Capos! or... -- Here we go again!

[kidblast]

I'm slowing moving my capo tool bag to something other than Kyser.   They work ok and all, but as we have discussed many times, they got their issues....

I do have two Thalias, they work great, easy to move around, and the tuning pads are a nice touch. 

But, they are a bit clunky, and heavy.  The other down side is while they do have Partial tuning pads, which I have a set, they do not have any drop D pads.. (just short cut covers 4 strings)

Lately I've been thinking to upgrade these, and  decided I wanted to go with something low profile, with adjustable tension, light and reliable.

Enter  G7th Newports, two of which just arrived today. 

A full 6 string, and a drop d.

Nice!  not seeing any tuning issues, and I'm not cranking them down on the neck, so there's no where near the pressure that the Kysers push down with.  Should help for fret wear.

 YES! I know there are other fine/better capos out there (Elliot, Page, and even the G7th Heritage)

Since I like to use the partial capos (Short Cut, Drop D, Double Drop D) I'll always have more than one handy when I'm playing.

I have one more to procure,  a short cut,  Bummer that I don't see the have a double drop D... (and that's one of the coolest partials going IMO.) 

so I guess I need to keep that Kyser one handy after all.

 

 

Edited November 16, 2020 by kidblast

[BluesKing777]

 

A guy on AGF has his 'failed capo drawer'.... mine has the G7 Newport, many Kysers in red, blue, black.... Paige, D'Addario, Dunlops.....first G7, 2nd G7 and NOW - the new G7 Performance 3 with ART AND the new G7 Heritage with ART.

I may sell them or I may just throw them in the kerb near the music shop and watch the feeding frenzy!😠

Now in Australia these things cost 3 times what your lot pay and my new Gold G7 Heritage was $AU300 (2 birthday gift vouchers actually, but still...).

So the only capo that works properly and holds the strings if I do the big blues bend is my Shubb Capo Noir  (black capo) and my Shubb Royale Gold Capo! $AU43.95 here!

Hmmm.  Better without the @@##@#@#$$ things probably..

 

But man oh man, my new gold Heritage looks pretty in the photos!:

 

BluesKing777.

 

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

I like Kyser but switched to Shubb.

[RBSinTo]

Years ago, before I bought a cheap, commercially-made capo, I used  a pencil and an elastic, which worked well enough.

I recently bought a very nice spring-loaded capo, which I needed to play "Here comes the Sun" along with our Grand-daughter in her guitar lessons.

But that's it. One and done. Can't imagine wanting or needing more.

RBSinTo

 

[QuestionMark]

Kyser capo for me.  Easy to use,  works well.  Prior to that I was a Schubb capo person.  Also worked easy and well, but I tried the Kyser and have used it ever since.  

 

QM aka “ Jazzman” Jeff

[Seagull]

I just don't have any issues with the Kyser capo's.  They work fine for me.  I always scratch my head when I see people complain.  Kind of makes me wonder what I'm doing wrong...

[kidblast]

43 minutes ago, Seagull said:

I just don't have any issues with the Kyser capo's.  They work fine for me.  I always scratch my head when I see people complain.  Kind of makes me wonder what I'm doing wrong...

ha!! you're not!  from what I have read, and,,,  Kysers  put a lot of pressure on the fret-board.  Will this increase / speed up fret wear  ?  I really don't know,, I have read that it does and I use capos a lot.   I also like using partial capos,  (which if you have never tried, you should)  I often use two capos at once..   once 6 string capo to frets behind a partial.   (could be the drugs talking, I don't know..)

Also, I never use a capo when playing electric, just acoustics..

BB, the Heritage capos are very nice,  but not something that would "fit" for how I use the tool.  (which is what they really are)

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

10 hours ago, RBSinTo said:

Years ago, before I bought a cheap, commercially-made capo, I used  a pencil and an elastic, which worked well enough.

I recently bought a very nice spring-loaded capo, which I needed to play "Here comes the Sun" along with our Grand-daughter in her guitar lessons.

But that's it. One and done. Can't imagine wanting or needing more.

RBSinTo

 

The only time you may need more than one is if you have 6ers and 12ers. A 12 string capo is a tad bit  longer and the spring loaded ones have a little bit beefier spring to push down 12 strings.

[Sgt. Pepper]

23 minutes ago, kidblast said:

ha!! you're not!  from what I have read, and,,,  Kysers  put a lot of pressure on the fret-board.  Will this increase / speed up fret wear  ?  I really don't know,, I have read that it does and I use capos a lot.   I also like using partial capos,  (which if you have never tried, you should)  I often use two capos at once..   once 6 string capo to frets behind a partial.   (could be the drugs talking, I don't know..)

Also, I never use a capo when playing electric, just acoustics..

BB, the Heritage capos are very nice,  but not something that would "fit" for how I use the tool.  (which is what they really are)

 

I don't see how a Kyser is going to increase fret wear. You place the capo and it stays in the same place for the entire song. How ya gonna play Happy by the Stones with out a capo?

[kidblast]

like I said I don't know how true it is... but I speaking with some of the more skilled repair guys they have collectively  said Kysers reduce fret life due to the amount of force they apply on the neck when they are put on the fret board.

 I didn't make this up, I'm just repeating a message from the guys who do this for living told me.

there's a lot of stuff you can't do without a capo.  before the virus started sucking the life out of everything, I would occasionally to some solo gigs.  There's no way I'd get thru three sets of acoustic/vocal work without a capo to change the pitch for songs that need it, which is probably half of my list of tunes. (I had over 100)

 

Edited November 17, 2020 by kidblast

[Sgt. Pepper]

6 minutes ago, kidblast said:

like I said I don't know how true it is... but I speaking with some of the more skilled repair guys they have collectively  said Kysers reduce fret life due to the amount of force they apply on the neck when they are put on the fret board.

 I didn't make this up, I'm just repeating a message from the guys who do this for living told me.

there's a lot of stuff you can't do without a capo.  before the virus started sucking the life out of everything, I would occasionally to some solo gigs.  There's no way I'd get thru three sets of acoustic/vocal work without a capo to change the pitch for songs that need it, which is probably half of my list of tunes. (I had over 100)

 

I'm 54 how much guitar playing do I have left? I will probably never live long enough to get my Martin's necks reset or get them a fret job.

[Sgt. Pepper]

13 hours ago, BluesKing777 said:

 

A guy on AGF has his 'failed capo drawer'.... mine has the G7 Newport, many Kysers in red, blue, black.... Paige, D'Addario, Dunlops.....first G7, 2nd G7 and NOW - the new G7 Performance 3 with ART AND the new G7 Heritage with ART.

I may sell them or I may just throw them in the kerb near the music shop and watch the feeding frenzy!😠

Now in Australia these things cost 3 times what your lot pay and my new Gold G7 Heritage was $AU300 (2 birthday gift vouchers actually, but still...).

So the only capo that works properly and holds the strings if I do the big blues bend is my Shubb Capo Noir  (black capo) and my Shubb Royale Gold Capo! $AU43.95 here!

Hmmm.  Better without the @@##@#@#$$ things probably..

 

But man oh man, my new gold Heritage looks pretty in the photos!:

 

BluesKing777.

 

 

Richard Thompson approves.

[BluesKing777]

40 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

Richard Thompson approves.

 

Well, the Lowden deserves the best looking gold capo, no? Matches the tuning machines!

And besides, after reading the disasters on this and various forums recently, I was not sure what would happen if I squeezed one of my Gibson necks too much with a capo.....😡

 

BluesKing777.

 

 

[scriv58]

At the 1:40 mark observe how Dave Rawlings takes a Kyser capo from his pocket, deftly attaches it to his guitar neck at what appears to be the 7th fret, plays a solo (that most guitar pickers would be proud to call their own), then removes it to finish the song. Considering that the failure to place the capo properly the first time would have derailed the performance, it seems to be a positive testimonial of the ease and utility of the Kyser. Of course one must consider that the Kyser is a non-photogenic ugly duckling. :>)

 

Edited November 17, 2020 by scriv58
link problem

[fortyearspickn]

37 minutes ago, BluesKing777 said:

 

Well, the Lowden deserves the best looking gold capo, no? Matches the tuning machines!

And besides, after reading the disasters on this and various forums recently, I was not sure what would happen if I squeezed one of my Gibson necks too much with a capo.....😡

 

BluesKing777.

 

 

Realize you're being  humorous there - but for those who do not realize it -   there have been TWO  threads here complaining about Gibson Acoustic quality - I would guess in one a month or so.      One was on a  2 piece laminated truss rod cover on which one layer had rough edges because it was not sanded after being cut.  I would guess Gibson buys these and doesn't make them.   Thousands coming in, one slipped by a visual inspection. The poster magnified his photo 3x,  I doubt the QC Inspector in the Receiving Department uses a magnifying glass on every TRC.  Usually you inspect one item VERY CLOSELY in each box.       The second was a complaint on an  H'BIrd purchased used on which pick guard wasr lifting at the edges.  Again, statistically, out of the thousands of guitars shipped every month from Bozeman every month - we get one complaint every other month.  One member from Canada said he saw the lifting pg on 'a lot that weren't even sold yet'.      So, the torches and pitchforks come out,  wielded by the same villagers, every time one of these posts come along. 

Edited November 17, 2020 by fortyearspickn

[kidblast]

2 hours ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

I'm 54 how much guitar playing do I have left? I will probably never live long enough to get my Martin's necks reset or get them a fret job.

Hey I suppose you're right.

I'm 63 with no plans to hang it up,  you have a lot of time left God willing...  w

and what happens between you and your frets is something that time will tell.  it's really about how many hours your using them

 

 

 

Edited November 17, 2020 by kidblast

[Larsongs]

3 hours ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

I'm 54 how much guitar playing do I have left? I will probably never live long enough to get my Martin's necks reset or get them a fret job.

Hopefully another 50! I plan to...

[Larsongs]

I always transposed rather than use a Capo.. Thought they made me look like an Amateur... 

I use them now, sometimes, just because it's easier... I'm still searching for one that, when clamped on, will keep my perfectly tuned Gibsons & Martin's in perfect tune.. Recommendations are welcome...

Edited November 17, 2020 by Larsongs

[Sgt. Pepper]

59 minutes ago, Larsongs said:

I always transposed rather than use a Capo.. Thought they made me look like an Amateur... 

I use them now, sometimes, just because it's easier... I'm still searching for one that, when clamped on, will keep my perfectly tuned Gibsons & Martin's in perfect tune.. Recommendations are welcome...

Shubbs they claim do, and claim the rubber that pushes the strings down is just the same as you fretting it, but you still need to adjust the grub screw as you go up or down the neck to get the right amount of tension without mashing the strings all the way to the fretboard.

With the spring type or old Dunlop type or the ones you tighten down yourself. Everyone uses different gauge strings and has different scale lengths so tension will rarely be the same on two different peoples guitars.

Edited November 17, 2020 by Sgt. Pepper

[Seagull]

I hope to one day live long enough (54 at present) that all I have to worry about is how much glue is in my guitar and if I'm wearing the frets down with my capo.  And ponder over morning coffee if my pick guard is really the style for what I'm going for.

I want to one day go  to sleep dreaming of the perfect color capo.  Have you seen them LED ones that change color?

Please don't take offense, I'm just making light of our first world problems.

BTW; I have a 1972 Gibson J-40 and a 2020 J-45 studio and love them both.  I think the second one is as fine a guitar as anyone has ever made.  Disclaimer;  I have not taken a mirror to either one to see how much glue is in there, so I may just be fooling myself.

 

[PrairieSchooner]

[Twang Gang]

Having spent most of my 55+ years of guitar playing on electric guitars, capos were not something I was very concerned with.  Where I came from capos were illegal to use on an electric the theory being that if you couldn't bar it or just learn to play up the neck, you needed to practice more, not buy a capo.

But since retiring from playing in a band and pretty much giving up the electric I play acoustic the great majority of the time.  The chunkier necks and increased tension make the use of a capo allowable and I am happy to say I own a Shubb C1 "capo for steel string guitar" (that's what it says right there on the package).  It is 2 inches wide and "accommodates the fretboard radius of a steel string guitar" (like those are all the same 😮).  But having purchased it many years ago and strictly by chance or perhaps on the recommendation of a music store salesperson, I'm glad to hear from you guys that they are thought of pretty well.

Like Kidblast I too have heard that capos will speed up wear on frets - not just Kysers, but any capo.  But I think it would be more likely to occur for those people that ALWAYS have a capo on a given fret, not so much if you put one on for a song and then remove it.  I have heard of people that will tune down a half step and always have a capo at the first fret to reduce string tension and make it a little easier to play.

[Sgt. Pepper]

3 minutes ago, Twang Gang said:

Having spent most of my 55+ years of guitar playing on electric guitars, capos were not something I was very concerned with.  Where I came from capos were illegal to use on an electric the theory being that if you couldn't bar it or just learn to play up the neck, you needed to practice more, not buy a capo.

But since retiring from playing in a band and pretty much giving up the electric I play acoustic the great majority of the time.  The chunkier necks and increased tension make the use of a capo allowable and I am happy to say I own a Shubb C1 "capo for steel string guitar" (that's what it says right there on the package).  It is 2 inches wide and "accommodates the fretboard radius of a steel string guitar" (like those are all the same 😮).  But having purchased it many years ago and strictly by chance or perhaps on the recommendation of a music store salesperson, I'm glad to hear from you guys that they are thought of pretty well.

Like Kidblast I too have heard that capos will speed up wear on frets - not just Kysers, but any capo.  But I think it would be more likely to occur for those people that ALWAYS have a capo on a given fret, not so much if you put one on for a song and then remove it.  I have heard of people that will tune down a half step and always have a capo at the first fret to reduce string tension and make it a little easier to play.

Understand, but being capoed on the 3rd fret it's so much easier playing a D chord with the open C chord shape than it is to bar it and use the same shape.

[QuestionMark]

I've been using a Kyser capo since about 2003.  Never seen any fretboard wear on any of my guitars.  But, in all fairness when I put it on, I only use it for one song or so, never leaving it on in one position for any period of time.  Although, sometimes I keep it on the headstock for a few hours if at a jam.  Never have experienced any wear or damage there, either.

However, it is worth remembering that in the 60s I remember big mother-size capos destroying (chipping away the wood) on the back of guitar necks from a single use.  Not sure what brand they were, but they were like giant versions of today's Schubb-style  capos on steroids with likely really poor padding (if any at all) on their back sides.  Most players, myself included, avoided using them and when elastic capos hit the market they became prevalent for many years.  Those elastic capos worked fine, and did no back of the neck damage, but would stretch out after awhile.   After that era, I used a Bird of Paradise capo that looked liked a bird and worked well, but really was more of a conversation piece among jammers than anything else.   Then the modern mini Schubb capo became what I used, until the Kyser came along.   No reason to change for me, although I still have the mini Schubb in an equipment bag or occasional use on my 5 string banjo.  Although, even on that, I usually just use my Kyser guitar capo for an occasional need to capo the 5 string.

 

QM aka "Jazzman" Jeff 

 

 

QM aka "

[BluesKing777]

 

I bought the gold G7th Heritage capo after reading plenty of blurbs about their A.R.T. system with a cam in the capo to adapt to different necks, radius, strings.

It does work beautifully for most guitar playing! It just didn't pass my bend it like Lightnin' test - an extreme bend of the strings which most capos don't like, except my Shubbs, and not always with them....😓

Here is the G7th blurb on ART :

 

https://www.g7th.com/heritage

 

BluesKing777.