Thalia capo...worth the coins?

[dave42]

I won a G7th long ago in a raffle. Heavy. I've never seen the big deal with them. Never use it.

I was at a show a few months back. There was a guy there using a Thalia that fell apart in the middle of a song! Crazy thing to see. Luckily he had a Shubb handy and quickly was playing again.

Originally Posted by dave42

I won a G7th long ago in a raffle. Heavy. I've never seen the big deal with them. Never use it.

I was at a show a few months back. There was a guy there using a Thalia that fell apart in the middle of a song! Crazy thing to see. Luckily he had a Shubb handy and quickly was playing again.

They all have their problems. I've read that a G7's clutch failed and I have had a spring fail on a Kyser. It's simply prudent to carry a spare, which ever capo you choose.

[Johnny.guitar]

I have a G7th, a couple of old Keysers and recently picked up a daddario of Amazon for cheap.
The G7th is good, the Keyser is easy but can put the guitar out of tune if your not careful. Right now I really like the cheap Daddario. It's a screw type and very light and unobtrusive. I keep it above the nut when not in use. Really like the ability to adjust the pressure and the screw is easier than squeezing the G7th. Best $15 I've spent in a while

[Puerto Player]

I have 3 Shubb's. Nothing more I could ask for.

[JimmerO]

They look like beautiful capos. I don't use a capo much and have a couple of good ones so I don't plan to buy a Thalia. That said I'm thinking about buying one for my daughter for Christmas with her name on it. She needs a good one and would get a kick out of a personalized capo.

So if Thalia is reading my post, PLEASE stop serving me up your adds every time I open a YouTube video. I promise that I plan to buy one next month or so.

[Don54]

I got one as a gift. Looks great. Hardly gets used.

[Mr Fingers]

Back to the OP, which is about Thalias. Once you get the right radius pad in place (easy) and find the material that works well for you (comes with 2 kinds of pads) it performs as well or better than any other capo (I have them all) as far as doing the job without messing up your tuning. They look great -- most other capos look ridiculous and ugly. But -- and to me this is not insignificant -- it is clumsier and more fiddly than it looks. As others have commented, the spring action is way too stiff, and the opening is not as wide as it should be, especially if you're using it on a vintage guitar with a substantial neck. In actual use, then, I find it no better than my old Shubbs, which are IMO the least dumb-looking, most unobtrusive, and most reliable capos out there, though the other models people praise here are also, in my experience, pretty good, too.

[JeremiahB.]

I wasn't very impressed with the Thalia capo, either. While it is pretty, it's also very bulky and heavy and awkward to put on. I probably have 20 different capos and the one that is my absolute favorite as far as not pulling strings out of pitch, lightweight, easily movable, and reliable is my Paige. The rubber/plastic sleeve that goes over the bar wears out in no time, but I've found 3/16" ID yellow gas hose makes a perfect fit over the bar and works better than the original sleeve.

[jaymarsch]

Originally Posted by JeremiahB.

I wasn't very impressed with the Thalia capo, either. While it is pretty, it's also very bulky and heavy and awkward to put on. I probably have 20 different capos and the one that is my absolute favorite as far as not pulling strings out of pitch, lightweight, easily movable, and reliable is my Paige. The rubber/plastic sleeve that goes over the bar wears out in no time, but I've found 3/16" ID yellow gas hose makes a perfect fit over the bar and works better than the original sleeve.

I do think that some capos' materials that contact the strings do wear over time and your finding the gas hose material is a great solution. I change out the tubing on the Elliott that I use on a regular basis as well - easy to do and not expensive. I have not used a Paige but hear great things about them.

It does seem that the Thalia's main benefit is that you can change keys in the middle of a song. I do not do that very often so it has little appeal for me for the reasons that you have already mentioned.

Best,
Jayne

[Rosewood99]

Originally Posted by Don Liv

I got one as a gift. Looks great. Hardly gets used.

PM me if you want to sell it.

[Shades of Blue]

I have a G7th and am considering purchasing a Thalia. My biggest issue with the G7th is that it pushes the low and high Es sharp. It becomes really pronounced in DADGAD tuning. It works great on my PRS, and on the Taylor I had, but not so much on the Martins.

If they had one with a Tortoise Shell inlay, I'd buy it right now haha. I'm having difficulty picking one out, and I'm not a fan of the wood look for some reason since they don't have just a plain ebony version.

[auggie242]

I recently purchased one. I was disappointed. Not the best sounding capo on a Martin Modified V neck. Buzzing at 5th fret. Useless at 7th. It's nowhere near as user friendly as the G7th Heritage.
YMMV

[DanleyJ]

[QUOTE=jaymarsch;5523605]I do think that some capos' materials that contact the strings do wear over time and your finding the gas hose material is a great solution. I change out the tubing on the Elliott that I use on a regular basis as well - easy to do and not expensive. I have not used a Paige but hear great things about them.

It does seem that the Thalia's main benefit is that you can change keys in the middle of a song. I do not do that very often so it has little appeal for me for the reasons that you have already mentioned.

I just bought a Paige Clik Capo a couple weeks ago. Love it. Very light and unobtrusive. You can also buy replacement sleeves at Elderly for $1.50 if you cannot find the 3/16" hose. One video mentions that over tightening the capo will cause the strings to cut into the rubber quicker and wear it out, too. Plus you can rotate the rubber to the other side for a little longer life. You don't have to tork it down much. Maybe 1 to 1 1/2 turns once you "clik" it in place.

Capos like the Thalia that attach from the side seem to me to defeat the even pressure necessary across the fretboard needed to keep the guitar in tune. They are pretty and I have tried one but they are clunky to me. If you watch a lot of recent videos I've noticed a LOT of professionals using the paige capos. You hardly notice they are there and they don't get in the way when playing close to them. They also store quite neatly above the nut so they don't get lost easily. I've been a Shubb guy for 30+ years but I think I may become a Paige guy. But I still keep the Shubb handy in case the Paige Clik mechanism fails for some reason. Time will tell. And one more thing, I just can't see paying more than $20 to $25 for any capo. Just my 2 cents worth.

[David Youngman]

I was just reading through this thread and notice that maybe half or more have found a capo they are satisfied with and others still are looking for something more. For the second group that is exactly why I made this video to point out the features that I believe should all come together in one capo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YdYia0zAbg

[Tony Done]

Doesn't appeal at all, too much bling. I like screw capos like the Planet Waves NS. I just wish it came in high viz colours, same applies to headstock tuners, like modern tradesmen's tools. After all, that is what they are.