Tom, Tommy Emmanuel, John Mayer, Vince Gil and others do...there's even a clip of Chet Atkins using a capo. But, in every case, these guys use the capo when playing an acoustic guitar, when they need to use an open bass note(s). It's generally a different story when they switch to electric.

All these guys know more than I. I never use a capo, but I rarely, if ever use steel string acoustics or play the kind of material where that style is required, so, for me and the style(s) I play, power chords are the norm. As a sax player, your popular keys are probably Eb, Ab, Bb, etc...no right open notes without a capo. If either of us were trying to accompany ourselves on a vocal in a style that required strong open-note chords, you or I would use a capo to play in the right key. If you'll notice, acoustic specialists use close to the nut structures. High on the neck power chords on, say a Martin just don't work well on tunes written for a traditional acoustic guitar.

It is a fact, however, that a large number of players use a capo because they cannot do it any other way. Then, it becomes a crutch, not a tool.

Didn't know you were a "picker". Just wish that you could have joined your family here in Lexington a few years ago so we could have "picked and grinned" together.

Russ (still "pick" well, just don't "grin" as much) Lay

P.S. Chas, damn, you're getting to be a polite, eloquent old dude. Now, THAT'S a little hard to get used to (LOL). Seriously, good solid points, with the appropriate amount of fun directed at that "singer from hell" all of us old timers have run into.


See you soon,


R.