If you go to amazon search up, “guitar capo,” you will see that there are a lot of choices out there. It is possible to feel overwhelmed at all these choices. We have produced content on this site to help you sift through these different options. If you are feeling bewildered at the plethora of guitar capos on the market, it can be helpful to have some guiding questions. People want to know, “how do I choose between all these options?” In this post we have gathered six questions that will help you choose the right guitar capo. Here are the six questions:
1. Will this work for me?
2. Will this capo work for my guitar?
3. What is my price point?
4. Do I care about intonation issues?
5. What style of capo do I want?
6. What look do I like?
1. Will this capo work for me?
The function of a capo is to hold the strings down on your guitar. The first thing you should be asking about a capo is, “will this capo even work?” This is the most important question when choosing the right capo. While most capos will do a good job there are several ways a capo might fail to do its job properly.
Capos rely on tension to hold down the strings. If the capo does not have sufficient strength the guitar will either become buzzy or not ring at all. This is unacceptable, especially considering the wealth of choices out there. There are capos out there that don't really work at all, or are difficult to get to work. Some capos might work well with a light-tension guitar (like an electric) but not work on a heavy-tension guitar (like an acoustic). Make sure the capo you use will be able to hold down the stings.
Further, do you find the capo easy to use? All capos are designed to be easy to use, but everyone has their person tastes and preferences for functionality. For example, some of the quick-release spring loaded capos, like the Kyser and the Dunlop Trigger, require you to squeeze them to open them. While many people find these capos a breeze. people with weaker hand strength find these excellent capos difficult to use. Similarly, the G7th Performance 3 has an innovative “squeeze on” technology that can work well, but some people find the fine adjustment required frustration. All in all, you should ask yourself, "does this capo work" and you should also ask “Will I be able to use this capo?”
2. Will this capo work with my guitar?
You may know that guitars come in different kinds. This little fact makes a big difference for choosing the right capo. The most important consideration is the curvature of the fretboard. Acoustic guitars and electric guitars have a slight curve in their fretboard but classical guitars have a flat fretboard. You want a capo with a curvature that matches the fretboard of your guitar. On most capos the rubber piece that holds down the strings is slightly curved because most capos are designed for acoustic guitars. If you were to use a perfectly flat capo on an acoustic guitar it would put too much pressure on the middle strings (causing intonation problems) and too little pressure on the outer string (causing buzzing). If you have a classical guitar, you will want a flat capo designed for classical guitars.
There are a few capos that have taken this curvature stuff to the next level. The Thalia comes with a fourteen different fretpads with different radii that you can switch out. The capo comes with a manual to help you choose the right one for your guitar. The G7th Performance 3 has ART - adaptive radius technology. This capo has cool technology that lets it flex to the shape of the fretboard as it is squeezed on. This advanced 'technology' is not a necessity thought. Simply choosing an acoustic guitar capo for an acoustic guitar, or a classical guitar capo for a classical guitar, will ensure your capo will function optimally.
Another consideration is how strong is your guitar’s string tension. Acoustic guitars tend to have stronger tension than electric guitars. Kyser, for example, have released a “light” version of their Acoustic guitar capo that is excellent for electric guitars, or any acoustic with smaller tension.
3. What is my price point?
When you are choosing between capos there are cheap options, standard options and top end options. We will say a few words about each category.
The cheap options generally come in under $20, and you can find some for less than $10. The miracle of modern manufacturing means that you can find an excellent capo at this price point. Just because it is a cheap capo does not mean it will buzz. Many of these capos will do a great job. There will be some drawbacks to any capo in this category. The parts will generally be lower quality, and often they feel a bit “cheap.” They may be a bit too stiff or too loose, they may be a bit harder to use. Be warned, there are a few duds in this category. We have put together a list of the top 7 cheap capos for 2022. The Wingo is a great example of a cheap capo that can be considered.
The standard options can be found between $20–$50. Capos in this category are made a little better than those in the cheap category. They will be sturdier, more durable and should last a long time. They may be easier to use. In part, we have called this category the “standard” options because of the “big three” capos have been considered the industry standards since the 1980s: the Kyser, the Shubb and the Dunlop Trigger. All three of these capos remain very popular and all three are in this price point. There are other excellent options out there, and the D'Addario NS Tri-Action deserves a mention. If you don’t absolutely need to get the cheapest capo on the market, we recommend choosing one of these standard capos. You can check out our list of the best capos.
There are a number of premium capos out there that seek to add value beyond what the standard capos offer. These premium capos come with a premium price tag, being over $50. Then again, many guitar players will happily splash thousands of dollars for their fourth guitar, so money isn’t a consideration for everyone. Two prominent examples in this category are the Thalia and the G7th Performance 3. The Thalia really is a gorgeous capo that adds beautiful aesthetics to a cool design. The G7th Performance 3 adds innovative technology like the ART and the UTC (unique tension control) which seeks to take the capo to the next level. Check our list of 4 best high end capos for more information.
4. Do I care about intonation issues?
Capos can cause intonation issues. Specifically, if the tension of a capo is too high then it can pull strings sharp, so it is not in perfect tune. Further, capos can cause different intonation changes with different strings on the same fret making the guitar out of tune with itself. If this issue is bad enough it can make playing chords unpleasant. This issue comes down to the force and tension of the particular capo. Spring loaded quick change capos, like the Kyser and the Wingo, need to make sure that there is no buzzing so they overcompensate by making the tension a little higher than needed. The result is that the capo will always work (i.e. no buzzing). It will always grip the strings solidly and create a nice seal. But these capos will also cause intonation issues when they go on.
There are a number of capos that use some form of adjustable tension to get around these issues. The Shubb, for example, has an adjustable screw so you can set the tension just right. The G7th Performance 3 is squeezed on, and you can choose how hard you squeeze it. After practice with this capo you should be able to find just the right tension with your guitar. Other capos with adjustable tension include the D’Addario NS Tri-Action, the Bill Russell and the Dunlop Toggle.
For many people this intonation issue is not a big deal. If you’re just jamming at home you may not notice it. The change in intonation may be slight enough for you to ignore it, over even not notice it. Further, after you put the capo on, you can retune it. This being said, some people will desire to minimize these issues, either because they like perfect pitch or they are recording or they want to stay in tune with other instruments without having to retune. If the intonation issue is important for you, we recommend a high quality capo with adjustable tension.
5. What style of capo do I want?
These days the quick-action spring loaded capos are very popular, but there are other kinds of capos, each with advantages and disadvantages. The Sterner Capo Museum lists eleven kinds of capos, with four major categories. Here are a few of the more famous kinds.
First, are the aforementioned quick-actions spring loaded capos. These attach from the side and are the best at getting on and off quickly. There are many varieties available on line at different price points.
Second, in blue grass music the Yoke Style is remains quite popular. This style wraps around the whole guitar, a bit like a yoke on an ox. This style is actually very ancient, dating back to the eighteenth century. It is not as quick to use as the spring loaded ones, but it is very solid and holds on very well. These capos have less intonation issues as they usually have adjustable tension. There is a very nice yoke style made my Paige these days. Shubb and G7th have also created excellent Yoke capos.
Third, there are strap on capos, both with elastic, like the Bill Russell and without, like the Jim Dunlop Toggle or even the Spanish cejilla. These capos are also easy to use and get the job done. The Bill Russell was the most popular capo for many years.
The Shubb sits in is own category, attacking from the side and using a lever mechanism. There have been some spin offs that imitate it, but Shubb does this style the best. This style also has adjustable tension and is a great choice.
6. What look do I like?
You want to like your capo. Therefore, we suggest you get one that you like the look of. This is a subjective question, but as you look at different capos some will look ugly and other pretty. There are a number of 'thin-line' spring loaded capos that may looked sleek to some, but weak to others.
Conclusion
We hope these questions help you in sorting through all the different capos that are out there. We recommend checking out our top lists for more information on choose the right capo.
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