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Last updated: 2 Feb 2022
Reviewing The 10 Best Capos For Your Guitar: Up Your Tonal Versatility Without Bar Chords
Capos are great for playing typical first position/open chords further up the guitar's neck which then makes the chords sound in different keys. By placing the capo up the neck - let’s say on 3rd fret, it allows you to play, say, a G chord at the fifth fret, which changes the key to A. It’s just a very fool-proof way for multiple guitarists to come up with a more versatile tone when playing guitars for a track together. Similarly, when you’re recording, you need tonal diversity, and utilizing capos is excellent for creating that stereo width. Capos come in different styles, from clamp-on to flip the lever and tighten in place and more! Everyone has their own preference, but musicians everywhere agree that capos are an essential part of music-making. Two important factors though; make sure the capo covers the fretboard radius on your guitar properly and make sure you don't clamp or tighten so much that your guitar goes out of tune. Bringing you the finest guitar capos for 2022, as well as a detailed buyer’s guide to help you choose the best!
Compare our Favorite Guitar Capos for 2022
1
Kyser Quick-Change Capo
– Best Choice
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THE SCOOP
Designed in a clip-on design to go on and off quickly and firmly, the Kyser’s capo will give you the unique tones that you don’t know you can have but you need! It’s a very convenient one out of all the capos we’ve reviewed – makes things super simple whether you’re playing at home or on stage. It has a spring loaded design that allows for breezy repositioning.
Pros
- Durable and light metal construction – looks great and is long lasting
- It’s available in 8 beautiful colors
- The padded arms provide protection for your guitar’s fretboard and neck polish
Cons
- The rubber padding is prone to coming off over time – as most guitar capos do
2
Kyser Quick-Change Capo (Veterans-Tribute)
– Capo for all Americans
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THE SCOOP
This capo by Kyser is exactly the same as the previous one – made with the same high-strength, lightweight extruded aluminum as other Quick-Change capos but features a waving American flag graphic. It’s given to the graduates of the G4V music therapy program. So, basically, when you’re buying this, you’re helping Kyser honor the veterans at the same time!
Pros
- All the profits go to honor our veterans through the G4V nonprofit
- The appealing American flag looks excellent on the white background
- The extruded aluminum is hand-cut, drilled, powder-coated, and carefully assembled
Cons
- It works well but the polish can come off overtime
3
Shubb C1 Standard Capo for Steel String Guitar
– Premium Pick
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THE SCOOP
This capo’s closing action is like that of your hands – since most capos mess with the intonation and you have to retune them all over again – this one employs a soft rubber pad that works like your finger tip. It has a patented over-center locking action that ensures unrivaled usage convenience. Plus, its roller design gives you lower action and long-term reliability. One flip of a lever and poof – you’ve locked it firmly in place and it’s just as easy to remove!
Pros
- Made up of nickel-plated brass
- It’s unobtrusive, small, and stylish
- Has an easy to use, patented over-center locking action
Cons
- Some people may not like to use a capo with screw and all
4
Dunlop 83CN Trigger Acoustic Guitar Capo
– Scratch-Free
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THE SCOOP
Got a curved fingerboard? The 83CN guitar capo by Dunlop should take it all away with an easy-to-use, accurate clamping and a low profile design. It’s constructed out of quality aircraft aluminum, is lightweight, and reliable. We suggest going for it with your eyes closed if you need a reliable capo with a decent clamp for curved fretboards in a black finish!
Pros
- It’s made for curved acoustic guitar fretboards
- Has a low-profile design and made out of aircraft aluminum
- It has a beautiful black finish
Cons
- The handle can get in the way when you’re playing notes on the fret just down the capo
5
D’Addario NS Tri-Action Capo
– Buzz-Free
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THE SCOOP
This capo features a tri-action geometry that’s easy on your hands, providing a quick and effortless operation. Plus, it comes in a black color – positive point for those looking for a black capo. It effectively eliminates the string pull thing and any returning needs arriving afterward. Want to know our favorite thing about this capo? It has an integrated pick holder!
Pros
- Made out of aircraft-grade aluminum
- Can be clamped to the headstock when not in use
- Stays buzz-free and in-tune regardless of the fret you’re on
Cons
- The rubberized pad may not be glued enough firmly
6
G7th Performance 3 Steel String Capo
– Advanced Features
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THE SCOOP
Available in six beautiful finishes, this is the capo you need to beat the buzz! It has this patented ART (Adaptive Radius Technology) that is basically meant to adapt to your guitar’s unique neck. What does this do? Well, this eliminates two issues; prevents your strings from being too-tight so you don’t end up with intonation issues and prevents them from being too loose as to keep your guitar away from buzzing.
Pros
- Stores easily on the peghead
- Silicone neck pad and side guards keep your guitar’s neck safe from scratching
- Has a very unique design
Cons
- You have to press the capo very carefully to make sure all the strings are being pressed – which is honestly bit of a hassle
7
Paige Clik Guitar Capo
– Quick to Move
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THE SCOOP
The Paige Clik Guitar Capo features an innovative design with an advanced, quick-release mechanism. It’s effective, affordable, and easy to use! It’s basically only a one-hand adjustment to get your desired sound on the go and can be parked behind the nut when it’s not on duty! The finish-safe tubing protects your precious guitar’s polish at all times.
Pros
- Doesn’t cause strings to buzz when pulled from the center instead of sides
- Gives you controllable tension with precision adjustment
Cons
- It’s a little tricky to use and the swing bar doesn’t always lock easily
8
Shubb S1 Deluxe Capo
– Classic Pick
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THE SCOOP
This intelligently-designed capo from Shubb is made out of top-notch materials and gives the best results! How? It has a patented closing action that provides ideal pressure everytime – keeping the annoying buzzing and ringing at bay. Plus, one flip of a lever locks it in place and removes it just as easily. It’s good looks, good money, and good functionality.
Pros
- Quickly and very conveniently moves up and down the neck of your guitar
- The soft rubber pad works like fingertips and prevents your guitar from buzzing or strings from being too tight
Cons
- It can be tight on guitars with wider/thicker necks
10
G7th Newport Steel String Guitar Capo
– Fine-Tuning
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THE SCOOP
Specifically designed for 6-string guitars and part of G7th’s award-winning capo line, this Newport Steel capo offers enhanced performance, ease of use, good looks, and feels excellent! It lets you dial in the perfect pressure on your guitar neck, helping you get the desired sound! The capo has a striking silver color, reduces tuning instability, and improves sustain.
Pros
- Has a very low-profile design and is super lightweight
- Gives fine-tune adjustment to dial in the perfect tension
Cons
- The silicone rubber may not have a good-enough adhesive to stand the test of time
Finding Your Next Guitar Capo: A Buyer’s Guide
A guitar capo is cool - it lets you achieve a couple of playing tactics flawlessly and without any hassle. To a layman, it’s a weird-looking clip that sits on the guitar. To musicians, it’s much more than that. If you’ve never bought a capo before or have only owned capos that buzz, scour through our list above and check out this buyer’s guide so you know what to look for when buying one.
Why Should I Buy a Guitar Capo?
While not everybody uses a capo and it’s certainly not an essential gadget, there are a couple of benefits of using a guitar capo. Here are three of the top:
Ease of playing for new guitarists
If you’ve recently started playing guitar and you haven’t yet built a grip on barre chords and power chords - an excellent solution for you to get a decent tone and be able to play different chords is using a capo.
Even if you only need to play the open chords, you can do so in a higher key with a capo on - it’ll lower the action and help you easily press the strings to the fretboard.
Tonal versatility
When you’re recording guitars in the studio or multiple guitarists are playing live, it’s usually ideal to play different versions of the same chords - so you can get a diverse sound and there are no conflicting frequencies.
Doing this is fairly easy by going up the fingerboard and hitting the required notes by utilizing a capo.
Changing key without the theoretical homework
Sometimes, when you’re playing live, you feel the need to play in a higher key. Instead of playing your complex barre chords, just take the capo up some frets and get it done, within a blink!
Different Types of Guitar Capos
We’ve reviewed most of these capos above in our list. Here’s a slightly detailed overview of what they really are:
Strap capo
These capos have a simple design with nothing more than an elastic strap. Simple to use but they have a tendency to slip.
C-clamp
This type of capo has a screw that is manually rotated to put pressure on the strings. This type of capo is usually the best in terms of not causing buzz but it has a tendency to cause detuning.
Spring-loaded
The spring-loaded capos are usually the best ones! They don’t cause buzzing, are simple to use and don’t put too much pressure on the strings as to cause intonation problems.
Toggle capos
These capos have a lever or a latch that can be adjusted to tighten the strings. They’re also small, simple, and compact and usually serve just as well as spring-loaded capos!
What to Consider Before Buying a Guitar Capo?
If you’ve been a victim of a poor capo, here’s what you need to do:
Curved or flat fingerboard
You need to ensure if you have a straight fingerboard or a curved one - if it’s a curved one, you’ll need a capo which has back support for the curved neck otherwise you’ll just be ringing pots with crippling corrosion.
Ease of use
By ease of use - we mean the ease of taking the capo on and off. If you have to worry about breaking your strings every time you take the capo off, it’s probably not the best choice. Make sure that you’re buying a capo that is breezy to put on and take off.
Pressure
If you’ve got a guitar with fairly high action, you’ll need a capo powerful enough to put all the strings against the neck. The normal guitars with a standard action and usual capos will do the job easily, however, you may want to look out for the pressure thing in case you have a stubborn guitar with a cruel action.
Storage
Some capos can be attached to the headstock when they’re not in use. You may look for a similar one so it’s easier for you to not lose the capo!
How to Adjust the Guitar Capo to Avoid Buzzing?
If you’ve got a spring-loaded capo, you can simply put it on at the very end of the fret - the tension at that point is usually the lowest on the fret and it helps you avoid buzzing or putting the capo on too tight.
Capo For Steel String FAQ
Q: Does using a guitar capo limit my learning capability?
A: Look, if you’ve just started playing guitar - it’s best that you find a good balance of playing without the capo and playing with a capo on. What it’ll do is keep your fingers used to putting good amounts of pressure for building up the strength for playing barre chords, won’t keep you limited to low-action guitars, and help you learn faster.
Q: Are capos necessary?
A: Capos are never necessary - it’s just good to have them by your side in case you’re feeling the blues and want to have some high-key tonal diversity at hand.
