Loosen capo when tuning guitar?

[alanwaston]

I have a Kyser capo with a powerful spring. Most of my strings go a little sharp when I put the capo on, so I detune those strings then tune them back up. I'm concerned about a couple of things.

 

The first is fret wear with the wound strings. With the strings bent over the fret by the capo, as I'm loosening and tightening the string, is this grinding a groove in the frets? Or is this negligible compared to the wear that the frets see with normal playing? I've been squeezing the capo open with one hand as I tighten the string, release the capo, strum the string, repeat... I wonder if this is actually putting more wear on the frets than if I just left the capo on as I tuned up the string? Plus, it's a hassle.

 

My second concern is string tension with the capo holding the strings tight. As I loosen and tighten the strings, is the string tension going to be more or less the same on the bridge and nut sides of the capo? Or do I need to loosen the capo to allow the string tension to equalize? I'm not too worried about the B and high E strings, as they probably slide right past the capo, but I wonder if the wound strings need the capo to be opened to find their new equilibrium?

 

[Grant Harding]

I've tried 2 Kysers and they both had that problem. Too tight.

 

The Planet Waves NS is the one I use. It's a spring loaded one, but has a tension adjustment. Voila!

[garthman]

It's not unusual for the strings to go slightly sharp when using a capo. I always check tuning after fitting the capo (which I fit approx mid way between the frets rather than tight up against the fret you are capoing at - I've found that position to be the best).

 

HST some capos are better than others in that respect. Generally I don't care for the spring-loaded type. I prefer the type where it's possible to adjust the capo tension usually with a screw adjuster.

 

And of them all I think Shubb are the best.

[FretFiend.]

A lot of musicians don't have a problem with spring loaded capos, but a lot do. You have little or no control over the amount of pressure the capo applies, leading to the strings' pitch being pulled unnecessarily sharp. (BTW, merely fretting strings with your fingers pulls them sharp to a small degree.) Adjustable capos allow you to set in just enough pressure to fret the strings and minimize the effect of pulling them sharp.

 

The Planet Waves NS is an inexpensive marvel of simplicity, but functions as well as the most expensive capos out there. (A tiny drop of machine oil on the threads of the adjustment screw will make it operate smooth as silk.) Shubb capos also allow full tension adjustment with the added advantage of quick attach/detach.

[FretFiend.]

Look closely at your NS capo. There is no spring in it.

[Phil O'Keefe]

A lot of musicians don't have a problem with spring loaded capos' date=' but a lot do. You have little or no control over the amount of pressure the capo applies, leading to the strings' pitch being pulled unnecessarily sharp. [/quote']

 

I've got a couple of Kyser capos, and the biggest problem with the design IMHO isn't so much that it clamps down hard, it's that when you put it on, they tend to clamp down unevenly, starting on one side and then progressively clamping down across the fingerboard until all the strings are clamped.

 

If you're really careful as you put it on, you can get it to depress all six strings simultaneously, and push them DOWN instead of slightly sideways (which makes the tuning issue worse), but they're really kind of a pain to deal with.

 

The Planet Waves NS is an inexpensive marvel of simplicity, but functions as well as the most expensive capos out there. (A tiny drop of machine oil on the threads of the adjustment screw will make it operate smooth as silk.) Shubb capos also allow full tension adjustment with the added advantage of quick attach/detach.

 

I think I may have an unopened PW NS here somewhere... I'll try to track it down and give it a try. Thanks for the suggestion.

[Grant Harding]

It's an NS Artist, not the low profile one.

 

http://www.planetwaves.com/pwProductDetail.Page?ActiveID=4115&productid=748&productname=NS_Artist_Capo

[Grant Harding]

The NS Artist is awesome.

[DeepEnd]

You won't damage your guitar but there are other capos out there. I'm a fan of the Shubb: https://www.amazon.com/shubb-capo/s?ie=UTF8&page=1&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Ashubb%20capo. However, it costs more than the NS. As FretFiend says, the basic NS is cheap, simple and works well. I also have a Dunlop Picker's Pal capo I've had for years. It works well too but it's a bit clunky to use: https://www.amazon.com/Dunlop-50CF-Pickers-Pal-Capo/dp/B0002D02RG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1488495432&sr=8-1&keywords=picker%27s+pal+capo.

[Glenn F]

Yeah, I use a Chubb as well. From what I've read about frets, luthiers love guitar players who use capos a lot because they do wear down the frets more quickly, hence more money for doing re-frets. I don't use capos a lot, but when I do, I try to put it on as gently and as evenly as possible, and have it set so it is just tight enough to allow 'open' strings to sound with no muffles or buzz. I don't loosen the capo at that point because I'd probably just have to re-tune it after I tightened it again. I never leave a capo on a guitar after I've finished playing whatever I was playing that needed a capo.

[Mikeo]

I love Kyser capos on my acoustic. Zero issues. Nope I take that back. I borke a spring on stage and the thing snapped in half. So bring a back up. You can send em back to Kyser and the will fix it for 20 bucks o you can toss it in the trash and buy another one for 13 dollars.

 

 

I then to go with Shubbs capos on my electric, where you can adjust the clap down tension. I own a coup,e f those, cause I misplaced my. Can't hurt to have two of them can it.

 

I have a G7 that was given to me. It's ok, that's why the guy gave it to me. Kind bulky.

 

I really happy with most of the modern designed capo, because I started off with one of these. From here any capo you buy is a step up.

 

 

 

[DeepEnd]

. . . I never leave a capo on a guitar after I've finished playing whatever I was playing that needed a capo.

Yeah. What I normally do is transpose everything I'm going to be playing on a given Sunday so I can either put a capo on a given fret and leave it there (i.e., if a song is in C I'll transpose it to A and use a capo) or move it maybe one fret. I don't like to fool with taking a capo off or putting one on while I'm playing if I can help it, especially since a Shubb doesn't clamp onto the headstock.

[Grant Harding]

Yeah - people crank them real right. I place mine right up behind the fret with only enough tension to make the open notes ring clean. That's why the Kyser is useless.

[Grant Harding]

This is the one. I still use my Shubbs, but this is the one I mentioned above.

[spikeRI]

yes, remove when yuning

[FretFiend.]

I always remove when yuning.

[DeepEnd]

I wouldn't know, I've never ''yuned.''

[Grant Harding]

That's why you're always out of yune.

[Phil O'Keefe]

 

I really happy with most of the modern designed capo, because I started off with one of these. From here any capo you buy is a step up.

 

 

 

Gads, I remember those! They were dreadful! The Dunlop "lever action" capo I replaced the elastic one with WAS a huge improvement!

 

[Pine Apple Slim]

Kysers will work but they are finicky. I usually have to angle them so it's further away from the fret on the bass side so the bass strings don't go as sharp.

[pogo97]

 

Well, it's better than a pencil and elastic. I saw George Jones in the 80s and he used a capo like the one pictured on his acoustic. Worked fine for him -- he never untied it: just slid it up and down the neck to change positions and moved instantly into the next song. Of course, he was only strumming -- he had Jerry Reed on electric guitar, which may have helped distract me from any tuning issues.

 

And for the record, I use a Shubb.

[Grant Harding]

Yeah - I used one of those between the ages of 9 and 21. Shubbs since then, except for the Planet Waves NS Artist spring thingy which I prefer for stage because it's easier than a Shubb.