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Ever wonder why you have to retune your guitar when you put on a capo? It's a problem every guitarist has experienced and the design problem we set out to fix when we designed the the Thalia Capo.
The root of the problem lies in the guitar fingerboard. The fingerboard on most guitars has a defined radius or curvature that can range from 7.25" to 20" in diameter. Guitar makers select the radius they want to use based on their personal preference, brand tradition or player requirements.
For example, modern Fender guitars have a 9.5” radius whereas Martin Guitars have a 16” radius.
Ever wonder why you have to retune your guitar when you put on a capo? It's a problem every guitarist has experienced and the design problem we set out to fix when we designed the the Thalia Capo.
The root of the problem lies in the guitar fingerboard. The fingerboard on most guitars has a defined radius or curvature that can range from 7.25" to 20" in diameter. Guitar makers select the radius they want to use based on their personal preference, brand tradition or player requirements.
Alas, we begin to see the root of the capo tuning issue. How do you create a single capo that can work on a guitar with both a 9.5" fingerboard and a 16" fingerboard? The solution for the past 100 years has been less that ideal.
Historically, guitar capos were designed with a rubber fretpad with an "average radius" of 13 inches so that the capo could be used on a full range of guitars with different radii. The various capo manufacturers just added plenty of tension so that you were able to press down all of the strings without buzzing. But this strategy added a lot of unnecessary tension and forced the player to retune his guitar every time he uses a capo.
Here is why you need to retune with this antiquated strategy: if your guitar’s actual radius is smaller than 13”, such as on Fender or Gibson guitars, the capo puts less pressure on the outer strings and too much on the middle strings, causing the D or G strings to go sharp. Or if the radius is significantly larger, such as with Taylor or Martin guitars, too much pressure is often applied to the outer strings causing the low E string to go sharp.
Alas, we begin to see the root of the capo tuning issue. How do you create a single capo that can work on a guitar with both a 9.5" fingerboard and a 16" fingerboard? The solution for the past 100 years has been less that ideal.
Historically, guitar capos were designed with a rubber fretpad with an "average radius" of 13 inches so that the capo could be used on a full range of guitars with different radii. The various capo manufacturers just added plenty of tension so that you were able to press down all of the strings without buzzing. But this strategy added a lot of unnecessary tension and forced the player to retune his guitar every time he uses a capo.
Here is why you need to retune with this antiquated strategy: if your guitar’s actual radius is smaller than 13”, such as on Fender or Gibson guitars, the capo puts less pressure on the outer strings and too much on the middle strings, causing the D or G strings to go sharp. Or if the radius is significantly larger, such as with Taylor or Martin guitars, too much pressure is often applied to the outer strings causing the low E string to go sharp.
When creating the Thalia Capo, we decided to fix this issue once and for all by designing a capo with interchangeable fretpads that come in all of the different EXACT radii used by different Guitar Makers. This way you can get a perfect fit on any guitar!
Insert a 16" fretpad for Martin Guitars, a 15" fretpad for Taylor Guitars, a 9.5" fretpad for modern Fenders Guitars, a 7.25" fretpad for vintage Fenders, a 12" fretpad for Gibsons, or one that is perfect flat for a Classical Guitar, etc.
We have a fretpad that will match every guitar. Guaranteed! The result of this strategy is a happy guitar that stays in tune! AND we can use a lot less tension that other capos... In fact, we apply about 40% less tension that a typical Kyser using this strategy.
Every capo we sell comes with 14 different interchangeable fretpadsso that you are guaranteed to get a perfect fit on every guitar in your collection, including 12-strings and classical guitars.
Included radii: 0", 7.25", 9.5", 10", 12", 15", 16"
We also include two different thicknesses of fretpads. A Low Tension & High Tension version of each. This ensures that you can setup your guitar with just the right amount of tension and then never have to think about it again.
We also feel that a capo should complement the beautiful instrument that you are putting it on, so we offer a range of fine metal finishes designed to match your tuning pegs or other hardware.
If you love exotic wood like we do, then you will love our exotic wood inlays. Complement your favorite guitar with a wide range of woods including Indian Rosewood, Lacewood, Hawaiian Koa and more.
And who doesn't love Mother of Pearl? We have an extensive range of exotic shell inlays, from Mother of Pearl to Angel Wing to every kind of Abalone shell imaginable.
And the Thalia Capo has been designed for easy one-handed use with breakthrough ergonomics. Designed to be held in the fretting hand, simply squeeze the capo and slide it into position.
You will love your guitar's tone and you simply won't believe you finally have a capo that you actually love. But don't take our word for it... just read any of the5,000+ reviews in the next section to see what our customers are saying.
