Capo showdown...... (sound clip comparisons)

[TBman]

Here's the same page of music being played on the following capos:

Planet Wave NS - cost about $10
Paige Clik $19 (yoke style)
Taylor 12 string/nylon $40 (yoke style)
Thalia $50

Is there a tonal difference? I tried to play the same way every time. What do you think? The tune is "The Fair Flower of Northumberland." Its an arrangement by El McMeen and its in his Celtic Treasures collection. The capos are on the 3rd fret and the guitar is a Guild D-120c (all mahogany, gloss finish). I used a spaced pair of AT-2035 mics into a Zoom H5 and trimmed and faded the sound clips in Rx 7 Standard. No other eq or editing done.

Planet Wave NS:


Paige Clik:


Taylor 12 string:


Thalia:

[jpmist]

Just out of curiosity, how did the capo's rank in pulling the strings out of tune?

[Wrighty]

I can't really hear any meaningful difference through my decent mixing headphones.

[TBman]

Originally Posted by jpmist

Just out of curiosity, how did the capo's rank in pulling the strings out of tune?

I tuned up with the first one, capo close to the fret and then put the other capos in the same location. I didn't bother to check with a tuner after each capo change, but nothing sounded off while I played.

[Wellington]

Originally Posted by TBman

I tuned up with the first one, capo close to the fret and then put the other capos in the same location. I didn't bother to check with a tuner after each capo change, but nothing sounded off while I played.

But wouldn't that be the whole point?

[TBman]

Originally Posted by Wellington

But wouldn't that be the whole point?

No, the demo was about whether or not one capo dampened the sound of the guitar differently as compared to another.

[Wellington]

Originally Posted by TBman

No, the demo was about whether or not one capo dampened the sound of the guitar differently as compared to another.

Aha, I understand, cool experiment.

[ruger9]

Originally Posted by jpmist

Just out of curiosity, how did the capo's rank in pulling the strings out of tune?

This is what I am most interested in.

Altho I will add to that: some of that formula is the guitar- I recently got a Farida OT-22, and any capo I put on it, it stays in tune. Can't say the same for my Walden, or other guitars I have owned over the years...

As for capos, I like Thalias for 2 reasons:

1) they are pretty, AND they don't stick up- no huge levers (I hate that)

2) they are customizable to match the radius of your fretboard, which IMO goes a long way in helping the guitar stay in tune when using them. I have a Thalia for each of my acoustics- radii matched- as well as my telecaster, also radius matched.

[ruger9]

Originally Posted by TBman

No, the demo was about whether or not one capo dampened the sound of the guitar differently as compared to another.

This is just theory: the string isn't being "dampened" by the capo, because the 1st fret (just in front of the capo) is where the string "stops"- it is now the "nut". A capo shouldn't impart a tonal difference, unless it's so heavy as to change the resonance of the neck or something.... (again, just thinking aloud)

[Robin, Wales]

Originally Posted by ruger9

This is just theory: the string isn't being "dampened" by the capo, because the 1st fret (just in front of the capo) is where the string "stops"- it is now the "nut". A capo shouldn't impart a tonal difference, unless it's so heavy as to change the resonance of the neck or something.... (again, just thinking aloud)

I do wonder if some of them are better at 'backward' damping ie stopping the strings from vibrating behind the capo. I've had many a buzz occur on the wrong side of the capo and they can be darn confusing to detect because the noise comes out the sound hole!

A key factor for functionality for me is that the capo must store on the guitar permanently. So I'm only interested in yoke capos. Next is the effect on tuning. Then ease of use. I actually don't mind if a capo is a bit fiddly to use as long as it will store on the guitar and doesn't throw the guitar out of tune when fitted.

I couldn't spot a discernible difference in the recordings Barry.

[mc1]

Originally Posted by ruger9

This is just theory: the string isn't being "dampened" by the capo, because the 1st fret (just in front of the capo) is where the string "stops"- it is now the "nut". A capo shouldn't impart a tonal difference, unless it's so heavy as to change the resonance of the neck or something.... (again, just thinking aloud)

I think if the radius is different between the capo and the fretboard, or the capo isn't seated well, or isn't tight enough, or is too far back from the fret, or other similar things it can affect the tone right up to the point of severe buzzing.

So I think one could, say, slacken off a capo until the affect is just barely perceptible.

[EZYPIKINS]

Listening on my Sony 7506 headphones. At first I thought clip 1 had a bit of a low freq. overtone. After going through all of them I went back to the top, and it was gone. All sounded pretty much the same to me. And differences could be attributed to minute differences in the position of the guitar. Coffee intake, or tongue position.

[mc1]

Originally Posted by Robin, Wales

I do wonder if some of them are better at 'backward' damping ie stopping the strings from vibrating behind the capo. I've had many a buzz occur on the wrong side of the capo and they can be darn confusing to detect because the noise comes out the sound hole!

Since the string is touching both frets, the one in front and behind the capo, I wonder how they could stop buzzing of the capo'd strings?

Perhaps it depends on the guitar? Like if it has a lot of relief and the capo is up high. Hmmm.

Seems like one needs a hair band or something like that back behind capo to dampen the strings.

[ApolloPicks]

I could not hear a difference. I think other variables, such as the material your is made from, are gonna have much more of a difference.

[TBman]

To my ears the Thalia seemed to dampen the tone a bit so I wanted to see if others heard it. I thought the Taylor capo sounded the best. I must be cracking up