Shubb L9 Lite Uke Capo

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Some people argue that using a capo on ukulele is unnecessary, that the chord fingerings are easy enough that you shouldn't need to transpose, and that forcing yourself to play the occasional weird chord will only make you a better musician. For us lazy people, I present the Shubb Lite Ukulele Capo:

http://www.shubb.com/uke/

These are new for 2012, and I couldn't really find any reviews for them. I couldn't even find much on the older brass model, other than some people on here complaining about the weight. Although I hate buying a product without doing some research first, I decided that Shubb are a very reputable company and that this design really isn't much different from any of their others, so it was worth a shot.

Design and appearance:

Upon showing the Shubb to a guitarist friend, she exclaimed, with a squeal of delight, "It's so CUTE!" Seriously, this thing is tiny. And light. The purported weight issues of the brass version are completely fixed. Even when I have it clamped onto my headstock, I can't feel that it's there. I also really like how there isn't anything sticking out from it like there is on trigger-style capos.

These come in a variety of colors. I got a blue one. I know appearance shouldn't really matter with a small accessory like this, but it's really pretty.

5/5

Features and ease of use:

I'd never used a Shubb capo before this one, and it didn't come with instructions, but it was easy enough to figure out on my own. Rubber bits go around long wood thing (that's what she said), pull down on metal doohickey. It's definitely not as fast or simple as a trigger style capo, but it's not exactly brain surgery either.

My favorite feature is that knob on the back. It's meant to allow you to compensate for different neck thicknesses, but you can also use it to adjust how tightly the capo grips the strings, a much touted feature on that new G7th Capo. The G7th probably does it with more finesse and precision, but it costs almost twice as much and weighs a lot more.

Like a said before, this thing is tiny, and it's easy to maneuver around. It has a tendency to move around a little bit whenever I bump it, but I tend to keep it pretty loose. It's never fallen off or moved to a different fret, but it's ever so slightly annoying.

4/5

Tuning, tone, intonation, and sustain:

Like I said before, you can adjust how much it affects your tuning and intonation. If you have it pretty loose on the uke it doesn't really affect it at all.

It definitely changes your tone a little bit. I wouldn't say my tone with it on is worse per se, and it's definitely not a night and day difference, but it's worth mentioning.

I also get slightly less sustain with the capo. Like with the tonal changes, it's barely noticeable and I don't really see myself missing it.

3.5/5

Value:

At $27, there's definitely cheaper capos out there. You are paying for quality though. If you use a capo a lot and can afford spend that much, I'd say it's a pretty good investment.

3.5/5

Reliability:
I've only had it for a couple weeks, so I don't think I can comment on this with any real authority. It seems fairly sturdy and well built though. There are a number of moving parts which could wear out eventually, but Shubb sell replacements on their website.

?/5

Final thoughts:

I'm quite happy with my new capo. I can't say I have a lot to compare it too, as the only other capo I've used is Kyser trigger-style guitar capo I "borrowed" from my dad, which was too big, gripped the neck so hard it seemed like it was trying to strangle my uke, and was meant for a radiused fretboard on top of everything else.

The Shubb does what it should and does it quite well. It's not perfect, but I can't say it's flaws bother me all that much. Overall, I'd say it was money well spent.

4/5
 
really nice review - and I'd agree across the board. I just ordered one of these last week and I'm highly satisfied. I've got a couple of different Shubb capos for various guitars and they are without a doubt the best capos out there. They're not as convenient as other designs but I think they out perform the other brands by a noticeable margin. I'm happy to say the ukulele capo is no exception - been using it for a few days now and it's great. Not sure how much I'll use it, but it's nice to have.

And as far as reliability - I've had one of my Shubb guitar capos for going on 8 or 9 years, with fairly regular use. The rubber is still holding in there, don't see it losing its usefulness anytime in the foreseeable future......
 
Nice review. I have the "heavy" Shubb uke capo. Adjusting to its weight wasn't a problem for me. I love it. I've been using it the last few weeks quite a bit for the Six Seasons of the Ukulele contest.

I love usng a uke capo, since many ukulele arrangements are in the key of C---just at the edge of my comfortable singing range. Transposing can be fun, but the "easy" chords often feel (and sound) better than an assortment of barre chords. Plus it's easier to mix melodies and chords if you've got a couple open strings to pluck. Love the capo. Go, Shubb, go.
 
I got the brass version a little while ago, it does add to the playing possiblities, but it has to be fitted very accurately (much more so than the equivalent on an acoustic guitar) - having said that, the intonation was perfect when in use.
 
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