Capo on bass?

[Lardass5000]

Anyone used a capo on electric bass?

Any thoughts? Suggestions?

 

[tb-player]

I've tried it for "open-string" style walking techniques similar to upright bass in keys other than traditional open string. It worked but seemed impractical. I can do the same thing without it. Interesting experiment though.

 

[Lance Bunyon]

I'm allergic to open strings. A capo would make my eyes water and my nose run.

 

[Whale]

Here’s a pic of some random English guy who added a capo to his bass. He did it way back in ‘66 though.

 

[Warpeg]

I've used one in the past on the fifth fret to have some fun with tenor- or piccolo-ish' bass chords for certain background effect chords on recordings. It can be pretty useful in the right setting.

 

[ihixulu]

Only when I check the neck relief.

 

[James Flowers]

Have run a Capo when playing certain songs. Ace "How Long" for instance. No open string notes, so the Capo makes it one less fingering I have to worry about.

 

[LetItGrowTone]

The capo makes the pickup think it's closer to the neck.
For example, by putting a capo on the second fret of a J bass, and retuning to E, you get a close to 30" scale that can approximate what a single coil P bass with a J pickup would sound like (but the SCPB is not short scale).
Doing that with a P would be close to a Mustang (whose pickup is closer to the neck and which is short scale) with that P pickup.

 

[poppunk]

It's the same deal as on guitar, works fine. I'm also a fan of using my HX Stomp if I have to move it up to a couple of semitones up.

 

[Killing Floor]

Here’s a pic of some random English guy who added a capo to his bass. He did it way back in ‘66 though.

View attachment 5279485

FIFY

 

[steve_ss]

FIFY

View attachment 5279836

That's so funny. I think the guy is trying to play it like an electric guitar. He seems to be trying to make a chord. And what's with the cigarette in the strumming hand? Obviously this guy is a hack who will never amount to much. A passing fad from the 60's.

 

[Bryan R. Tyler]

Michael Manring uses one to great effect to change his open strings by removing the capo near the end of the song.

 

[jthisdell]

Sir Paul can play both left and right handed.

 

[vindibona1]

I suppose there would be special circumstances to add a capo. But IMO a bass is supposed to have BASS notes. A capo shouldn't be out of the question, but used for circumstances other than lazy transposition.

 

[gln1955]

Here’s a pic of some random English guy who added a capo to his bass. He did it way back in ‘66 though.

View attachment 5279485

Don't think much of that piano player either.

 

[burgerdj]

Yes, I use one occasionally on my own compositions. It really opens my mind and gets me out of ruts. It’s fun to get my bass into approx tenor tuning and see what happens.

 

[MVE]

FIFY

View attachment 5279836

DID You?!?!?!
OMG is this the missing evidence?

 

[bigdaddybass12]

I thought about it. The guys I play bass for capo up 1 fret . I heard it could eventually damage the frets? Make sure strings are not stainless.

 

[T-boneParish]

I keep a capo installed on the strings between the nut and tuning pegs. It sets a consistent break angle from the nut and, on some instruments, eliminates the buzz that can happen with a hard attack on an open string. I started it many moons ago on guitar and have stuck with it ever since. It may also contribute to tuning stability, but I have heard different views on this topic. I confess, it may just a placebo in my life at this point. Looks cool.

 

[Egg250]

I can see where it might be a useful tool, but I don't use one. It's not about open strings, to me, using a capo limits where and what you can play on the fretboard. There are times I'll pluck an open string, A for instance, and hammer on a following note on the same string. I certainly wouldn't give anyone grief for using one.