Today the Kyser Acoustic Guitar Capo is almost synonymous with the capo. It is the most popular capo in the world, and with good reason. Kyser Capos, the company, is wonderful business that has made a high quality product for years. This capo is simple and it works. Anyone with a brain can pick it up and throw it onto a guitar with no hassle. The high quality design and materials ensures this.
What you may not know is that the makers have gone the extra mile and thrown in a number of features in their product. They take care to ensure the best experience possible for guitar players. We have collected five useful Kyser secrets that you probably don't know! As many people use this capo we are excited to publish this article.
1. The Kyser Capo has a Lifetime Warranty
That's right! Not only does this company produce a great device from, they give it a lifetime warranty. If any piece or part breaks down they will repair or replace your capo. What a bargain! This includes the spring coil. Generally speaking, the spring should last for years, but if you do have an issue you can get your capo in good working order without spending a dime! The website says:
"All Kyser Quick-Change capos are “Guaranteed for Life”---Kyser is proud to offer a
lifetime warranty on all Quick-Change products and will repair or replace your capo at no
additional charge."
If you need to submit a claim they have a form on their site here. You want want to consider registering your capo today in case you want to make submitting a claim in the future easier.
Submit a claim here.
2. You can Replace the Boot
Sadly, the warranty does not cover lost capos or lost parts. Fortunately, there is really only one 'part' that you might loose, and that's the "Boot." The boot is the clear silicone piece that covers the bottom lever. It protects that back of the neck when the springs grip the neck. You can slide this one inch block on and off the bottom arm, this it is possible to loose it.
If lost, Kyser won't replace it, but you can buy one for a few bucks. It's the only 'extra' part on their extra parts page. Nice.
3. You can adjust the tension
Wait what? Most people think that the biggest drawback of the Kyser is that you can't adjust the tension. Other capos like the D'arradio NS, the Shubb and the G7th Performance 3 all have their adjustable tension as a prominent part of their advertisement.
Against all expectations, you are able to adjust the tension of the Kyser! The process is not as smooth as on any capo with purpose built screws, but it is still possible. Mitch from the Kyser company explains the two ways you can do it. The first method is ingenious. The silicone Boot is reversible. Take a good look at the silicone piece and you will notice that one side is thick and the other is thin. This asymmetry is a design feature. You can slide the piece on and off is so that you can swap it around. If the thick side is up then the lever will touch the guitar neck sooner and create more tension. If the thin side is up that will create less tension. The adjustment is slight but helpful.
The second method is more drastic. With your hands you can bend the bottom level of the capo away from the top arm, creating more space. Mitch shows you how. The arms are made from aluminium, which is a malleable metal. You have to give it a little bit of force, but it's not too hard to do. The fact that the arm is aluminum means that you can bend it back if you make a mistake. If you have a guitar with a thick neck, like a "D" shape, then we recommend you take Mitch's advice and give your capo a little more space. We recommend that you take the time to follow Mitch's advice and adjust your capo to suit your guitar. Reducing intonation issues is important!
4. There are different Kyser models that look alike
Kyser make a number of models that suit different guitars. Their classic model designed for acoustic guitars. Their site calls this model the, "Quick-Change Acoustic Guitar Capo." They make capos for classical guitars, electric guitars, 12-string guitars and a partial capo. As well, they make capos for other stringed instruments like the ukulele, the banjo and the mandolin.
It can be a difficult to tell the guitar capos apart, because they are all the same size and the look similar. It is possible. We have learned a few tricks to differentiate between the various models. First, the classical guitar capo is the only kind with a flat fret pad. Whereas most acoustic and electric guitars have a slight curve in the fretboard, classical guitars are flat. The rest of the capos have curved fret pads to match the guitars. Also, the classical model is slightly longer than the acoustic one. Second, the electrical guitar capo has a different twirl at the very top of the handle. The Kyser has a distinctive curl at the end of the metal handle. On the acoustic capo this is hollow and the on the electric guitar this is filled in. The electric model comes with less tension, which suits most electric guitars. Third, the twelve string capo is even longer than the classical capo.
5. The Upside-Down Trick.
Some guitarists like to experiment with different tunings. The standard guitar tuning (EADGBE) comes with all the known chords. Various people have invented news ways of using the guitar by tuning the strings different. This opens the instrument to new sounds and chord shapes. One popular open tuning is DADGAG. By tuning three strings differently the guitar creates an D chord with no strings fretted.
Capo companies have product partial capos to expand the range of possible experimentation. For example, the Kyser company produce two partial capos: a partial capo that covers three strings and a drop-D capo that covers five strings. If you place the partial capo on the A, D and G strings at the second fret the guitar is tuned to a DADGAD shape up two semitones (EBEABE).
The sneaky trick is that the silicone boot of the Kyser is the same width as the partial capo. You can use a standard Kyser upside down to create the same DADGAD shape! Fun.
Conclusion
The Kyser is a great product, with a number of hidden tips and tricks. We hope this article has helped educate you to the features of this great capo.
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