Despite their simple design and relative low-cost, the best guitar capos are powerful additions to any guitarists arsenal. When used effectively, a capo will open up your creative potential rejuvenating your tired old chord progressions and adding another tool to your songwriting.
Here at Guitar World we've been using capos for years, whether its just transposing a chord progression to a different key or completely revoicing a composition for two different guitars during recording. We've tested all the different kinds of capo, whether they're quick release, trigger capos, or the kind you screw on with a clamp. We've used capos at gigs, at home during songwriting sessions, and in the studio to change things up, so we've got a great overview of which are most effective, whether playing electric, acoustic, classical, or 12-string guitars.
There's a lot of different capos to choose from, and different guitar types will require a particular capo, so you'll need to make sure you're picking the right one for you. We've arranged all of our favorite capos by use case to make things easier for you but if you have any more questions, stop by our buying advice section which has loads of common questions answered by the guitar gurus here at Guitar World.
Product guide
Type: Wrap spring clutch
Weight: 63g
Adjustable tension: Yes
Suitable for: 6-string acoustic or electric
+ Suits any fretboard radius
+ Easy to operate, even one-handed
+ Reasonably lightweight and slim
- Overkill for your first capo
You can buy a capo for less than 10 bucks, so what’s G7th’s big idea charging just shy of $55? Can it really be worth the outlay?
Well, the G7th Performance 3 ART features the company’s Adaptive Radius Technology – a system within the top bar which adjusts to the curvature of your guitar’s fretboard. The benefit? In theory, there should be no buzzing strings at the capo’d fret as the device makes even contact with all six strings. In turn, that gives the best possible tuning stability too.
Coupled with a rock-solid build, comfortable one-handed usability, and, actually being not quite the priciest offering here, the G7th is worth consideration for any guitarist who demands high performance from their capos.
Type: Quick-release spring-clamp
Weight: 63.5g
Adjustable tension: No
Material: Aircraft-grade aluminium
Suitable for: 6-string acoustic or electric
+ Ease of use
+ Robust build quality
- Tough competition from Ernie Ball
Dunlop’s Trigger capo has been around for a while. Some would say it’s another of those ‘industry standards’. Well, in 2020, it has a natural competitor in the Ernie Ball Axis model, both being spring-loaded quick-release designs.
Like the Axis, you can easily change the key with just a squeeze of the Trigger’s spring-loaded arms. Easy!
However, despite the Trigger’s reassuringly sturdy build – sure to offer steady intonation in use – the Axis has it licked for both price and flexibility. There’s nothing to dislike here though. It’s a great capo with proven longevity. If you want one, you can be sure the Trigger will serve you well.
Type: Quick-release spring-clamp
Weight: 99.8g
Adjustable tension: No
Material: Lightweight aluminium
Suitable for: 6, 7-string acoustic or electric
+ Quick, single-handed operation
+ Works with curved and flat fretboards
+ Suitable for six- and seven-string guitars
- Those arms may get in the way
Ernie Ball’s tasty-looking Axis capo sure has curb appeal but its talents aren’t purely skin-deep. Its main strength is easy, one-handed operation, which makes it our top pick for electric guitar players.
Need to move your capo mid-song? No problem! Just grab the Axis and move it. The springs deal with the tensioning for you. As long as you’re careful not to bend the strings in the process, capos don’t come easier to use than this.
And there’s no need to worry about the curvature of your guitar’s fretboard either. The Axis has two rubber-padded arms – one for flat fretboards and one for radiused. Just flip the capo around to suit your ’board. We do feel the arms can get in the way a little, but, generally, the ergonomics are pretty good so we’re not complaining.
Type: Wraparound
Weight: 45g
Adjustable tension: Yes
Material: Metal
Suitable for: 6-string acoustic
+ Even pressure ensures good intonation
+ Leave it behind the nut when not in use
- Can’t be adjusted for specific radiuses
- Not the quickest position shifts
We just had to include a wraparound in our list and the Paige is a worthy contender for your cash. A tension screw sits at the middle of the back of the neck, pulling on the capo’s front arm with even pressure across the fretboard. It’s a design which largely minimises sideways string pull – so expect steady tuning.
A version for electric guitar includes thicker rubber to allow for easier string bends and to accommodate all but the most curvaceous of fretboard radiuses. A wider variant is available too – an important concern with wraparounds. Make sure to measure your guitar neck to ensure it’ll fit the Paige’s 2.062 inch width (or 2.187 for the wide model) before buying.
Type: Lever/screw operated
Weight: 68g
Adjustable tension: Yes
Material: Nickel-plated brass
Suitable for: 6-string classical
+ Svelte shape won’t impede playing
+ Other models available for acoustic, banjo
- Lever/screw is slower than other designs
With the Standard C series of capos, Shubb has integrated many features previously only available in the S model. Deluxe spec at the standard price, then. Bargain! A capo of svelte design, its diminutive frame shouldn’t inhibit your playing around the clamped fret either.
Simply flip the lever to lock the capo in place or remove it – after you’ve adjusted the screw tensioner for optimal pressure, that is. Sure, it’s barely a 20-second task, but if you regularly move your capo around the fretboard or to a second guitar, the speed of a quick-release capo may be preferable.
Still, it’s a minor gripe. This is a great design for classical guitars, a well-built industry standard that should give years of reliable use. Buy with confidence.
Type: Trigger
Weight: 68g
Adjustable tension: No
Material: Aluminium
Suitable for: 12-string, 7-string, 8-string
+ Holds 12 strings tight
+ Strong steel spring
- Can be hard to open
With a 12-string guitar, you’ll need a dedicated capo as it requires much more force and a wider clamp to get correct intonation and no buzzing. The Kyser 12-String Quick-Change is perfect for 12 and extended-range guitars.
The ultra-strong steel spring provides excellent clamping, ensuring the intonation is spot on and you don’t get any strings that buzz. It can be difficult to clamp on for some, but once it’s on it will stay there.
Kyser is renowned for sturdily made capos and this one is no different. Made from aluminium it offers sturdy build quality and best of all, it’s relatively cheap. If you need a 12-string capo or one for your 7 or 8-string guitar, this is one of the best.
Type: Screw/spring-clamp
Weight: 45g
Adjustable tension: Yes
Material: Aircraft-grade aluminium
Suitable for: Six- or12-string acoustic or electric
+ Ergonomic slimline design
+ Micrometer adjustment helps minimize buzz
- You may need a second capo
- Not much really
Both lightweight and slimline, this capo from D’addario is designed to have as little negative impact on your playing as possible.
Minimal mass means the NS Pro doesn’t weigh your guitar’s neck down (a potential concern when capo-ing at the 1st or 2nd fret) and its diminutive stature makes for easy fretting beside the capo.
This model is for guitars with radiused fretboards. That means you’ll need another capo for classical guitar or generally flatter-radiused instruments, which, to be fair D’Addario does offer. Just be aware this isn’t a one-size-fits-all capo.
Type: Quick-release clamp
Weight: 45.4g
Adjustable tension: Yes
Material: Plastic
Suitable for: Six-string acoustic or electric
+ Fast clamp system
+ Adjustable tension
+ Lightweight design
- Takes some learning to use
Despite pretty much everything being monikered as ‘smart’ these days, the Fender Smart Capo really is quite clever. Its patent-pending design makes it the perfect capo for the player that needs to make rapid changes.
You can easily move this capo with one hand, great for performers when you need to quickly switch between songs or even in the middle of the song if you’re the daring kind. The squeeze on nature means that you can always add the perfect amount of tension too.
It’s super lightweight as well, so unlike some of the more cumbersome offerings it won’t change the balance of your guitar in the slightest.
Type: Side-grip universal partial capo
Weight: 45g
Adjustable tension: Yes
Material: Stainless steel shaft / Aluminium knob
Suitable for: Six-string acoustic or electric
+ Create alternate tunings without retuning your guitar
+ Fret notes above or below the capo
- Can impede string bending
A creative take on a humble device, the SpiderCapo allows you to clamp each string individually, in turn offering up a world of alternate tunings – many that you might not have otherwise tried. All without actually retuning a string!
You could, for instance, place a SpiderCapo at 2nd position, clamp the fretted strings of an open A chord and leave the others open – that’s open A tuning. You can only capo one fret however, so more complex chordal tunings are not an option.
The SpiderCapo is suitable for any fretboard radius, but you’ll be adjusting pressure on each individual string – which is a relatively slow process.
FAQs
There are loads of different capos, all of which will work on different instruments. At first, it can seem a little confusing, but with our expert knowledge, you'll soon have the right one for your instrument.
What is a guitar capo used for?
Primarily a guitar capo is used for changing the key of your instrument. For example, if you place a capo on the second fret of your guitar and play the chord shape that would ordinarily be an open E major, you’ll now be playing an F# major instead. This can be really useful when working with different singers, as they may need the pitch of the song changed to match their respective vocal range.
Capos also offer up interesting uses when revoicing chords. You can take a regular chord progression, add the capo and change the chord shapes. This gives you the same chords but with a different voice, and thus a more interesting sound. Pair it up with a guitar playing the original voicings and you can add a much richer tone to your recordings.
Lastly, a capo can be used as a purely creative tool, allowing you to use ringing open strings to create chords that would be impossible to fret without the use of a capo. Many bands over the years have utilized this, so next time you’re feeling uninspired, whack your capo on and try those same chord progressions again - you might well find something truly inspiring at your fingertips!
Do capos fit all guitars?
Ultimately your first consideration when choosing one of the best capos should be to choose one that fits your guitar. Most brands offer a range of options, so if you see a capo you like, there’ll probably be one designed to fit your guitar.
Generally, capos are designed to fit as universally as possible, so you shouldn't need to buy a specific capo unless your neck or fretboard is exceptionally different from the norm. A capo that fits on a regular acoustic guitar will most likely do the same job on an electric. There are, however, specific capos for Ukuleles, 12-string guitars, and classical guitars.
The reason for this is obvious with ukuleles as they're much smaller, less so with the other two. Because of the extra set of strings on a 12-string acoustic or electric, you'll need a higher tension to effectively clamp down the strings. On a classical guitar, it comes down to the flat fretboard radius as we mentioned before, which requires a specific capo design to work properly.
What is fretboard radius?
You might be confused by all this talk of fretboard radiuses, but you needn't be. Radius refers to the curvature of this vital part of your guitar. Some guitars (like certain vintage Fenders) feature rounded boards, whereas others are near flat. While each has its own benefits, suffice it to say that different fretboard designs represent a compromise in capo design.
Fix a rounded capo on a flat fretboard (or vice versa) and you’ll end up with unwanted string buzz (the noise made where strings aren’t fully clamped) and poor tuning (where strings are pushed sharp from over-tightening the capo). In a perfect world, every capo would apply even force across all six strings (and at every fret position), in order to prevent these problems.
Generally, capos can be divided into radiused capos for rounder fretboards; flatter designs, typically for shreddy SuperStrats and classical guitars; and all-in-ones – capos that either accommodate different radiuses (such as the G7th) or incorporate both a flat surface and a rounded one into their design.
How we choose
A guitar capo is a relatively simple bit of kit but it has a very important job to do for guitar players. A poorly designed capo will 'pull' the string out of tune and clamp down with uneven force resulting in bad intonation and fret buzz.
When we test a guitar capo will start by assessing how rugged it is. Does it feel as though it's going to put up with the abuse that comes with playing live or working in a busy studio? Does it have any extra features to make life easier for guitarists like a quick-release system or adjustable tension?
Once we've thoroughly assessed its features, we'll then try the capo for real. Depending on the type that may be on an electric, acoustic, classical, 12-string guitars or even a ukulele. The capo needs to clamp down evenly across all the strings, regardless of how many are there, ensuring that each string is locked down.
We'll then look at the intonation. A bad capo design can put your guitar out of tune, but a good capo won't affect the tuning of the guitar when you put it on. Poor clamping or uneven tension can also result in fret buzz, giving you dead notes that don't ring out.
A great capo will press your strings down, retain tuning and intonation, and be nice and easy to use and that's what we're looking for when we're testing for a truly great guitar capo.
Read more about our rating system, how we choose the gear we feature, and exactly how we test each product.
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Below, you'll find more information about the expert author of this guide.
Chris has been the Editor of Total Guitar magazine since 2020. Prior to that, he was at the helm of Total Guitar's world-class tab and tuition section for 12 years. He's a former guitar teacher with 35 years playing experience and he holds a degree in Philosophy & Popular Music. Chris has interviewed Brian May three times, Jimmy Page once, and Mark Knopfler zero times – something he desperately hopes to rectify as soon as possible.
Matt is a Junior Deals Writer here at Guitar World. He regularly tests and reviews music gear with a focus on guitars, amps, pedals, modelers, and pretty much anything else guitar-related. Responsible for over 60 buying guides, a large part of his role is helping guitarists find the best deals on gear. Matt worked in music retail for 5 years at Dawsons Music and Northwest Guitars and has written for various music sites including MusicRadar, Guitar Player, Guitar.com, Ultimate Guitar, and Thomann’s t.blog.
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