Acoustic seems to sound better with a capo

thecolourbox

I used a capo recently as I was feeling lazy and didn't want to play in B Flat and I noticed the instrument seemed to sound better somehow, and easier to play. To check it wasn't just the elevated pitch, I tuned the guitar down a semi tone then capo on 1st fret again so it played at standard pitch, and it still sounded better than normal.

Is this likely to be that an adjustment to the nut is required? 

Hard to describe the difference but the low strings were less boomy, the B string stayed better in tune ie between open and tuned there was less difference somehow.

Thanks

stickyfiddle

Could be your nut is a little high - are fretted notes on the first couple of frets sounding sharp?

ICBM

It could either be that the nut is too high as stickyfiddle said, or that the nut grooves are too tight for the strings and deadening the vibration slightly - it's not true that they need to be cut to the same width as the strings, they should be wider. If they're too tight they actually affect the intonation slightly too, because the string is not perfectly flexible where it leaves the groove.

Stuckfast

It's reasonably common for recording acoustic guitar to tune it down a semitone or a tone and take it back up to concert pitch using a capo. I think the idea is that it makes the sound 'drier' and less resonant. It can often make it all seem a bit more focused for sure.

domforr

I also prefer the sound of my acoustics when they're capo'd. It's applies to all of them - a 1966 Gibson J50, a John Hullah 00 and a 12 string Daion. I think its something about the short scale isn't it? There's more (or less) tension and this changes the dynamic of the playing and the sound itself. It just seems more responsive to me - like I have to do less to make it sound good. 

tone1

I prefer the sound of a capo’d acoustic too

thecolourbox

domforr said:

I also prefer the sound of my acoustics when they're capo'd. It's applies to all of them - a 1966 Gibson J50, a John Hullah 00 and a 12 string Daion. I think its something about the short scale isn't it? There's more (or less) tension and this changes the dynamic of the playing and the sound itself. It just seems more responsive to me - like I have to do less to make it sound good. 

Mine is already short scale though! But yes certainly sounds better. If the most bizarre series of events were to occur where I ended up as an acoustic guitar maker, I'd move all the fretboard markers one fret higher so it works with a capo

songman

Yep, same here, prefer the sound when capo'd on the second fret.

earwighoney

thecolourbox said:
Mine is already short scale though! But yes certainly sounds better. If the most bizarre series of events were to occur where I ended up as an acoustic guitar maker, I'd move all the fretboard markers one fret higher so it works with a capo

I agree about the latter.  

I also play flamenco guitar, which is a style of play where players use capos and the lack of fretboard/neck markers do actually make it a little less confusing than having fretboard markers on a steel string guitar. 

Th4fonz

I agree I always played alot with a capo,  And felt I wrote more songs when using one.