10 Best Guitar Capos 2020 [Buying Guide]

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How to Choose the Best Guitar Capo

Whether you’re a beginner or a professional guitar player, the best guitar capos are great to have in your instrument kit! Capos allow you to pinch down the strings of your guitar along the neck to change the key, shrink the fret size, and give your guitar a unique, bright sound. Many of them also work on banjos, mandolins, electric guitars, basses, and more! Before buying a new guitar capo, here are some important features you should know about first.

Material: We started off by letting you know what each capo is made of. There are metal versions that reduce vibration and clamp down hard to stay put. We also found some great plastic options for banjos, mandolins, and smaller guitars!

Instruments: We’ll also tell you which instruments you can use with each capo, so you can find the best guitar capo for your needs. If you play more than one instrument, you can choose one that works with all of them!

Color: Do you want your capo to blend in with your guitar, or do you want it to stand out? No problem! We found top rated guitar capo models that match wood guitars and metal ones that’ll look great on stage!

Pieces: Many of these guitar capos come with extra accessories you can use to play your favorite tunes. You can grab just the capo if you already have everything else, or grab a kit with extra guitar picks as a gift!

Weight: We’ll let you know how much each capo weighs, so you can find one you’re comfortable using. Heavier capos are great for bass or electric guitars, which need more heft. Lighter capos are good for smaller instruments or acoustic strings.

Warranty: Buying the best-rated guitar capo you can afford means you’re investing in a quality piece of equipment that should last. If it doesn’t, the company should repair or replace it for you, so you can get back to playing!

Top 10 Products

Now that you know what type of capo you’ll need, let’s get into the best guitar capo reviews! We found a variety of capos for all types of instruments, including the best capo for Martin guitar players, best capo for bass guitar, and even some great ones for your ukulele! If you’re short on time, no problem! Check out our Top Pick and Budget Pick now, and then come back later to read up on the rest. Let’s get started!

Kyser Quick-Change Capo

Our Top Pick from Kyser is the best capo for acoustic guitar and electric guitar players alike! Their Quick-Change Capo is made for all kinds of guitars, from electric to acoustic and classical! It’s made to use one-handed, so you can easily adjust your guitar without too much fuss – even in the middle of playing a song if you need to! The unique design allows you to quickly change your capo or clip it to the end of the neck when you’re not using it. It’s always right there when you need it! We like that it’s made of aluminum, which is lightweight yet durable enough to handle years of frequent use. While this capo comes in black, you can get it in 21 other bright, unique colors to match your guitar’s paint job or match your personal taste! This is the best type of capo for acoustic guitar and electric guitar players who want a quick and accurate change!

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Donner DC-2 Guitar Capo

We know that musical equipment can get expensive – but it doesn’t have to be! Next up is our Budget Pick, which we think is the best capo for classical guitar, banjo, ukulele, and mandolin that won’t break your budget! We like that this guitar capo is incredibly lightweight and easy to adjust to your instrument. It’s made of zinc alloy, which is lightweight yet durable enough to withstand heavy use. The silicone padding protects the beautiful finish on your instrument – no scratches or dents! It holds tightly – but not too tightly – to your guitar, thanks to the steel spring that has internal memory. That is part of what makes this is such a great value – you can use one capo for all of your stringed instruments without needing to adjust it for each one. It comes in 7 different colors, but we think the classic black one is elegant and matches well with any guitar’s paint job or finish.

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Nordic Essentials Guitar Capo

What is the best capo for acoustic guitar, banjo, mandolin, bass and more if you want to take it on the road? How about taking a set of 2 capos with you! We think that, if you plan to take your guitar on a trip or tour, it’s a good idea to have a backup with you just in case! This set of 2 capos is great for people who love to travel, or if you want to keep a capo at home and one in your studio! These capos are sturdy and lightweight, thanks to the aluminum body and metal spring that keeps it in place as you groove to your favorite tunes. This set comes with 2 capos (one black and one silver), along with 2 carrying pouches to keep them protected in your bag. We like that these are made to be used one-handed, so you don’t have to stop playing to grab or attach your capo!

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GUITARX X2 Guitar Capo

Another inexpensive option if you’re looking for the best capo for electric guitar, acoustic guitar, banjo, mandolin, or ukulele is this one from GUITARX! You shouldn’t have to spend a lot to get a capo that’s easy to use and provides accurate sound every time you use it. This capo is made of lightweight aluminum, which makes it easy to attach to your guitar or move it around with one hand while you play. No need to stop playing to grapple with your capo – just slide it into place and play! The memory steel spring keeps your capo locked in place, even if you don’t want to stand in one place! It firmly pushes down the strings to reduce excess fret buzzing and gives you a clear, accurate tone. We like that the inside of the capo has thick silicone padding, which keeps your strings and guitar neck well protected from scratches. It’s a great capo at a great value!

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YALLNASL Guitar Capo

Next up in our classical guitar capo review is this basic set of capo and guitar picks that’s perfect for beginners and professionals alike! This small guitar capo works well with acoustic and electric guitars, banjos, and ukuleles, so you can learn to play several instruments without buying separate capos for each one! We like that this capo is lightweight and easy to use one-handed, so you don’t have to stop playing completely to change keys. It puts the right amount of pressure on the strings to give you an accurate sound without bending or warping your strings. The silicone pads on the inside keep your guitar free of scratches or dings, even if you are a little rough on your guitar normally. We think that this would be a great gift idea for a new guitar player who wants to start learning how to use a capo and could use a few extra picks in their gig bag, too!

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UGY Capo Guitar

This inexpensive guitar capo from UGY is another favorite of ours if you’re looking to try using a capo for the first time and don’t want to invest a lot. It’s made of plastic, making it lightweight and easy to pack away in your gig bag while you travel around. We like the classic black finish on it because it’ll match well with any guitar you’re using. It’s easy to attach to your guitar’s neck with one hand, and then you can move it around easily too! The memory spring knows just the right amount of pressure to apply to the strings, and it won’t stretch out over time. We like that it has silicone pads inside to prevent strings from getting pinched or your neck from getting scratched up as you slide it around. This is a great capo for beginner players, and would make a great gift idea for young players who want to learn some new skills!

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Shubb S1 Guitar Capo

If you play a steel guitar, it’s important to get a capo especially for the strings on your guitar. Steel string capos apply more pressure to properly clamp down on the steel strings, as opposed to the lighter nylon strings on a classical guitar. This capo is made of tough stainless steel and a strong spring that will keep your steel guitar in the exact key you need it to be. We like that this capo allows you to adjust the amount of pressure applied by using a small dial, so you can customize it to your guitar’s size and your preferences. Shubb recently redesigned this capo to be easier to grip, with an updated lever and curved design that’s comfortable to use. We also like the thick padding, which protects your guitar from dents or scratches and reduces buzzing. Shubb also makes different versions of this, including one we think is the best capo for 12 string guitar players!

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TimbreGear Guitar Capo

If you are really looking to impress your fans, friends, or family, grab this capo from TimbreGear that looks just like real rosewood! It’s really made of a zinc alloy that’s durable, lightweight, and easy to move around. The rosewood finish on it looks just like the real thing, making this a great capo to match your gorgeous wooden guitars! We like that this capo is built well, with a consistent spring that gives you accurate tuning every time you clamp it down. The inner padding helps your capo grip onto the guitar tightly without scratching or denting the beautiful paint or stain. It’s also balanced really well, so you won’t get any excess buzzing or movement while you play. This set also comes with 2 wood picks that were handcrafted and made for use with acoustic or bass guitars. We think that this is a beautiful guitar capo that anyone would enjoy using with acoustic or electric classical guitars!

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WINGO Guitar Capo

Another great capo that looks like it’s made of rosewood is this inexpensive yet high-quality version from WINGO! We like that this capo is slightly curved, making it perfect for all kinds of string instruments: electric guitars, acoustic guitars, ukuleles, banjos, mandolins, and even violins! The aluminum alloy is durable and will keep its shape through years of playing – even if you’re notoriously rough on your equipment! The silicone padding is extra thick, which not only protects your guitar but also helps it grip your guitar tight to reduce buzzing. The pressure applied is even and consistent, so you can feel confident you’ll get the right sound each time you use it. We think that the rosewood finish is absolutely beautiful, and WINGO also sells these in other finishes as well. You can get the right style for your guitar! This set also comes with 5 medium celluloid picks, so you can stock up for your next big gig!

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BROTOU Guitar Tuner

Our final review comes to us from BROTOU, and we think this is a great gift idea for both beginner and advanced players! This kit comes with a guitar capo, 3 extra picks, and a digital tuner. We like that this kit has everything you need to learn how to use a capo, making this great for a beginner learning some new playing skills. The capo is lightweight and works well with guitars, basses, violins, and ukuleles to change the key with one hand. This kit also comes with a digital tuner that helps you learn where to place your capo to get the correct key and tune strings. It has a bright backlight, making it easy to read in any light. We also like that it comes with 3 extra picks, so you can keep yourself fully stocked up for practice sessions, lessons, or jam sessions with friends! Get this for yourself or a friend who’s new to playing!

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About the Author

Kimberly Graf

Expert Researcher and Writer

Kimberly Graf is a researcher and writer for GeekWrapped.com. She covers kitchen, cooking, and home products.

Learn more about Kimberly

Article last updated on:

September 29, 2019

See more reviews:

Best Guitar Capos

Top 10 Buying Guide

Our Recommendations

Kyser Quick-Change Capo

Donner DC-2 Guitar Capo

How to Choose the Best Guitar Capo

Top 10 Products

Kyser Quick-Change Capo

Donner DC-2 Guitar Capo

Nordic Essentials Guitar Capo

GUITARX X2 Guitar Capo

YALLNASL Guitar Capo

UGY Capo Guitar

Shubb S1 Guitar Capo

TimbreGear Guitar Capo

WINGO Guitar Capo

BROTOU Guitar Tuner

About the Author

TOP PICK

Kyser Quick-Change Capo