Choosing a Capo 1/16/24
Let us celebrate a clever little invention that makes it so easy to transpose to different keys that it feels like cheating. You clamp it on a fret, pretend the capo’ed fret is the new nut, and you’ve instantly raised every note, chord, shape, and idiom by that number of frets/half-steps.
As uncomplicated as a capo is to understand, choosing the right capo is a bit more trickier. The capo needs to fit the guitar and be able to be positioned quickly and easily. It should not squeeze the strings out of tune. The shape shouldn’t interfere with the fretting hand. And it should work for partial capo positions. The main thing is you shouldn’t feel like you are fighting your capo.
There are many types and models of capos to choose from, and the prices range from $10-125. An inexpensive capo might do everything you need, and an expensive capo might not work for every purpose.
CURVED VS FLAT
It’s most important to choose a capo that matches your neck profile. Most nylon-stringed guitars have flat (non-radiused) neck profiles. Most steel-string and electric guitars have curved (radiused) profiles. I’ve purchased D’Addario capos that were either mislabeled, or were poorly designed where they had radiused capos in non-radiused packages. Just be sure to check it.
STABILITY AND EVEN TENSION
A stable capo won’t wobble, slip, slant, or come loose. The pressure across the capo should be evenly distributed.
The curvature of the backing “thumb” and the softness of the padding material can help with stability. If you put a capo on, check that all strings are evenly pressed into the fret.
With Nylon-stringed guitars, the 3rd string is a bit thicker than the 4th string. So you want to make sure the capo can squish enough to press them both evenly.
Capos with thumb-screws allow you to adjust pressure while it is engaged. In my opinion, this is preferable to spring-loaded capos. You can set the exact pressure you need for any neck position or string gauge. You can eliminate buzzes while minimizing tuning problems.
PARTIAL CAPOING
Partial capoing is where you set the capo across 4 or 5 out of the six strings (i.e., leaving 1 or 2 strings open). This gives you access to some interesting chord voicings, steady bass notes, or drone strings. It’s common to capo only strings 5-1, or 6-2. The capo must have a long enough backing thumb to still press on the center of the back of the neck while the capo is shifted. D’Addario’s thumbs are too short for this function.
OVERALL PROFILE
The capo may have parts that stick out and interfere with your fretting hand. You can position the capo either from above the neck or from below. Try to set the capo as close to the fret as possible. If the song or your playing style cause the capo to interfere, you can move it away from the fret a bit, but the further from the fret, the more buzzing and more tension you may need to add (if the capo is adjustable).
This is one advantage of the D’Addario capos, they are very streamlined.
CAPO WIDTH (across the neck).
Pay attention to how wide the neck is on the highest fret you’d ever want to capo. Make sure the usable width of the capo will accommodate that fret length.
PARKING
You may want to park your capo above the nut when not in use (if your guitar allows this). If your guitar-stand holds the guitar at the head/neck juncture, you’ll need to park the capo somewhere else. You can park at the very top of the headstock, but the capo needs to close enough to pinch at this location.
A FEW EXAMPLES:
Those inexpensive capos with a nylon or elastic strap and several notches/holes for tension are poor choices. They don’t give enough options for tension so you often have choose between too loose or too tight. You can sometimes wiggle them around to get them to “seat” properly.
Wingo makes a dual capo, where the flat shape acts as the thumb for the curved shape and vice-versa. The design, build-quality, and durability are all good, but they are a little unstable (tending to swivel if bumped).
Cradle-type capos (stirrup shaped) are very fast to engage and move, and are very stable. You can’t use them for partial capo’ing.
Shubb capos have a screw adjusters, but they can’t be adjusted while engaged.
Large spring-loaded capos are fast to use, but they often squeeze too hard, bending the strings out of tune, requiring tuning each time you move it, and after you remove it. Also, the large grab handles can interfere with your fretting hand.
I tried the Ortega Spider Monkey capo, and found that it didn’t apply even pressure for unknown reasons.
The Jim Dunlop Johnny Cash flat capo was far too short to use on a nylon string guitar.
The Spider Capo allows you to engage or omit any string from a single fret position. It clamps to the sides of the neck and has individual levers for each string position. This type of capo takes a long time to position, but is incredibly versatile for unusual and creative voicings, and drones. Multiple Spider Capos could be used for complex open notes.
