(Updated 1/3/19)
(Pictured above – Muddy Waters playing an electric with a capo)
Looking for the best capo for the electric guitar? One that works, and doesn’t make the strings go out of tune?
Figuring out what type of capo is best for an electric guitar can be confusing, especially considering that your average capo manufacturer claims that their capos will work just fine for either an acoustic or electric…..which is true most of the time, however there are certain capos that are just to strong for electric guitars and will pull your strings out of tune and can even warp them. Annoying, right?
In this article, you’ll find our top five favorite electric guitar capos. With our top two being being perfect for either an acoustic or an electric guitar.
First however, we need to go over what qualities make a really good electric guitar capo. Which are:
- Light clamping pressure (to prevent the strings from warping during play)
- Is very easily movable up and down the neck
- Thin top section of the capo, sometimes known as either the clamp or sleeve. This is so that you can place the capo as close as you can to the fret.
- Durability, this would seem to be obvious however there are a lot of very cheaply made capos out there (none included here) so I figured I would add this to our list of requirements.
Quick tips:
#1 Always put the capo as close as you can to the frets when playing, this not only improves the sound quality but will also prevent your strings from warping.
#2 Make sure to adjust (when possible) your clamping pressure on your capo. It’s best for it to not be tight, but of course not so loose that it doesn’t work. The less pressure the less chance of there being any warping on your strings.
#5 G7th performance 2 Capo.
PROS: An extremely popular capo, this particular model is known to be extremely simple to use. All you have to do is press down on both sides of the capo until it firmly grips. To release? Simply pull the lever.
This is an awesome Capo because not only can it be operated single handed, but this Capo allows for a simple way to adjust the tension.
CONS: This capo is much more expensive than the others, last I checked they were 45$…..however you can always check the price at Guitar Center. The other issue with the capo, is even though it has a higher price tag….it is not known to be durable, which isn’t a huge deal however because they do come with a lifetime warranty. So If the capo does ever break on you, no worries. You can just send it back to them and get another one.
Things to know about this capo: It does come in three different models, there is the 7.25″ vintage radius, the classical model, and also your normal 6 string model. Make sure you are purchasing the right one if you choose this one.
#4 D’Addario Planet Waves NS Capo Pro
(Check price and reviews at Guitar Center)
PROS: Man this looks nice, elegant and sleek are the first words that come to mind when I see this capo. A lot of capos look all over the place or look cheap, but not this capo. This one is adjustable tension as well, you simply slide the capo on and then adjust the tension with the thumbscrew on the back. Release? Just unscrew the thumbscrew. Very Very easy. Biggest plus? The price. (Only 15$ most places)
CONS: This is not quick-release. Meaning if you need to take it off or readjust you can’t do that very quickly. Also, people have had problems with using these on acoustic guitars, where the tension doesn’t last as long (Since acoustic guitars need more tension than electrics) so if you plan on using this on your acoustic as well….you might want to choose a different option.
#3 Kyser Quick-Change Capo
(Check price and reviews at Guitar Center)
PROS: Technically adjustable tension? The way it works is a huge time saver. (See about this capo below for details), Inexpensive.
CONS: Not very sleek design.
This capo is very weird because it actually comes with a capo version that has less tension than a normal capo for acoustics. HOWEVER, this capo technically does have adjustable tension…….just not in a very conventional way. Watch this video for a better explanation.
Basically they want you to bend the capo? I would never do it, however I find that the tension is just right on these capos how they come (On the low tension models for electrics). So that does save a ton of time where all I have to do is clamp. With the capos I showed before, you have to readjust every time you add the capo which can be a pain.
Also, after reading the comments on this video…..it looks like people have tried bending it….and eventually they snapped.
#2 and #1 The Shubb Standard and Shubb Deluxe Capos
(Check the price for Shubb Standard at Guitar Center)
(Check the price Shubb Deluxe at Guitar Center)
Note: These Capos are almost exactly the same.
I wrote an article about it here.
The only difference is the material, the Shubb standard is made of nickel plated brass, and the Shubb deluxe is made of steel.
Shubb made the deluxe out of steel because steel does not scratch.
So, why are these considered the best capo for electric guitars?
They Have the best option out there for tension adjustment, combining ease and speed. –
Both of the capos have a one time adjustment for tension. Once you figure out the perfect tension, you can set it…..and forget it. Awesome. You simply turn the knob to figure out the right tension for you, and you don’t have to constantly try to figure out the right tension over and over and over again. I love it, best of all if you need it for another guitar, that setting isn’t permanent like other capos so you can readjust it again if needed, or never at all. Awesome.
They are super affordable. –
Most really nice capos can go anywhere from 40$ to a couple hundred. These won’t hurt your pocket like that, in fact you can find them for under 20$ almost anywhere that sells capos. Oh, and if anything goes wrong, they will replace it at no charge to you link to their faq on their website.
The best looking Capo of the bunch. –
It’s a personal opinion, but it just looks so sleek and not bulky and over the top like a lot of the ones you’ll see out there.
Made of good material. –
There’s a lot of plastic capos out there. Shubb goes out of their way to make sure none of their products are anything less than top of the line, in comparison to a lot of the cheap knockoffs made of plastic out there Shubb is top of the line.
Conclusion:
Any of these capos will work great with your electric guitar, it all depends on your personal preference. There are also tons of other great capos out there. That being said, I do see the Shubb as being the all-time winner as they’ve always been, since 1974. They have the best adjustment settings for the lowest price, so your guitar doesn’t have to go out of tune, and they’re also the easiest to use as well (Not to mention they look great).
Anyways, hope you enjoyed the post, if you have any suggestions for other good capos that have come out since this article please leave a comment below! I’ll try and update this article periodically with any updates I find.