Capos? You shouldn't need no steenking capos!

[donlyn]

Capos? You shouldn't need no steenking capos!

Probably not. I keep losing them anyway.

I try to play as open as possible, but playing with others may require one.

Also specific songs just don't sound the same. Somebody mentioned "Here Comes the Sun" which is a prime example. So I keep a few capoes kicking around. A few six string and one 12 string. All my first choices are G7th. Some Performance 3's with A.R.T. and a Newport 12 string with the compensated pad.

I will also transpose keys if necessary, especially on a 12 string. For example, I play "My Back Pages" in 'C' instead of 'E', mostly so I can avoid barre chords on the 12 string. They just don't sound as good. I have a self-imposed limit of 1 barre chord per song when using 12 string guitars.

I fingerpick using my nails, so at least I'm not losing picks. And cowboy chords allow for a lot of extra finger movement for extra notes.

Be well and play well,

Don
.

[stephenT]

Let's see how this reference works,.. WWMD. What Would Muddy Do?

[67goat]

If singers would just learn to sing in the right key....

[fitness1]

Originally Posted by Charlie Bernstein

The David Wilcox School of Fine Fingerpickery!

Going to see David play live the first time in about '89 opened up so many new worlds for me.

The day of the show he did an instore appearance at Schoolkids Records in Ann Arbor. I was the only one to show up and he leaned up against the record bins with me and played about six songs while we chatted about life and music.

You can see the Schoolkids shirt in this pic I took of him that night, and had him sign the next time we hung out.

The day after that first show, I hooked him up with my buddy T.J. Thompson who was still at Elderly at the time and they spent the day together. I'd passed T.J. a tape of David and he was a big fan.

Ah, the good old days...

[KevWind]

Isn't it,, no stinkin' Or is SteenKing a new brand

[Guitars44me]

As Duke Ellington said:

If/when it sounds good, it IS good.

Capos open up many sonic possibilities. Especially, as Fitness mentioned, cut capos.

I use my drop D capo a lot, and it often sounds great in G too.

Don’t limit yourself

Paul

[Dave Hicks]

He's getting rather old, maybe we can cut him a break? At least he doesn't need to look at great big old dots on the fretboard.

[b1j]

1) That video was exhilarating. Thanks.

2) My J-45 sounds startlingly good with a capo at 2 to 4. Fingerpicking with D’Addario EJ16. The tone is enveloping.

3) I use a Shubb on my Martins with their 15” radius. But the Gibson 12” radius doesn’t like the Shubb, so I have a rounder capo for the J-45. I won’t mention the name because it’s tres déclassé around here, but it fits the fretboard perfectly (although it’s a bit clunky protruding off the neck).

4) My first capo was like the one in the Muddy Waters photos: stretchy strap with grommets.

[mrjop1975]

Well I guess Mother Maybelle wasn't a "real" guitar player as she favored mostly C position chords and capo'd to whatever key was needed. I can play in an open position D, G, C, A, but certain keys I honestly can't, so that is when a capo comes in for me. When I was playing in a church years ago, we did some songs from the hymnal, and while it may be easier for a keyboard player to play in flats, the other guitar player and I typically had to capo to play.

[PeterM]

Originally Posted by rstaight

I have a capo in the case of every guitar I take to jams. I am getting better at transposing on the fly so I don't use them much. But it is so much easier at times.

A couple of years ago I went to a jam and this particular group used a capo on every song. Seems like all they knew was the key of G. So when it was turn for a song they would say in G, G1, G2, G3, and so on.

G was the key of G, G1 was the key of G, capo at the first fret. G2 was key of G, capo at second fret. I kind of chuckled under my breath but it was their own language that actually work well for them.

I have heard this also.

[rllink]

Are we listening to the Gordon Lightfoot video or the "Turkish March MOZART - Rondo Alla Turca on Classical Guitar | VERA DANILINA at Siccas Guitars video?" Because I listened to the Gordon Lightfoot video last night and I think he talked about the capo for something like a minute, at the most and then didn't say much about it. The other one, I don't really have time right now.

I used to not use the capo hardly ever, but then I got into the country/bluegrass jam and learned that the capo is my best friend. Say what you want, but if you ain't using a capo, you ain't playing what I'm playing.

[doctone]

Originally Posted by ssjk

I mean, Neil Young or Bob Dylan or some real player like that wouldn't need a capo. Maybe Gordon Lightfoot I guess.

https://youtu.be/ydqjP3mj1pA

The first part is just really good. The middle (starting around 1:20) is dazzling.

It is. Thanks for the link, although I couldn't help staring at her RH pinky almost all the time...

[jay42]

I almost always use a capo on acoustic in situations where I am not the only guitarist. I push the sonic center up to get out the way...also, I like to avoid the following voicing (barre chords, et al):

E...0
2
2
1
0
e...0

[ChrisE]

Audience —(Applause) “That was great!”

Guitarist in the audience— (arms crossed) “Capo? Really? You’ve got to be kidding me!”

[Nymuso]

Can we get a sub-forum just for capo arguments?