Best Capo Reviews 2021

A capo is a neat device that can help a guitarist accomplish a lot. Despite its level of importance, it actually is not an expensive accessory. To get a good capo, one will spend from about $5 to $15 and above. What you pay for a capo guitar clamp will be determined by the features it possesses.

Some features that can influence the price of a capo include the material used and its versatility among other things. Capos made of top-quality materials are likely to cost more than those made of lower quality materials. The same goes for capos that can be used for a number of instruments. Understand what you need and get a capo that will serve you right. Ensure you avoid cheap capo guitar clamps as you may find these to be unreliable.

There are some important factors that need to be considered when choosing a capo. One capo may be perfect for one and not so much so for another. Considering these factors will help you determine which capo will work best for you. Some of the factors you need to consider include:

• Type
• Material
• Padding
• Fret Type
• Type of guitar
• Versatility
• Ease of use

Let’s now try to explain these.

There are various types of capos and these are mainly classified based on their operational design. Some types of capos we have include the dual action capo, the trigger capo, the clamp capo, strap-on capo, shubb capo, toggle capo, partial capo and more. You may find that some of these are known by other names by some users. The most common ones include the trigger style, the dual action capo, the screw on or clamp capo and the shubb capo.

Each type has some advantages and disadvantages and we will try to look at some of these. The trigger capo is also known as a quick change capo. The reason for this is that it is attachable and detachable using one hand. You simply squeeze the trigger and the clamp opens and clamps on any fret you position it on when you release the trigger. The spring inside provides the tension that clamps on the fret. One of its disadvantages is that the tension is not adjustable. This is means that if the tension is too much for your guitar, there’s nothing you can do about it and if it is too little, then you are stuck with buzzing strings or mid-performance shifts.

The dual action capo is also a trigger capo that just adds a tension adjustability function. With this, you can adjust the capo’s tension to suit your needs. One disadvantage of this type of capo (same as the trigger capo) is that because of its design, the trigger part can sometimes get in the way of your fingering. The screw-on capo also known as the clamp capo operates like a C-clamp. The advantage of this capo is that it is tension adjustable. In fact, given that no spring tension is involved, it is easier to adjust it more precisely to suit your needs. Another advantage of this type of capo is that its design does not interfere with your fingering. On the flip side, attaching it requires the use of both hands. It is not something that can easily be done with one hand.

The final type we will look at is the shubb style. This is a proprietary design from Shubb which uses a lever in place of a spring. It is also tension adjustable and will also not interfere with your fingering. It features a trigger like release design which makes it easy to detach with one hand. Attaching it using one hand will however be a lot more difficult.

The other thing to consider is the material the capo is made of. A capo needs to be strong, lightweight and durable. Going with any lightweight metal will be an ideal choice. You will find that many capos are made of high grade alloys like aluminum and zinc. Once again, choose something strong, lightweight and durable.

The capo guitar clamp will be clamping firmly on your guitar. This can cause some harm to your guitar’s finish if the clamps are not well padded. One of the preferred paddings is silicon because it is strong enough to hold the strings firmly while being soft enough not to harm your guitar.

Some guitar frets are more curved than others. It is important that you ensure the capo you choose will properly clamp all the strings you need clamped. If you do not check for this, you may find that only the middle strings will be fully clamped especially if the capo you choose is very straight. For more curved frets, find a capo that is slightly curved to accommodate the fret’s curve.

There are few differences between acoustic and electric guitars. Most capo users are acoustic guitar players so you find that most capos are best suited for acoustic guitars. However, anyone who wants to use capos for electric guitars can find one that will accommodate the guitar’s width and the size of its strings. Using just any regular capo may result in the electric guitar’s strings bending because they are usually tinier than acoustic guitar strings.

Some capo guitar clamps can be used for multiple instruments. That is, you can use them for guitars, ukuleles, mandolins etc. This is something you should consider if you have multiple instruments that you may want to use capos for.

When using a capo, you need to use it correctly. A capo should provide just enough tension to keep the strings firm, providing perfect intonation without buzzing. It should also be firm enough not to move in mid-performance. Your capo should not be too tight as to bend your strings and maybe even cause some harm to the fret board, and neither should it be too loose so that it shifts while you are playing or causes the strings to buzz. If you get a capo without tension adjustment, be sure its tension is right for you or else factor this in when you purchase a capo.

Another thing that is important is how easy it is to attach. Some may not be too easy to attach but can be easily moved from fret to fret once attached. This is important if you are performing live and need to quickly reposition the capo to play a new song on a new key. The ease at which a capo can be detached is also as important as the ease with which it can be attached. Imagine that you have been playing on stage with your capo on and suddenly you need to play a song that requires you playing in the chord’s root position (without the capo). You of course will need to be able to quickly remove the capo.

Some capos can be clipped on the headstock when not in use. This keeps it handy just in case you need it again. It also helps you not to lose the capo in the heat of performance. Understand that using a capo makes playing some absurdly difficult keys easier. You will however need to spend some time learning to recalculate your positioning with the capo since you basically will be transposing keys.