Capo advice

RafterGirl

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I generally don't play with a capo often. I did when I first started to play, but then learned a little about transposing. Now that I'm playing with my church band, there are some songs that just work better with a capo. If I can comfortably transpose I always do. If transposing a song makes my head hurt and leaves me with difficult chords to play, then I'll use the capo. Depending on the order of the songs in the service, I sometimes have to switch back & forth with the capo on the fly. I did get a tuner pedal so I can mute my output and put the capo on & off quietly.

Right now I use a Kyser ukulele capo. All in all it's easy on & off and works decently well. But as with most capos, it sure gets in the way. Does anyone have a capo suggestion that's easy on & off and not as much in the way? Has anyone used a Thalia capo? They are pricey, but seem smoother across the frets and not as much in the way.
 
I don't recommend Thalia. Great to look at, but they are large and heavy and designed for guitar. I was on the original crowd funding run with Thalia and the original is even heavier than the current model. It's in a closet somewhere. D'Addario's ukulele specific model is small and very light and stays out of your way, but it uses a screw mechanism to tighten so it won't be that fast. Maybe someone knows about one as small and light that is the spring type.
 
I like the Shubb : http://www.shubb.com/m/uke_m.html

It has a screw to adjust for different size neck thicknesses so it does take a little time to get it adjusted but after that, on and off is pretty easy. So unless you're switching ukes a lot, it works well.
 
Raftergirl, you are on the right track with able to transpose to another key. I suggest using degrees of chords to a key :)

Still a capo is a quick fix when some chords are only known to that key or want to transpose higher. Some voicings too, but much less than with a guitar.
I have a Shubb guitar capo. It is so heavy, I guess the aluminium one would work better. Shubb is anyways much better than that Thalia you were considering.
Most likely some slim and light plastic capo as has been mentioned is your best one.

Or just learn the chords needed for play without. Ukulele and capo are not as much friends as the guitar is with it:)
With guitar one needs to learn, by heart some good capo positions, like to me was the 3rd. I have now forgotten most I learned. But it was with that knowledge to able to play those flat keys.
 
I always preferred the Dunlop Trigger over the Kyser capo when I use them for guitar. I just never liked the spring arms on the top side of the neck with the Kyser. Though the Dunlop still has the spring arms, they are on the bottom side of the neck - which I find more comfortable. On a ukulele, I have no experience with capos so this all could be moot.
 
I really like the (D'Addario) Planet Waves NS uke capo, the one Uke Don mentioned: quite low profile, for minimal hand interference.
GString now makes an ultra-light, very low profile plastic uke capo which I believe snaps on and off. It gets good reviews, but last time I checked, it was a bit pricey.
The G7th looks like it might work well, but they are very hard to find. Elderly carries them for around $12 but they are currently on backorder. The only other place I can find them is Reverb, but it would be coming from Australia for almost $50.
 
I use a capo when the guitarists get theirs out.

I have one that's for a mandolin and it works fine on sopranos - tenors.
 
I've been really happy with the G7th ultralight capo. Very small and it doesn't get in the way. Once the tension is adjusted, it's no biggie to slide it down or up
uke_g7_large.jpg
 
I've been really happy with the G7th ultralight capo. Very small and it doesn't get in the way. Once the tension is adjusted, it's no biggie to slide it down or up
View attachment 106710

Thanks for the thumbs up on it. Where did you get yours from. As soon as Elderly has them in stock I will order one. I’ll need a capo for one song this coming Sunday. Transposing leaves me with all sharps on one song.
 
Amazon lists several, but this one is titled G7th Ultra Light Banjo Uke Capo Black. It looks to be the small one. G7TH doesn't call any ultralight a Banjo capo though, so it might not be the right one.
 
Amazon lists several, but this one is titled G7th Ultra Light Banjo Uke Capo Black. It looks to be the small one. G7TH doesn't call any ultralight a Banjo capo though, so it might not be the right one.

I think that may be the right one. Still kind of pricey, but if it works then it’s money well spent. I’ll report back.
 
I like the Shubb : http://www.shubb.com/m/uke_m.html

It has a screw to adjust for different size neck thicknesses so it does take a little time to get it adjusted but after that, on and off is pretty easy. So unless you're switching ukes a lot, it works well.

+1 on the Shubb. I have one and like it a lot. Seems to have good pressure so I can use it up near the top of the fretspace, giving me more room for my fingers.
 
I was able to find the G7th ukulele capo on Amazon for $17.00 with free shipping. I think my problem with trying to find it earlier was that it's listed as a banjo, uke capo, not just a ukulele capo. I will report back on how it works out. It received a very good review by Barry Maz on Got A Ukulele.
 
I use a D'Adderio Planet Waves on my banjo. It's small, light and adjustable. It's really important to me to have a capo that is adjustable. Spring loaded capos like the Keyser or Dunlop Trigger seem to push the strings right down to the fretboard and pull the instrument out of tune. I've never tried a capo on my uke, but with banjos and guitars, I tighten the adjustable capos just enough to stop the strings from buzzing.
Since the ukulele is such a small instrument, it's nice that the Planet Waves capo is really light as well, and since no capo makes your instrument look better, being black and small, it's fairly unobtrusive.
Capo - new banjo.jpg
 
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I use a D'Adderio Planet Waves on my banjo. It's small, light and adjustable. It's really important to me to have a capo that is adjustable. Spring loaded capos like the Keyser or Dunlop Trigger seem to push the strings right down to the fretboard and pull the instrument out of tune. I've never tried a capo on my uke, but with banjos and guitars, I tighten the adjustable capos just enough to stop the strings from buzzing.
Since the ukulele is such a small instrument, it's nice that the Planet Waves capo is really light as well, and since no capo makes your instrument look better, being black and small, it's fairly unobtrusive.
View attachment 106720

I use this one. Simply the best uke capo on the market. I tried the plastic fantastic, ended up in the rubbish.
 
I'll lend another endorsement to the G7th capo. I originally bought mine for banjo, but it works well on my ukes also.
 
Raftergirl I will be very interested in your opinion and comparison of the G7 capo to the Kyser. I have a few capos and I actually like the Kyser best. The reason being is the arm at the back contacting the neck is slimmer and flatter then anything else out there. This coupled with a slim front top section makes chords like E7 still easy to play, see pictures.

People that dismiss the Kyser usually do so based on looks without actually trying it. Plus it clips on to the headstock so you can be cool looking like all the old folk musicians :music:

I am ready to buy the G7 if you say it is better and easier to use then the Kyser.

20180216_165014.jpg20180216_165031.jpg20180216_165138.jpg20180216_165207.jpg
 
Raftergirl I will be very interested in your opinion and comparison of the G7 capo to the Kyser. I have a few capos and I actually like the Kyser best. The reason being is the arm at the back contacting the neck is slimmer and flatter then anything else out there. This coupled with a slim front top section makes chords like E7 still easy to play, see pictures.

People that dismiss the Kyser usually do so based on looks without actually trying it. Plus it clips on to the headstock so you can be cool looking like all the old folk musicians :music:

I am ready to buy the G7 if you say it is better and easier to use then the Kyser.

View attachment 106728View attachment 106729View attachment 106730View attachment 106731
Your third picture demonstrates the issue I'm having with the Kyser. It pokes into the fleshy part of my left (fretting) hand just below my index finger. The song I'm using it for this Sunday is capo 2, with an F#m, D, E7 progression where I notice it a lot. I also can't seem to get a consistent positioning with the Kyser when I have to put it on quickly while performing. I'm using it on my Loprinzi that has the very slim neck. I used this capo a fair amount when I first started playing & it didn't seem to bug me like it does now.
 
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