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  #1  
Old 07-26-2021, 11:20 AM
Deliberate1 Deliberate1 is offline
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Default Low profile capo

Friends, I need a capo with a lower profile. For the first time this past week I used a capo that I bought without knowing what to get. When the tune went from the G shape to B7, the capo got in the way and I had to scrunch up my fingers as best I could to make the form. I found it to be a distraction and impediment for my newbie fingers. I did see that others had capos that were considerably thinner, some of which had a screw tensioner.
Suggestions? Thanks.
David
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Old 07-26-2021, 11:32 AM
jaymarsch jaymarsch is offline
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Hi David,

I have used a Shubb, an Elliott (which is my personal favorite due to it's lightness and low profile) and a Planet Waves NS, (all of these have adjustable spring tension with the Elliott being a yoke style capo) and I have had no problem with enough room to make most chord shapes, including the G to B7. I don't know what capo you are using or how large your hands are but string spacing, scale length and neck shape in relation to the capo could also be contributing factors. Sometimes a slight shift in the angle of the neck will assist in easier chord fingering as well. Good luck in finding a capo that works best for you.

Best,
Jayne
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Old 07-26-2021, 12:00 PM
dhockenbury dhockenbury is offline
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I have had good success with the G7th Heritage for those situations. Very thin across the fretboard with no interference to fingers.
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Old 07-26-2021, 12:05 PM
Deliberate1 Deliberate1 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jaymarsch View Post
Hi David,

I have used a Shubb, an Elliott (which is my personal favorite due to it's lightness and low profile) and a Planet Waves NS, (all of these have adjustable spring tension with the Elliott being a yoke style capo) and I have had no problem with enough room to make most chord shapes, including the G to B7. I don't know what capo you are using or how large your hands are but string spacing, scale length and neck shape in relation to the capo could also be contributing factors. Sometimes a slight shift in the angle of the neck will assist in easier chord fingering as well. Good luck in finding a capo that works best for you.

Best,
Jayne
Jayne, thanks for the suggestions. That Elliott is a beautiful piece of work. Unfortunately, since I have guitars with differeig nut widths, it may mean getting more than one, which would be an expensive proposition. I will have to see what the parameters are.
Is the Shubb capo you have the more conventional spring loaded one, or the Finetune version that has the screw tightener?
Tx
David
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Old 07-26-2021, 12:12 PM
jim1960 jim1960 is online now
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Everyone is going to tell you their favorite capo but there's no capo that's not going to require some adjustment to your B7 chord. Every one of them will get in the way to some degree, even the Elliott-style capos.

If you curl your wrist a bit more towards the front of the fretboard, that will let you fingers come down a bit more perpendicular to the string. That works for me. when I need to do the full chord. Many times, depending on the situation, I can forgo the high F# and be fine.
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Old 07-26-2021, 12:26 PM
JKMartin JKMartin is offline
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Take a look at Colorado Capo (link). I've never tried one, but they are a different design.

Maury's sells them (link).

(no affiliation)

Colorado Capo.jpg
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Old 07-26-2021, 12:29 PM
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hubcapsc hubcapsc is offline
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That Elliott is a beautiful piece of work. Unfortunately, since I have guitars with differeig nut widths, it may mean getting more than one

It might, but not necessarily. I have this one:



It fit great on a HD-28, a 57 Country Western. It worked on one
of those W I D E necked d-28 1931 Authentics up to at least the
fourth fret or so...

-Mike
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Old 07-26-2021, 01:08 PM
columbia columbia is offline
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Paige capos are low profile.
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Old 07-26-2021, 01:12 PM
Deliberate1 Deliberate1 is offline
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OP here. Obliged for all the suggestions which I will explore. As an aside, which style of capo, if any, tends to preserve proper intonation?
David
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Old 07-26-2021, 01:17 PM
columbia columbia is offline
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Capos with adjustable tension (i.e., not Kyser types) are better for intonation.

A trick from the banjo world: before you tighten your capo, mash down on the strings near the end of the fretboard or near the bridge.
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Old 07-26-2021, 01:35 PM
Deliberate1 Deliberate1 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by columbia View Post
Capos with adjustable tension (i.e., not Kyser types) are better for intonation.

A trick from the banjo world: before you tighten your capo, mash down on the strings near the end of the fretboard or near the bridge.
Cool. Banjo players are so wise....
David
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Old 07-26-2021, 01:39 PM
Deliberate1 Deliberate1 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JKMartin View Post
Take a look at Colorado Capo (link). I've never tried one, but they are a different design.

Maury's sells them (link).

(no affiliation)

Attachment 59895
That is an interesting rig, ergonomically and for preserving intonation. I watched this vid and was surprised to discover how much my currernt Kaiser-style capo whacks out the tuning compared to this one. For $50, I am going to give it a go. Thanks for the tip JK.
David

Check out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S60E...Maury%27sMusic
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Old 07-26-2021, 01:46 PM
phcorrigan phcorrigan is offline
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Look at Shubb capos and the various cradle capos. Because you adjust the tension, when they are installed properly they will have less effect on intonation than the spring clamp types.

Personally, I use a G7th Heritage (about $150), a Paige standard (about $25) and a Shubb Original (about $17) as a backup.

for your purposes, the Shubb, installed from the top, might get in the way less than the others.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...l-string-brass
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Old 07-26-2021, 02:39 PM
jjhturbo jjhturbo is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Deliberate1 View Post
Unfortunately, since I have guitars with differeig nut widths, it may mean getting more than one, which would be an expensive proposition.
Not necessarily differing "nut widths"....but you do have to consider the fretboard radius from guitar to guitar.
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Old 07-26-2021, 02:47 PM
jjhturbo jjhturbo is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JKMartin View Post
Take a look at Colorado Capo (link). I've never tried one, but they are a different design.

Maury's sells them (link).

(no affiliation)

Attachment 59895
How well does this capo work on guitars with differing fretboard radiuses? (radii?)
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