Capos Love em/Hate em?

Re: Capos Love em/Hate em?

I use them all the time, I like the different open chord sounds you get and lots of open string riffs
 
Re: Capos Love em/Hate em?

They're also very useful for doing electronics work on a Strat. I put one on the first fret, then just pop the vibrato springs off, rather than loosening the tuners. It keeps the strings wound around the posts, so when you put the springs back on, the guitar stays in tune better.
 
Re: Capos Love em/Hate em?

When playing a new song, and it is in a key that doesnt work for the singer / singers i use it to move the key around easily. Try to find an open key and then play the song without it. Sometimes A won't work and Bb is the only key that works for all the singers, and playing it with a capo just sounds better.

+. The only time I use one.
 
Re: Capos Love em/Hate em?

I'm surprised by how many folks look at capos like cheating,

It's really just a smart way to play and in many cases it's the best way to get the chord voicings you want or need.

Also, FWIW...a Baritone and a capo goes a long way to creating some amazing parts in fairly simple songs in a band with 2 guitar players.
 
Re: Capos Love em/Hate em?

I use Shubb capos on my acoustics.

Bill
I'm waiting on my Shubb for my lap steel, I won't use it often but it's easier and quicker than tuning from open G to open A for 1 song and then back. I have a Kyser for guitars but I might get a Shubb for that also.
 
Re: Capos Love em/Hate em?

I don't use it often, but I always have a capo handy. As others have said, it is about getting the proper chord voicing in the correct/desired key. I use them on electric as much as acoustic - same problem, same solution.

I am currently using a Planet Waves dual-action capo, which adjusts well to a variety of guitar necks.

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Capos Love em/Hate em?

I use kysers capos. I use a standard as well as a partial capo. In some cases I use the full capo on the 2 nd fret and a partial capo on the 4th. This allows the guitar to be played normally but adds a little more to each chord. There are some chord shapes that won't work but others that work really well. It's a great tool for acoustic work. I also use a capo to play in different keys when playing slide. If I am tuned to open G and want to play in the key of C I place a capo on the 5th fret. It works but it does restrict some of what you would normally use when playing the whole neck. Albert Collins placed a capo on the 8th or 9th fret, he tuned his guitar to some form of f# minor and it seemed to work very well for him
 
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Re: Capos Love em/Hate em?

Essential for acoustic playing IMO. When I was playing in an acoustic duo format I used to sometimes capo up why the other player was in standard tuning.
 
Re: Capos Love em/Hate em?

I never use one on my electric guitars. For one thing, a capo puts light gauge strings out of tune and it's a hassle onstage getting my guitar back in tune.

I use one often on my acoustic guitars though and I use heavier strings with a wound third.

Sometimes way up high. Like this:

 
Re: Capos Love em/Hate em?

I use them often. Like TGWIF said, it's a tool. If you're not using out of snobbery then you're missing out on some cool things you and your audience could be hearing. It's not cheating, it's just another way to get voicings that are appropriate for the song... especially when your singer needs to take things up (or down) a bit. It's really a way to play in the correct key, with the correct positions, in a different key.... Or it could be used to double a part in a different position.

I use G7th Capos and while they're on the pricey side, they're totally worth it, no intonation issues, no hassle. They just work right every time.
 
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Re: Capos Love em/Hate em?

I guess Ive been of the opinion that you are only cutting off your options by taking away usable frets...but I see the other side as well...I dont look down on people who use capos, but I guess I just dont feel a need to.
 
Re: Capos Love em/Hate em?

They're also very useful for doing electronics work on a Strat. I put one on the first fret, then just pop the vibrato springs off, rather than loosening the tuners. It keeps the strings wound around the posts, so when you put the springs back on, the guitar stays in tune better.

Thanks for the advice! Ill keep it in mind
 
Re: Capos Love em/Hate em?

Use them. Quite often for both acoustic and electric.

You can get some cool harmonic overtones that aren't available otherwise.
 
Re: Capos Love em/Hate em?

I do the solo acoustic thing and have about 20 or so songs that require one. Most of the time it's at the second or third fret.
 
Re: Capos Love em/Hate em?

"but, but, but.... my dots will be off"

A capo on my Strat makes it feel shorter.... like the way it should. ;-)
 
Re: Capos Love em/Hate em?

When I need one I use it...especially in Bluegrass. I know there are players who can use enough technique to play, say, Blackberry Blossom without one, and it never fails to sound forced and strained. With a capo, they get all the ringing open strings that make that melody really flow.
 
Re: Capos Love em/Hate em?

For me, it's not a matter of whether I like them or not, but that it's often just easier to use one. I only use it on my acoustic or when i do one man shows on electric (think Bother by Stone Sour), so if it's easier to use a capo than play a song with F# major, B minor, and D major chords as E major, A minor, and C major chords, then i'm going to use that way.
 
Re: Capos Love em/Hate em?

I'm not actually creative enough to make use of one with any of my own music, but I learned a song by someone else that uses one just last night!
 
Re: Capos Love em/Hate em?

I used to use them to impress the chicks, but it kept changing my tuning, so I returned it.
 
Re: Capos Love em/Hate em?

I used to use them to impress the chicks, but it kept changing my tuning, so I returned it.

They are supposed to be applied right on the fret, not behind it. If you apply them properly, they change your tuning no more than your fingers do when fretting...in fact, less.
 
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