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Rikki_Sixx

Capos - all the same?

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Hi guys, I'm very slowly working my way through Fender Play's blues track. Upcoming (and optional) lessons involve using a capo.

Beginner question: Are all capos pretty much the same? Looking at images, some look to have "teeth" to better grip the neck but the last thing I'd want to do is buy one that's a bit on the tight site and it chews into the fat neck of my 339. I'm sure there are branded ones for like £30 or whatever, but otherwise are run-of-the-mill £10-ish ones all much the same? Is there such thing as a "bad" capo?

Cheers!

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There are all sorts, from a plastic bar with elastic, up to ones that you can roll on without affecting tuning (apparently). The teeth you speak of are probably just contoured rubber and just look different. For the most part, it’s find an action/mechanism you like. I use a Shubb that you have to set the pressure with a screw and then apply that pressure with a lever, I find this type of one works better for me as I can set how hard the strings are held down, rather than a constant, unadjustable spring pressure. If you use a capo on a number of different guitars with varying neck thicknesses, a simpler ‘one touch’ action may be for you.

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1 hour ago, Rikki_Sixx said:

Hi guys, I'm very slowly working my way through Fender Play's blues track. Upcoming (and optional) lessons involve using a capo.

Beginner question: Are all capos pretty much the same? Looking at images, some look to have "teeth" to better grip the neck but the last thing I'd want to do is buy one that's a bit on the tight site and it chews into the fat neck of my 339. I'm sure there are branded ones for like £30 or whatever, but otherwise are run-of-the-mill £10-ish ones all much the same? Is there such thing as a "bad" capo?

Cheers!

I'd recommend a 'trigger'-style capo, for its consistent efficiency, ease of use and solidity. Here's four, from Amazon; cheap enough to try out, with a slightly more expensive option...

Amazon Trigger Capos ...

Our Eldest uses these (or ones like 'em...), fitting one for the intro of 'Under The Bridge' before whipping it off for the rest of the song. Our Second Guitar uses one, too, to match the singer's choice of key. They all have rubber 'jaws', and do no harm at all to the guitar neck.
Hope this helps. rWNVV2D.gif

Edit : Note the difference in shape between a 'flat' one (for nylon, classical, flamenco guitars with flat fingerboard...) and 'curved' (for electric, archtop, radiused fingerboards...) and buy accordingly. The rubber jaw will accommodate any slight difference in curveture, normally.

Edited by Dad3353
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3 hours ago, Rikki_Sixx said:

...You mention curved / flat ones. Is that referring to the "top" bit which would fret the strings? 

Exactly, it has to match the profile of the fingerboard, in order to clamp each string to the fret. It's only a slight difference, but it's best to get the right one for the job. :)

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Over the years I've tried pretty much every style there is; they all worked. The best, quality-wise, have been a Shubb and a Kaiser. The Kaiser is ultimately better for quick-and-easy use, given it's a spring-loaded clamp - makes it a one-hand affair, and can clip on the headstock when not in use of you want it handy. If you're looking at using one live especially, that's what I'd go for. 

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On 24/08/2021 at 15:10, Stub Mandrel said:

My Shubb is nearly 40 years old.

 

The nylon tip of the adjuster unscrewed and got lost a couple of years ago.

 

I was able to buy a spare for not very much.

 

Any questions?

 

 

(the 'beak with handle' type are second best.



Edit: I misread your post, but you're right - the big plus of Shubb is all the spares available! 

https://shubb.com/support/

https://shubb.com/product-category/replacement-parts/

hubb.com/product/delrin-cap-dc/

Edited by EdwardMarlowe
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