I don't understand "why" to use a capo

[kydave]

Capos causing excessive fret wear?

User error - period.

[slewis]

This may have been already pointed out but capoing one of two guitars in a duo (not a "duet -- that's a song!) really enrichens the blend of sound and tone -- as opposed to both guitars playing the exact same chords with the exact same notes being put out. As in, one guitar is playing a no-capo E chord and the other is playing a D chord with the capo on the second fret. Go up higher, even, and "spread the love out" even more!

[min7b5]

Originally Posted by murrmac123

You never caught Django Reinhardt or Les Paul using a capo ...

Ahh, okay.

[reeve21]

I'm veering off topic here....but does anyone else just not like the sound of their guitar as much when it is capo'd (is that a word?). Once I get above the 3rd fret the high e string sounds very tinny too my ear. And not as full a sound overall as when it is played with the capo.

We spend a lot of time and money chasing what sounds good to our ears, and to me a capo really works against that.

What are your thoughts?

[smurph1]

[QUOTE=min7b5;5276569]For me it's about being able to get voicings of chords that I would otherwise physically be able to in that key. Especially up the neck. An example would be my tune "Blues For Freida" http://acousticguitar.com/eric-skye-winter-namm-2016/ I wrote that tune in the key of G minor, but playing it as if it is E minor allows me to get voicings I could not be able get in G minor without capo. Hope that makes sense.[/QUOTE

Yes. I use a capo on the third fret a lot playing a G form. It's perfect for my voice, but it drives bass player crazy because it sounds in Ab.

[Rmz76]

Originally Posted by reeve21

I'm veering off topic here....but does anyone else just not like the sound of their guitar as much when it is capo'd (is that a word?). Once I get above the 3rd fret the high e string sounds very tinny too my ear. And not as full a sound overall as when it is played with the capo.

We spend a lot of time and money chasing what sounds good to our ears, and to me a capo really works against that.

What are your thoughts?

My Gibson sounds great with the capo even up high, my Blueridge seems to thin out... When playing open chord voicings, the nut is adding a bit to the tone and you loose that with the capo.

[Goat Mick]

Originally Posted by reeve21

I'm veering off topic here....but does anyone else just not like the sound of their guitar as much when it is capo'd (is that a word?). Once I get above the 3rd fret the high e string sounds very tinny too my ear. And not as full a sound overall as when it is played with the capo.



We spend a lot of time and money chasing what sounds good to our ears, and to me a capo really works against that.



What are your thoughts?

It really depends on the guitar. Some start sounding thin capoed but others take on a beautiful chime and ring. I usually look for guitars the like a capo before purchasing.


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[roylor4]

Originally Posted by Mick's Goat Whiskey Picks

Hi Roy,

I'm not going to discredit your experience, I've never seen or touched your guitars and have never observed your playing style so it would be silly for me to try to argue with you. What's funny to me is the fret wear that develops on my guitars (after many years of playing them) occurs on the frets that I rarely capo. Up around the 5th fret where I capo a lot, there's no noticeable fret wear up there whatsoever. Just doesn't make sense to me, but I've got a rather small brain. LOL

Hi Mick

Well at the time, I was very much a begginer. My repertoire of chords was miniscule and I know where my fingers were going and where the wear SHOULD be, because I only knew a handful. I was a rhythm player, still am mostly but my style is morphing a lot at the moment. I will even say I was rather hamfisted with my right hand - I overplayed badly. This was about 4 years ago.

The wear I experienced was at the 4th fret and it was very heavy, needing fretwork in 7 months (dressing & crowning). I was using a Kyser and changed to other brands once I saw the results but I have avoided them ever since.

When I first started playing, the word on the street was if you used a capo, you weren't a very good player. When we started our first garage bands and discovered electric guitars with their crazy easy action, we thought we were hot stuff playing all kinds of Abs and EbMaj7s like they were nothing.

But then something awful happened - we grew up. And we saw the value of using the tools that helped you attain whatever goal you had for the song you were playing. If that involved use of a capo, so be it, regardless of whatever Mr. Big Star did or did not use one.

[kydave]

Originally Posted by A-Mac

When I first started playing, the word on the street was if you used a capo, you weren't a very good player. When we started our first garage bands and discovered electric guitars with their crazy easy action, we thought we were hot stuff playing all kinds of Abs and EbMaj7s like they were nothing.

But then something awful happened - we grew up. And we saw the value of using the tools that helped you attain whatever goal you had for the song you were playing. If that involved use of a capo, so be it, regardless of whatever Mr. Big Star did or did not use one.

Cause we KNOW no Mr. Big Star would use a capo, especially on electric guitar!!

[Goat Mick]

Originally Posted by roylor4

Hi Mick

Well at the time, I was very much a begginer. My repertoire of chords was miniscule and I know where my fingers were going and where the wear SHOULD be, because I only knew a handful. I was a rhythm player, still am mostly but my style is morphing a lot at the moment. I will even say I was rather hamfisted with my right hand - I overplayed badly. This was about 4 years ago.

The wear I experienced was at the 4th fret and it was very heavy, needing fretwork in 7 months (dressing & crowning). I was using a Kyser and changed to other brands once I saw the results but I have avoided them ever since.

I have no idea why your guitars would wear like this when mine don't. I've used Kyser capos for years and now mostly use a Shubb. The Kyser shouldn't clamp down too tightly on the strings and cause the problem. I guess we're just going to have to chalk it up to "what works for me may not necessarily work for you".

[jstegeman]

Originally Posted by smurph1

Yes. I use a capo on the third fret a lot playing a G form. It's perfect for my voice, but it drives bass player crazy because it sounds in Ab.

That's not Ab, buddy

[Misifus]

I use a capo for this reason; one of the keys that best suits my voice is Eb. For some reason, open chords in Eb just don't fall readily to hand. Further, I play fingerstyle and I find that some chord shapes lend themselves more easily to certain tunes, and that those chord shapes may not suit my voice in open tuning. A capo puts the song in a range I can sing. Finally, a capo allows me to play in a different voicing. If I'm playing with another guy who's playing in open E, I can capo 4 and finger C to get a different sound than the other guitar.

[mr. beaumont]

Originally Posted by jstegeman

That's not Ab, buddy

This could be why said bass player is driven nuts.

[Goat Mick]

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

This could be why said bass player is driven nuts.

BAHAHAHAHAHA


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