G7th Performance 2 Capo for Guitar

G7th Performance 2 Capo for Guitar

It's not cheap, but does the performance justify the premium price?

by Craig Anderton

I was never too interested in capos because I can play in different keys, but lately I’ve realized capos are an easy way to create novel timbres by using familiar voicings in different keys. Also, Gibson’s G FORCE tuning system introduced a capo mode, so it’s a lot quicker to tweak the tuning than doing so manually. But there’s a bewildering variety of capos out there, from a few dollars up to at least $60, as well as some creative variations on a theme—like the Spider Capo (with individual lever pads for each string), Dunlop’s combination capo and slide converter, and more.

However the G7th Performance 2 capos stand out from the crowd, not just because of the price point (about $35-$50) but also the functionality. Furthermore, they look like what a capo would look like if Apple’s Chief Design Officer, Jony Ive, had decided to make a capo instead of things like iPhones and iMacs. The industrial design is top-notch.

Aside from being lightweight, compact, and attractive, attaching the capo is simple (and you can attach as well as move it with one hand): slide it over the strings, and squeeze the top and bottom sections. The capo holds firmly in place until released by pushing on a small tab. This also means that when not in use, you can simply clamp the capo to your headstock.

So is it really that simple? Yes. Just make sure you apply enough pressure to hold the strings down without buzzing but not enough to pull them out of tune; and for best results, place the Performance 2 not too far behind the frets. Also, note that there are several variations on a theme. Both nylon-string and steel-string versions are available in silver, satin black, and (for a nominal surcharge) gold-plated. There’s also a silver version for 7.25” radius vintage necks. With all of them, the company claims the materials that come into contact with your guitar have no short- or long-term effect on the finish.

There’s really not much else to say, because the Performance 2 worked perfectly on every guitar I tried, which ranged the gamut from a Gibson SG’s traditionally thin neck to a J-45 acoustic. Granted there are less expensive alternatives (including G7th’s Newport and Nashville lines), but I’ve yet to find a capo that matches the Performance 2’s performance, ease of use, and design.  - HC -

Resources

G7th's video on the Performance 2

The Performance 2 is available from:

Sweetwater

B&H

Musician's Friend

Direct from G7th

...as well as local dealers like Sam Ash and Guitar Center

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 Craig Anderton is Editorial Director of Harmony Central. He has played on, mixed, or produced over 20 major label releases (as well as mastered over a hundred tracks for various musicians), and written over a thousand articles for magazines like Guitar Player, Keyboard, Sound on Sound (UK), and Sound + Recording (Germany). He has also lectured on technology and the arts in 38 states, 10 countries, and three languages.