrings Ай бұрын

@Djckw2 your enthusiasm is what inspired me to put it on a t-shirt 😀

@countrymonkOSB Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the helpful video!

@annanikia7949 6 ай бұрын

OMG! I was wondering why the guitar strap had those clips on it!!!!!!! Hahaha. My complicated analysis of this strap made me crazy! Thanks for explaining that it was also the bag strap!!!!!?? 😂

@smdmicrosoldering 6 ай бұрын

Heads up....A good honest review on the guitar....You keep it real all the time on this video.

@poornimarai6130 8 ай бұрын

Love the review.. ❤

@paull8678 Ай бұрын

I just picked one of these up to take on a 3 week vacation in July. Sadly, I'm probably going to return it because the action is impossibly high. Over 4mm at the 12th fret, which is significantly more than either of my acoustics with the same string gauge. I can probably lower it a bit with a new saddle, but I think I'm just going to return it and spend a little more and TG Ultralight. It's a shame too, because I love the design of the Donner. It's just a bit of a chore to play.

@woodsnstrings Ай бұрын

I can't speak to yours specifically, but any new guitar should get a setup. Try checking the neck relief first before going after the saddle. 4mm is really high, but that screams neck bow to me.

@thylacine1962 Жыл бұрын

Searched hush1. Your review came up. Glad it did. Awesome review of this unit. Like your thoughtful approach and no BS, oh how refreshing & you covered features no other chanels did. Credit to you. Naturally I'm subscribed now. 1? In you opinion would the hush 1 be compatible with silk & steel strings? Thanks.

@woodsnstrings 11 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it! As for the strings, this guitar uses a piezo style pickup, which means it runs on vibration rather than on magnetic signal. That means any string will work on it without concern for the magnetic response of the string. However, the strings do need a ball end, as that's how they're held in place at the nut. So any string that would normally be tied off, like classical strings, wouldn't work. If your silk & steel strings have a ball end, they should work just fine. In fact, I think they would sound quite nice through an amplifier -- let me know if you get a chance to try them out. Or maybe I will on my next restring 🤔

@thylacine1962 11 ай бұрын

@@woodsnstrings thanks for a very informative reply. I appreciate it. I will update you if I buy one. I'm still in the looking then but stage. But I sure like this unit, especially after your review. You know your stuff. Respect Bro.

@natalyakeane Жыл бұрын

i think if it could be modded to take an electric pickup, it would make a perfect one and done guitar. especially when travelling having access to both acoustic and electric sounds would be excellent. ive been on the lookout for a compact headless that i could either mod in a piezo pickup (if electric), or an electric pickup if it already has a piezo. adding in something like a seymour duncan p-rail would make for a truly versatile guitar that can take the place of many different guitars when travelling. im not sure the donner would be the right guitar for this, but at least thats my thought process for why i personally might want to mod in an electric pickup. tho i suspect at the price these are going for, it would cost the same amount again to set up the electronics for something like that.

@woodsnstrings Жыл бұрын

I think you'd be better off looking for a suitable electric and then installing something like a Ghost Piezo from Graph Tech. Acoustics modded to be electrics always sound awful -- like putting a playing card in your bicycle spokes to "sound" like a motorcycle. The design, and more importantly the strings, just don't work through anything with any kind of gain. Since this one is set up to play, feel, and sound like an acoustic, the result would be similar. You'd need a much lighter steel or nickel wound string and a lower action, and then you'd lose what it is that makes it essentially play like an acoustic. You'll never quite get the best of both worlds. More like the best of one world, and maybe almost average of the other. I've build a couple of Swiss Army Knife guitars with multiple pickup voicings and a Ghost, and it's really hard to land on perfection for all the components. As an electric player, trying to do electric things on acoustic strings is just deeply unsatisfying.

@natalyakeane Жыл бұрын

@@woodsnstrings thanks for the info! ill definitely take that under advisement. ghost would be the ultimate option for sure. especially if i could fit in the midi stuff. tho at its price it would quickly take a budget travel guitar well into the mid-range guitar prices, which im not sure how much id want to travel with that given how easy it is to lose luggage. even without the option of modding, the donner seems a pretty amazing guitar for the price. its rare to see anything with that much design fore-thought for under 500. let alone something that innovative. ive been watching the proliferation of alibaba/aliexpress hardware for headless guitars, and so many of them seem to use those cheap all in one tuner/saddle units (like what is used on things like the EART headless guitars). its nice to see a company make something different

@woodsnstrings Жыл бұрын

@@natalyakeane Josh at JHS has two sayings that I really like: "It's OK to just try stuff" and "if it sounds good, it is good." Don't let me stop you. I just don't think it's a good idea. When flying, this guitar is carry on size. Anything bigger, ask if you can gate check it.

@natalyakeane Жыл бұрын

@@woodsnstrings yeah. ive lost checked luggage a few times. as a result i dont like to check anything that i cant get at my destination. so carry on size is what im looking for. if i cant find a good sized electric headless to travel with (and mod in a piezo), ill get the donner as its definitely worth it as a practice instrument for the price

@tonymartin83 Жыл бұрын

Donner just presented the new hush-x that is electric with PUs

@John-eb9xz Жыл бұрын

Nice Q&A but can you tell me what the intonation is like for all the strings? because I've played quite a few nice acoustic guitars ruined by bad intonation which is really difficult to fix because of the style of bridge

@woodsnstrings Жыл бұрын

The intonation is actually quite good. They use a compensated saddle which helps a lot and is typical on the better built acoustics. A good luthier can easily hand intonate a saddle for you cheaper than buying a new guitar.

@John-eb9xz Жыл бұрын

@@woodsnstrings thanks for the info, this guitar is becoming more appealing all the time :)

@lonkwuzhere4433 Жыл бұрын

hey! I’m super new to guitar so this might be a bit of a dumb question but in terms of the tension on the strings, does it feel more like an acoustic guitar, and if so, how tight is it? I ask this because I have an old Yamaha acoustic guitar that I’m borrowing from my school while I learn, and the only reason I’m not practicing constantly is that the strings really dig into my fingers until it’s too painful to play. I don't have this issue at all with the electric guitar that's at my school, and I prefer its sound / feel. That being said, I don't really have the money to buy something too expensive and from what i can tell, the Donner Hush-I is the only one of this form factor at its price range, but I'm also really getting sick of lugging the big stupid hardcase for my acoustic to and from school, particularly in the middle of winter here in Canada. Anyway, what would you do in a scenario like this, would you say it'd be worth it? (Awesome video by the way, it was super informative and useful, thanks!)

@woodsnstrings Жыл бұрын

The HUSH-I is set up like an acoustic, so it would be similar to your school's Yamaha. The solution for you is to have lighter strings put on the guitar.

@lonkwuzhere4433 Жыл бұрын

@@woodsnstrings alright awesome, I'll keep that in mind. Thanks!!

@madeofnapalm Жыл бұрын

Thank you for the great rewivew. I got the instrument, and I wanted to ask - how do you adjust the truss rod? I know it sounds weird, in theory shoud be lefty-loosey, righty-tighty, but I tried adjusting it both ways and it is so tight I'm scared it will snap. The thing is guitar has no relief and the action is quite low for and acoustic (I'd call it a medium-electric even). Any help would be appreciated.

@woodsnstrings Жыл бұрын

You have it exactly right. Turning clockwise will tighten it and bend the fretboard towards the strings. Turing it left will add relief. A quarter turn ar a time is plenty, and tune it after each turn to check the action and buzz.

@madeofnapalm Жыл бұрын

@@woodsnstrings If I could ask 1 more question - how do you play this (I mean the position)? I have to say it is the most uncomfortable guitar to play I ever tried - if you play sitting down it is way too low, and the worst thing is your right hand has no place to rest, it has to free float, causing extreme shoulder fatigue. And if you try playing standing up it neckdives like to SG ever did.

@woodsnstrings Жыл бұрын

@@madeofnapalm if you play it on your left knee with your foot propped up (a better playing posture overall), you shouldn't have a problem really. I just play it like any guitar and haven't found it uncomfortable at all. I haven't tried it standing with a strap to test for neck dive, but it's not such a significantly heavy guitar -- or one built for shredding -- that I could see this being a serious issue. Again, it's not really meant for stage use as its primary function, so I'm guessing counterweighting the body wasn't consideration. However, in other cases (like some V's), the solution could be a wider strap with more friction, or you could simply coutnerweight the thing yourself. It's an incredibly light piece of gear though...I HAVE played it standing without even using a strap and had no issues.

@richard96548 Жыл бұрын

If I were to plug headphones in, would it only make noise through the headphones or would there be sound coming from the body of the guitar as well? I want something I can practice and not disturb my family while they’re sleeping

@woodsnstrings Жыл бұрын

It will sound about as loud as an unplugged electric guitar. It's still strings on a piece of wood. But in the headphones it will sound like an acoustic guitar.

@XENONEZZ2 10 ай бұрын

I wish they would bring out a nylon string version.

@lamar-stefaniedouglas8940 Жыл бұрын

Are you able to adjust action Outside of adjusting neck relief

@woodsnstrings Жыл бұрын

It has the same features as an acoustic guitar, so you would need to adjust the action the same way. Basically, acoustics only allow you to adjust the action by sanding or shimming the saddle or nut.

@cluster1955 Жыл бұрын

is it possible to mount a Roland GK3 pickup for synth control?

@woodsnstrings Жыл бұрын

The pickup would probably fit. I don't know where you would put the rest of the hardward but I'm sure people mount them on all sorts of things. If you get it working let me know.

@TheOtherGuyTMK Жыл бұрын

I'm wondering how this does on flights. As a travel guitar I'm hoping to carry it on with me but I've seen one other person mentioning international lines will not allow it to be taken on.

@woodsnstrings Жыл бұрын

I have no idea, but it is certainly compact enough to be a carry-on. It shouldn't be any different from any other guitar, but I suppose with all the pieces it could be a little confusing to someone who hasn't seen one before. I was once stopped for a search on a domestic flight because my laptop case had an Allen wrench in it. If they won't let you take it on as a carry-on, ask to gate check it. Most airlines have space for things like strollers and small instruments now.

@Yooper05 10 ай бұрын

I just ordered one strictly for travels, always via plane.. I hope this doesn’t become an issue. I want to learn to play so bad and figure what better way than time with one of these in my hotel room.

@muhdsafwan3710 10 ай бұрын

hello. wanna know if this guitar can only be played when the battery is inserted?. means that this guitar will not work without a battery even i plug into amplifier? sorry for my broken english

@woodsnstrings 10 ай бұрын

Hi. This guitar uses an active pickup circuit, meaning the pickup will not function without a battery. The strings will strum and the frets will work (quietly...there's no resonating chamber), but the onboard preamp won't send any signal to the amplifier without power. However, I've had this guitar for over a year and it's still on the original battery.

@muhdsafwan3710 10 ай бұрын

@@woodsnstrings ok i see that. so it looks like battery using won't be an issue right?. nice. thank for reply ya

@DavidEidelberg 11 ай бұрын

I've gotten two and the action is way too high even for an acoustic. They both needed a lot of truss rod adjustment (they were completely loose with too much relief) and the saddle has to come down a lot for nice acoustic action. One couldn't be adjusted enough so it went back.

@ExtraRice.101 7 ай бұрын

I've got mine today. After adjusting the truss rod, it's on-par or a little bit lower than my aoustic guitars. It came with 11s strings. It's easier to play than my LX1E.

@DavidEidelberg 7 ай бұрын

@@ExtraRice.101You didn’t have to sand down the saddle?

@HakanGil Жыл бұрын

I just ordered online. Watched all videos. Yours the most helpful one, thank you but still cant understand one thing. What for that aux-in input? What can i do, what can i get with it? Possibilities, benefits? Can you please give examples if it is complicated? I am not familiar with this stuff. Can i connect my phone with it and if i play spotify for example, can i play mu guitar on music from spotify and listen both sounds with the earphone? Is it it?

@woodsnstrings Жыл бұрын

Good purchase! The aux input is for an aux cable from your phone or other player that allows you to play along with a recording. So, let's say you want to learn a song, and you've got the chords. You can plug your headphones in the headphone jack, and connect your phone with the track on Spotify or iTunes, and you can play along "silently" through your headphones. People nearby will of course still hear the strings acoustically, as they would on an electric guitar that's unplugged, but they won't hear the music track or the full tone of the guitar. It's great for an apartment or dorm where other people might be interrupted with a loud acoustic sound.

@HakanGil Жыл бұрын

@@woodsnstrings It is so cool then. So i can play along with music, metronome, drum partitions etc. Lots of possibilities. Sadly no one mentioned that before. Not even on user manual! :) Thank you very much, all clear now.

@CalebStratton Жыл бұрын

@@HakanGil I also had no idea it had a aux passthrough until mine came in the mail and I saw there was a second 3.5mm jack

@HakanGil Жыл бұрын

@@CalebStratton It works fine and i think it is a very useful feature. Weird that the company didnt mention it anywhere.

@joebowbeer 5 ай бұрын

Is there a floor stand/rack that works with this?

@woodsnstrings 5 ай бұрын

None that I've seen. That's true for most headless guitars, but the body design on this one makes it harder to find something for it to rest on. The closest I've seen might be something like this from D'addario: www.daddario.com/products/accessories/care-maintenance-tools/guitar-supports/universal-neck-rest/ It'll hold it up against a table or a low amp. Might be worth a peek.

@saruzzof.7341 Жыл бұрын

So you can play it without amp too, right?at very low volume

@woodsnstrings Жыл бұрын

Yes. If you don't plug it in, it sounds a little softer than an unplugged electric. You can use the included headphones to listen to the acoustic tone privately while those around you just hear strings with very little volume.

@sksan7769 4 ай бұрын

Got my hush I today and i have tought time playing due to its high action. Can you suggest me how to lower them?

@sksan7769 4 ай бұрын

I think rather than mounting pick up, you should go ahead and buy Hush X.

@woodsnstrings 4 ай бұрын

Check the neck relief. You may need to straighten it.

@debrahughes468 Жыл бұрын

Is there a left hand option?

@woodsnstrings Жыл бұрын

No. I don't think any of Donner's guitars come in lefty options. I've had this question before, but it's something you'd all have to take up with them. Presumably enough voices requesting it would encourage them to pursue the option.

@Lama_Shakti 2 ай бұрын

Can it be left handed change ghe string upside doen

@woodsnstrings 2 ай бұрын

You could try but the bridge is compensated for intonation so you'll likely run into issues there.

@lpadron13 6 ай бұрын

Would you recommend this for practicing strumming?

@woodsnstrings 6 ай бұрын

You can use any guitar to practice strumming. This one is quiet (like an unplugged electric) but feels like an acoustic. If that's what suits your needs, then it's what I would recommend.

@lpadron13 6 ай бұрын

@@woodsnstrings i'm trying to preserve the sanity of those around me so the quieter for them (but louder for me) the better. Your Q&A is great. Your reply sealed the deal! I'm.trying to snag a used one. Thanks very much!

@taneil408 Жыл бұрын

Can you use nylon strings on this guitar?

@woodsnstrings Жыл бұрын

Possibly, but I wouldn't advise it. The head is designed for ball ends, and the tuning pegs might not hold onto a nylon string.

@zacharyedwards5723 Жыл бұрын

Can it be used with nylon strings?

@woodsnstrings Жыл бұрын

Possibly, but I wouldn't advise it. The head is designed for ball ends, and the tuning pegs might not hold onto a nylon string.

@sbkmarkel Жыл бұрын

They have an electric guitar version now

@danxnatividad3376 Жыл бұрын

Is it ideal to use it on gigs?

@woodsnstrings Жыл бұрын

I could see it being convenient, compared to the bulk of an acoustic, for both transport and use. I haven't actually used it on stage, so I couldn't say if it's "ideal" or not. In the studio it gets a great sound, so I don't see why it wouldn't be useful for gigs.

@SuperDanhvo 8 ай бұрын

Can I pair this to Bluetooth speaker if I don’t need to use headphones

@woodsnstrings 8 ай бұрын

It isn't Bluetooth enabled. If you want to use a Bluetooth speaker like a Spark or an SD30i, you can certainly just plug it in like you would any guitar and use the acoustic amp settings. I use a Joyo wireless unit to plug it into my Mooer SD30i for playalong stuff.

@vincej5615 7 ай бұрын

Where does the tuner go?

@woodsnstrings 7 ай бұрын

That literally has its own chapter in the video index.

@DavidEidelberg 11 ай бұрын

If you ever played the Yamaha silent guitar, you'd understand why you'd want reverb. It makes a huge difference in the experience. Much better.

@ExtraRice.101 7 ай бұрын

Brand new, it's about CAD $900-$1000 here. 2nd hand, I can find CAD $500 - $600. I was able to buy the Hush I for CAD $300 brand new. Compared to Yamaha, it's super compact. I won't bring the Yamaha on my trips. This one, I can bring anywhere. I think this is the main thing. It also fits my backpack. Yamaha for sure got a superior sound but for travel, this is just better.

@DavidEidelberg 7 ай бұрын

I was hoping the Donner would be small enough to fit in my large suitcase which would make it even bearable for travel. But it doesn’t. Still too long.

@TallTreesClub 7 ай бұрын

I price the Yamaha SLG200s often, and no way are those $300. Average -- try $480 used and $700 new. Also, lots of acoustic amps have reverb, so that's no big deal unless someone plans to play with ear buds most of the time.

@DavidEidelberg 11 ай бұрын

The written specs from Donner say they're 10s. I agree they feel stiffer than 10s.

@smatlanta1 10 ай бұрын

Maybe because it's a shorter "scale" than a normal guitar (?) ... so the tension is higher.

@anthonykoeslag 11 ай бұрын

I would say a person could get creative and mount a tuner into the wood if they wanted a built in tuner

@FittedThough Жыл бұрын

is there a lefty version?

@woodsnstrings Жыл бұрын

Sorry no.

@bkmeahan Жыл бұрын

If it's still bothering people then you're hanging around the wrong people.

@9unslin9er Жыл бұрын

I've watched about 30 videos on this thing, and none have any semblance of a usable acoustic tone. It's pretty sad, considering the guitar is value-priced and packed with features. However, it just sounds absolutely awful. No matter how you dress it up, this is an ELECTRIC guitar. It has minimal natural acoustics, and relies on amplification. It could really use Strat pickups in the neck and middle positions.

@woodsnstrings Жыл бұрын

I can understand how that would be upsetting for you. If it helps you feel better, Donner introduced a headless electric version called the HUSH-X (that's 10, not "ex") at NAMM this year. They haven't set an official market release date (I asked...I'm on the list). It's not a synthesize or a modeler. I mean, it's a slab of hardwood with a piezo intended to be played through headphones (and here going dry into the recording with no effects and no impulse response), so I don't expect anyone would imagine it's going to sound like a concert dreadnought. But -- and I'm just putting it out there -- you could just not buy one. That would probably save you a lot of trouble.