D'Addario: Capo Conversations with Ned Steinberger Part 1
V-DADD_006
Video Transcription
[on-screen text reads: D'Addario Capo Conversations Part 1 of Three]
Why is adjustable tension so important?
Jim D'Addario: I am sitting here with my good friend Ned Steinberger and Rob Cunningham with a table full of our NS Capos, and we were just chatting a bit about how they came about and what they do. One of the questions that we always get from our customers is, how come you made your trigger-type spring loaded capos adjustable? Is that really necessary? What does that do for you?
I have Ned here. Visiting us today was probably a great opportunity to get him to answer that question, so.
Ned Steinberger: The simple answer to the question is that you asked me to make it adjustable, but of course I saw right away the value of that. It took me a little while to figure out how to do it, and it is the key thing that separates our trigger capo from every other capo that is in the marketplace.
All guitars are different. Some have high action, some low action, some have high nuts, which particularly affects the capo, the gauge of strings, heavy gauge, light gauge. These things all impact the required tension from the capo, the required pressure on the strings. That capo, which has to be able to handle a high tension situation, is going to apply that same high tension to electric guitar or an instrument that doesn't require it. And that is going to throw it out of tune, because what you want is the minimum tension required to keep the strings from buzzing. That's what's going to give you your most in tune performance. So there is no other way to optimize the performance of a capo without being able to adjust the amount of pressure that's on the strings.
Jim D'Addario: Yeah, it's just like when we're playing, if we press down too hard, we can make the string go sharp. So-
Ned Steinberger: Same thing.
Jim D'Addario: ... your capo's pressing too hard, the string is going to be sharp, and then you've got to retune. It's still a waste of time, and if you're on stage, it's distracting and sometimes you lose your audience, which you never want to do.
