Gear Review Royale:  Shubb Capo Royale vs Shubb Fine Tune Royale F1g

R: Shubb Capo Royale, L: Shubb Fine Tune Royale F1g

I have done comparative capo reviews in previous postings.  These reviews represent a type of a quest — all for the purpose of finding the “perfect capo.”  The search continues, so now, I am comparing two previous winners:  The Shubb Capo Royale (an adjustable screw capo) and Shubb Fine Tune Royale F1g (a yoke capo).  There are good and bad capos, and I have discovered examples of both types.  A good capo will offer no string buzz when applied to the fret board, and, more importantly, will maintain a good degree of tuning stability when applied.  The all important factor of tuning stability will tested, and then put through statistical analysis to offer an objective decision and determine which will determine the winner.

Regarding the Shubb Capo Royale:  It is, again, an adjustable screw capo which offers a clasping mechanism for neck attachment.  The screw is tightened after application to apply direct downward pressure on the strings.  Shubb offers its claim: 

The Shubb Capo is designed to reduce tuning problems.  Its custom material presses the strings just like your fingertip.  Its unique design closes onto the neck just like your hand.  Its pressure is totally adjustable.  The result:  no retuning is necessary.

Regarding the Shubb Fine Tune Royale F1g, It is a yoke style capo which also has a screw to supply pressure on the strings.  The yoke style applies a direct, square downward pressure on the strings.  Shubb offers this claim for its yoke capo:

…We are confident that it is the most accurate capo in the world…Its innovative adjusting knob makes it the most ergonomic screw-operated capo.  The knob maintains a fixed relationship with the frame, for improved ease of use, and for the lowest profile when stored behind the nut.  The knob’s six surfaces are numbered, providing a visual reference to more easily and accurately reproduce : ideal pressure.  Greater contact area between screw, frame, and knob ensures that the fit will never become loose and sloppy.  Specially developed rubber padding adds resilience to the capo’s closing action for finer control, and being absolutely inert, it will not mark an instrument.  Improved jeweler’s style latch prevents accidental opening.  Carefully machined to the closest thread tolerance. 

Materials and Methods:  I put the two capos to the test on four different acoustic guitars.  The same Snark “Super Tight” electronic tuner is used for all testings.  All four guitars were tuned to standard tuning.  D’Addario nickel bronze acoustic light gauge   strings (12 – 53) are on all guitars.  Each capo was placed sequentially on frets 2, 5, and 7 on all guitars.  All six strings were plucked in all positions to assess tuning stability.  All guitars were retuned before repositioning each capo at the above noted positions.  Any “distuning” caused by capo application was noted for each capo at every position on all six strings by the number of “minute” sharp increments (noted by “+”) from the in-tune “12 o’clock” position on the tuner.  There was a total of 144 testings.  For statistical analysis a two-tailed T-test was used, and both T and P values will be presented and explained in the results section found in the text below.

Results:

Rainsong N-JM11002 (Nashville Series) Carbon Fiber Acoustic Jumbo:

Shubb Capo Royale:  a total of +7 minutes sharp (at fret 2 = +2, 4 strings in tune; fret 5 = +1, 5 in tune; fret 7 = +4, 3 in tune)

Shubb Fine Tune Royale F1g:  a total of +2 minutes sharp (at fret 2 = 0, all strings in tune; fret 5 = +1, 5 in tune; fret 7 = +1, 5 in tune).

Rainsong BI-JM1000N2 Carbon Fiber Acoustic Jumbo:

Shubb Capo Royale:  a total of +6 minutes sharp (at fret 2 = 0, all strings in tune; fret 5 = +3, 4 in tune; fret 7 = +3, 4 in tune).

Shubb Fine Tune Royale F1g:  a total of +5 minutes sharp (at fret 2 = +1, 5 strings in tune; fret 5 = +3, 3 in tune; fret 7 = + 2, 4 in tune)

Breedlove Pro Series Spruce/Rosewood Acoustic Dreadnought:

Shubb Capo Royale:  a total of +14 minutes sharp (at fret 2 = +2, 4 strings in tune; fret 5 = +5, 1 in tune; fret 7 = +7, none in tune)

Shubb Fine Tune Royale F1g:  a total of +6 minutes sharp (at fret 2 = +2, 4 strings in tune; fret 5 = +1, 5 in tune; fret 7 = +3 minutes sharp, 3 in tune)

Composite Acoustic Legacy Carbon Fiber Acoustic Dreadnought: 

Shubb Capo Royale:  a total of +4 minutes sharp (at fret 2 = +1, 5 strings in tune; fret 5 = +1, 5 in tune; fret 7 = +2, 4 in tune)

Shubb Fine Tune Royale F1g:  a total +3 minutes sharp (at fret 2 = 0, all strings in tune; fret 5 = +2, 4 in tune; fret 7 = +1, 5 in tune)

Total “Minutes” Sharp:

Shubb Capo Royale: +31 of 72 total string position testings

Shubb Fine Tune Royale F1g:  +16 of 72 string position testings

T-Value = 2.24, and P-value = 0.027:  Both values state that there is an objective and significant difference in string tuning stability. (A P-value < 0.05 shows significance, and the P-value of 0.027 means that there is a 97.3% chance that the result is not due to chance).  The advantage goes to the Shubb yoke style capo.

Discussion and Conclusion:  

One brief mention of string buzzing is noted.  The Capo Royale caused one non-correctable buzz at the seventh fret of the sixth string on the Composite Acoustic  Legacy dreadnought.

The winner: Shubb Fine Tune Royale F1g

The Shubb Fine Tune Royale F1g proved to be the superior capo for tuning stability.  It appears that Shubb’s claim that “…We are confident that it is the most accurate capo in the world…” holds up to the test. Also, it must be stated that the greatest degree of tuning instability was observed on the Breedlove Pro Series dreadnought made from solid woods.  Little difference in tuning stability was seen among the three carbon fiber guitars.  It is likely that this is due to the structural stability that comes from carbon fiber construction — especially regarding the neck, though no bowing, etc., can be visually seen with the naked eye down the Breedlove’s neck.  This difference in tuning stability found with all wooden guitars has been noted in previous reviews.  With all testings, the carbon fiber guitars have consistently provided a superior tuning stability when compared to solid wood acoustics. 

Ease of application goes to the adjustable screw capo — the Shubb Capo Royale.

I own Shubb’s Fine Tune F1g yoke style capo, and will be consistently using in on my guitars.  I must add that its price tag may dissuade many players from purchasing one:  it sells for $80 to $85 dollars.  For me, it is worth it since I use capos more than half of the time when I play, whether I use standard capos, or a partial capo (also a Shubb).

Keep on playing,

Fr Irenaeus