| Author |
Topic: Lap Steel capo |
Carey Hofer
From:
South Dakota, USA
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Posted 14 Aug 2022 2:01 pm |
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| I was watching a PBS Bela Fleck concert today on PBS. I noticed Jerry Douglas using a capo on his dobro. Made me think. I have one tune I did in C6th in the key of C. I used some open strings in it. When I switched to using A6th of course I didn't the open strings anymore. Some one is singing so we can't change keys to A. It just doesn't sound the same without the open strings. Has anyone had any experience using a capo on 8 string lap steel? If so, what capo do you recommend? |
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Jack Hanson
From:
San Luis Valley, USA
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Posted 14 Aug 2022 5:24 pm
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| Have you considered a second instrument (or a multi-neck console) with separate A6 & C6 tunings? |
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Carey Hofer
From:
South Dakota, USA
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Posted 14 Aug 2022 7:13 pm
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| Possibly but I thought the capo would be easier for now. |
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Stefan Robertson
From:
Hertfordshire, UK
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K Maul
From:
Hadley, NY/Hobe Sound, FL
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Posted 15 Aug 2022 4:22 am
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Beard Wave or Charlie’s will fit an 8 string.
_________________
Kevin Maul: Airline, Beard, Clinesmith, Decophonic, Evans, Excel, Fender, Fluger, Gibson, Hilton, Ibanez, Justice, K+K, Live Strings, MOYO, National, Oahu, Peterson, Quilter, Rickenbacher, Sho~Bud, Supro, TC, Ultimate, VHT, Williams, X-otic, Yamaha, ZKing. |
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Jack Hanson
From:
San Luis Valley, USA
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Posted 15 Aug 2022 6:52 am
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| Carey Hofer wrote: |
| Possibly but I thought the capo would be easier for now. |
I've always found it cumbersome changing a capo on the fly in a gigging situation. I have Charlie's unit; excellent quality, but I rarely use it. But I also have a boatload of steels, so it's moot. Easier for me to change instruments on the fly than installing/adjusting a capo.
https://charliescapo.com/ |
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Peter Jacobs
From:
Northern Virginia
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Posted 15 Aug 2022 3:11 pm
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I use a capo all the time in live shows. There are some things that just sound better with open strings. I use a Walworth or Leno (some day I may get a Charlie’s) and can be capped up in a few seconds. We plan our set list to accommodate key changes.
_________________
Peter
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www.splinterville.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@splinterville6278/videos |
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Michael Breid
From:
Eureka Springs, Arkansas, USA
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Posted 15 Aug 2022 3:47 pm Home made dobro capo on youtube.
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| Check out youtube for a home made dobro capo. I made one, and they work fairly well. I'll probably make a couple more with different inserts to see what has the best tone. Right now my insert is a small length of 3/16th" brass rod. |
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Carey Hofer
From:
South Dakota, USA
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Posted 16 Aug 2022 12:12 pm
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| Good suggestions guys. I am kinda partial to Charlie's Capo but I will maybe do a little more research before I decide. $80-100 is a sizeable chunk of change. |
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Jeff Highland
From:
New South Wales, Australia
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Posted 19 Aug 2022 1:02 am
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I've wanted a charlies capo for a while, but the shipping to Australia was ridiculous Finally got one 2 weeks ago when visiting my son in Seattle. It is great, easy to use and does not mute the sound at all.
_________________
Duesenberg Fairytale
1949 Supro Supreme
1950 National New Yorker
2008 Highland Baritone Weissenborn
2020 Highland New Yorker.
2020 Highland Mohan Veena
2021 Highland Weissencone |
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Ethan Shaw
From:
Texas, USA
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Posted 19 Aug 2022 11:55 am
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| I've tried Charlie's on an 8-string, and it worked great, better than anything else I've tried. |
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Lee Barber
From:
Sweeny, TX, USA
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Posted 4 Oct 2022 5:41 pm
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Ethan, I was going to recommend the Charlie.
Makes great bars too.
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Zum D10 |
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Dane Carlson
From:
Bay Area, California
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Posted 5 Oct 2022 9:30 am
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I have a Hipshot Doubleshot, roller nut, and locking tuners installed on my 6-string Asher Electro Hawaian Jr, so switching between the 2 tunings takes 1.5 seconds.
My current tunings are BDEGBD and GBDGBD, but I could easily find a string set that would handle both C6 and A6 tunings.
I also own the Charlie's capo, which provides a lot of key flexibility for using open strings. |
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Brooks Montgomery
From:
Idaho, USA
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Posted 5 Oct 2022 12:22 pm
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I own both the Charlie's and the Walworth (and also an old Scheerhorn capo). On an electric lapsteel, 6-string, I prefer the Walworth. It is small, light, goes on super quick and easy one-handed & I can clamp it behind the nut when not using it, and I've found that the tone difference is undiscernible from using the Charlie's (because it's on an electric lapsteel solid body--the pickups don't really send any different tone, from open to capo'd). So, as an example, open D tuning capo'd on 2 to make E, it sounds great. Can't tell tonewise that there is a capo. I don't use a capo on my 8-string, but I put the Walworth on my Clinesmith, and it works just fine.
On an acoustic dobro, I definitely prefer the Charlie's. It retains more of the full acoustic guitar tone mo' bedda IMO.
the background guitar is an Iseman Koa Weissy. That fuzzy capo is an old Dunlop. It just so happens that the metal bar fits under the Weissy strings on the fretboard as if it was made for the guitar. Pure dumb luck.
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A banjo, like a pet monkey, seems like a good idea at first. |
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