Elliot Capo VS. Shubb Fine Tune

[DavidE]

Originally Posted by Methos1979

Great and timely thread. I'm like you in almost all aspects - primarily a fingerstyle player and for years now was happy with my very simple, inexpensive and yet highly functional Planet Waves NS capo. But I was drawn to the yoke style both in terms of advertised function and good looks. Not so much the price though. So when a Shubb Fine Tune popped here in the classifieds along with a pedal I was interested in, I made an offer on both.

I've have been very pleasantly surprised with the function of the Shubb Fine Tune. One of the issues I had with the PW NS was the uneven tensioning mostly on the low E that would require a little tweaking between capo changes. Not much, but just enough to require at least a check. Not so with the Shubb FT. I don't capo above the 4th fret these days so I have not tested your theory about the low E above the 5th fret.

In addition to the function the build quality is very nice and I love the delicate look of the capo as well. I'm still finding that I need to use two hands to perfectly position the capo prior to tightening but that might change as I get used to it. I find that I don't look/use the numbers on the tightening wheel and rather just go by feel.

I still think that even $75 is a ridiculous price to pay for a capo so finding and trying an Elliot is likely not in the cards. I will say that since I have found that I like the Shubb FT so much that I'm considering finding another used one. Then there is also the Paige yoke style capos which sell for much less. I'm assuming that at those bargain prices they do not have the material or build-quality of the Shubb or Elliot models but for $20 it would be worth trying one as a backup or for a second guitar.

The Shubb I bought came with the old style clear tubing so I have ordered a replacement black rubber one which I have read is much preferred. Price direct from Shubb was just $2 including shipping so that was a no-brainer. It will be interesting to see how that changes things.

I have a Shubb Fine Tune. I’m mostly using my Paige. Well made. Small and light. Works.

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by bcollins

Dear Doug, firstly I am a huge fan of your playing and lessons!!! I came across this message while researching capos. I am buying a capo for multiple guitars - Collings 12 frets (13/16th, 12/13) but also a Lowden F35 GL profile neck and a slimmer OM 11/16th. Would a wide G7 be ok for all or would you recommend a regular + wide capo?

Happy Christmas - keep up the great work
Billy Collins

The standard size should be fine for these, unless you capo very high. On my 46mm (1 13/16) Lowden, the standard starts getting tight around the 9th fret. I use the wider one on guitars with a 1 7/8 nut.

[wisedennis]

Have you tried G7 Heritage?
How do you like them compared to Elliot or Shubb fine tune?

Thanks

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by wisedennis

Have you tried G7 Heritage?
How do you like them compared to Elliot or Shubb fine tune?

Thanks

Who are you asking? I just posted, answering a question about the G7 Heritage. I've had an Elliot (seems to have gotten misplaced) and I have the Shubb's as well. The G7 Heritage in most similar in quality to the Elliot. The Shubb are fine, too, tho they on't feel quite as high quality for some reason. They do the job, tho, and they're cheaper.

[Yrksman]

Until I got my first higher priced capo I thought it was a sales gimmick. It isn’t.

I have several of all three discussed. The Fine Tune cost less than half what I paid for the others and I find it excellent on all my (43) guitars. It’s certainly a step up from the standard Shubb’s, which I’ve used for 40 years and still love. Shubb are a great company and Rick replaced my 4 very early FTs, which had clips that could occasionally snap open, with the newer altered version for free.

I did a comparison a couple of years ago between the premium priced Elliot Elite and the G7th Heritage on 30 different guitars. I found that the Elliot had the cleanest sound most of the time but on certain guitars, notably my Ryan Nightingale, the G7th was better. I did the same exercise with my daughter listening, she has a good ear, and she preferred the G7th more often than I did but with Elliot still in the majority. I do really like the auto clip and press button on the Elliot. That’s it winning attribute. On the other hand, losing a £150 plus (in the UK) capo wouldn’t be a pleasurable experience, to say the least, so it’s less often that either of those capos leaves my home.

I’d score the following;

Shubb FT 10 for price 9.5 for sound 9.5 for functionality.

G7th Heritage 8 for price 10 for sound 9.5 functionality

Elliot Elite 8 for price 10 for sound 10 for functionality.

So it’s very close and I really like all of them. I have the greatest respect for each company for their great products which I’m delighted to own and for their empathy with their customers.

You can’t really go wrong with any of them and they’re built to last a lifetime.

We’ve certainly come a long way since the days of the Jim Dunlop elastic capos.

[fwphoto]

Originally Posted by Yrksman

Shubb are a great company and Rick replaced my 4 very early FTs, which had clips that could occasionally snap open, with the newer altered version for free.

Very good review overall! Thanks!

I am curious about your experience with Fine Tunes snapping open & having them replaced. As far as I know, my F3 is a fairly early one. I've compared mine to the photos on the website & see no discernible difference. That said, what problem did you have with them opening up & can you describe the difference between your originals & their replacements? Thanks!

I haven't had a problem but don't use the F3 all the time. I don't take it out of my "studio" because I don't want to have to replace it if I loose it but also I have a bunch of other capos that are pretty good as well. I've been a Shubb user since the original one decades ago but also favor the Victor & NS style, too. One of those is in every guitar case & I still have a bunch laying around!

Frank

[keith.rogers]

Thanks for the review.

I've got a Paige, Fine Tune, and McKinney-Elliot. They all work well, but I've got the Fine Tune in its box right now. Operationally, it's smoother than the Paige, but it's a bit bulkier, and the multi-sided knob is polished to a degree that I find a tiny bit hard to grasp and turn, vs. the knurled knobs on the others. (I did use it probably for a year+ before getting the M-E.) And, the Paige is a better fit for my old beater, i.e., if anything happened, it would not be disturbing.

The guys turning out the Elliot models are making very nice tools. I don't begrudge them their prices and enjoy using that capo.

[wisedennis]

Originally Posted by Doug Young

Who are you asking? I just posted, answering a question about the G7 Heritage. I've had an Elliot (seems to have gotten misplaced) and I have the Shubb's as well. The G7 Heritage in most similar in quality to the Elliot. The Shubb are fine, too, tho they on't feel quite as high quality for some reason. They do the job, tho, and they're cheaper.

Thanks 🙏🏽🙏🏽

[bobster7]

Originally Posted by fwphoto

Never happened with mine. Are you bumping the latch with your fretting hand? That's the only way I can think to pop it open.



Just a thought.



I got mine shortly after they were introduced & love it. I know there are more expensive yolk capos but I can't see spending more than I did for my Shubb Fine Tune. The Elliot looks like a very nice one, though.



The Shubb is like a piece of fine "jewelry" for the guitar IMO. Works great, as well!



Frank

No definitely not catching the latch, it often pops open when I well away from it, very frustrating. I could raise the issue with Shubb but i can’t be bothered with the hassle. I need something more reliable.

[phcorrigan]

Originally Posted by DavidE

I have a Shubb Fine Tune. I’m mostly using my Paige. Well made. Small and light. Works.

Can I ask why you mostly use the Paige instead of the Shubb?

I'm asking because I currently use a Paige on my Gretsch electric (I use a G7th Heritage on my Martin), and I've been considering getting a Shubb Fine Tune FG1 to use instead.

[Yrksman]

Originally Posted by bobster7

No definitely not catching the latch, it often pops open when I well away from it, very frustrating. I could raise the issue with Shubb but i can’t be bothered with the hassle. I need something more reliable.

There is no hassle, just drop them an email and you will get as reply very quickly and probably from Rick Shubb himself.

Have a look here:

https://shubb.com/we-proudly-stand-behind-our-products/

[keith.rogers]

Originally Posted by bobster7

No definitely not catching the latch, it often pops open when I well away from it, very frustrating. I could raise the issue with Shubb but i can’t be bothered with the hassle. I need something more reliable.

I have no doubt they'd address the issue. I checked mine and it's fairly impossible to have it "pop open" because the top bar angles up at the end, where there's also small detent, as well as a pretty good spring on the latch that snaps it closed. Is the tubing perhaps extending too far over the end, preventing the latch from closing properly?

https://www.dropbox.com/s/qjzjjpg665seomh/ft.mov?dl=0

[fwphoto]

Originally Posted by keith.rogers

. . . the top bar angles up at the end, where there's also small detent, as well as a pretty good spring on the latch that snaps it closed.

Just looked at mine under a loupe & it's exactly as you've shown. In action, though, no part of the latch drops into the groove (detent) to physically stop the latch from opening. The end does angle up ever so slightly & probably is acting as a bit of a deterrent to the latch popping open. I'm just speculating, though, as I've never had mine pop open when it's been on a guitar.

I do believe the couple of folks on this thread that have said their Shubb Fine Tunes have popped open under load, though. I just can't figure out how that might have happened or what Shubb has done to remedy the problem.

Frank

[phcorrigan]

From the Shubb website:

Has your FineTune capo popped open unexpectedly?

When we first introduced the FineTune in 2015 it had a different latch than it has now. We discovered that it was not as secure as it should have been, and within a few months, we had redesigned it. If you have one of these earlier capos, and want to swap with us for one with the better latch, we’ll ask you to first send us a picture of your capo’s latch to confirm that it qualifies. Then send us the capo, and we will send you a new one with the improved latch.

[Yrksman]

Originally Posted by phcorrigan

From the Shubb website:

Has your FineTune capo popped open unexpectedly?

When we first introduced the FineTune in 2015 it had a different latch than it has now. We discovered that it was not as secure as it should have been, and within a few months, we had redesigned it. If you have one of these earlier capos, and want to swap with us for one with the better latch, we’ll ask you to first send us a picture of your capo’s latch to confirm that it qualifies. Then send us the capo, and we will send you a new one with the improved latch.

I did exactly what they suggest and all 4 of my early versions were replaced quickly and with correspondence from Rick Shubb personally. Great company!