Reviewed By: Jac Harrison
Purchased from: Manufacturer
Street Price: $29.95 USD
About:
Creative Tunings, Inc SpiderCapo
I had to come up with a new category name for this product so our readers would really understand its full functionality. To me this is not a capo but what I have dubbed as a capotune. This device is everything you could want in a capo and as a capo it does what it is intended for. But let me back up a bit so you get the full gist of things. To me a standard capo is an incredibly useful tool mostly used by acoustic guitar players. It is a small tool that clamps a bar across the strings of the guitar (the actual fret clamped is up to the guitarist) effectively raising the pitch of the instrument. Often used by guitarists to play a song in a different key, without changing the chords played. This is where the SpiderCapo stands out; it can perform as a standard capo but will also allow the guitarist to modify tunings at each fret of the guitar by lifting up or pressing down the ‘fingers’ that rest on each string making what seem like endless alternate tuning possibilities.
SpiderCapo Alternative Tunings
There are 63 possible tunings at each fret of the guitar.
Each fret offers new, unique tuning possibilities. Calculating up to
the 15th fret that equals 945 possible tunings without touching a
tuning peg! Very much room for individual selection, taste, sound,
and identity.
The tunings are shown from the lowest, bass, 6th string “E”
, to the highest, treble, 1st string “E”. Like this: [6th,5th,4th,3rd,2nd,1st]. Example: [000400] is SpiderCapo
at 4th fret and only 3rd string, C, is depressed. So, the number corresponds to the fret at which the
SpiderCapo is applied.
Here are some selections in use by individuals according to Creative Tunings, Inc. website.
[111011] for playing in Eb
[001100] Peter, E major 7, “Just Like a Woman”
[110011] for playing in Bb, F
[100011] Martin Blanes, “Farther Within”.
[220022] for F# Phrygian or “Spanish” sound
[220002] variation of above
[022200] “DADGAD” up a step
[022222] “drop D tuning” up a step.
[002200] Peter: for , “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”
[224442] Dan Uttendorfer: [full capo 2nd
fret=DADGAD up [2]
frets ]. Original, "I've Never Been the Gett'in Kind"
[330033] Mike Webb , Christmas TAB Songbook
[330033] open G tuning
[330003] variation of above
[003330] Staffan Svahn
[335533] Aaron Lennox, "Claw Hammer" Banjo tuning.
Full capo 3rd fret
[400040] Doug Young, “sus sound” Acoustic Guitar Magazine
Review
[000400] Doug Young, “Drop C Tuning” Acoustic Guitar
Magazine Review
[005505] A minor tuning
[555505] TCophony, Song on SpiderCapo website.
[0600066] Fred Hand with 6th String dropped to D
000707] Patrick Woods. “Storm Watch”. His guitar is tuned in
DADGAD! [this opens up another 945 tunings]
[770707] B minor “Firebird Suite”
[070077] José Torres.
[888088] Peter: Kalimba Tuning
[00000,10] David Chiapetta, “D Pedal” Of course, I could list mathematically as well for those who
want a long list of tunings. Here we’ll get you started at the 1st fret:
[100000], [010000], [001000], [000100],[000010], [000001],
110000], [011000], [001100],[000110], [000011], [101000],
[010100], [001010], [000101], [100100], [010010], [001001],
[100010], [0100001], [100001], [111000], [011100], [001110],
000111], [101100], [010110], [001011], [110100], [010110],
[001101], [100011], [110001], [101010], [010101], [111100],
[011110], [001111], 101110], [010111], [110110], [011011],
[111010], [011101], [110011], [111110], [011111], [101111],
[110111], [111011], [111101],
[111110],
Guitar:
Parkwood PW370M
Impression:
The
SpiderCapo is an awesome invention. It's almost shocking that someone
did not come up with this idea sooner. It is simple to use, light weight
and I liked that it didn't clamp on the back of the neck but it fits
snugly on the sides. This was a huge plus for me, as I never wanted to
use my capo on an expensive guitar due to the fear of nicks, dings, and
scratches forming. I am confident that this would not happen with the
SpiderCapo. I enjoyed this products and I have ordered one for myself
and will be using the one that was sent to us for demo, at the Local
Music Gear booth at upcoming shows and events.
My advice:
I think that this is a must for guitarist that use a capo, that d-tunes, and or uses an alternative tuning during a set.
Contact: 
