Hi Leeneia,

No offence, but I think a "commitment of medicrity" on the guitar, as an instrument that is not your primary one, would make the use of a capo all the more attractive and practical. You not only eliminate the need to learn more than a small handful of chords, you make every chord a little easier to play when you capo-up a couple of frets; your action is a little lower, and the frets are a little closer together.

I think I understand your problem , but I believe that it's something you can overcome, more of a mental than a physical issue. Just my opinion, of course.

And I do undertand the "commitment to mediocrity" comment, and I intend no sarcasm in quoting it back at you. It's not your primary instrument and you have other demands on your time ~ I get it. But I do believe that a brief commitment of familiarizing yourself with the crutch, er, I mean, capo, will pay off in your gaining a great deal of additional flexibility without much effort at all, and without having to learn any new chords or fingerings beyond whatever you currently know.

If I may thread-drift a bit:

About that "long A" chord (002225):

"Easier" than 002220 ~ I don't think so! Not for everybody, that's for sure. Using the left pinky AT ALL is difficult for some of us ~ not only beginner-types, but also some of us older folks who used to be able to do it but are now hurting with arthirtis.

"Fuller sound" ~ matter of opinion; some might discern a fuller sound from a chord which allows more open strings to resonate (like the humble 002220).

"..doesn't really lend itself to the more "earthy" styles of folk guitar imo..." ~ I would observe that the chord in question is quite commonly used in various blues styles, including Piedmont and Delta, especially in the keys of A and E.