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Which Capo to buy?


theblast

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You may find, as I have, that a Shubb is the easiest to mount, holds without bending and adjusts well to many different guitar necks. It stays out of your way, can be mounted from the top or the bottom - whatever suits your playing style - and the most important factor for me in using Shubb for the past 25 years is that you can get replacement rubbers for the capo at almost any music store.

 

The Kyser is bulky, the spring provides higher tension on the handle end than the open end and the sheer mass of the Kyser allows it so absorb vibrations you might otherwise want going into the guitar's top. I personally don't know any serious guitar player who uses a Kyser - that is not to say that none do, but I play with a lot of people and 99% of them are on a Shubb.

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I've tried and own most brands. The Kyser's only advantage is it's fast and easy to apply. I've found it always pulls my strings out of tune and I've heard it's hard on your frets. I've seen several country music artists use them, but always wonder why? I'm guessing it's the speed thing that they like, along with the fact that they're easy to "park" on your headstock when you're not using it.

 

The Shubb is good, but so is the G7th (newer model after initial problems were corrected). G7th also now has a "Nashville" model which seems very good. The regular G7th model is a bit pricey, though.

 

If you want one that's really good and inexpensive, you might look at the Planet Waves NS.

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For my J45

 

Swear by Kyser

Swear at Dunlop

 

For the 12 string GOK (God only knows) if somone's got an idea I'd be pleased to hear, the 12 string Kyser and Shubb don't cut it. My fingers don'r barre like they used to and my voice has dropped into Bb!

 

The Kyser pinches the E and the shuibb is well a shubb.

 

Just my opinion re the Shubb of course millions swaer by them.

 

I Have heard great things of the Planet Waves, does anyone have experience of the 12 string version

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I have a Shubb and a Planet Waves NP. They both work great, but the only one I reach for now is the Planet Waves. It has a dial to apply tension to your strings and it's much like the dial on a micrometer in that you add tension in small, measured increments. It's small, light, easy to put on and looks good. That's my vote. I have a Shubb for my 12-string and it works great as well. Can't go wrong either way. Kysers are ugly and the G7th is overpriced, IMHO.

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Generally, I like the Shubb capos, for both 6 and 12 string. They're cheap, and they usually work, if you put them on carefully and correctly. Note that I said "usually". Particularly with 12-strings, capos are very iffy, even my beloved Shubbs.

 

However, leaving behind the relatively inexpensive world of the Shubb capo, if you have capo troubles and want the ultimate, the last capo you'll ever buy, the end to all capo problems, the answer to all capo arguments, the capo to end all capos, then you want the one that Dan Crary sells through the store on his website. It doesn't get any better than that.

 

Scroll down this page for The Dan Crary Capo:

 

http://www.dancrary.com/DisplayProducts.html

 

Uncle Buck

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A friend who is as cheap as they come--think real cheap- actually sprung for a $100 capo after using an Elliot Capo. Personally, I've never used anything but the inexpensive variety of capo, but knowing that HE ordered and paid $100 for a capo does make me wonder if I've been missing something!

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Wow, $100, $79!! If the sole purpose of a capo is to hold the strings down and you can do that for $20, or less, why would you pay $100? It's probably cool to tell someone what you paid for it, but it isn't going to make your guitar sound any better. Guess it's like Fords vs. Ferraris. If you've got the money go for it but it's certainly not necessary. After all, you use your finger to make a barre chord. Sheesh!

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A capo is a very necessary item if you happen to also sing while you play. And especially if you do so in front of other people. Inexpensive capos have a bad habit of squashing the strings out of tune. ALL capos are going to affect your tuning. The one that I listed that costs $79 is precision machined from first rate materials and does not have such a pronounced tendency to mash everything out of tune.

 

It has nothing to do with bragging rights. I think the audience that could be won with "capo bragging" would be exceedingly small, if it existed at all. It has to do with wanting to actually be in tune when we play.

 

We now live in a world of pitch-corrected vocals and all sorts of technological advances, and if you don't want to sound out of tune, you invest in things like precision capos, strobe tuners, and so forth, to be able to play with the clearest, most precise notes and chords and keep up with the sounds of which the technology is capable.

 

If a person is content with playing their guitar "almost" in tune, and never sings while playing, and is never put in a situation to be playing alongside more accurate sources, then inexpensive capos are fine. I use them all the time at home.

 

But if you play anywhere besides on your couch or your porch, or with other people/instruments, or any source that might be more accurately tuned than you, the money spent on precision capos, strobe tuners, etcetera is money well spent. Unless you don't mind sounding off. But I think everyone wants to be as close to in tune as possible.

 

Uncle Buck

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Please read this before you pull the trigger!!

 

Dunlop Victor is the way to go. They are the best capo for the money by far, there is no spring-loading or preset to pull your strings down and knacker your tuning/intonation, you can tighten them just as much as you wish with the grub screw, and the cast brass really helps preserve and possibly increase sustain and tone.

 

I've used a Dunlop Victor Johnny Cash sig capo for years, and it kicks the *** of every Shubb, Kyser, G7th or Planet Waves I've ever owned. I've tried them all, and for all purposes the Victor is AMAZING.

 

The Cash sig is very cool, but the standard gold ones are really good looking too. go for it!

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Thanks guys, I think I've decided on the Shubb. I like the idea of it's mechanics, size, build quality & how many people say good stuff about em. I'm no pro, just a singer songwriter type (although a newbie) & I think it will serve me well. Seems like I can use it on my J-45 & my electrics. Thanks again.

-john

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I'm sort of with the representative from Dixie on this one--- but I'm too cheap to spend the $$$. So I consequently spend a lot of time tuning. I can certainly see the advantage to having a professional capo, though!

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+1 on Jinders comment on the dunlop I have several and like them allot, probably best for the buck capo I have. The planet waves is nice but almost to lite weight I prefer the brass or bronze of the dunlop.

 

That said I have three of the Elliott Capos and they are by far the very best I have ever tried. I have one for 6 string one for 12 string or wide necks and a banjo/mandolin one that's amazing, it is the only capo that Ive ever really had work for a mandolin I rarely use it but it's worth it's weight in gold if needed.

 

I have always been kind of amazed when people that play guitars worth 3k, 4k or more won't spend more than bare minimums to protect the tone its the same with strings i have a friend that plays a beautiful custom with generic bulk strings to save the cost of restringing his guitar. it's the same with electrics and people that use cheap cables ????

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<snipped>

 

I have always been kind of amazed when people that play guitars worth 3k' date=' 4k or more won't spend more than bare minimums to protect the tone its the same with strings i have a friend that plays a beautiful custom with generic bulk strings to save the cost of restringing his guitar. it's the same with electrics and people that use cheap cables ????[/quote']

 

And it's not just guitar players. I'm an experienced amateur astronomer and it's common for beginners to buy a nice telescope and then get cheap-*** eyepieces. The optical train is only as good as its weakest link.

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Are you surprised that you've already received a million different answers? Welcome to the wonderful world of guitar forums.

 

I have to say, with J-45's I swear by the Shubb. You can adjust the pressure as needed. More importantly, all of the strings are barred equally. Lastly, they are tough and will last you a while.

 

The only drawback is that you have to put them in your pocket when not in use. The Kyser, though inferior in my opinion, fits nicely on the headstock.

 

I lost my Shubb on tour recently and I actually went to 4 mom & pop music shops in search of one. Would you believe that NONE of them had any? A little frustrating. Sometimes you try to support the smaller shops but...Guitar Center it is!O:)

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