Guitar player retuning when moving capo

[JoeWPgh]

There are 2 possible reasons:
The song requires open string chords.
The action is too high at the nut, which would make low position chords difficult to play. This also might cause the capo to untune the guitar.

Originally Posted by Flashback Bass

Why is he using a capo on an electric guitar?

Does he not know barre chords?

Capos are for cowboy chord players!

[longfinger]

He is probably a bit too picky about tuning.

But if you hear him as out of tune as well, a proper guitar set up by an independent guitar tech will help. (I've had inferior results with store techs setups) Also a good quality capo with proper capo placement will help.

In a studio, of course tuning a guitar AFTER placing a capo is the best way, but live in a top 40 band? Just keep playing and keep the momentum going.

1 fix:
Bass and drums start the next song right away and vamp. Rhythm guitar joins in, then keyboard (if you have one). After a while singer and his capo guitar come in. As long as the groove starts right away, there is no "dead space".

[boynamedsuse]

Some guitars stay in tune and some don't. I had one guitar (recently sold) that only needed to be tuned when I put new strings on it (of course). I suspect a problem with either the bridge or the nut on any guitar that tends to go out of tune in less than a few songs--including songs with plenty of bends.

My suggestions would include having him use a different guitar or getting a good setup on the one he has been playing. The "good setup" may include filing or replacing the nut and adjusting or replacing the bridge.

[two fingers]

Originally Posted by awilkie84

It's my problem because I'm the only one in the band with previous band experience, or sees this as a flaw. Everyone else knows there's a problem with dead air, and knows he takes time doing this, but they don't realize that his tuning shouldn't fall out moving a capo around.

He also:
A: owns the jam space
B: does most of our bookings
C: sees no problem with having to retune, no matter how I've mentioned it.
D: is best friends with the other guitar player & the 2 of them formed the band.

If you are the only one who sees it as a flaw you are screwed. You can't stop and alcoholic from drinking if HE doesn't see his drinking as a problem. If you can't convince the guitar player that making people wait for a whole minute is an issue, then how the hell are you going to get him to put on bigger strings???? If the best friend and your band mates don't see it as a problem, then your continuing to bring it up is just going to make you out to be the jerk. You have to get at least one other band member to see it as a problem.

In your case, where the only guy in the band who wears pants is an idiot, here's what I would do. Either get with the other guitar player and get HIM to see it as a problem. Or get with a club owner where you guys play and get HIM to see it as a problem. Until someone who outranks you in the guitar player's life (which seems to be pretty much EVERY PERSON ON THE PLANET) tells the guys he's an idiot for holding up an entire bar full of people, it isn't going to stick. Heck I probably have more influence over the guy than you do. Feel free to put him in touch with me and I'll tell him how stupid he is.

But you aren't going to get him to do ONE SINGLE THING about it until HE REALIZES it's dumb! Not strings. Not a different tuner. Not a different capo. Not trimming his nut. Nothing. If he doesn't see it as a problem you are wasting your time. When he DOES see it as a problem, HE WILL FIX IT, but not until then. And you don't have to.

The rest of these suggestions are a waste of time until that point.

[christianharger]

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/acces...ce-guitar-capo

I use those capos for my acoustic and my electric. It allows you to select the amount of pressure, so it won't pull the guitar out of tune when capod really high or when removing the capo.

[two fingers]

By the way, I forgot to mention one other thing. If the fact that he owns the practice space and books shows means that you aren't allowed to bluntly explain to him why this is dumb, then that guy is not your guitar player. He is your band leader. Get used to it.

[christianharger]

Originally Posted by two fingers

By the way, I forgot to mention one other thing. If the fact that he owns the practice space and books shows means that you aren't allowed to bluntly explain to him why this is dumb, then that guy is not your guitar player. He is your band leader. Get used to it.

+1

[mellowinman]

I have long used the Shubb.


Simple, cheap, and has never pulled me out of tune. I use it on my 12-string, and re-tuning all night would be very bad.

That said, the suggestion upthread about him designing set lists so he does a minimum amount of changing is a very good idea.

[guy n. cognito]

Originally Posted by two fingers

Or get with a club owner where you guys play and get HIM to see it as a problem.

Never, ever, ever, involve your customers in your internal disputes. Ever.

[electracoyote]

Originally Posted by christianharger

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/acces...ce-guitar-capo

I use those capos for my acoustic and my electric. It allows you to select the amount of pressure, so it won't pull the guitar out of tune when capod really high or when removing the capo.

Yeah, this one is very nice. Works on a clutch system. It's a bit weighty though, if you're sensitive to that kind of thing (like me).

[Downunderwonder]

Locking nut, floating tuning bridge is more stable.

[DiabolusInMusic]

I had a guitarist who thought his guitar tuners were garbage and kept slipping so he always had to tune.

It was then the singer and I decided to break the news, he merely wasn't stringing the instrument properly. He wasn't getting enough wraps around the posts. Could easily be something as minor as that.

[jonas_24112]

Trade the Gibson for a Fender. Problem solved.

[megafiddle]

If the intonation is good, the usual problems are:

Capo too tight.

Capo midway between frets; needs to be right behind fret.

Big mismatch in radius. Some strings get pulled too sharp in the process of pulling the
others down.

[Depth_Charge]

Originally Posted by awilkie84

It's my problem because I'm the only one in the band with previous band experience, or sees this as a flaw.

This is simply not true. It is the whole bands problem, regardless of "previous experience"

And since you said this problem has been critiqued by others you are not the only one seeing it as a flaw.

I'd be telling him it needs fixing, set a deadline, and let him go fix it. If he hasn't by the deadline, either replace him, put up with it, or leave the group.

[two fingers]

Originally Posted by guy n. cognito

Never, ever, ever, involve your customers in your internal disputes. Ever.

Actually, in most cases you are absolutely correct. I happen to be personal friends with many around here so in context I can get away with it. But for most cases you are spot on.

Good advice. I stand corrected.

[Downunderwonder]

He wouldn't be starting each gig with fresh strings that haven't been bedded in?

[vishuddha]

Originally Posted by jonas_24112

Trade the Gibson for a Fender. Problem solved.

Yeah, just make sure he doesn't use any Sunn or SWR gear in his rig. You know how Fender just despises good brands and wants to cut out any competition, and it wouldn't make any sense to mix the two!

Side note: F*ck Fender.

[Munjibunga]

Locking nut.

[elgecko]

Are his strings installed properly?