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Posts: 10
Location: New Hartford, CT | Hello all. My name is Mark and I'm a newbie here. I live in New Hartford and have a Ovation 3862. I haven't played for quite a while and never played with a capo. I'd like to get recommendations for one as well as new strings.
(I was hoping to upload some pictures but couldn't find how. I've added the link to a picture album)
http://public.fotki.com/Markl/ovation/
I understand my Ovation was a prototype model that was never marketed. |
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September 2010
Posts: 79
| Welcome mlevinedc! That's a nice looking git! I'd ask Mike (capo guy) as he seems to collect them. |
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March 2005
Posts: 12750
Location: Boise, Idaho | Schubb and D'Addario |
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November 2006
Posts: 3969
| Elliott . |
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April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Schubb and Keyser for the mid-price
Elliot for the best and also highest price |
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September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Planet
Waves NS Capo
It is light and sturdy and made outta aluminum or titanium or something, comes in black or silver.
And there is also an ABS plastic model that is cheaper but I have not tried... |
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March 2005
Posts: 12750
Location: Boise, Idaho | I like the Planet Waves too. |
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August 2005
Posts: 3736
Location: Sunshine State, Australia | Gee those Elliots look cumbersome. Can't see how they justify their price.
I tried a G7 and hated it.
I don't like the Keyser/Dunlop 'clothespeg' style ones because the spring tension tends to press too hard on the strings affecting intonation.
Shubb's are the only capo for me.
But... I haven't tried the Planet Waves one yet. |
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July 2010
Posts: 187
Location: Nahant, MA | I like the Planet Waves Dual Action capo. A little bigger than the other but I find it klutz-proof (key attribute for me). |
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November 2006
Posts: 3969
| Originally posted by muzza:
Gee those Elliots look cumbersome. Can't see how they justify their price. Admittedly not for everyone. I never thought their price could be justified until I tried one. Think a polygamous marriage of the finest German engineering to Italian styling and Swiss functionality. They simply work, the only capo I've ever used that I don't have to adjust the tuning. Not cumbersome at all, extremely easy to use. |
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January 2009
Posts: 4535
Location: Flahdaw | I'd like to steal an Elliot from G8r, but I wouldn't pay $100+ for one. I use cheapo Kysers |
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December 2004
Posts: 4394
Location: East Tennessee | Shubb is the best all around capo.
If you like the design of an Elliott try a Paige . Same principle light weight and a lot cheaper.
The Planet Waves NS is also a good choice. |
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April 2008
Posts: 2985
Location: Sydney, Australia | Ouch those Elliott's are expensive! Anyone here go for the gold-plated option? C'mon, don't be shy ...
Oh, and I use a G7 and am very happy with it. |
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October 2005
Posts: 4032
Location: Utah | Originally posted by mlevinedc:
I haven't played for quite a while and never played with a capo. I'd like to get recommendations for one as well as new strings. I prefer simple quick capos. Proper placement is as close to the fret as possible while still getting a clear note. Not in the middle between frets, because that can stretch the string and make the notes sharp, and not on top of the fret because that will make the notes dull/muted.
Keyser is fine. I prefer the Dunlop Trigger, which is quite similar. Even better is the Planet Waves Dual Action, if you're obsessive about intonation perfection.
Strings, now there is a Pandora's Box topic! You'll probably prefer light gauge Phosphor Bronze strings. Mediums are too heavy for most people, though on some guitars the tone is much better with mediums. Extra-lights can sound pretty weak. The factory ships with lights.
The gold standard for me are Light Phos-Bnz Martin Marquis. The downside is that they tend to go dead pretty fast. With a new-to-me guitar I always start with those and then branch out to other brands. Buy a half dozen different brands and see what you like.
Each guitar and owner will have their own preference.
On one Ovation I really liked Elixir coated strings. They are slippery, so no finger squeeks, and last a long time. On other Ovations they sound muddled. Most coated strings do sound less crisp than uncoated.
Favorite brands include Dean Markley, GHS, Martin SP (last longer than Martin Marquis but sound great), D'Addario.
I tear off the front of the string package, write the install date on it, and put it in the guitar case. I write notes on it, such as how long they last, how they sound, if they are stiff or flexible feeling, if they have good/poor intonation, etc. After a half dozen different brands there is usually a clear winner and a clear loser, and several that are pretty good. |
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October 2005
Posts: 4032
Location: Utah | Capos are like socks in the laundry, they mysteriously disappear! I buy at least two per year for myself, and my daughters buy at least a couple each, too. |
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April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Actually, according to some very fine professional players, placing a capo on the fret is the proper way to do it.
Not sure about other brands but an Elliot on the fret is crisp and fresh and certainly not dull/muted. |
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April 2010
Posts: 1227
Location: Connersville, Indiana | Dunlop trigger, never a problem with tuning, D'Addario 12's. Just like FlySig said, date the wrapper and play on. |
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September 2005
Posts: 3618
Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | Kysor + D'Addario EXP Lts |
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May 2002
Posts: 1445
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada | Shubbs for me. I have a regular one, a 12-string and a classical model with no radius for flat fretboards. |
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October 2005
Posts: 4032
Location: Utah | Originally posted by stephent28:
Actually, according to some very fine professional players, placing a capo on the fret is the proper way to do it.
Not sure about other brands but an Elliot on the fret is crisp and fresh and certainly not dull/muted. Nobody ever accused me of being a "very fine professional player". :)
I place the capo immediately behind the fret, sort of touching the back edge so the string is pressing on the fret and not pushed down to the wood. It seems that one string starts getting dull sounding if I put the capo more on top of the fret. Moving it any further mutes all the strings. |
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December 2004
Posts: 4394
Location: East Tennessee | This looks interesting.
Capo and tuner all in one. |
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January 2009
Posts: 4535
Location: Flahdaw | Originally posted by Capo Guy:
This looks interesting.
Capo and tuner all in one. |
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December 2004
Posts: 4394
Location: East Tennessee | Originally posted by dark bar:
Originally posted by Capo Guy:
This looks interesting.
Capo and tuner all in one.
It does seem that everyone is adding more features to stuff.
I bought an indoor/outdoor thermometer it also gives me the date,day of the week,time(atomic clock) and eats batteries like crazy. :mad: |
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August 2005
Posts: 3736
Location: Sunshine State, Australia | Originally posted by G8r:
...the only capo I've ever used that I don't have to adjust the tuning. That's why I like the Shubbs so much - same deal, much cheaper.
And I put it behind the frets, otherwise it gets in the way of my hand on certain chord shapes. |
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November 2006
Posts: 3969
| Shubbs are my favorite right behind the Elliott, but I still have occasional (slight) intonation issues with them. Not on every fret, and not on every guitar, but there nonetheless. |
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Capo?
