NAMM 2026: Donner is looking to take on the biggest players in the headless guitar game with its all-new HLX-500 – a $330 build, which it's describing as “the ultimate modern headless guitar.”
The electric guitar, an updated version of the NHL-500, sees the budget-friendly brand capitalizing on the ever-rising headless guitar trend, which has seen Ibanez, Schecter – for Avenged Sevenfold’s Synyster Gates – and a host of budget competitors decapitating their guitars in recent times.
Over the past few years, this trend has been spearheaded by Strandberg, whose ergonomic guitars have helped usher in a renaissance for the once-overlooked design.
Donner – no stranger to the headless market – is championing the usual benefits of going sans headstock, highlighting the HLX-500's lightweight design and “ultra-portability.” And for just $329.99, there’s value for money to be had.
Built to be a chameleon for genres, it serves up a choice of poplar or okoume for its body, and regular and roasted maple for its neck. 24-fret rosewood fingerboards also make the cut.
Its “progressive asymmetrical neck” still bears a greater resemblance to the traditional C- and D-shape designs, as opposed to Strangberg’s trapezoidal Endurneck, but finds its asymmetry at the heel, offering a more ergonomic performance when it comes to lead playing and hand positioning.
Moreover, the guitar’s silhouette also nods to Strandberg’s ergonomics-first shape, and pays subtle homage to the Ibanez Quest design. In other words, it looks like any other high-end headless guitars, with some impressive specs to boot.
To that end, it looks like it could be the perfect entry point into the world of headless guitars for those still on the fence – for those curious but not willing to spend $2K on a test drive.
Its hardware specs, which include the integrated string-through-body locking bridge and nut system lifted from the Hush series, and a versatility-chasing HSS ceramic pickup configuration, which nod to the Ibanez Q54W, aren’t to be sniffed at.
There’s also the promise of its ergonomic body preventing neck-dive – the bane of many players – although nickel-silver alloy frets for its 12” radius fingerboard are a reminder that this isn’t a premium axe. Still, there’s plenty to whet the appetite at this price point.
Lastly, there is a choice of colorway, but with minor caveats. The Pear White model has a poplar body and maple neck, while the Black model has a roasted maple neck, and the Natural Wooden version, a roasted maple neck and okoume body.
All three guitars are available for $329.99.
Head to Donner for more.
The release follows Donner's Jack White collab, a similar tie-in with Japanese virtuoso MIYAVI, and the launch of its $29 Embark pedal range.
