How do capos work on a lap steel?

Ryan Lunenfeld · Post by **Ryan Lunenfeld** » 26 Feb 2021 4:07 pm

Quick question for ya'lls... how does a capo work with lap steel? If I go down from a D tuning to lets say an E... since the length of the strings is going to be significantly different, how do the fret markers line up? or do they not at all?

Pondering...pondering... hmmm...

Noah Miller · Post by **Noah Miller** » 26 Feb 2021 4:10 pm

If the capo is placed in the right position, everything should line up perfectly. It's like moving the nut; in D tuning, placing the capo at the 2nd fret would make it E tuning.

Peter Jacobs · Post by **Peter Jacobs** » 26 Feb 2021 4:19 pm

What Ryan said. Of course, your fretboard dots will be in a different place than youâ€™re used to, so youâ€™ll need to adjust to that. But itâ€™s not that hard to get used to.

Gene Tani · Post by **Gene Tani** » 27 Feb 2021 6:13 pm

I've never seen one on lap steel but once in awhile on squareneck dobros, and you can do all kinds of fun hammer/pull off things with it

https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=367564

this is the Charlie's which i think does not touch fretboard https://charliescapo.com/

Larry Dering · Post by **Larry Dering** » 27 Feb 2021 8:14 pm

Gene, some of the blues and folk artists would place a bottle opener under the strings to form a nut and play like it was a capo. Worked out well.

Ted Duross · Post by **Ted Duross** » 28 Feb 2021 5:34 am

In this video from 2015 Al Perkins explains and then demonstrates the use of a capo on lap steel. He's using a capo from Beard Guitars. Then he gives a short demo on a Magnatone. OMG can he play!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blV36yj9G5c&t=3082s

Ted Duross · Post by **Ted Duross** » 28 Feb 2021 5:58 am

Oops! Meant to say say that the capo segment comes at 48:15 of the video

D Schubert · Post by **D Schubert** » 28 Feb 2021 8:08 am

Related: I've seen videos of the Duesenberg guitars with the integrated capodaster. Does anybody know, does that system have machined-in guides that allow you to find the precise fret location when it's tightened up?

Greg Forsyth · Post by **Greg Forsyth** » 28 Feb 2021 10:54 am

Hey Ryan,

Check out this great video by forum members Jesse Nestor and Bruce Bouton. Both are using capos made specifically for steel guitars. Open up Jesse's reply to Max for a short description of the tunings and capos they are using.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4y4zNeeR00

The Steel Guitar Forum

How do capos work on a lap steel?

How do capos work on a lap steel?

Jesse Nestor and Bruce Bouton playing Capo'd steels