What Is A Capo For Guitar
A capo is a clamp that attaches to the neck of the guitar to shorten the string length. By shortening the string length of the strings on the guitar, the pitch of the string is also raised.
How It Works
The Clamping Mechanism
The clamping mechanism is the type of system used to hold the strings to the fret board. There are three common types.
Spring Capo
Spring mechanism capos are the most common type of capo in use. They use a spring inside the handle to apply squeezing pressure to the fret board to hold down the string.
Screw Capo
Screw type capos use a screw underneath the neck to apply the pressure to the fret board.
Nylon Strap Capo
Nylon band capos use a nylon strap that wraps around the back of the fret board to apply the pressure.
The Rubber Pads
Rubber pads are used on the top of the fret board and underneath the fret board.
The rubber pad on the top of the fret board is used to make sure the string is fully depressed so as to not cause and string buzz.
The rubber pad on the bottom on the fret board is used to make sure the capo doesn’t scratch the neck of the guitar.
Recommended Capos
Advanced Capo
The G7th Performance Capo
This capo is a great capo when you get into more advanced capo techniques like partial capo. If you know you are going to use a capo frequently, buying this capo first instead of upgrading later is a good idea.
This capo is more expensive than the other two capos but this capo eliminates a lot of the problems the other two have: no string buzzing due to uneven pressure, ability to use as a partial capo (four or five strings) and it’s easier to move around the fret board in a flash.
Intermediate Capo
The Kyser Quick Change Acoustic Guitar Capo
This is a good all around capo. You can move it around fast due to it’s open faced design, it gives good pressure on the fret board to help alleviate string buzz and it’s much easier to take on and off than a nylon strap capo.
Beginner Capo
The Dunlop Advanced Guitar Capo
This capo is a good way to explore using a capo at a low price. You’ll find that as you like using a capo more and more, this one will become a little awkward while moving the capo around to different frets.
Related posts:
There’s actually an “expert” capo, if you want to talk levels, called the Spider Capo. It has six separate arms that can clamp individual strings, so it’s a “super-partial” capo if you know what I mean. You can even change the capoing mid-song if you’re agile (which I’m not).