Spider Capo

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 4:24 pm

Who's tried one?
Apparently there was a product like this years ago but i never found it, i think the possibilities could be endless with this thing.

Website with Vids and info

UgoUzuegbunam · Post by **UgoUzuegbunam** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 4:27 pm

Wow. That is awesome. Quite handy I would think ...

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 4:33 pm

Yeah, its quite multi-purpose. Would certainly come in handy for the bar fight at the end of the gig

matt.dines · Post by **matt.dines** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 5:55 pm

why would you need one with the scary looking fella in your band!!!!

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 5:56 pm

I'm not sure I see how this makes it possible to play in alternate tunings. Surely when you fret a note it's going to sound as it would in standard? Which means it'll only sound like an alternate tuning provided you don't fret any notes. Or something.

GlobalCooling · Post by **GlobalCooling** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 6:08 pm

^It opens up worlds of new chords that would be too hard to finger in standard tuning I would imagine. This basically DOES alternate tune your guitar.

Ankhanu · Post by **Ankhanu** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 6:20 pm

This looks like a tap-stylist's dream.

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 7:06 pm

GlobalCooling wrote:^It opens up worlds of new chords that would be too hard to finger in standard tuning I would imagine. This basically DOES alternate tune your guitar.

^THIS.^
Besides that if you like using open drone notes this opens up a lot of things (whilst staying in standard tuning), you can use different keys/root notes without even bothering turning a machine head.

Reece · Post by **Reece** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 7:14 pm

BacchusPaul wrote:I'm not sure I see how this makes it possible to play in alternate tunings. Surely when you fret a note it's going to sound as it would in standard? Which means it'll only sound like an alternate tuning provided you don't fret any notes. Or something.

pretty much this.

it's much more limited that actually tuning to alternate tuning. good for adding some drone strings i suppose but the second you fret one of your open strings you're back to standard.

James · Post by **James** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 7:20 pm

Reece wrote:good for adding some drone strings i suppose but the second you fret one of your open strings you're back to standard.

I think that's exactly the appeal of it.

You don't have to re-learn the 'shapes' you use when soloing, if you're that sort of player but you can still do some altered chords at the other end of the neck.

It's sort of a comfortable middle ground between alternate tunings and capos that doesn't knock down any boundaries but might be enough to allow someone to come up with something they wouldn't have been able to otherwise.

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 7:37 pm

I suppose it makes a bit of sense put like that.

ac88 · Post by **ac88** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 7:39 pm

I have one of these bad boys:

,

.. and the possibilities are quite limited. I always have a problem with having to retune after putting on capos, even when I loosen the capo itself etc. My guitar is properly intonated... gahh capos are fun but a pain in the ass too..

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 7:43 pm

Reece wrote:
BacchusPaul wrote:I'm not sure I see how this makes it possible to play in alternate tunings. Surely when you fret a note it's going to sound as it would in standard? Which means it'll only sound like an alternate tuning provided you don't fret any notes. Or something.
pretty much this.

I get what your both saying, it relies on using open chords (obviously) because you are still in standard tuning.
For instance; if you set the capo up on the first fret clamping down the G string only you have standard tuning except the G is now Ab. Then play a standard open G chord, its not the same anymore.
I know thats a simplistic explanation and i know you can add an Ab note with your pinky on the 4th fret E string pretty easily, but think beyond that. As you move up the neck you can gain notes two or three octaves higher whilst still having open notes in the chord. Some of these chords are not physically easy to fret if not impossible, but i cant prove it till i try one.

Will · Post by **Will** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 7:56 pm

I've had one for a few months. It does exactly what it is designed to to, EXACTLY.

It's quite handy for some fingerstyle arrangements and such. The example of changing the G to Ab is one thing I do to get more open voicings for songs in E. You probably won't use it much, but when you need it it's invaluable. I can't conceive of any design that would work better than the one they chose.

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 11:08 pm

Thanks Will. It seems to be aimed at fingerpickers more looking at the website.
I was thinking of Bob Moulds playing in Husker Du, he used a lot of drones but was forever fiddling with the machine heads inbetween songs. This would be great for that kind of thing.

ac88 · Post by **ac88** » Mon Mar 22, 2010 1:01 am

wait i meant to post the shubb capo that only covers three strings...