Capos

A capo is one of the most common music accessories that musicians use to play certain musical instruments. It is a small tool that lies on the neck of any musical instrument with strings and typically frets. This tool is popular to change the instrument’s pitch by shortening the playable length of the strings.

The word capo derives from the Italian word “head of the fretboard”. The use of capos is common in different musical styles. They are popular in blues, folk, flamenco, traditional Irish guitar music, alongside many rock and pop songs. The main benefit of using a capo is that it lets a musician play a song in different keys whilst still using the same fingerings as playing open (i.e. without a capo). They are in use for altering the pitch of open strings without making changes using the tuning keys. As a result, the notes’ pitch does not change, only the pitch of the open, unfretted strings. As a result, not only the pitch but also the timbre of the strings are affected. Let’s see below some of the main types of capos and the key distinctions between them.

An essential musical accessory

They are one of the most common musical accessories for musicians playing stringed instruments. Players use them for guitars, bass guitars, mandolins, banjos, ukuleles, and bouzoukis. There are many different types of capos, but most commercial types consist of a clamped bar to the neck of whichever instrument you are using to hold down the strings. They are, most often, a screw, clamp, spring, or strap made from elastic or fabric. More recently, we have seen the introduction of the partial capo. Unlike the traditional options, you can apply it to any number of strings instead of all six strings. The benefit of this is that you can get many different tones on your instrument without changing the tuning in any way.

Things you need to know before buying a guitar capo

Many people seeking to buy such musical instruments are guitar players looking for guitar capos. Guitars are the most popular type of stringed instrument worldwide, and there are many variations on this instrument. They are one of the most basic but useful guitar accessories; whichever type of guitar you play, there are options for acoustic guitars and capos for electric guitars. Even if you are a bass guitar player, it is possible to buy a bass capo. Depending on the type of guitar you have, there are so many options to choose from. If you are just a beginner, you might want to start trying some of the good cheap options on the market. An example of this is the Kyser capo, which is relatively inexpensive and a favourite of acoustic guitar players worldwide!

About a ukulele capo

One of the most common types of capo is a ukulele capo. These use the same methods as traditional guitar accessories but adjust to suit the ukulele fretboard’s particular size and shape. It is not recommended you could use a guitar capo on the ukulele. An acoustic guitar capo would undoubtedly cause damage to your ukulele strings, as it would place too much tension between the strings and the fret it is placed on. Although electric and classical guitar capos offer less tension, it is still likely that the ukulele’s strings would become damaged. Even if they did not cause any damage to the string, they would more than likely be too heavy on the neck of the ukulele and may also obstruct your fretting hand when playing. Therefore, it is much better to check out some choices of the best ukulele types here.

The banjo capo or the mandolin capo

For players of the banjo or mandolin, there are various options for your specific needs. Despite these instruments looking very different in appearance, there are many similarities between the two. The banjo and mandolin’s overall structure are generally quite alike, with many basic parts between them, such as the neck and body, the bridge, tuning heads, and of course, the strings. Therefore, many effective options can be used on both instruments and are made specifically to go with the more narrow neck of your banjo or mandolin. Head to our product search engine to see some of the best picks. However, there are also differences, the most obvious being the shape of the body and necks and the number of strings. Most banjos either have four or five strings, whereas the mandolin usually has eight strings.

Guitar capo price vs quality

Many people wonder whether the price of the capo has any effect on quality. Is it necessary to spend more and buy an expensive capo? Here we will find out the answer to that question. It is often a topic of discussion that a more expensive one will give a better tone than a less expensive one. However, this is not actually the case. Of course, the quality of your capo matters, but not for this reason. A high-quality instrument may give you more tension on the strings. It also may be more convenient to use and be made of more durable material. Of course, this is beneficial as it means your capo will last longer, and you won’t have to replace it as often.