NCD: G7th Heritage Capo review - Update: Second Heritage arrives
 

Update: Second Heritage from Amazon 'sale' arrives with issues - see post #42 & 43 on page 3.

Original post:

As with many here, I enjoy trying out different capos. I started with the Planet Waves NS and that worked fine for a few years with the need to do minor tuning tweaks on the low E. Then I decided to check out the yoke style and picked the Shubb FineTune system as it was a nice compromise in price/quality/looks between the Paige and the G7th/Elliot systems. Then I went to the Colorado capo as I liked the offset yoke that gave the hand a little more room.

But in the past year my guitar stable has given way to guitars (2 RainSongs, 1 Froggy Bottom) with very flat fretboards in the 20" range. I noted that this required me to really reef down (tighten) the capo to get those two center strings to stop buzzing. And although it didn't create any tuning issues, I still didn't like it, especially on the Frog's wood neck. Plus, on occasion I would find that I would not notice the buzz until I was well into a song.

So I went back and revisited looking for a capo that would work better for guitars with flatter fretboard radius. It seemed like the choices are custom radius (pretty much Elliot) or the G7th ART system (Performance or Heritage). I was all set to give the G7th Performance a try when I stumbled upon a used Heritage for a very good price so I snapped it up. The build quality is, of course, excellent with a very modern, sleek, low profile look and feel. It is also very light.

I like the large tension knob and love the smoothness of the operation. The ART system that they use allows for the capo to make minor micro-adjustments to allow for even tensioning across strings of different heights and (bonus) fretboards with a flatter radius. I also really like their protective rubber placed in several areas around the inside of the capo. I found the capo ART system works as advertised. I love being able to get an even tension across all strings with minimal applied tension. I also really like the look on the guitar.

What I'm not a fan of is the price (new) which is up over $200 for their basic chrome version and then up from there for the gold or engraved models. Sure, it's better than the Elliot price but it's still a fair amount of money. Of course all those little cams that make up the ART cost more than a plain rubber bar so there's that. If you can get one used and in good condition I'd say they are worth the extra expense, especially if you have a guitar with very flat radius on the fretboard. I'd like to grab a gold one for my Frog so I'll keep an eye out for a used one.

I post a couple photos in a sec.

Photos:

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...452490c5d7.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...dc067a7341.jpg https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...f18d45c2ae.jpg https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...0072abaa23.jpg

Thanks for posting this. I've been looking around at capos lately.

As far as ease/speed of putting on and removing, how does it compare to your Paige?

Have you noticed any tonal differences compared to your other capos?

$200 for a capo???

It should work perfectly at that price…

A few years ago I sprung for a Heritage at $150 so I was surprised by your $200 price tag. Sure enough at Sweetwater they are $200 or more!

However, if anyone is interest Amazon still has it and they are $136. maybe the seller hasn't gotten the inflation memo!

G7 Heritage Capo at Amazon

NCD: G7th Heritage Capo review

Methos1979,

Nice story and review.
G7th capoes are tops in my book.
Here are some corollary products I use from G7th.

I don't own a G7th Heritage capo, but I do own two G7th Performance 3 capoes, which share the A.R.T. system. Adaptive Radius Technology.

While they took a bit of getting used to, and still need a bit of help sometimes to lightly rocker-adjust into a good place, they are actually very easy to use, and do not need any re-tuning when setting or removing them. This is the same A.R.T. system used in the Heritage capo, but are a lot more economical in price.

And for 12 stringers, the G7th Newport 12 string capo with the compensated pad does not share the A.R.T. system, but it also does not need any re-tuning when setting or removing it. But it will not work on Rickenbackers or any other 12 string which is inversely (octave lower in courses) strung. But it works fine for both my Taylor 12 string guitars, both tuned a semi-tone down to D# and one tuned in DADGAD intervals from there.

At some point I will probably own a Heritage. Just because.

Don
.

Nice review of my favorite capo!

I have never owned a Paige. I had the Shubb FineTune and the Colorado. I find all yoke-style capo's to be the same to use - easy. I leave mine on the nut when not playing anything capo'd and them move up as needed. I keep it on loose down on the third fret when hanging on the Hercules wall hangers.

As for tone differences, I don't notice anything. But then I'm one of those guys that doesn't think that bridge pins make any differences either.

NCD: G7th Heritage Capo review
 

I LOVE my Heritage! I will admit that I’m a little afraid of my new one now, since the plastic pieces, inside the adjustment screw, broke, on my first one. It’s the cleanest tone that I’ve found in a capo, but I do like the feel of the adjustment screw on my Stokes Showcase better. My showcase sounds a little dull compared to the Heritage and all I can contribute that to, is the plastic tubing on it versus the pad on the Heritage.

Yeah, there's $200 one's on Amazon as well with a slight model number variation so I'm not sure what the difference is. The cheaper ones appear to be coming from an overseas (non USA) vendor with shipping taking three weeks. I don't know if it's an older model maybe? I know there were some problems with the tension knobs plastic inserts breaking that I noted in my research of past threads.

I bought and really like the G7th Newport Capo. A few years ago I was lucky enough to win a G7th Performance Capo (gold/engraved) and it is indeed a fine capo. Easy to use. Good looking. And works well on all of my guitars, although I have not tried it on my 12 string yet. The Performance 2 and 3 were released after I got mine, and I am interested in how different the Performance 3 ART is from the one that I have. It seems, based on photos on their website, that the one I have is the same as the Performance 2, only they advertise the Performance 2 Capo for Classical and Flamenco guitars.

NCD: G7th Heritage Capo review

Hey roadbiker,

As far as I know, the Performance 3 is when they started putting the A.R.T. system on it. Adaptive Radius Technology. It encloses three pieces which allows the capo pad to curl around the fretboard and apply equal pressure to all strings. Originated with the Heritage capo. That not only makes it easy to use, but also possible to set and remove without re-tuning.

The Performance and Performance 2 I believe are more basic squeeze style capoes. Don't own either, and had given up on doing much of anything with a capo until I read the P3 background on the G7th website.

The Newport I have is designed specifically for 12 string, the nomenclature being 'G7th Newport 12 string with compensated string pad' or something similar to that. The pad is actually a sawtooth design which allows equal pressure to all 12 strings and can also be set and removed without re-tuning, which is a large boon to 12 string players. Including this one (me). Way too many threads and jokes about 12 string guitars and tuning. This capo is no joke, I can assure you, and is what drove me to the G7th site in the first place.

Be well and play well,

Don
.

I recently bought a heritage G7 off of amazon. It seems like the saddle has lot of rotational play in it. Does this seem normal.

https://youtu.be/vo7b5ioRK2o

I have a G7 and an Elliott. Gave the G7 to my son. When the G7 pad gets indented I'd need to have additional pads. With the Elliott I can rotate each pad 4 times and the replacement pad is cheap and enough length for at least five pads. In my case I feel the Elliott's string contact is much stronger with no string buzz at all and that wasn't always the case with my G7

Yes, that is normal. Mine does this as well.