Capo on Melobar Skreemr?

[Keith Murrow]

Just wondering if anyone is, or has tried, using a capo on the electric Melobar guitars with the angled neck (Powerslide, Skreemr,. etc), and if so, if you think it is worth having for playing some of the "open string" licks like Jerry Douglas and others use on resonators? I've got a Skreemr that I've been thinking about playing more and seems like a capo might be a useful accessory, but I have been hesitant to pull the trigger since capos of this type are relatively expensive. The Beard Wave is going for about $100 now, so not an insignificant expenditure for "experimenting" with.

Thanks!

[Mark Evans]

I use a Charlie’s Capo (after trying a couple others). I use it a lot in jams, and the tone is stellar.

[Jerry Overstreet]

Is your Skreemr a 6 stringer? I have a Melobar 6 with the Rosac neck that I just got but I haven't actually tried a capo on it because I just haven't played it.

Maybe Ted Smith has some ideas.

I did test fit the Charlie's capo on it just now and it seems to work just fine at least up to about the 4th fret. There's ample clearance between the neck and the strings.

Only issue I can think of is that the capo you choose is wide enough as the neck is a little wider than some resos.

I also have an E.G. Smith capo that I can try soon as I find it.

Either one of these sounds pretty good on the acoustic resonator so I would expect the same on the Melobar.

My initial thought was to re-string the Melobar from open E down to D as that's my base tuning for slide, then capo up to E as needed but due to my back issues I don't know if I'm going to be able to keep the guitar.

[Keith Murrow]

Thank you for the replies!

Mark - What model of Melobar are you using?

Jerry - Yes, I have a six-string Skreemr. The distance across all strings at the nut is 1 7/8", and the fretboard is 2 3/8" wide there. At the 8th fret, the distance across all strings is 1 15/16", and the fretboard is 2 1/2" wide at that point. So there is very litte widening of string spacing as you move toward the bridge.

Mark and Jerry - On the Charlie's, does the rubber-covered rod across the bottom of the capo rest directly on the fretboard, or is the whole capo slightly "suspended" up above the fretboard by the strings? Sorry for the dumb question, I've never seen one used in person, and videos I could find on the web didn't clearly show that side, either. It looks like the Shubb-type capo rests right on the fingerboard while the Beard appears to rest above the fretboard.

[Mark Evans]

Oh DOH!
I don’t own a Skreemr, just (I guess) assuming it would work as on any lap steel.

Yes, the Charlie claps on, rubber tubing stays well above fretboard (also, assuming normal high action). Works great, sound is great. In my jams, we change out keys each tune. I bring a C7 lap and an open G (G6 or G7) and I can capo up each to cover. Gotten a lot of mileage off it.

[Jerry Overstreet]

Yes, the tubing contacts the bottom of the strings when the Charlie's capo's slide is in place. It attaches by slipping the tubing between strings 3 and 4, rotating 90° then sliding the clamp closed.

It only contacts the top and bottom of the strings.
It's not like the Shubb capo that sits on the fretboard.

I'll leave a couple shots that I should have included earlier. One of the width of the tubed bar and one of the unit opened up.

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[Ted Smith]

Sorry to be late into the question,
I've used different capo versions and the only 2 cents I can throw in, that isn't already covered above, is that some of the Dobro capos use bone and with Lap Steels it seems your volume stays more conisitant if you use capos that are brass. If you're using stock E open the string guages are often .056 to .016 which will tune down to D pretty well, some of the packaged lap steel sets are heavier on the bass and lighter on the treble or even lighter all the way across (i.e. .038 to .015) which is going to be too slack for D open.
Hope that helps.

[Brooks Montgomery]

I have a collection of squareneck capos: Charlies, Walworth, Beard (old plate model), Scheerhorn, and one of those bungee strap wrap-around contraptions.

For acoustic dobro I like the Charlies best. Tone.

For any dobro or lap steel played electric, I prefer the Walworth. Very quickdraw with the flip of a lever. When plugged in, the open strings sound great with this capo. And it will clamp on the strings on the tuners side of the nut for quick access.

Six string applications. Don’t have a capo for eight-string steels.

[Mark Evans]

My Rickenbacker Ace and Richard Wilson weissenborn are the only two instruments that wouldnt accommodate Charlie’s Capo. Action clearance too low. Otherwise all others good

[Keith Murrow]

Thanks to all of you for taking time to respond and answer my questions, I really appreciate it. I think I will go ahead and give one a try.