Partial capo recommendations

[Karaokemonk]

Hello everyone
I come and go here {as my arthritis comes and goes.}
Right now I'm trying to learn a cover of Tom Waits "Way Down in the Hole" the way Steve Earle does it. Correct me if I'm wrong but I THINK he capos everything at the 3rd fret and then has a partial capo on the 4 inner strings at the 5th fret.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgurYuhivY8
Can you recommend a moderately priced capo that will work on just the inner 4 strings? {If that is indeed what he is doing}
Thanks

[mediopolis]

Pick up a shubb capo.

[evenkeel]

I play that tune and use two capo's. I use a regular capo on the second fret and just flip another capo backwards on the fourth fret leaving only the low string un-fretted. Creates a drop D tuning. Even if you leave the bottom two unfretted you can use a regular capo. Or a short capo from Shubb or Kyser will work

[martind42]

I highly recommend the

[philjs]

Originally Posted by Karaokemonk

Can you recommend a moderately priced capo that will work on just the inner 4 strings?

I can't speak to the song or the method but to capo only the 4 inner strings on a 6-string guitar you have only 3 options:

1) use a Spyder or a Third Hand capo (however both are bulky and the capos get in the way especially if you want/need to fret above or below or behind the capo on the outer strings),

2) cut something yourself to suit the purpose (the Planet Waves Dual Actions seem best for cutting off parts of the rubber (because the rubber is deeper and they have adjustable tension) but they're touchy to use and tend to want to tilt down on whichever outside string is on the hinge side of the capo (which means the contact on the furthest string from the hinge side can get dicey), or

3, try Harvey Reid's new "Liberty Flip" capo. I've been playing with one of these for awhile now (I was one of Harvey's "beta" testers) and it works well for me as an Esus4 (on either side of the neck (eg. 0XXX00 or 00XXX0 from the SAME side of the neck)...try that with a Shubb or a Kyser) but flip it over and it works as 4-string capo on either the outside strings (eg. XXXX00 or 00XXXX) AND on the inner 4 strings (eg. 0XXXX0). It has adjustable tension and is small and light to let you fret above/behind the capo.

Phil

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Karaokemonk

Hello everyone
I come and go here {as my arthritis comes and goes.}
Right now I'm trying to learn a cover of Tom Waits "Way Down in the Hole" the way Steve Earle does it. Correct me if I'm wrong but I THINK he capos everything at the 3rd fret and then has a partial capo on the 4 inner strings at the 5th fret.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgurYuhivY8
Can you recommend a moderately priced capo that will work on just the inner 4 strings? {If that is indeed what he is doing}
Thanks

Hi KM...

I think he's using an anchor capo 2 frets behind a capo coming in from the topside covering 5 strings. Steve often plays in Dropped D, and that is a way to simulate it (covering the top 5 strings and leaving the 6th open).

Shubb, Planet Waves NS, Victor will all accomplish it. Even a Kyser will do...

[heavyg]

the shubb C7B is the best partial capo I've tried.....

[royd]

If you're looking for a capo that covers the interior 4 strings, you're looking for something known as a double drop d. The only one that I'm aware of that is commercially available is the Kyser K Lever Double Drop D. The K lever is a cool thing that makes it easier to fret that string that is passing underneath the capo. It is possible to fret it with your finger with any partial capo but either case involves learning a slightly new technique.

Or you could make one yourself from either a shubb or kyser by cutting out the pad that would hold down the lowest string and then cutting off the other end that holds down the highest string. Alternately, both shubb and kyser market a drop d capo with already has the lower string cut out and you would just need to cut off the other end with a hack saw to the appropriate length to get your double drop d. The reason they are also known as cut capos is that before any partial capos were available commercially, to get one, you had to purchase a full capo and cut it. I did this for years and still have a few cut capos in my bags.