I have a guitar question.

[geoffduncan@mindly.social]

@alisynthesis
I just want echo what @boxspring and @samvarma have said: it’s not the tuners or the nut, but probably the capo tension. Try making a really hard barre at the third fret and checking the tuning of the fretted notes: I bet they’re sharp. When you crank down a capo, that’s what’s happening.

Like Sam, I like the G7 capos because they get the tension almost perfect instantly. But they’re quite spendy. Other capos also do just fine, but adjustable tension usually helps. You want the minimum for the notes to fret cleanly.

Performer tip: when you capo and notes go sharp, you can often fix it without removing the capo. No, not with your tuners: give the playing length of string a little tug. That pulls a little more of the string under the capo, makes the pitch drop a bit, and when you remove the capo—voila!—your tuning magically returns to pre-capo pitch.

[punishmenthurts@autistics.life]

@alisynthesis @samvarma
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I mean, the capo stretches the strings, it’s always a little sharp when you tune it first and then put the capo on. I’ve had this idea lately, to tune it with the capo on, when I’m planning to use it.
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It doesn’t go out of tune if you don’t use the capo?

[samvarma@fosstodon.org]

@punishmenthurts @alisynthesis My guitar is in tune, always, almost supernaturally. Floyd Rose Tremolo installed, with a locking nut. Best I've ever had. It's a Suhr.

I sometimes have only a drum fill to get the capo on, and then start the next song on the downbeat. I can't afford to have anything happen to my tuning. The capo I use, the way I have its tension set, and where I place it, ensure that. (1/2)

[samvarma@fosstodon.org]

Jesse from the Gin Blossoms was impressed when I did that on stage with him. Pointed at my guitar and raised his eyebrows, "in tune!" (2/2)

[kazinator@mstdn.ca]

@alisynthesis @samvarma

Capos are basically "intonation ignorant" devices.

When you have a capo on, and then fret additional chords or notes above it, you are fretting the string in two places, putting an extra stretch on it which makes it go sharper compared to playing those notes without a capo.

If you have a keen ear that is sensitive to intonation, you will find yourself fiddling with the tuning to try to compensate for what the capo is doing, and then have to undo that when it comes off.

If your guitar has bad intonation to begin wtih, it will be even worse.