Field Test Sterner TM

Michael Breid (alias Arkansas Red - Ozark Troubadour)
is a professional musician and repairman of musical instruments. He lives and works in Eureca Springs, Arkansas. We found each other on Internet through my Capomuseum. He has helped me with a lot of capo facts and good advice. We've become real good friends though we've never seen each other. I decided that Red would be the right person to test the capo for me. Here is some of our correspondence:

Arkansas Red, eccentric capouser.

Red:
2002/10/26		 Anders,
I received the capo this morning in the post and thank you very much. I've just put it through its paces. Here is what I've found if my critique is worth anything.

1. The capo is very neat and trim.
2. It is very fast to apply.
3. Other capos have a tendency to pull the strings out of tune. The Sterner capo does not.
4. The capo is accurate up the neck, from the first fret to the ninth.
5. The polyurethane pad is a great idea for compactness, and the extra pad is a marketing plus I think. The idea of it being red to show up against a dark fingerboard is a great idea. Sometimes with poor stage lighting you can't see if the pad is lined up with the fret.
6. The shape of the capo makes it very easy to play with. No banging the capo with the fretting hand and knocking it sideways. I like the flush fit on the treble side of the neck.
7. The large red screw is not in the way at all and is the right size for both small, medium and large hands.
8. All in all it is a fine piece of workmanship, but there are a few drawbacks:

1. Drilling into the nut is a "NO NO". It would weaken the nut and possibly cause it to crack. Expensive if the nut is ivory or pearl.
2. The capo stays put above the nut during a performance, but  it falls on the fingerboard when the guitar is put in a stand.

Other than that one little "flaw" if you will, I find the capo to be an outstanding piece of workmanship and wish you the best of luck.

Anders:
2002/11/22		 Hi Red!
I came up with a very simple idea for a capoholder: I took one of Tina's rubber bands for her hair and put it around the low E-string tuning peg. It hooks around the nut of the capo. I think it works and looks good.

Your critique of the capo was really, really good. I'm curious about one thing, now that you've tried it for a while. I want you to answer honestly:
Is the capo that good that you use it all the time now?

If you use my capo as your standard capo, I wonder if I may put up your review on the website?

Red:
2002/11/22
Anders, My boy, my boy,

That's it! Elastic! Why didn't I think of that? The regular rubber band might have a reaction to the finish, but the hair rubber bands with the thread around them would be perfect. Great idea.

I've kept the capo here at home (I'm a little protective of it) on my guitar, but am taking it next week to the show to use. We have about three more weeks of shows and then we are off for about a month. The capo will get good use there. I have some of the hair elastic bands I use for clamping up certain things, so I will put one on the E-string key right now. Great idea. No drilling, gluing, messing up any original parts. This idea rocks! And there is no problem of the rubber band getting in the way for tuning. I'll keep you posted as to how the capo reacts in front of an audience. Ha.

So far here at home it has worked like a charm. I like its compactness and its "true-ability" when pressed against the strings. It doesn't bend them out of tune like some capos do. Indeed, a very nice product for the guitarist. And you can quote me on that.

Anders:
2002/11/24		 I know you are particular about your instruments, and you didn't mention anything in your review, but I have to ask you just to make shure:
Are there any signs of wear on the back of the guitar neck because of the capo?

Red:
2002/11/24
As far as I can see the coating on the "back strap" has prevented any marring of the neck.