Best capo & slide

F

Feanor IV

New member
Hey guys,

could you please tell me what's the best capo and the best slide you know of? I have a crappy capo and a plastic slide, and I'd like to buy something good... Thaaaaanks :)
 
I have a shubb capo that I really like, lot of my bluegrass friends seem to like them too. I prefer the chrome steel dunlop slide mainly because its a perfect fit for my little finger and easy to control.
 
I don't use a capo (or at least very rarely) but I do play a little slide. There is a wide variety when it comes to slides. The variety is not only in size but also thickness and weight, also glass or metal. I learned on dobro (using a bar instead of a tube) and at first the conversion to a tube slide felt strange. I tried a lot of different ones, both for sound and feel, even tried deep socket wrenches, bottle necks, assorted pieces of pipe and almost anything else I thought might work. Finally I settled in on a very heavy, thick stainless steel one, I guess the weight made a difference to me. Thin slides, especially metal ones sound tinny and very light weight ones are harder to control. Glass and thick metal ones have a softer or more mellow tone. You should try a few and see which sounds to suit you and which feels most natural to you. For me it's a heavy metal slide, on heavy strings, with a high action (no fret rattle) and finger picking, but thats my style, it works for me, you have to find what works for you.
 
Best capo I've found by far is the G7 capo. It's pretty pricey at $40, but it's a thing of beauty. It combines the best traits of the Shubb (precise tension, clean tone) with the best traits of the Keyser (easy on/off, stays put on your headstock when not in use, for handy live work).

Slides are much more a matter of taste, but I like the Jetslide. It's a metal bar welded to a ring that goes around your ring finger, with a pinky tab to hold it in place. Let go of it and it drops out of the way so you can play normally. Grab it with your pinky, and it's instant slide! And it's good for tone and tension as well. An outside sort of option is to get a little nut extension from Elderly Instruments, which can turn any guitar into a lap steel. Then use a steel to play slide, which sounds MUCH better than any finger slide. However, it's more limiting as well.
 
My favorite slide by far is a glass bottle neck. First time I ever saw one I had a pretty good chuckle, but after I used it, I couldn't stop. I don't play with a slide often, and when I do I don't think it could be considered the traditional styling, but I get some really funky stuff using it.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Big-Heart-light...394903534QQcategoryZ85857QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

As far as capos go, I use a Kyser. It's all I've ever used, so I don't know any different.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Guitar/Accessories?sku=361600
 
I use a capo a lot when playing flamenco guitar. The Shubb is nice because it's fast to put on or move and it's inconspicuous - pretty much all that's seen by the audience is a black line across the fretboard. They last forever.

Tim
 
For capos, nothing beats a Shubb. The kysers and other similar spring driven capos wear out, and then you need to buy a new one. The Shubbs last forever, and the only part which can wear out is the rubber sleeve that contacts the strings, which can be easily replaced.

For a slide, that is a much more personal thing. I like a small diameter brass slide which has very thin walls. I've had it since I was like thirteen, so I've got some history with it, and it is just flat out comfortable for me, as it fits my ring finger perfectly, stoping right where I want it at the knuckle. I also find its lighter weight much easier to control.


Light

"Cowards can never be mora."
M.K. Gandhi
 
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