G7th Performance 3 Capo – The Pinnacle Of Capo Design?

Apparently, the first guitar capo dates back to the 1700s. So you would think that with a few hundred years under its belt there would be very little room for improvement. Nick Campling, founder and chairman of G7th would beg to differ. Nick was originally running a design consultancy business;

The humble guitar capo had not been redesigned in around 25 years. They generally looked and operated like an ancient instruments of torture. I thought to myself “there must be a better way than this…” Nick Campling, founder and chairman of G7th

And so there was. In 2004 the ‘Performance Capo’ was launched to critical acclaim. This was followed by the ‘Nashville’ in 2007 and the ‘Newport’ in 2011, followed by the ‘Performance 2’, and a smaller version of the original. The rest, as they say, is history.

Fast forward to 2022 and the 18kt Gold Plated Performance 3 that is currently gracing the neck of my acoustic guitar.

The Spec:

Even pressure across all strings is made possible by ART® Adaptive Radius Technology
Perfect for most steel string acoustics, electrics, and hybrid nylon string guitars.
Protect the finish of your guitar with internal silicone pads
Adjust quickly and easily thanks to Unique Tension Control™
Max Fingerboard Width: 52mm
Max Neck Depth: 27mm
Finishes: Steel, Black, 18kt Gold
Lifetime Warranty

ART® Adaptive Radius Technology Explained:

ART® stands for Adaptive Radius TechnologyTM, which is a patented mechanism created by G7th that sits underneath the string pad on both the Performance 3 and Heritage capos. When the capo is attached to the guitar, the ART® automatically responds to the radius of your guitar neck and the gauge of your strings to perfectly distribute pressure over the strings, giving you MAXIMUM tuning stability with the MINIMUM tension required.

Build Quality:

The version I have here is the 18kt gold-plated one and I must say it looks absolutely amazing! G7th can also add your name to the capo if you wish, but I think ‘Performance 3’ speaks for itself. Plain gold looks just fine to me.

Weighing in at just 64g and easily fitting in the palm of my hand the ‘Performance 3’ has a reassuring quality feel about it. This is a capo that you will keep for years and judging by how well it is put together and how smoothly it operates I have no doubt that this is the only capo you would ever need.

Performance:

In use, the ‘Performance 3’ is very easy to attach to the guitar neck. Press on the black release trigger that sits out from the top of the capo and it opens up. Slip it over the neck of the guitar and then squeeze the capo together with your thumb and index finger. The ART® Adaptive Radius Technology ensures that the rubber bar will sit evenly across the strings whilst applying just the right amount of pressure to each string. There is no buzzing and no dulling of notes. Each string rings out as clearly as if there were no capo attached.

Movement up and down the neck can be achieved with one hand…with a little practice. And when you want to go capo free, it can be parked at the nut.

Conclusions:

I have used a lot of capos over the years. Some were cheap and nasty, some more expensive and did the job quite well. I had thought that I had found my perfect capo with another brand which I have often mentioned on this site and in videos. I didn’t think anything would get me to switch but, of course, never say never, right?

It seems that after at least two centuries of development there was indeed room for improvement.