Why Does My Guitar Sound Out of Tune When Using a Capo?
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you put on your guitar capo and you suddenly find your guitar sounds out of tune despite being in perfect tune beforehand?
Causes of Capo Tuning Issues
- Poor intonation. If your guitar isn't intonated properly, the notes will sound progressively more out of tune higher up the fretboard. The capo exacerbates this.
- The capo itself. Cheaper spring-loaded capos can bend strings or squeeze them too tight, pulling them sharp.
- Large frets. These can increase the distance between string and fretboard leading to a bigger impact from the capo to the tuning.
- Wonky capo placement. Putting the capo on hastily can bend strings, causing flat or sharp notes.
Troubleshooting Capo Tuning Problems
First, check your guitar's intonation using these steps:
- Tune open strings perfectly
- Fret the 12th fret and recheck tuning
- Check 12th fret harmonics
If tuning varies more than a few cents across the fretboard, a guitar setup is needed.
If all is well, then examine your capo. As said previously, cheaper models bend strings more. Perhaps consider an upgrade to a better quality one.
Place the capo carefully right behind each fret, keeping string spacing parallel.
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