Capo on Headstock?

[Jonathan Levin]

OK. This may seem like a really dumb question, but I have been trying to figure this out: I've seen a bunch of photos of Jazz players that look like they have something clamped to the headstock of their guitar. Herb Ellis comes to mind, but IIRC his gizmo runs under the strings at the nut. I know that some custom guitars used to have a "Zero fret" so maybe his is something to emulate that????

Back when I was playing folk/bluegrass stuff, I know some players would "store" their capos up there, but I don't know many Jazz players that use capos. (or do they?). So what am I seeing.

Thanks.

Jonathan

[paulkogut]

If it's Herb Ellis, it's probably a string damper invented by George Van Eps. There are also a lot of players using headstock tuners as well.VintageArchtop.com


PK

[Jabberwocky]

That's the George Van Eps String Damper. Pat Farrand made a version of it. Cris Mirabella also offers his version of it. Jennifer Batten sells 2 versions of it. And some fellas employ a scrunchie.

They all accomplish pretty much the same thing which is to lightly damp the open strings.

[David B]

As mentioned above, you may be seeing a string damper (very rare these days) a la Herb Ellis:



Or more likely these days, a clip on tuner:

[Eddie Lang]

Here is the Van Eps string damper on my L-4C.

[jazzbow]

How about the fat finger? These are used to removed dead spots.

Some notes played on a guitar do not ring out or sustain when played. By fixing more mass on a headstock you can eliminate some deadness although the frequencies can shift to deaden another note.

Here are some examples...


This is bthe current offering




These are from years ago.


A more drastic solution is to drill holes and fit with metal dowels.

[fonkyfingers]

Jazz musicians don't have money, so the appropriate way would be to use a hair scrunchie ( even famous metal guitarists use them...)

[whiskey02]

The Fat finger works pretty well.

[Jonathan Levin]

Very interesting. Thanks. The thing that I saw look more like the tuner which I see at the top of the headstock. Maybe a pick holder.

[feet]

we now have the jimmy clip, too:

All About Us

[Melodic Dreamer]

I have a Fat Finger on a Suhr Strat. It's one of those things you can't really tell a difference if you just take it on and off really quickly, but if you leave it on for a few days while playing and then take it off you notice the tone change.

[Jabberwocky]

I have this pasted on the headstock of every guitar I own and I can feel the cosmic energy of the entire cosmos, of harmonies and melodies, past, present and future, funnelling through my instrument



Following Par Martino, I have a crib sheet stuck on my pickguard; now I have all permutations of six at my fingertips.

[DRS]

Jazz musicians don't have money, so the appropriate way would be to use a hair scrunchie ( even famous metal guitarists use them...)

I use a scrunchie on my electric bass.

[jazzbow]

I have this pasted on the headstock of every guitar I own and I can feel the cosmic energy of the entire cosmos, of harmonies and melodies, past, present and future, funnelling through my instrument



Following Par Martino, I have a crib sheet stuck on my pickguard; now I have all permutations of six at my fingertips.

I use beans....

[ruger9]

Following Par Martino, I have a crib sheet stuck on my pickguard; now I have all permutations of six at my fingertips.

What the hell am I looking at? Looks like some kind of alien code from the X-Files....

[TedBPhx]

Looks like the I Ching.

[Woody Sound]

Looks like the I Ching.

You Ching what?

[jazzbow]

Looks like the I Ching.

There's a cream for that

[MarkRhodes]

Here is the Van Eps string damper on my L-4C.

Question: when the damper is in use, does it sit at an angle like this one (appears to)?

I've never played with one of these, but as a Herb Ellis fan, I'd like to give one a go. Meanwhile, I've used scrunchies. They're cheap enough but the pressure applied by the elastic in them is uneven. Also, they are wide and you can touch them when playing at the first fret. (This might not bother others but it bothers me.)

[grahambop]

I have this pasted on the headstock of every guitar I own and I can feel the cosmic energy of the entire cosmos, of harmonies and melodies, past, present and future, funnelling through my instrument



Following Par Martino, I have a crib sheet stuck on my pickguard; now I have all permutations of six at my fingertips.

Dude, I can feel your chakras from here.

[Eddie Lang]

Question: when the damper is in use, does it sit at an angle like this one (appears to)?

I've never played with one of these, but as a Herb Ellis fan, I'd like to give one a go. Meanwhile, I've used scrunchies. They're cheap enough but the pressure applied by the elastic in them is uneven. Also, they are wide and you can touch them when playing at the first fret. (This might not bother others but it bothers me.)

Mark,

The part across the strings is slanted, and the felt is perfectly flat over the stings. Let. Me know if I misunderstood your question. BTW, it is not a "muter", but really a "damper".

A cool part is that it is easy to flip it up or down with the thumb while playing.

IIRC, Mirabella's sting damper runs parallel to the nut, but I may be wrong...

[MarkRhodes]

Mark,

The part across the strings is slanted, and the felt is perfectly flat over the stings. Let. Me know if I misunderstood your question. BTW, it is not a "muter", but really a "damper".

A cool part is that it is easy to flip it up or down with the thumb while playing.

Thanks.

[edh]

Did you have to drill new holes on the headstock?

Also is that a Van Eps style?

Thanks

[Eddie Lang]

Did you have to drill new holes on the headstock?

Also is that a Van Eps style?

Thanks

It is a Van Eps string damper. Thankfully, I didn't have to drill holes because the man I bought it from (member here) had a machinist make the Gibson bell plate, identical to the Gibson truss rod cover. The way it was originally, it would have needed new holes drilled, and I would not have liked that too much.

Here's an older thread about them.

Van Epps String Dampeners...anyone use/own one?