Beware the cheap capo

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Ryan Mazzocco
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Joined: Sat Feb 04, 2012 6:01 pm
Location: Joplin, MO
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Beware the cheap capo

Post by Ryan Mazzocco »

Okay, I'm sure most of you guys all know this already, but I just found out the hard way so as PSA I wanted to sound the warning for any other poor unsuspecting saps like me.
I don't know how but I have managed to lose every capo I own, but I did it. While I was shopping online for various other things I came across some capos for a very low price. I figured why not, I'll get two of them and if they're not any good I'm only out five bucks.
I was playing last night and clipped one of the new capos on the headstock when I wasn't using it. I left it there over night. This morning I picked up my guitar to practice some new tunes. I needed to capo for the song and when I released the capo from the headstock I felt a slight hesitation and then a very subtle "pop" sound. Apparently it's some kind of plastic or vinyl that melts lacquer. It's barely noticeable, but what if I had left it there for a week? Could have been very bad. There really should be a disclaimer that they are not lacquer safe. I've already had guitar hangers that melted the lacquer on my LP. So, the moral of the story... Just spend the money and save your guitars!
Okay, I'm done whining.
Michael Lewis
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Re: Beware the cheap capo

Post by Michael Lewis »

Ryan, put some cork pads on it. I regularly cut up wine corks to make clamping cauls and for other related uses.
Chuck Tweedy
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Re: Beware the cheap capo

Post by Chuck Tweedy »

Yea, me to. For some reason there are SO MANY wine corks around here!! Where do they keep coming from?!? :lol:
Likes to drink Rosewood Juice
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Ryan Mazzocco
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Re: Beware the cheap capo

Post by Ryan Mazzocco »

but what about the cork from cheap wine that's not really cork?
Chuck Tweedy
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Re: Beware the cheap capo

Post by Chuck Tweedy »

Yea ... that's not really a problem
Likes to drink Rosewood Juice
Arnt Rian
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Re: Beware the cheap capo

Post by Arnt Rian »

Chuck, I though you only drank rosewood juice? ;-)

I bought a couple of packs of cork flooring tiles years ago, I've used it for lining all sorts of cauls, clamps and the like ever since. The material is about 5mm thick. I put it on my Klemmensia clamps as much thinner stock material wore out, I prefer the them this way.

My Elliot capo is padded with leather, I imagine it will last longer than a cork would.
Biff Cooper
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Re: Beware the cheap capo

Post by Biff Cooper »

Leaving a Capo on a guitar is just the worst, ESPECIALLY if the capo is a cheap piece of crap. Usually from China.
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