Gear Review of Two Yoke Capos: Shubb Fine Tune Royale F1g VS D’Addario Cradle Capo

As I have reviewed a number of capos over the years I have learned a good deal about them.  The primary lesson learned is that not all capos are alike.  There are capos of inferior and superior design.  I have found that a good capo is determined by its design — specifically how a given capo applies pressure on the strings to the fretboard.

There are functionally four styles of capos:

1. 1. Strap and Toggle Capos.  A strap or toggle using an elastic strap is wrapped around the guitar’s neck to apply the downward pressure on the strings.
   2. Trigger / Spring Capos.   This class of capo is likely the most commonly used capo.  A spring mechanism applies the needed downward pressure.  With the trigger and spring capos there is the additional lateral pressure which brings the strings out of tune.
   3. Adjustable Screw Capos.  This style offers a “clasping” mechanism for attachment to the neck.   After application, a screw is tightened to apply direct square pressure onto the strings.
   4. Yoke Capos.  These are very similar to the adjustable screw capos.  They have an arm which is released for application to the neck.  This style, too, is tightened by the screw to supply pressure on the strings.  The yoke style offers direct, square pressure on all strings.

Top: Shubb Fine Tune Royale F1g, Bottom: D’Addario Cradle Capo

As the title states, I will compare two yoke-style capos:  the Shubb Fine Tune Capo Royale F1g, and D’Addario’s Cradle Capo.  I add the manufacturers’ claims and descriptions for both capos.

Shubb Fine Tune Royale F1g:

…We are confident that it is the most accurate capo in the world…it can remain on the guitar (behind the nut) when not in use.

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 your 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.

D’Addario Cradle Capo:  

Even tension.  Always ready…With its stainless steel, self-centering design, the Cradle Capo ensures even tension across the fretboard.  Its adjustable micrometer lets you dial in the perfect pressure, while allowing the freedom for quick transitions and the ability to stay on the guitar, even when not in use.

Hypothesis:  Given identical design and mechanism I posit that both capos will offer near identical tuning stability as well (as no string buzzing).  A two-tail T-test will be used to “objectively” test my hypothesis.  Both T and P values will be presented for assessment.  The meaning of both values will be explained.

Material and Methods: I put the capos to the test on three different guitars.  The same Snark “Super Tight” electronic tuner is used for all testings.  All three guitars were tuned to standard tuning.  Each capo was placed sequentially on frets 2, 5, and 7 on all three guitars.  All six stings were plucked to assess tuning stability.  Each guitar was retuned before repositioning each capo at the above mentioned frets.  Any “distuning” caused by the capos was noted for each capo at each position (on all six strings) by the number of “minute” increments (flat and/or sharp noted by, for example, -1 for flat, or +2 for sharp) from the “12 o’clock” (the “in tune” position) on the tuner.  There were a total of 108 testings.  Also, both Rainsong guitars possess the N2 style neck.

Results:  Here are the results in terms of total “distuning minutes” at all three fret positions (again 2, 5, and 7).  

Rainsong N-JM1100N2 (Nashville Series) acoustic jumbo:

Shubb:  +8 (at fret 2 = +1, 5 strings in tune; fret 5 = +3, 3 in tune; fret 7 = +4, 2 in tune)

D’Addario:  +8 (at fret 2 = +1, 5 strings in tune; fret 5 = +4, 2 in tune; fret 7 = +3, 3 in tune)

Rainsong BI-JM1000N2 (Black Ice Series) acoustic jumbo:

Shubb:  +11 (at fret 2 = +2, 4 strings in tune; fret 5 = +4, 2 in tune; fret 7 = +5, 1 in tune)

D’Addario:  +12 (at fret 2 = +4, 2 strings in tune; fret 5 = +4, 2 in tune; fret 7 = +4, 2 in tune)

Paul Reed Smith (PRS) SE Starla solid body electric:

Shubb:  +6 (at fret 2 = +2, 4 strings in tune; fret 5 = +2, 4 in tune; fret 7 = +2, 4 in tune)

D’Addario:  +16 (at fret 2 = +3, 3 strings in tune; fret 5 = +6, none in tune; fret 7 = +7 none in tune)

Total “minutes” sharp:

Shubb:  +25 of 54 total string position testings

D’Addario:  +36 of 54 total string position testings

T = – 1.94:  This states that a moderate difference exists in tuning stability between the two yoke-style capos.  My hypothesis that there would be no tuning difference is to be rejected.

P value = 0.054:  For a proven statistical difference, the P value has to be </= 0.05. The value of 0.054, though it approaches statistical significance, only indicates that the difference in tuning stability shows a “trending” to a superior tuning stability.  Thus, it also informs me that I am to reject my hypothesis.

Discussion and Conclusion:

First, neither yoke capo caused any string buzzing at any position tested.  Given the difference in the number of “sharp minutes” between the two yoke capos, I am to conclude that the Shubb Fine Tune Royale F1g capo shows a trend to be moderately superior to the D’Addario Cradle Capo in terms of tuning stability.

The winner: Shubb Fine Tune Royale F1g

What, then, might explain this trend?  The “rubber / plastic” material that comes in contact with the strings is identical in width (7 mm).   Their lengths differ by 1.0 mm, (Shubb 48 mm, D’Addario 49mm).  Subjectively, the density of the rubber material feels the same.  Could weight cause the difference affecting results?  The Shubb capo weighs 38 grams while the D’Addario capo weighs 23 grams.  I am uncertain about the significance of this difference.  The only other variable that could explain this difference could be the tightening mechanism which presses upward from the back of the neck:  the Shubb mechanism feels more sturdy, and likely offers a more secure pressure.

Given the two yoke-style capos, I will choose to use the Shubb Fine Tune Royale capo on my guitars.  Both capos are more expensive than any of the other varieties of capos noted above:  Shubb = $80 – 85 (Shubb direct purchase); D’Addario = $69.99 (Reverb), but as it is said, “You get what you pay for,” if you find it necessary to add either capo to your gear bag.

Keep on playing!

Fr Irenaeus