The Best Guitar Capos
When learning guitar, some chords are easy to pick up. Other chords in keys with many sharps or flats, however, can be difficult to learn. That's where a guitar capo comes into play. This simple device works as a clamp across a single fret, effectively raising the pitch of each string. Playing a Db chord, for example, becomes as simple as placing a capo on the first fret and playing a C chord shifted up one fret. Perhaps you're comfortable with more complex chords but simply like the sound of your guitar with a capo. Whatever your needs may be, we have you covered with the best guitar capos on the market.
What to Look For
When searching for the best guitar capos, we kept these criteria in mind: Does the capo work on electric and acoustic guitars? What kind of extra accessories or features come included? How easy is it to clamp and change the capo on the fretboard? For example, we recommend Shubb’s GC-20E electric guitar capo because of its curved design, which matches the electric guitar’s curved fretboard. It’s a top choice capo for electric guitarists because of its high-quality construction. On the other hand, if you’re an acoustic guitar player, you might be interested in the superb capo from Tanmus that won’t scratch the fine finish of your beautiful guitar. Check out our reviews below to learn more about our favorite options.
Wingo Guitar Capo for Acoustic and Electric Guitars
The king of the capos
This might be the last guitar capo you’ll ever need. It has silicone pads on both sides, so you won’t have to worry about scratching your guitar. And while it applies strong pressure on the strings, this capo doesn’t require a lot of hand strength to open. That makes changing frets a breeze, as you can quickly open up the capo and slide it up or down without straining your hand. It works on acoustic, electric, and even 12-string guitars. Plus, this capo comes with five beautiful picks — because, as we all know, one can never have enough guitar picks on hand.
Pros:
- You can tighten and loosen this capo depending on your instrument. A ukulele, for example, might use a looser grip.
- We love the stylish look. The finish doesn’t fade away from constant use, so it’ll always appear fresh and new.
Cons:
- While it may appear to be made of rosewood, that’s simply the finish. The actual capo is made from the standard aluminum alloy used in most guitar capos.
UGY Guitar Capo for Acoustic and Electric Guitars
Dependable strength
The jack-of-all-trades guitar capo has arrived. This deceptively simple capo can be used for acoustic, 12-string, electric, and bass guitars — and it even works with ukuleles. Made with silicone-covered steel, this durable little capo stays resilient against damage without scratching up surfaces like metal capos. Whether you have nylon or steel strings, this baby can handle it all. While it might not look as strong as its metal counterparts, this puppy provides ample strength across all the strings. You get an even, clear tone without intonation issues.
Pros:
- This capo withstands electric guitar playing techniques such as bending and whammy-bar effects.
- Because it doesn’t use an all-steel design, this guitar capo is lightweight and won’t scratch sensitive surfaces like glass, wood, or paint the way a metal capo would.
- Its tight tension provides a crisp tone and tight intonation and doesn’t create any unwanted buzzing noises.
Cons:
- Unfortunately, this capo does not allow for tension adjustments for special use cases.
Tanmus Three-in-One Metal Capo for Acoustic and Electric Guitars
Twang your heart out
The ultimate multi-functional guitar capo is here. It comes with a built-in pick holder, pin-puller, and, of course, a powerful spring to clamp on frets. As a bonus, it even comes with some guitar picks with different hardnesses (soft, medium, hard). Whether you’re into playing blues, rock, country, R&B, or classical, this will suit your preferred genres. This capo’s ergonomic handle makes it easy to open and close with an ergonomic handle while still providing a powerful force on the strings. We also appreciate the pick holder’s snug fit, which keeps your pick firmly in place and easy to grab when you need it.
Pros:
- The handle uses an ergonomic design that makes it easy to grip and open this capo. People with weaker hands can still have an easy time using this capo.
- You won’t hear buzzing or ringing from this capo. It provides a tight seal on the strings and clean, even intonation.
Cons:
- We found that quick fret changes with this capo were a bit slower than some other guitar capos with upright grip designs.
Shubb Electric Guitar Capo
Rock on in any key
If you’re into electric guitars, you might have already heard of Shubb. They’re an industry standard for a reason, with dependable guitar capos that professional musicians use around the world. This capo works specifically for electric guitars, with a curved bar that fits most electric guitar fretboards. It’s also fully adjustable to fit a wide range of electric guitar types.
Pros:
- Shubb offers one of the best adjustable tension guitar capos on the market, with fine-tuning capabilities. We appreciate that once you set it in place, you don’t have to recalibrate it every time.
- The quick-release mechanism makes it easy to attach and easy to remove.
Cons:
- Unfortunately, this capo doesn’t work as well for quick fret changes compared to the more common spring capos.
Kyser KG6P Quick-Change Capo for 6-string Acoustic Guitars
For those fast key changes
Are you into quick key changes with a guitar capo? If so, you’ll want to check out this speedy, simple-to-use capo from Kyser. It’s perfect for changing frets on the fly in the middle of a song or between songs. Because of its shape, it makes it less tiring to grip and slide repeatedly. And have we mentioned how rugged it is? Because this capo is tough as nails.
Pros:
- The Kyser KG6P features a beautiful finish and high-quality craftsmanship that will last for years.
- While it provides a powerful tension to the strings, the long handle offers enough leverage to make opening this capo easy. It won’t tire your hand out just from a few uses.
Cons:
- This capo comes at a more premium cost than other models.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between an electric guitar capo and an acoustic one?
Electric guitars often have more of a curve to their fretboard, so the capo needs to accommodate that curvature. Acoustic guitars tend to have more string tension and require more force to get a tight seal on the strings and fretboard.
How do I set up a guitar capo?
Most guitar capos use a spring with a handle. You simply have to open the capo and clamp it over the desired fret. Make sure it’s as close to the metal fret as possible (above it) so that there’s an even tone, and keep it straight along that fret line.
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