- Acoustic guitar capo how to#
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Only the pioneering Third Hand (discontinued) and the SpiderCapo, both universal partial capos, adjust for string spacing, which also typically increases at higher frets. Partial capos also have the issue of string spacing. Every capo has a range of how thin, thick, or wide a neck it can handle. Your guitar’s neck shape or width will likely vary at different places, greatly complicating capo fit issues. Guitar necks vary widely in every dimension, so you might find that your sleek, modern guitar neck, especially at the first or second fret, is too thin for a particular capo, or too wide or too thick at higher frets. Some companies have developed designs that can adjust to different fingerboard radiuses, like G7th’s capos with Adaptive Radius Technology, or Thalia’s interchangeable snap-on feet that can accommodate variations in radius, though those can be lost or misplaced. If the capo curvature doesn’t match the fingerboard’s radius, your outer or inner strings might buzz or stretch out of tune. Each guitar manufacturer chooses a fingerboard radius that suits them, which can be a hidden factor making some capos work better on some guitars. Most capos are labeled prominently as flat, radius, or curved, but it’s messier because there is considerable variation in capo and fretboard curvature, affecting a capo’s performance. The biggest issue in selecting a capo is that steel-string guitars have a curved (radiused) fingerboard, and nylon-string guitars typically have a flat fingerboard.
Acoustic guitar capo plus#
They can be confusing, but partial capos work in any tuning on any guitar or fretted instrument, offering a head-spinning new world of possibilities for any level of player or songwriter, plus revolutionary easy-guitar options for children, special-needs players, or beginners. You can even do both at the same time, which is the exciting new frontier. You use partial capos and altered tunings for similar reasons they both give new resonances, chord voicings, and fingering possibilities, but a partial capo is not a tuning.
While partial capos maintain fretboard geometry, they unfortunately block access to parts of your fingerboard. The most common single-purpose partial capos clamp either five outer strings or three inner strings, though lesser-known ones can clamp one, two, or four.
They change the landscape of fingerboard possibilities in much the same way as altered tunings, though they can be used in a way that does not change the fretboard’s geometry the way that retuning does.
Acoustic guitar capo full#
Partial capos are the new kids on the block, and like their name suggests, they clamp fewer strings to the fretboard than full capos do. The vast majority of capos used by players and available on the market are this type. Here is a breakdown of things to consider when choosing the right capo for your needs.įull capos all do the same musical job: shorten all strings across the fingerboard, allowing you to sing and play in different keys. There isn’t a single “best” capo that does everything perfectly for every player, and your favorite go-to capo will likely change a number of times over your life. Luckily, capos are not super-expensive, and since they rarely wear out or break, many of us end up with our own mini-collection. Ideally, there should be capo stores at the mall, or an old-fashioned Capo Man vendor who brings his cart through your village with every kind of capo for you to try and buy. It would be impossible to test every capo on all of your guitars for looks, compatibility, or problems.
Acoustic guitar capo how to#
They are valuable tools for changing the tuning of your guitar, and as such, you should learn how to use a capo and not view them as “cheaters.”
Acoustic guitar capo free#
This article is free to read, but it isn't free to produce! Make a pledge to support the site (and get special perks in return.)įrom the May/June 2019 issue of Acoustic Guitar | BY HARVEY REIDĬapos have been around almost as long as guitars, and for such a simple device, there are a surprising number of brands, types, and subtle factors involved in choosing one.
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