Thalia Guitar Capo Review
In-Depth, Hands-on, and with Lots of Pictures!
Lifetime warranty
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Effectiveness
Customizable fret pads almost guarantee the Thalia will work on any guitar
Ease of Use
Straightforward & simple to use. Need average or better hand strength to operate
Price
It’s not cheap. It’s a premium capo made from premium materials & carries a lifetime warranty
Speed
Fast. Placement & relocation is just as fast as trigger-style capos
Safety
Used correctly, it’s as safe as any other capo
What I Liked
What I Didn’t Like
Buying capos can be a pain.
Unless you can try it on your guitar(s) first it’s a real crap-shoot. I can’t tell you how many capos I’ve had to return over the years because it looked promising, but ultimately knocked my strings out of tune or let some strings buzz. Some capos actually did both. I own 3 different capos because no single one works well on all my guitars.
Capo manufacturers are in a tough spot, and I sympathize. With all the different guitar necks out there, they’re forced to build a radius (curvature) into their capos that’s “one size fits most.” This radius is usually somewhere around the 12″ mark, and the result is a capo that works well for some guitars, but not others.
Then, there’s Thalia…
The Thalia Guitar Capo
The Thalia capo company has taken a unique approach to tackling these challenges. Realizing that “one-size-fits-most” just isn’t good enough, they’ve created a capo that accepts interchangeable fret pads, which allows you to essentially customize the capo to work perfectly on any guitar, including 12-string guitars.
Every Thalia capo includes two full sets of rubber fret pads: standard-tension and high-tension. Each set includes 7 fret pads, each with a different radius (curvature): 0″ (for Classical), 7.25″. 9.5″, 10″, 12″, 15″ & 16″. The high-tension set is actually 2mm taller–for ukuleles, banjos or guitars with thinner neck profiles.
It comes with a number of other little goodies as well, which you’ll see below.
Unboxing the Thalia Capo
Note that in some of the photos you may see a “Partial Rubber” fretpad tuning kit as well as a package of “Engineered Exotic Wood Picks.” These are not included with Thalia capos–they’re extra items that I bought separately.
When it comes to packaging I think Thalia took some cues from Apple. Even the shipping box is nicely branded inside:
Once you open the box, there is a boatload of extra goodies waiting for you:
Believe it or not, all this came out of that little Thalia box
The Thalia comes with a Quick Start Guide. I didn’t need to read it (and I didn’t) before using the capo, changing fretpads, etc. It was all pretty self-explanatory to me. I actually enjoyed just thumbing through the booklet after I’d already been using the capo for awhile.
A Closer Look at the Thalia Capo
My Thalia is the chrome and rosewood version, which is one of the more understated styles available. Regardless, it’s still a gorgeous capo, and if you want something different or fancier, you’ve got MANY styles and custom options available to choose from.
Changing the Thalia’s fretpad is easy. Simply pop it out as shown here. Once it’s out, snap the new one in by doing this same procedure in reverse:
The Thalia’s interchangeable fretpads are easy to snap in and out
The Thalia capo comes with two full sets of fretpads. One set contains 7 “normal tension” fretpads and the other set contains 7 “high tension” fretpads. Each fretpad has the fretboard radius stamped on the back. Simply choose the radius that matches your guitar’s fretboard:
Note: On some rare occasions, using the fret pad that exactly matches the radius of your fretboard doesn’t work well. For example, if your guitar has a 12″ fretboard radius and when you use the 12″ fret pad, the notes don’t fret cleanly. In that case, using a 10″ or a 14″ fret pad instead will usually fix the issue.
Size Comparison
Size-wise, the Thalia is definitely a larger, beefier capo.
Size comparison of the Thalia vs. 2 of my other capos
The Thalia Capo In-Use
To operate the Thalia, simply squeeze the spring-loaded thumb lever and the capo opens. Release pressure on the thumb lever and the Thalia automatically closes. About 15 – 18 pounds of pressure is needed to open the lever, so you’ll need average-or-better hand strength. The spring tension is firm, so if you have very weak hands or arthritis, you may have trouble using the Thalia:
Squeeze and release the Thalia’s thumb lever to operate
The Thalia capo can be clamped on the neck from above or below–it’s really up to your personal preference. I prefer to have the Thalia clamped on over the top of the neck, but you may prefer the other way. Do whichever feels most natural to you:
My preferred placement: over the top
Many people seem to prefer clamping the Thalia underneath, which is perfectly fine
Now, you may be thinking, “That capo looks big. Isn’t it heavy?” Sure, the Thalia by itself has a bit of heft to it, but it’s not heavy on your guitar. In other words, it doesn’t have any effect on the guitar’s balance nor can you tell that it’s on there.
When not in use, you can clamp the Thalia on your guitar’s nut without affecting the tuning
One last thing worth noting: Unlike other capos, the Thalia is more forgiving of bad placement. This is because you’re able to choose the fretpad that matches your fretboard radius. So, if it’s a bit crooked and/or placed in the middle of the fret, your guitar will still be in-tune and buzz-free.
So, How Did it Perform?
Effectiveness
The Thalia capo is, hands-down, the most effective capo I’ve ever used. It’s hard to imagine the Thalia capo not working on any standard acoustic or electric guitar, banjo, or ukulele. The ability to customize the Thalia’s curvature (and thickness) with one of the 14 included fretpads makes it nearly impossible for this capo to fail. Hell, in an effort to find some kind of fault I tried it on my 5-string bass. It still worked perfectly up to about the 7th fret. After that the bass’ neck became too wide.
I had zero issues with the Thalia squeezing my notes sharp. It can happen, but in those rare cases you simply shift the capo a bit and the issue disappears.
Ease of Use
The Thalia capo is very straightforward and easy to use. It’s more forgiving of bad placement, due to the fact that you can customize the fratpad to exactly match your guitar’s fretboard radius and neck thickness. This means you can have it slightly crooked or placed somewhere in the middle of the fret without any issues.
The capo can be clamped from the top (over the neck) or the bottom (under the neck). It’s up to you and your personal preference. I personally prefer having it clamped from the top.
If you have average or better hand strength, you’ll have no issues using this capo. However, the amount of pressure needed to squeeze open the lever may be too much for some people. This is why I’ve deducted 1 star here. My hand visibly shakes a bit whenever I have to squeeze the lever, and my girlfriend was unable to squeeze it at all unless she used two hands. It’s not unreasonable, but those with arthritis or otherwise weak hands (I have both) may struggle a bit.
Price
Only 3 stars here because, let’s be honest, the Thalia capo isn’t cheap. As far as I can tell, it’s the most expensive capo available, but the value is there–especially if you own many different guitars. The Thalia is built like a tank with gorgeous, quality materials. You can be pretty confident that it’ll work flawlessly on all your guitars (and other stringed instruments). Lastly, it carries a lifetime warranty.
Let’s face it: some people just can’t justify the cost of a Thalia, and that’s okay. It’s not for everyone. However, for those who use a capo a lot and want one that’s basically guaranteed to work on everything, the Thalia is a worthwhile purchase.
Speed
The Thalia can be quickly clamped in place, then moved just as quickly. So, when it comes to speed the Thalia is just as “fast” as trigger-style capos. If you’re a guitarist who changes keys a lot, you’ll love it.
Safety
Unless you do something stupid, the Thalia is as safe as any other capo. I deducted half a star here simply because the rubber pad on the back of the lever is fairly firm. With normal usage and common sense, you have nothing to worry about and your guitar will be absolutely fine. However, be a doofus and leave the Thalia clamped in the same spot for several weeks, and you may have some dents (this is my opinion only–not tested nor confirmed). This is true of just about any capo you leave clamped on your guitar for excessively long periods. So, don’t do that.
What Others Are Saying
Here’s what a couple other guitarists think of the Thalia capo:
Recap: What I Liked
- Lifetime warranty on workmanship and all mechanical components, including the spring, lever, and housing.
- The 14 interchangeable fretpads make this capo nearly fail-proof. Choose the fretpad that best matches your guitar’s fretboard radius and neck thickness, and you should have zero issues.
- Thalia capos are built like a tank with premium, top-quality materials.
- 26 different standard inlay options, with additional customization possible (for an added charge) including laser etching.
Recap: What I Didn’t Like
- The strength required to operate the lever can be too much for weak or arthritic hands. My hand visibly shakes when I squeeze it, and my girlfriend was unable to squeeze the lever at all, unless she used two hands.
Conclusion
Objectively, I couldn’t find many flaws with the Thalia guitar capo. It’s the only capo you can buy, sight-unseen, that’s pretty much guaranteed to work on all of your guitars (or banjo or ukulele). I only wish I’d found it years ago, before I blew a bunch of money investing in different capos for all my different guitars.
If you’re hung up on the the premium price tag, well, I’m probably not going to be able to change your mind. Without actually trying a Thalia yourself, you probably won’t be able to bring yourself to drop that kind of money on one.
I’d love to lend you mine to try out, but this is one capo I’m never letting go.
They are indeed beautiful. But they are entirely oversized. Almost to the point of looking out of proportion to the instrument. I suspect that the size has more to do with showing off the wood, or jewels, etc., on the top of the capo, and little or nothing to do with the function of a capo.
So I’ll stay with my tried and trusted D’Addario Planet Waves Artist Capo for performing and my Shubb for recording.
Hi Robert. I’d reserve judgement until you’ve actually used one. Unfortunately, Thalia capo’s aren’t common at music stores, which makes that a little hard for people to try them out (which is unfortunate).
As an actual Thalia owner, I can say that I’ve not had any issues with the size. They look bigger than some other capos, but size has been a non-issue for me. In fact, I think it’s fairly streamlined–similar in design to the G7th. Many people worry about the weight, but as I point out in the article, that too was a non-issue… even on my lighter electric guitars.
And after all is said and done, if you have a capo (or two) that’s working well for you, no reason not to stick with it.
Thalia capos are truly beautiful. It’s where art and function meet.
However, with my experience, it doesn’t work well on my Martin 12 string (D12-20 1969 build).
It doesn’t have the necessary compression to effectively push down on all 12 strings.
OTH, it works perfectly on my 6 string Tayloy dreadnaught.
Hey Russ, this is great feedback, thank you. This is odd to hear, because I tested the Thalia on my 5-string bass, and it had adequate compression. It worked well up to a certain fret, after which point the neck just became too thick and wide for the capo to fit over.
Have you experimented with the different radiuses? It might actually do better with a radius pad that’s slightly different (flatter or rounder) than the actual radius of your Martin’s fretboard. I know that doesn’t seem to make sense, but DO experiment, if you haven’t already. Try a fret pad that’s on either side of the correct radius. So, if your Martin has a 12″ fretboard radius, try the 10″ as well as 14″ fret pads.
I may send an email to Thalia and see if they have any comment on this. Their website definitely states that the Thalia is suitable for 12-string guitars.
Thnaks Bobby for offering to contact Thalia for me. Actualy, I e-mailed today and await an answer. I thought about trying the other inserts. I’ll give them a try. Is it possible that older 12 strings like my 1969 are a different animal than the guitars that are produced today? Maybe saying one has a 12 string is too generic a term?
This is going to be an adventure to find the right capo for me! Adventures are fun!
Thanks for the review and comments. I loved mine at first, but have had some issues and wanted to share and hopefully get a problem answered. Agree with the grip strength con. It’s tough when you have hand issues. The extra width is also very noticeable, both when resting on nut and when positioned too close to the fret. Causes more care up front or shifting on the fly. However, the biggest issue I’ve found is the opposite side rubber insert (goes against the back of the neck). It pops out very easily and I’ve almost lost it a few times. It kind of snaps back in but doesn’t stay. Only thing I can think of is to glue it. Any other ideas?
Hi Dan. That pad shouldn’t be coming loose. The Thalía Capo is covered under a full lifetime warranty (against manufacturing defects, at least), so I would contact the company and see if they’ll send you a replacement capo.
Thanks for the feedback. Have contacted Thalia and will see how it goes.
Definitely let me know what they say, and how this turns out. I’m touting the “lifetime warranty” as one of the benefits of the premium price tag, so I want to make sure they’re actually honoring it.
Followed up with Thalia on my neck pad issue. They sent a new neck pad “kit” and I installed (with their glue) the pad and it works fine. Their follow up was great and expedient. Never actually discussed warranty, they just did it. I’m satisfied
That’s great to hear Dan! I’m glad they took care of you.
Doesn’t displace G7th Nashville (spring capo) as my favorite for Celtic backup in DADGAD. This involves shifting the capo fast and often, so Thalia’s hefty squeeze is an issue. Thalia recommends the extra-thick 16″ pad for my Lowden guitar, but I find the standard one works fine and moderates the squeeze. The 15″ pad works even better, seeming to account for the taper from #1 string to #6 string as well as the fretboard radius. Nobody else seems bothered by the width, thickness, bulk and overhang of this capo; my fretting hand is always knocking it out of position when I play close to it. My G7th Nashville capo has just the right pressure, is fast, and stays out of my way. I’ve learned to live with its slightly “off” radius. If it had the right radius, it would be perfect. It’s still my favorite.
I’m not seeing any reviews (anywhere) about a Thalia going on an electric 12 string which is almost impossible to put a capo on. The thinner/lighter strings notoriously get squeezed out of tune. Any experience with an electric 12?
Mark, check out my 3rd paragraph in this review:
“The Thalia capo company has taken a unique approach to tackling these challenges. Realizing “that one-size-fits-most” just isn’t good enough, they’ve created a capo that accepts interchangeable fret pads, which allows you to essentially customize the capo to work perfectly on any guitar, including 12-string guitars.”
Now, I’m not basing that on actual testing (I don’t have, nor do I have access to a 12-string), but Thalia states that the capo also works great on 12-string guitars: https://www.thaliacapos.com/pages/12-string-guitars
Also, I’ve seen comments on various guitar forums and whatnot from happy 12-string players using the Thalia. What makes the Thalia unique (and the reason it tends to not squeeze notes sharp), is the fact that you can customize the curve to exactly match your fretboard. That’s one of the keys to not squeezing notes sharp. Other capos can’t do this, because they don’t have interchangeable fret pads like the Thalia.
I bought two Thalia capos at Christmas time as a gift to myself. What a great move! Whether it’s on a Gibson LP, Fender Tele, Martin DM or a Walden 12 string acoustic, easy placement and NO sharp # notes due to pulling strings. They look great too.
Thanks for sharing your experience Mark. They really are great capos.
Great review. Excellent pictures.
After reading that review I want to go out and buy one!
Is there any way to access the spring to lighten up the poundage?
Thanks Luke. The Thalia is a sealed unit, so the spring tension is fixed.
Very informative review, I have some difficulty with my capo on my acoustic, and I find myself having to stop and adjust it fairly often. I have a simple metal clamp design which begins to struggle around the 7th or 8th fret. As I have tendonitis in both hands and wrists, it can be difficult to hold my capo open, so I’m not sure that the Thalia capo would work for me. Definitely one that I’ll telling my guitar tutor about though!
Thanks Kes. If you have tendonitis, I’m going to guess that you would indeed have a little trouble with the thumb lever. However, it is do-able with two hands.