A capo clamps across the fretboard so every open string sounds higher, which lets you play familiar chord shapes in a new key. Designs differ in how they apply pressure: a spring clamp, a lever with a set pressure, or a screw you tighten by hand.
The six capos below cover one-handed spring models, two Shubb designs and two D’Addario designs with tension adjustment. Materials, weights and features come from each listing page. We have not used these capos ourselves, and performance claims are the makers’ own.
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What to Look For
| Feature | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Mechanism | Spring clamps move fast; lever and screw designs let you set pressure |
| Neck shape | Flat and curved fretboards suit different capo shapes |
| Weight | A lighter capo adds less to the neck |
| Parking spot | Some capos clip to the headstock when not in use |
Specs at a Glance
| Capo | Material | Weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kyser KG6BA | Aluminum, steel spring | 4.54 g | One-handed; parks on headstock; 6-string |
| Shubb C1 | Nickel-plated brass, rubber | 1.6 oz | Lever lock; set-and-forget pressure per the maker |
| D’Addario NS Tri-Action | Aluminum per bullets; stainless steel in the spec field | 9.07 g | Micrometer tension; pick holder |
| D’Addario Pro Plus | Listed as silver | 1.1 oz | FlexFit; 6 or 12-string; screw adjustment |
| Martin 18A0123 | Silicone listed | 5.67 g | One-handed; matte black |
| Shubb F1 | Stainless steel | 2.88 oz | Numbered adjustment knob; steel-string guitars |
The 6 Best Guitar Capos
1. Kyser Quick-Change KG6BA
A one-handed spring capo for 6-string guitars made from lightweight aluminum with a steel spring. The listing says it parks on the guitar’s headstock when not in use, is made in the USA and carries a lifetime guarantee, and gives a weight of 4.54 grams.
Suits: fast key changes mid-song. Strengths: one-handed use and a headstock parking spot. Weaknesses: the pressure is not adjustable. Skip it if you want to set tension yourself.
View Kyser Quick-Change Guitar Capo for 6-string acoustic guitars, Black, KG6BA on Amazon
2. Shubb C1 Standard
A lever-style capo in nickel-plated brass with a rubber pad the maker compares to a fingertip. The listing says you set the pressure once and then lock and remove it by flipping the lever. It weighs 1.6 ounces, and the maker describes the design as over 35 years old.
Suits: a fixed pressure setting. Strengths: a simple lever and a rubber pad. Weaknesses: heavier than the aluminum models. Skip it if you want a spring clamp.
View Shubb C1 Standard Acoustic Guitar Capo – Polished Nickel on Amazon
3. D’Addario NS Tri-Action
A capo for 6-string electric and acoustic guitars with micrometer tension adjustment, single-hand operation, a headstock clamp parking spot and a built-in pick holder. The bullets say aircraft grade aluminum while the spec field says stainless steel, so check the page. The listed weight is 9.07 grams.
Suits: fingerstyle players with a pick. Strengths: adjustable tension and a pick holder. Weaknesses: conflicting material wording. Skip it if you want the lightest option.
View D’Addario NS Tri-Action Guitar Capo, Black on Amazon
4. D’Addario Pro Plus
A screw-adjusted capo with FlexFit technology that the maker says adjusts to any fretboard radius. The listing says it suits 6 or 12-string guitars or any instrument with octave pairs of strings, offers single-hand adjustment and weighs 1.1 ounces.
Suits: 6 and 12-string guitars. Strengths: a radius-adjusting design. Weaknesses: the listing gives few material details. Skip it if you want a spring clamp.
View D’Addario Pro Plus Guitar Capo, Black on Amazon
5. Martin One-Handed Capo
A matte black capo with one-handed operation and a design that the maker says adapts to most neck profiles with even pressure across the strings. The listing gives silicone as the material and 5.67 grams as the weight, and lists the instrument as electric guitar.
Suits: quick changes on varied neck shapes. Strengths: one-handed use. Weaknesses: a thin spec sheet. Skip it if you want a metal pad.
6. Shubb F1 Steel-String Capo
A stainless steel capo for steel-string guitars with a numbered adjustment knob and a listed weight of 2.88 ounces. The listing is short, and its style field contains an unrelated entry about a microphone stand, so confirm details on the page.
Suits: repeatable tension settings. Strengths: a numbered knob. Weaknesses: a sparse listing. Skip it if you play nylon-string guitars.
View Shubb F1 Capo, Silver, Alloy Steel for U-shaped Acoustic Guitar on Amazon
Using a Capo
- Place it just behind the fret, not on top of it.
- Retune after fitting, because pressure can shift the pitch.
- Park it on the headstock when you are not using it, if the model allows.
- Remove it between sessions so the springs rest.
Mistakes to Avoid
- Over-tightening a screw or lever capo.
- Buying a 6-string model for a 12-string guitar.
- Ignoring the neck shape of your guitar.
- Trusting a material field when the bullets disagree.
Guitar Capos FAQ
Which ones park on the headstock?
The Kyser KG6BA and the D’Addario NS Tri-Action both list a headstock parking feature.
Which one lists 12-string use?
The D’Addario Pro Plus lists use on 6 or 12-string guitars.
The Short Version
For a quick spring clamp, the Kyser KG6BA. For a set-pressure lever, the Shubb C1. For a pick holder, the D’Addario NS Tri-Action. For a radius-adjusting screw, the D’Addario Pro Plus. For a silicone one-hander, the Martin. For a numbered knob, the Shubb F1.
