Partial Capo FAQ

What is the point of using a partial capo?
The partial capo expands the realm of possibilities of what you can do with a guitar, similar to the way altered tunings offer new options. You only have so many fingers, and a partial capo changes the geometry of what your guitar can do. It has several advantages over altered tunings in that 1) you don't have to retune 2) You don't have to re-learn the fingerboard with each new capo configuration, the way you do when you try a new tuning, and 3) It allows you to sound like you are in an open tuning, while also allowing you to get out of the "drone zone" and still play "normal" sounding chords when you want to. So in the same song you could sound like you were in a different tuning and also sound like standard tuning. Just like a tuning, a partial capo gives you open strings in new places. Especially if you play solo, every extra string that you can keep ringing can really help your total sound.

What kinds of music and players is it best for?
The rule of thumb is that the partial capo is useful in pretty much the same kinds of music that benefit from changing the tuning. Which means music that features ringing open strings, and music that stays around in the same key or key family. You might even be able to arrange a classical piece and get the notes exactly right because of where they happen to land. Partial capos are often used in folk, blues, gospel, celtic, and old-time Appalachian music-- the kind that often features drone strings. There is no reason you could not write or arrange a folk, country or pop song with one. It's great for fiddle tunes, and is least often used in jazz or swing, which is a lot about not playing open strings, and about changing keys and playing 2-5-12 and 6-2-5-1 progressions rather than droning a bass string. (Essay about partial capos & jazz guitar.) SInce the partial capo is largely about keeping some extra open strings ringing, its greatest value is probably for solo players. If you play electric guitar in a band, it's possible that no one would even notice you were using it, since one more string ringing is not so dramatic.

I already use different tunings. Why would I need a partial capo?
Two of the companies that make partial capos erroneously call partial capos "open tunings." Someone who uses a lot of re-tunings will probably get confused more than someone who had never used a different tuning, because some of the things you do with tunings the capo can imitate so well that it sounds just like an open tuning. A partial capo actually allows a different set of new chord voicings than a tuning does, and each "chord universe" has some of its own unique chord voicings. In truth, they are both great ways to expand the capabilities of the guitar, and neither is better than the other. The tuning world and the capo world are sort of mirror opposites, and they both have musical value in similar ways. If you are really serious about getting all the sounds out of your guitar, you will want to explore both. And if that is not enough, try doing both at the same time, and use a partial capo in an altered tuning! Make a fresh pot of coffee first, because it is confusing!

It looks like the universal capo like the Third Hand can do everything. Why would I need anything else?
It is true that the Third Hand Capo or the SpiderCapo can clamp all 63 different combinations of strings at every fret (and also function as a normal capo), but most of those 63 are not musically useful. The universal capos block access to the notes under and behind them, and some of the single-purpose capos (especially the Esus 3-string version, which I use all the time) allow you to play large amounts of good music that you couldn't do with a universal capo. The Woodie's G-Band is so inobtrusive that for the applications where it is useful, it is vastly more effective than a Third Hand because you can reach around it like it is not even there.

How many kinds of partial capos are there?
There are now about 16 kinds of partial capos, and new ones show up every year now. The list includes capos that are totally universal like the Third Hand and the Spider Capo, and also single-purpose capos that clamp 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 strings, rather than all 6. There is no "clear winner" among the capos, and all of them have advantages and disadvantages. Once you start exploring the world of partial capos, you'll probably end up with a lot of different capos, and you may even get some ideas of your own and slice up some custom capos of your own.

This looks like something for beginners. Why would a good player use one?
This is probably a big part of the reason the idea has not spead faster– because it's easy to think it's for someone else. In truth, partial capos are equally useful for all levels of players. The fact that a partial capo "frees" up some extra fingers is exactly what makes it so helpful for beginners, and also why it allows good players with those "extra fingers" to do fancy things.

This looks like something for serious guitarists. Can beginners use it too?
There are only a handful of good 1 and 2-chord songs out there for beginners to get started with (Many of them are included in the epic Song Train book/4CD set) and you really need to master 3 basic chords and be able to switch them quickly to have access to a large body of playable songs for beginners. The amount of time and skill it takes to master D-G-A7 or G-C-D7 chord changes is considerable, and even adult beginners find that it takes them months to get to where they can switch chords fast enough to get through even a simple song. A partial capo can allow you to play 3-chord songs with 1 finger, so anyone, including quite young children, can play thousands of songs instantly. (The only drawback is that the best-sounding 1-finger chords are in the key of E, which can be capoed up to F, F# G or even A, and the best keys for children's music are Bb, B and C. See the Duck Soup Guitar method for some more in-depth ideas.)

Which capo is best to start with?
That's a tricky question, though a natural one. The 3-string Esus capo (there are currently 2 models, Shubb [clamp] and Kyser [spring]) is the one that most players are using, and it quickly opens the gates to the "magic kingdom" of partial capo. Read a careful comparison of the Shubb and Kyser Esus partial capos. You might want to get one of those, have a blast for a while, and then get a universal capo and see what else is out there, once you are convinced the idea of the partial capo has musical value for you. If you are a good player, or maybe a more scientific kind of thinker you might start with the inexpensive, universal Third Hand, try a lot of configurations, see which ones work best for your music, and then think about whether to invest in the more expensive single-purpose capos like the 3 or 4-string models. I have about 5 capos in every guitar case, though all together they cost less than even a lousy set of golf clubs.

Which is the best partial capo I can buy?
Again there is no clear answer. Some people use only the Third Hand and are happy. (Read an in-depth comparison of the Third Hand and SpiderCapo universal partial capos.) It's a matter of personal taste whether you like the Shubb [clamp] or the Kyser [spring] type capo mechanisms, and like Coke and Pepsi, people usually choose one over the other and stick with it. If you get serious about partial capos, you will probably end up with a bag full of them. They are small and durable, and they all have advantages and disadvantages.

I play a classical guitar. Will these capos work on my guitar?
Due to the flat fingerboard and wide necks of classical guitars, you may have trouble with some of the factory partial capos. The Third Hand works fine. The SpiderCapo comes in a wide-neck classical version, and the Esus capo from Shubb usually works on the 2nd fret but not higher up the neck. (The Kyser Short Cut is too small to clamp even at fret 2 of a classial guitar.) You will probably want to get a 5-string Shubb c8b Drop E capo, trim the rubber sleeve with scissors and saw off the brass capo end with a hacksaw. (It takes about a minute to cut through the soft brass even with a cheap hacksaw.)

I have a curved fingerboard. Is there a partial capo that will work?
If the curvature of your fingerboard is a problem, your only solution at this point is to use a Third Hand. You can take off all the rubber discs, and bend the brass pin as needed, then put the discs back on. You can't really bend the Shubb or Kyser capos, though very few guitars have that much radius. This is only rarely a problem with partial capos, since they are in general clamping less than all 6 strings.

I have a 7 or 8-string guitar. What can I do?
We can make you a custom Third Hand Capo with a longer pin and more discs. Contact us. Spider Capo also makes an XXL version that you can add levers for 7 or 8-string instruments.

If I play banjo or mandolin, can I use a partial capo too?
There are some interesting things you can do. This area is unexplored, but I use a partial capo quite a bit on my octave mandolin and mandocello, though not on a regular mandolin. The partial capo is mostly useful for solo players, and if you are playing mandolin in a band it is possible no one is going to notice. If you are playing solo, they probably will.

Do you ship to other countries other than the US?
Yes. Partial capos don't weigh very much, and we can mail them for only a few dollars shipping cost anywhere in the world.