Hamilton Capo

Subject: Hamilton Capo
From: GUEST,Woodsie
Date: 24 Aug 10 - 04:10 AM

I am trying to find somewhere that sells Hamilton Spring Lever Guitar Capos in the UK. They were more or less standard back in the late sixties early seventies. I recently lost mine and have searched the internet to no avail for a UK seller. The model is KB19A.

Subject: RE: Hamilton Capo
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Aug 10 - 04:26 AM

Try here

Subject: RE: Hamilton Capo
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 24 Aug 10 - 05:34 AM

Hi Woodsie - they were also known as the "Hamilton Quick Action" - Jacqui used to use one and I gave it to her brother as a keepsake after her death.

Subject: RE: Hamilton Capo
From: GUEST,Woodsie
Date: 26 Aug 10 - 03:00 AM

Thanks guest for the link. I did already find seismic music which appears to be a UK trader but is in fact a US company. I was just wondering if they were available in the UK!

Subject: RE: Hamilton Capo
From: kendall
Date: 26 Aug 10 - 03:04 PM

I had one for years and gave it away when I found a better one. Always thought the Hamilton was very awkward, although indestructible.

Subject: RE: Hamilton Capo
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 26 Aug 10 - 03:26 PM

I was wondering why anyone could want one of these archaic devices when there have been many better products on the market for several decades. I remember trying one back in the 70's which put me off buying one for good. I found it difficult to fit and remove, so bulky it got in the way and, if that wasn't bad enough, it didn't work that well. At least they're cheap......

Subject: RE: Hamilton Capo
From: GUEST,Songbob
Date: 26 Aug 10 - 03:43 PM

I, too, wondered why anyone would want one of those things. Even a Dunlop elastic capo is better, not to mention the modern kinds, like the Shubb.

Bob

Subject: RE: Hamilton Capo
From: Folknacious
Date: 26 Aug 10 - 04:03 PM

I'm with guests Ray & Songbob. Shubbs are so much better, and easier to move. After a few initial adjustments, you'll never go out of tune when moving the capo again - well, assuming a decently fretted guitar. Why on earth anyone would still want one of those bloody great unwieldy Hamilton things that pull everything out of tune I can't imagine. They're the capo equivalent of a mobile phone the size of a brick!

Ken

Subject: RE: Hamilton Capo
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 26 Aug 10 - 06:33 PM

Oh, even though I don't use one there are several advantages to a Hamilton Quick Action. If they used the same stiffness of rubber as a shubb (the standard bodge for this back in the 60s and 70s was to use the rubber gas pipe from a bunsen burner) then there is no reason for them to pull a guitar out of tune more than a shubb, and indeed they cannot produce the vice-like clamping effect of a shubb which almost always pulls a guitar out of tune, they don't need you to adjust a screw every time you move the capo up or down the neck, they don't have the shubb's tendency to be tighter on one side of the neck or the other, and they canbe slid one way (usually up) the neck one handed quite easily and IMHO more easily than a shubb.

Subject: RE: Hamilton Capo
From: DonMeixner
Date: 26 Aug 10 - 07:40 PM

I'd put in a vote for Victor/Dunlop screw action capo. And the recent model by Planet Waves. Those spring deals are too hard on the intonation.

Don

Subject: RE: Hamilton Capo
From: Cool Beans
Date: 26 Aug 10 - 08:23 PM

Didn't Hamilton ("Bob") Capo used to perform with Bob Gibson?

Subject: RE: Hamilton Capo
From: GUEST,DonMeixner
Date: 27 Aug 10 - 12:14 AM

Nope, he played on Bob's Gibson.

Subject: RE: Hamilton Capo
From: GUEST,Woodsie
Date: 27 Aug 10 - 03:22 AM

I prefer the Hamilton for the very reasons that Richard says. Easy to move up and down the neck. They are easy to wiggle about once on the desired fret to eliminate any string buzz! I've never had any problem with them putting the guitar out of tune and I've used them as well as other types sporadically for over 40 years!

Subject: RE: Hamilton Capo
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 27 Aug 10 - 07:21 AM

Well if you find one Woodsie there are two tricks. Frst make sure the bar curvature matches your guitar, and second get some soft rubber like Shubbs use to replace the hard transparent plastic on the Hamilton. I'm sure there are Chinese Hamilton copies on ebay and if you are going to take a hammer to one to fine tune it that might be a place to start.

Subject: RE: Hamilton Capo
From: Mark Ross
Date: 27 Aug 10 - 09:36 AM

Also, put a piece of leather on the piece that goes on the back of the neck. There are two metal stud heads that can scratch up the finish.

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Hamilton Capo
From: Folknacious
Date: 27 Aug 10 - 09:48 AM

Yes, those suggestions about re-bending the bar, replacing the rubber and adding padding on the back might make the Hamilton less of a monster, though they won't decrease the size and weight. Doesn't say much for a product that it needs all that work before it does the job it's supposed to, though. I've always found it easy to set up the screw on Shubbs so they don't need re-adjusting up and down the neck, which means they work perfectly within minutes of purchase. They win hands down on size, weight, appearance, convenience and likelihood of damage to your neck. And your guitar's!!

Subject: RE: Hamilton Capo
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 27 Aug 10 - 02:38 PM

Having used a Shubb since they came out in the 70's on umpteen different guitars (and mandolins - I don't care about the capo police!), all I can say that I haven't had the slightest problem. If your Shubb is putting the guitar out of tune, either there is something wrong with the guitar or you're not putting it on correctly.

Subject: RE: Hamilton Capo
From: Brian May
Date: 27 Aug 10 - 05:18 PM

Shubbs are great, I've got one for the 6 string and another for the 12. I also have a G7 for my 6 strings too.

They are all top notch and don't put anything out (sometimes the bass E gets a little sharp, but easily sorted).

Subject: RE: Hamilton Capo
From: GUEST,Woodsie
Date: 31 Aug 10 - 04:34 AM

All I wanted to find out is if I can purchase a Hamilton Capo anywhere in the UK.

I don't want to bend it, stick rubber on it, compare it to others, weigh it, display it, pad it, clad it, defend it or mend it.

All I really want to do is buy one!

The problem with trying to purchase it online from the USA is that when I go to checkout I get the followin message:

Shipping Restrictions
Warranty issues and manufacturer restrictions prevent us from shipping certain products to all geographical locations ...

Subject: RE: Hamilton Capo
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 31 Aug 10 - 05:50 AM

That's an intentional homage to "All I really wanna do", isn't it?

Subject: RE: Hamilton Capo
From: GUEST,Woodsie
Date: 31 Aug 10 - 07:28 AM

Well spotted Richard! Dylan himself was a Hamilton usere, as was Nelson!

Subject: RE: Hamilton Capo
From: Abdul The Bul Bul
Date: 31 Aug 10 - 08:19 AM

Nelson! Lol
Al

Subject: RE: Hamilton Capo
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 31 Aug 10 - 08:24 AM

That'll be Willie, not Horatio, I think.

Subject: RE: Hamilton Capo
From: GUEST,DonMeixner
Date: 31 Aug 10 - 08:57 AM

Pete Seeger uses one I believe on his 12 string. He has wooden wedge he jams between the body of the capo and the inside of the lever. Worn or broken spring is my guess.

I'd have tossed it years ago but Pete, ever the ecologist, finds a way to make do and save the planet one capo at a time.

D

Subject: RE: Hamilton Capo
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 31 Aug 10 - 01:43 PM

There are two on ebay USA, now, new, cheap - but they look as if they might be straight bar for a flat fingerboard

Subject: RE: Hamilton Capo
From: Bernard
Date: 31 Aug 10 - 01:54 PM

Richard... Admiral Lord Nelson and Lady Hamilton would be the gag, I think!

I've still got both of my Hamiltons - a guitar model bought back in the 1960s for 12/6 (12 shillings and sixpence - a lot of money then, probably equivalent to over 20 squids in today's money) and a smaller banjo version bought in the 1970s, can't remember how much.

My preference, though, is for the non-adjustable Jim Dunlop - always have one in my pocket. I have a Shubb, though I never use it.

Subject: RE: Hamilton Capo
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 31 Aug 10 - 04:54 PM

Drat, Bernard, I never thought of that - she should apply a controllable grip for him in all the right places!

Subject: RE: Hamilton Capo
From: DonMeixner
Date: 31 Aug 10 - 05:29 PM

But not perfect for hingle handed operation.

D

Subject: RE: Hamilton Capo
From: DonMeixner
Date: 31 Aug 10 - 05:30 PM

<<>> that is

Subject: RE: Hamilton Capo
From: GUEST,Wooden Leg
Date: 14 Sep 10 - 03:19 AM

Still no joy - can't seem to track down a UK supplier.