Capos

[BuddyO]

Since I'm a novice with guitars, I've slowly been buying accessories and doing some self-guided learning using Hal Leonard's book and the Fender Play app.
There was a lesson on the Fender app on how to use a capo and it got me thinking.
I seem to remember hearing somewhere that they were bad for your guitar.
I've got an AD17e (Grand Pacific)

Truth or myth?
Do you use one?
Are we better just learning the right chords/transpositions from key to key?

[Strumming Fool]

A poorly constructed capo can sometimes leave marks on your neck. Other than that, a capo does no harm in any way I've heard about. While they're a bit pricey,  G7 capos work quite well and leave no marks. IMO, capos are not "cheaters". They can expand your vision on the sounds you like to hear in various keys.  Hope this helps!

[Earl]

Extensive and prolonged use of a capo can add some extra wear divots to the frets where you most often put it.  The capo holds more pressure than your hand, and for far longer.  Just don't over-tighten or store it clamped in place and you'll be fine.  SF already covered the potential pad issue.  I have one guitar that lives in Eb tuning and needs to be capo'ed at the first fret to "play well with others".  But that guitar has very hard stainless steel frets, so string wear is a non-issue.  I tend to avoid using a capo and try to play in most keys without one.  But when I'm following someone else at a jam and they are capo'ed - or we are playing in a flat key - it can be easier to just go along.  At bluegrass jams where most songs are in the key of G, I have been known to capo 2 and play in F for a while, just to be a stinker.  It also prevents me from wearing through my calluses playing the same G chords all the time.   

A capo, strap, electronic tuner, and flat picks live in each guitar case, and I've used all kinds of capos over the years.  The classic original Shubb is my favorite (familiarity, adjustable tension, replaceable pads) but the G7 is quite nice too.  I liked the G7 twelve string version so much that I bought a second one used from Taylor Girl last year when she advertised it here.  The only capo that I don't care much for is the Kyser - the aesthetics do not appeal to my eye and the spring is TOO STRONG!!  (It bends the strings out of tune).  For a spring-tension capo I prefer the Dunlop Trigger. 

[donlyn]

Allow me to add my recommendation for G7th capoes. I have the Performance 3 with the A.R.T. or Adaptive Radius Technology, wherein the capo adjusts to the radius curvature of the neck, and the Newport 12 string capo with the compensated string pad. Never have to re-tune when using either of these capoes.

Read up on them at G7th.com; there is a lot of thought behind their products and they have a lifetime warranty if you register as an owner. I own a Newport 12 string and two of the Performance 3s, both black, one with a keltic engraving.

Don
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[BuddyO]

Thanks for the great feedback!

I just placed an order for the black G7th Performance 3.
I also like its understated, yet classy look, it should match well with my black tuner buttons.

Musician's Friend has it on sale at the moment.

[Edward]

Another long-time G7th user.  In fact, they work so well, I don't even own a gen-3 with the "ART" tech because my three gen-1 and one gen-2 capos simply work great and won't die!  Also have a G7th Nashville, and that's great too.

Another benefit to the G7th Performance capos is you only put as much pressure as you need via your hand: not via a spring or leverage, but you squeeze it down to set it.  This prevents you from over-tensioning which pulls notes sharp, as well as minimizes any dangers of putting marks in your neck from over-clamping.

Don't let anyone tell you capos are a cheater's key change.  There are times when you intentionally want to revoice a song and put it with specific chord shapes for their tone and playabilty: that's not cheating, that's making conscious and intelligent choices.  Moreover, if you play with another guitarist, you can complement his chords with you on a capo in a higher register: its a great sonic effect and keeps you from stepping on each other's toes, um tones.

Edward

[donlyn]

Another long-time G7th user.  In fact, they work so well, I don't even own a gen-3 with the "ART" tech because my three gen-1 and one gen-2 capos simply work great and won't die!  Also have a G7th Nashville, and that's great too.

Another benefit to the G7th Performance capos is you only put as much pressure as you need via your hand: not via a spring or leverage, but you squeeze it down to set it.  This prevents you from over-tensioning which pulls notes sharp, as well as minimizes any dangers of putting marks in your neck from over-clamping.

Don't let anyone tell you capos are a cheater's key change.  There are times when you intentionally want to revoice a song and put it with specific chord shapes for their tone and playabilty: that's not cheating, that's making conscious and intelligent choices.  Moreover, if you play with another guitarist, you can complement his chords with you on a capo in a higher register: its a great sonic effect and keeps you from stepping on each other's toes, um tones.

Edward

+1 !

Don

[maplebaby]

Since I'm a novice with guitars, I've slowly been buying accessories and doing some self-guided learning using Hal Leonard's book and the Fender Play app.
There was a lesson on the Fender app on how to use a capo and it got me thinking.
I seem to remember hearing somewhere that they were bad for your guitar.
I've got an AD17e (Grand Pacific)

Truth or myth?
Do you use one?
Are we better just learning the right chords/transpositions from key to key?

I think learning your fretboard and knowing what basic triads are composed of is def one of the most important thing any musician can know.  However using a capo in no way says that you can't transpose.  It allows you to play the guitar with different chord voicings all over the fretboard regardless of key.  You can use different 'chord families' to get voicings that you can't get with 'bar' chords going up the neck.  With a capo you can get some of the chord shapes that work so well and are family to guitarist in any key with a capo.  That's just one reason to have one.

If you want to put an end to capo discussion, I know they are not cheap, very few things of quality are, Elliott Capos.

[jjrpilot-admin]

Allow me to add my recommendation for G7th capoes. I have the Performance 3 with the A.R.T. or Adaptive Radius Technology, wherein the capo adjusts to the radius curvature of the neck, and the Newport 12 string capo with the compensated string pad. Never have to re-tune when using either of these capoes.

Read up on them at G7th.com; there is a lot of thought behind their products and they have a lifetime warranty if you register as an owner. I own a Newport 12 string and two of the Performance 3s, both black, one with a keltic engraving.

Don
.

I second this!  The G7th P3 as well as their older models...are great bc YOU set the pressure.  I've been using the G7th capos exclusively for the past 3-4 years. I love em!