capo for acoustic lap

Matt Lange · Post by **Matt Lange** » 23 Apr 2006 10:11 am

A couple of months ago i put an extender nut on an old acoustic i wasn't getting much use out of. I love the instrument, and i've been playing and writing on it a lot. I'm planning on taking it to my solo gig's that i've got coming up this spring/summer, and to get the most mileage out of it i need a capo. Looking at past posts, there are different opinions on what dobro type capo's are best. I was looking at this shubb: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Guitar/Accessories?sku=361509
i like the simplicity of this one, that it aligns with the fret so it can go on quickly in between songs. But the height doesn't seem to be that adjustable, and i'm not sure if the action my acoustic is at standard for a dobro. If any of you have this capo, i'd appreciate any info, and also any recommendations for other capos.
Thanks

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my music: www.myspace.com/mattlangemusic

Steinar Gregertsen · Post by **Steinar Gregertsen** » 23 Apr 2006 10:33 am

I doubt the action on a guitar with an extension nut is the same as on a squareneck dobro, so perhaps it would be safest to go for a Scheerhorn Flux or a Beard capo.
There are also other models that works by the same principle ('hangs' on the strings), but I can't remember their name.

BTW - I have both the Flux and the Beard, and the rubber part of the Flux is too fat to fit under the strings of my weissenborn...

Steinar

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"Play to express, not to impress"
www.gregertsen.com
Southern Moon Northern Lights

Howard Parker · Post by **Howard Parker** » 23 Apr 2006 12:04 pm

I'd have doubts about our (Beard) capo with the nut extender. I don't believe there will be enough clearance.

HowardP
Beard Guitars

Steinar Gregertsen · Post by **Steinar Gregertsen** » 23 Apr 2006 12:24 pm

Howard,- I have a guitar set up with a nut extender, and the Beard works fine on that.

Steinar

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"Play to express, not to impress"
www.gregertsen.com
Southern Moon Northern Lights

Matt Lange · Post by **Matt Lange** » 23 Apr 2006 12:38 pm

Steinar,
how easily/quickly can you put the beard on? can you "eyeball" it, or does it require some fine tuning?

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my music: www.myspace.com/mattlangemusic

Terry Goodman · Post by **Terry Goodman** » 23 Apr 2006 2:26 pm

The Beard is somewhat tricky and for me takes two hands to change. I have the original Scheerhorn Flux and it's a breeze to swap.

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 23 Apr 2006 3:17 pm

The Beard, or my favorite, the Bradley, would work equally as well, but STAY AWAY FROM THAT SHUBB!!!

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 23 Apr 2006 3:40 pm

The capo that Steiner showed can't be barred over. I like to have a roller nut, whether it's at the nut or an additional nut to work as a capo. Just get a tube of stainless steel or nickel-plated brass of the right diameter to go under the strings and lift them just enough not to create rattle. That way you can pass the steel over capo/bridge when you need to.

I try to avoid using open strings, so I don't use a capo much. I guess it's just a matter of style.

Matt Lange · Post by **Matt Lange** » 23 Apr 2006 4:10 pm

Alan,
in my solo playing i use a lot of open strings, that why i need to get a capo if i want to play in more the 2 keys

if you're interested at all in the kind of things i play, the link below has a couple songs on my acoustic steel ("Shrug" and "Test Before Use")

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my music: www.myspace.com/mattlangemusic

Steinar Gregertsen · Post by **Steinar Gregertsen** » 23 Apr 2006 4:18 pm

Matt,- it does require a little work to put the capo on, as Terry mentioned it takes two hands and I have to be careful to get the pitch right (but the pitch issue is the same for all capos that is placed on the strings).

I don't use capo much though, so on the rare occasions when I need one it works well for me, and as I mentioned, the Flux is too 'fat' so there's not enough clearance under the strings on my guitars.

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"Play to express, not to impress"
www.gregertsen.com
Southern Moon Northern Lights

Bernard Beck · Post by **Bernard Beck** » 23 Apr 2006 11:49 pm

Well, I have been using a shubb capo for years and it is perfect to me.
The instrument I use it on is a round neck dobro with raised strings for hawaian playing.
The height of the nut is so that I slide the capo under the strings without any difficulty, the capo does not press or raises the strings, it just blocks them.
I also have a Beard capo, but I prefer the shubb.

Matt Lange · Post by **Matt Lange** » 24 Apr 2006 4:58 am

uh oh, we've got conflicting opinions now. So i have to ask, what do you like and what don't you like about that shubb capo? It looked good to me only because i thought it would be simple and relatively quick to put on, but it also doesn't look like it works universally for different string heights. Any thoughts?

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my music: www.myspace.com/mattlangemusic

Peter Jacobs · Post by **Peter Jacobs** » 24 Apr 2006 5:01 am

I used a Leno capo for several years -- it's low profile and works well. Because of the width of my steel's neck, I have to use it upside down, or the latch rubs the side of the neck. This is probably not an issue on a squareneck reso or similar.

I just got a Scheerhorn (the new one, not the Flux). It's heavier than the Flux, and because the latch is so snug, I usually need two hands. It sounds good, but it is a little thicker than the Leno, so sometimes the capo does bounce on the fingerboard, but not enough to bother me.

Peter

David Doggett · Post by **David Doggett** » 24 Apr 2006 8:30 am

Here's an old low-tech standby. Go to the hardware store and get a flat L-bracket (like yu might use to make a cheap screen door) that is approximately as wide as your string height. Slip the long arm right behind the fret, and use the short arm to flip it up against the bottom of the strings. If it is too high, file or cut it down a little to customize it to your string height. There is nothing above the strings, so you can bar right over it. It works, I promise. And there is nothing quicker to change.

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 24 Apr 2006 2:41 pm

David, that sounds about like the way Josh Graves used to capo---Gene Wooten told me that Josh would use a "church key" as a capo--I think Josh kept one handy

!
The Shubb has a fixed distance between the strings and the fretboard. If you'rs is different, then you're gonna have tuning problems. The new Scheerhorn is a lot like the Bradley, I think.

Bernard Beck · Post by **Bernard Beck** » 25 Apr 2006 1:12 am

It's interesting to have those conflicting opinions and discussion.
Here is more precisely why I prefer the shubb compared to the beard.
The beard capo is very easy to put on BUT, you have a floating capo. By that I mean that the capo vibrates with the strings since it is not stuck to the neck. That eats up quite a lot of sound energy when you play open strings with the capo on (and I guess that's one of the big reasons for the use of the capo : being able to do open strings licks, pull-off and hammer-on).
With the shubb capo, that problem does not exist. The part underneath the strings works as a new nut solidly stuck to the neck. The part over the strings works well as an anti-rattler, keeping the strings in place. And that's one advantage of that capo, compared to the homemade "church key capo". I did fix myself such a home made capo but the shubb is way better because the strings cannot roll on the nut since they are slightly pressed down.
Now, I understand the critics stating the the shubb capo work well with only one string heights. If the strings are too low, it will be hard to fit under the strings, if the strings are too high, the clamp will put much pressure on the strings to pull them down and in both cases, it will detune the guitar. Futhermore, on a square neck with a very thick neck it just wont fit.
But if you want to use a lot of capo, keeping the sound of the instrument with the ease of playing open strings, it might be worth to consider to adjust the nut and saddle heights so that the capo fits easily.
Keep on picking
Bernard

Charles Davidson · Post by **Charles Davidson** » 4 May 2006 9:52 am

I know by reading this some of you don't like the Shubb,But I love mine,Its true the string height has to be right,but it's very,very simple to adjust the nut up or down to make it fit.It can be put on or off in a flash and is solid as a rock,also that is a great price on the link above,a lot less than what I paid for mine.