Capo

[Clark Doughty]

OK I know I'm a handicapped acoustic guitar but I confess i use a capo. I have several none of which I like. Can someone give me some advise on a preferred capo. I talked to Sweetwater and they were pushing the G 7th brand. Any help will be appreciated....clark

[Mike Harris]

I have a G7th but I prefer my Shubb. For convenience you can't beat a Kyser.
There are much more expensive capos (Elliott, for one) but I don't have experience with them.

[Todd Higgins]

I'm a bluegrass sort of guy and the capos which you can leave on the guitar and store behind the nut are very popular with bluegrass guitar players. Elliott capos are highly thought of but are also priced beyond many folks budget for a capo at around $150 a piece. Shubb also makes that style of capo called the Shubb Fine Tune capo. It's around $75. I have both and I can say that the Shubb Fine Tune capo is a nice capo and works just as well as the Elliott. Paige capos have been around since the late 1980s. They were the first mass produced capo of this type that lets you slide it up past the nut and keep it there. Paige's are still being made today but they are not at all the same as the old ones and I don't like the current ones at all. The thumbscrew doesn't feel very smooth and there's very little padding on the back. But they do work and they're around $20. You might try one of those to see if you like the general style and perhaps later move up to the more expensive options.

[Patrick Sullivan]

Hello Clark,

What don't you like about the ones you've used?

[Clark Doughty]

Thanks guys for all the too info......clark

[Jim Kennedy]

I've used shubb capos for around 20 years. The shubb was the only capo I found that would work well with my Ovation 12 string. They make a variety of models for guitar that range from around 14 to 24 dollars. I found out about and bought their 7.25 inch radius capo for Tele's with that radius. Couldn't figure out why my other capos pushed my Tele out of tune. It really made a huge difference. Only capo I have ever found that does not push a guitar out of tune if it is adjusted correctly-just tight enough for clear tone, no tighter. The only down side is that they must be adjusted as you move to different positions on the neck. That can be time consuming if you use a capo a lot in different positions. I also have a Kyser capo that I use. It's ok for acoustic, but tends to push my electrics out of tune.

[Rick Barnhart]

Clark, generally speaking, if you tune your acoustic straight up, applying a capo will make your strings ring a little sharp. Before you go on a seach for the perfect capo, try this suggestion. (I prefer Shubb fwiw)

Low to high, tune your strings as follows.

E -12 cents flat (yes really)
A -10 cents flat
D -8 cents flat
G -4 cents flat
B -6 cents flat
E -3 cents flat

I think you’ll like the result.

[Jim Kennedy]

Have never tried tuning flat. James Taylor also has a tuning scheme that he likes to use. He makes extensive use of a capo.He explains it here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2xnXArjPts

By the way, IMHO using a capo does not make you handicapped. It is one of the best tools an acoustic rythm player can have.

[Clark Doughty]

thanks again guys.... I got the handicap comment from something I heard JimmyDickens say one time
He said he was allowed to park in a "handicap" parking place at the Opry because he used
a capo........lol........clark

[Alan Rudd]

Not really a handicap at all...a fine alternative, let's call it. Most people use it a lot. I recommend Shubb, although not the handiest, since it can't be clamped in a readily available place, like the headstock of your guitar or a mic stand or such.

[David Ball]

I've used Shubbs since the beginning--My banjo capo is marked "Patent Appd For). They've improved over the years, with the addition of the little nylon tip on the adjustment screw (or a roller bearing on the fancier ones). Great capos, but as Alan says, there's no clamping it to the headstock when you're not using it. When adjusted right (easy to do(, it doesn't knock things out of tune when you clamp it on. On banjos in particular, I'd sometimes have problems with a Kyser since the tension isn't adjustable. But you can stick it on the peghead when you're not using it. Oh the tradeoffs.

I've used the others, but always kept coming back to the Shubb.

Dave

[Jack Hanson]

Shubb.

[Patrick Sullivan]

Shubb.

[Chip Thomas]

Not a handicap at all. I like to utilize open strings when I can and have been using capos since the early elastic-strap/knuckle poppers of old. Electrics, acoustics, banjo, mandolin, etc...

I generally prefer the Paige type for the direct pressure control. They do require a little more attention to attach, (as opposed to the clip on type), but its worth it to me. I do have a couple of the original Kysers though that have softer springs that I use.
I probably have a couple of everything. Their usage just depends on what I'm playing at a given time. Best part: They're usually a cheap accessory and you can own bunches of them. Like me!

[Jerry Erickson]

I own and have used Shubb capos for years. For the last couple of years I've used a Planet Waves capo that is like a combination of a Shubb and Kyser capo, adjustable tension clip on.I've also been using a Paige capo. It lives on my acoustic.

https://www.paigemusical.com/pages/catalogue

http://accessories.daddario.com/pwCapos ... iveID=4096