blog
The Guitar That Changed My Life
How a travel guitar, an iPad and a looping app replaced a full pedalboard — and changed the way I make music on the road.
A few years ago, I never imagined that a guitar could change the way I make music, travel, and even set up my equipment for live performances.
I have been working in musical entertainment for around twelve years. During that time, I have used all kinds of guitars — electric, acoustic-electric, and different instruments that have accompanied me through hundreds of performances. However, I have also learned that for a musician who travels constantly, equipment can become a real challenge.
The problem: getting a guitar to Mexico and Europe
It all started about three years ago, when I was planning a trip to Mexico and Europe. I knew I could be spending several months away from Costa Rica and, as a musician, I needed to take a guitar with me. The problem was transportation. Airlines don't always make it easy to travel with musical instruments. Many times, you have to pay an additional fee to take a guitar with you, sometimes it is difficult to find space in the cabin, and there is always the risk of the instrument being damaged, broken, or even lost during the trip.
At that time, I was using an electric guitar that weighed around eight kilograms, and I was already starting to experience back problems from carrying it along with all the additional equipment I needed for my shows. So I started looking for a travel guitar that could solve that problem.
Discovering the HUSH-I Pro
That was when I discovered the Donner HUSH-I Pro. It immediately caught my attention because it was completely different from the guitars I had used before. It was compact, lightweight, and designed for someone who needed to travel with their instrument. I started following Donner, and shortly afterward, I saw that they were looking for brand ambassadors. I contacted them, told them about my musical project, and eventually we reached an agreement that allowed me to acquire the guitar and start creating content for the brand.
At that moment, I had no idea how much it would change the way I made music. The HUSH-I Pro not only solved my transportation problem, but completely changed my setup. The guitar features effects such as delay, reverb, compression, and distortion, and it can also be charged via USB. For me, that meant something very important: I could start getting rid of equipment.
Less gear, better shows
For years, I had used pedalboards, effects pedals, cables, and different devices to achieve the sounds I needed for my performances. Little by little, I started selling some of that equipment and looking for a much simpler and more portable setup.
Then I added an iPad and started using Loopy Pro, an app that became a fundamental part of my show. With it, I could create loops, drums, piano parts, and different elements of my songs from a single device. I also added a small MIDI keyboard and continued reducing the amount of equipment I needed to carry. I went from having a huge amount of gear to being able to do practically everything with a guitar, an iPad, a small keyboard, and a few additional accessories. And there was one huge advantage for me: my back stopped hurting after playing.
It wasn't simply about buying a new guitar. It was about completely changing the way I make music and move around. — Jimmy Loop
A guitar people ask about
The guitar also ended up accompanying me on my travels through Mexico and Europe. I visited Spain, Portugal, England, and France, and carrying a guitar with these characteristics made everything much easier. I no longer had to worry as much about the weight, additional fees, or transporting a large instrument from one place to another.
But something else interesting started to happen. People would see the guitar and ask me, “What kind of guitar is that?” Its design immediately catches people's attention because it doesn't look like a traditional guitar, and that eventually became a small but distinctive feature of my show. The guitar was no longer just a tool for making music; it also became part of my identity as an artist.
Over time, my show has continued to evolve, and I currently play between three and six shows per week during high season. My performance is essentially a one-man band: I use guitar, vocals, electronic percussion, piano, and different virtual instruments to build songs live. And the guitar is at the center of it all.
The HUSH-X Pro and the HUSH-C
After I started using the HUSH-I Pro, my entire approach to performing changed. I no longer needed a pedalboard full of effects or to transport a huge amount of equipment. My setup became much smaller, faster, and easier to carry. That allowed me to focus on what matters most: making music.
This year, after several years of working with Donner and creating content for the brand, I received a surprise. Donner decided to send me a new guitar, this time the HUSH-X Pro, an electric guitar that kept many of the features I already loved about the HUSH-I Pro while opening up new sonic possibilities for me. Because it is an electric guitar, I can use it for solos, more aggressive sounds, and different styles within my show. It is the guitar I currently use for many of my performances and has become a very important part of my sound.
I also received a Donner HUSH-C, a nylon-string guitar that I mainly use for acoustic performances, weddings, and occasions when I need a softer, more traditional sound. Unlike the other HUSH models, the HUSH-C does not have the same built-in effects, and that is precisely why it works perfectly for a different type of performance.
Today, I have sold practically all of the guitars I owned before and kept my HUSH guitars because they are the ones that truly adapted to the way I work.
Why Donner
And I think that is what I like most about Donner. For me, it has always been important to find instruments that offer a good level of quality while remaining accessible to musicians who are building their own projects. Not every musician has the possibility of spending thousands of dollars on equipment. Many times, we need smart, practical, and reliable solutions.
I even ended up incorporating other products from the brand into my setup, such as a Donner electronic drum kit.
What it really changed
But if I had to summarize everything that has happened since I got my first HUSH-I Pro, I would say that it wasn't simply about buying a new guitar. It was about completely changing the way I make music and move around.
It allowed me to travel more easily, reduce my equipment, take better care of my back, experiment with new technologies, and create a much more portable show. But most importantly, it allowed me to keep doing what I enjoy most: stepping onto a stage and playing.
So, when someone asks me what guitar I would recommend to a musician who travels, performs constantly, or simply wants a different and practical instrument, my answer is pretty simple: the Donner HUSH guitars changed my life as a musician, and they probably changed forever the way I take my music around the world.
Want the sound of a full band at your event?
Book on WhatsAppgear I use
Want to play one? Shop the HUSH guitars
These are affiliate links: if you buy through them, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.