Bass capos - does anyone use one?

[Al Krow]

These things apparently exist in the wild and have been used by pro players e.g. Peter Hook

Just been chatting with one of my session bass buddies and, like me, he's never seen one being used.

 

Are they frowned upon?

[cheddatom]

You don't usually play open chords on a bass, which is the main reason for a capo. I used to play a song with an old band that had a fast riff which bounced off open E and A, but the guitarist played it a tone higher (we were actually down tuned). I couldn't play the riff in that key without a capo, so I used one for that song!

[Waddo Soqable]

I use capos and have done for ever.. Frowned upon ? Probably.. but who cares if it works for what you're doing. 

[Dood]

It seems that everything a bass player does that doesn't fit the closed-minded mindset is frowned upon. 

 

Capos are brilliant and can be useful. If you have some songs that are in Eb or D standard and some that are in E standard, tune the bass to D standard and use a capo on the first or second frets to "retune" the bass between songs. It also helps to teach you to not rely on the dots on the neck too  

[miles'tone]

I sometimes use one on my fretless 5 to play in open C tuning.

Also, some people frown too much.

[Waddo Soqable]

I've also found them useful, particularly further up the neck, for getting new ideas for stuff, say in tonalities you might not otherwise go, or lines you wouldn't have thought of

Edited April 3, 2023 by Waddo Soqable

[Old Man Riva]

Pino uses one on his P bass for the opening of Djurkel (from 13’ 28”).

 

The capo is on the D and G strings only - from the riff he’s playing it sounds like it’s at the 11th fret (though I could be wrong!).

 

Mr Creative getting creative … 

 

 

 

 

 

[lidl e]

Ive messed around with one

[Nail Soup]

I saw a band called Buffalo Daughter and they had one song were the bass line involved a lot of bouncing off an open string. Used a capo. It worked.

I imagine that is one of the main reasons to use one.

[Frank Blank]

I use a capo on three of our songs, oh, four actually, one on fretless.

[pineweasel]

Good enough for this guy

[Musicman666]

i occasionally use one to convert my drop d standard up to a shortscale standard.

[Jay2U]

I'm lazy, so yes, I use a capo when it's less effort.

[fretmeister]

I use one sometimes for writing but never have for performing.

[Happy Jack]

3 hours ago, Dood said:

Capos are brilliant and can be useful. If you have some songs that are in Eb or D standard and some that are in E standard, tune the bass to D standard and use a capo on the first or second frets to "retune" the bass between songs. It also helps to teach you to not rely on the dots on the neck too  

 

Y'see, this is why they invented the 5-string bass ...

 

😂

[nige1968]

Anyone found a proper wide capo for 6-string bass guitar?

[JohnR]

I use a capo on the first fret when adjusting the truss rod.

[Waddo Soqable]

2 hours ago, nige1968 said:

Anyone found a proper wide capo for 6-string bass guitar?

Pencil and a thick elastic band.. 

[gafbass02]

5 hours ago, Nail Soup said:

I saw a band called Buffalo Daughter and they had one song were the bass line involved a lot of bouncing off an open string. Used a capo. It worked.

I imagine that is one of the main reasons to use one.

Precisely why I use one for living on a prayer

[Woodinblack]

I have used one - I don't currently because there isn't anything I need it for, but I don't see any reason not to use one if it makes something easier

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

Just don't make the same mistake as this bumbling idiot.

[CPCustomdubwise]

Dominic Aitchison, Mogwai....

big beard, big Gibson, big noise....

Edited April 3, 2023 by CPCustomdubwise

[asingardenof]

I only use one to check my neck relief. Other than that I haven't had the need to, but I'm not against the idea.

[StickyDBRmf]

"How did you do that?' Haha, it's a secret.

Whatever it takes to make music

The Chapman Stick has a damper between the X-fret and fret 1, because with all those strings all sorts of stuff would be reverberating. It's tapped with both hands, so you don't have a hand to dampen overtones. But Bob Culbertson (google him) uses a capo sometimes, so I said "why not?"

As to questions about what will fit, put yer bass in the boot and go to a music store and try a few out.

Edited April 3, 2023 by StickyDBRmf

[Woodinblack]

6 minutes ago, StickyDBRmf said:

 

The Chapman Stick has a damper between the X-fret and fret 1, because with all those strings all sorts of stuff would be reverberating.

the NS:Stick has a lever to have a damper or not, which was useful