D’Addarrio Cradle Capo

The D’Addario version of a cradle type capo, much like the Elliot’s, except a price that I could stomach($50/60). It was delivered and I used it on my next gig. Worked well and I feel that the intonation was better than my Kyser. But the tradeoff is that the cradle capo takes more time to get on the guitar and adjusted.

There was a problem….

After about a month of use, I started to see that the screw I used to tighten the cradle wasn’t rotating well. I could still use it but it didn’t feel right. After a few weeks, the screw was pretty much stuck in place. I figure that the threads were crossed and eventually seized after a while. I had a capo that was useless to me.

D’Addarrio Stands by Their Product

I got on D’Addarrio’s web sight and contacted support explaining my issue. Within a few days, they had a replacement sent to me and all I had to do was send the broken one back to them. I was pleasantly surprised because I haven’t had the best of luck with companies and their warranties. Their support person recommended that I register my D’Addarrio gear through the players circle. Reason being, is that it’s easier to get warranty claims resolved.

The new capo has been working great for me so far. I swear that it felt like there was a bit of resistance when tightening the cradle. I was afraid that I was going to go through the freeze up all over again. So I took a drop of WD-40 and put it on the threads and me concerns dissolved instantly.

Final Thoughts on the D’Addarrio Cradle Capo

This is a solid capo that works great and the price is easier to handle than some of the more expensive “boutique” capos. D’Addarrio’s standing by their product and getting me a replacement so fast gives the guitar player some added assurance that they won’t be stuck with broken piece of sh#@.

What capo is your goto?!

Guitar Ergonomics

There is not enough guitar to comfortably rest my forearm when fingerpicking. My wrist bends at an awkward angle, I feel the strain creeping up into my shoulder and wrist when playing for a long period. I’ve went as far as placing a throw pillow on the guitar to get more support but it’s awkward and not a sustainable solution.

Enter the Abel Armrest

I found the Able Armrest from stringsbymail.com and it’s the only one of its kind, as far as I can tell. Imported from Germany, this device comes at a hefty price ($89.99). The concept is simple: it extends the edge of the guitar outward and slightly upward, giving your forearm a more natural, level surface to rest on. Instead of your arm digging into the sharp edge of the guitar’s side, it floats comfortably on a contoured platform. You can then relax and your shoulder and wrist are happier.

Pros and Cons for the Abel Armerst

• Pro: Durable – made out of fiberglass-reinforced plastic.
• Pro: Easy Installation
  • It attaches using a single adjustment screw, and the contact points are padded with cork or felt so there’s no risk of scratching your finish. The whole thing takes about 30 seconds to put on or take off.
• Pro: Fits easily in my LIttle Jane backpack
• Con: Price and there aren’t any alternatives
• Con: Would like to have a bigger size to have
• Con: Appearence
  • It’s a bit plain/utilitarian looking. So if aesthetics are what you are looking for, this will mostly likely disappoint on that front.
• Con: I wish I would have discovered this when I was still with my band
  • I guess that’s a pro as well.

Overall Impression

If you are having issues with your shoulder or wrist when playing a parlor size guitar or similar, I recommend giving this a try. I find that I’m not contorting my back, shoulders and hand to play properly. I like it so much, I use it on my Larrivee as well. Will most likely get one for it and my Martin but will have to slow play that.

Making the switch

Was thinking about using cradle style capos instead of the Kyser spring loaded ones. I liked the aspect of being able to move my capo above the nut when I’m not using it; easy access and storage. I saw that Billy Strings does the same thing and it made sense. I found out that he uses Elliot Capos and I’m sure they make a fine capo but I’m not going to spend 200+ dollars on one. Settled on the D’Addario cradle capo and so far so good. I noticed that my intonation with this capo is better than with the Kyser.

Ditch the Kyser capo?

I won’t be ditching my Kyser capos. I love them and for the amount of guitars I have, they are more economical than the cradle capos. I will be using the D’Addario for my upcoming shows and the Kyser will be the backup. The biggest lesson is to always have a backup!

Note: I was able to fix my Kyser capo after comparing it with my others.

Getting around the airport

You can either use the backpack option or use the handle and carry it like a briefcase. I already had a backpack so I did the briefcase option. There was place where you could put the Little Jane on your baggage handle and roll it around but for my suitcase, it wouldn’t fit. The handle was too wide. This may work better with a carry on suitcase but I didn’t use one for this trip. Something to keep in mind.

Airport Security

I’ve been on total of 6 flights with my Little Jane and it’s only been set to the side for further inspection once and that was on this trip. As soon as the TSA worker saw it, he let me go without any further inspection.

On the airplane

Easy peasy, fits overhead pretty nicely. You could technically put it at your fit in a pinch but I’m 6’5″ and that really isn’t an option for me.

My only issue (and it’s a small one)

When I got my Furch Little Jane, I took advantage of a promotion that got me a nice leather strap. Unfortunately, there really isn’t place to put a strap. Inside, the guitar could fit a nylon or a very thin strap but mine was too bulky and can’t be folded well. The pockets on the outside wouldn’t fit it as well. If you’re OK with a nylon or thing/string type strap, you’ll be fine. I just make sure there is room in my luggage or my backpack. Not the biggest deal but worth noting. *UPDATE: I figured out how to fit my strap in the backpack. Turns out the pockets are bigger than I thought!

Than you Furch!

Love this guitar, It plays and sounds like a dream and now I can travel with a real guitar and not have to worry about it getting lost or being forced to buy a ticket for it to sit next to me.

I love my Larrivee and I love my LR Baggs Stagepro Anthem but I don’t love the wires making so much noise because they won’t stay secured to the guitar. Looking all over the internet, I tried to find the type of clips that came with my Stagepro Anthem but kept getting results for wire management that were bulky and could possibly compromise the wood resonating. I was surprised how Reddit and the Acoustic Guitar Forum did not have an answer for me.

Self-stick Wiring Clips for Acoustic Pickups

Finally came around to the correct search words and found them on StewMac but with shipping they were well over twenty bucks. Luckily Reverb saved the day and was able to find some with only five bucks shipping. The quest is over and hopefully this helps you not having to search for too long.

Link to Reverb Store Below:

https://reverb.com/item/85856713-self-stick-wiring-clips-for-acoustic-pickups-6-pcs-black

Starting to get comfortable with Furch Little Jane 11-SR travel guitar. The form factor of the Little is tough for me to adjust to because it is so small compared to my OM. I started using the guitar strap but as said in many posts, I like convenience and getting my guitar strap on was tedious. The leather was stiff, not broken in and very frustrating to get it attached to the strap buttons.

Loving the results

As you can see from the pictures, it was a pretty simple and easy installation. The small body made it hard for me to find a comfortable position to play. This setup now sets me up with a consistent playing position for my guitar. Below are links to the gear I used to for my straplock system and a demonstration or how it looks and sounds.

_{Disclosure: The links below are affiliate links to amazon. I may receive a commission for qualified purchases}

• https://amzn.to/43XSxZP – Schaller 14010401 Security Straplocks. I had to widen the hole on the neck peg to accommodate the larger screw size but other that that, it was a pretty simple setup.
• https://amzn.to/423cYlM – MusicNomad Acousti-Lok Strap Lock Adapter. They have many types but for the Furch Little Jane, you’ll need

Humidifying my Little Jane

I live in Colorado and it’s dry here (currently 24 percent in the room where I keep my Little Jane) so keeping the guitar in the case is a must. I’ve found that I need to retune the guitar after a few hours of playing in dry air; unfortunately, leaving it out for extended periods in those conditions isn’t an option. According to Furch customer support, recommended humidity should be between 40 and 60 percent. To achieve this, I use the MusicNomad sound hole humidifier and put in in the case next to the waist of the guitar. So far is doing the trick and I find that I need to refresh the moisture in the sponge about every other day or two.

To monitor the humidity in the case, I put a Govee Bluetooth Hygrometer Thermometer inside. I can monitor through the app or widget on my phone and have alarms set if the humidity gets to high or too low. As you can see by the picture, the humidity is lower than the 40/60 percent. I’m still working on the placement of the hydrometer and the humidifier to maximize effectiveness.

Playing Form:

This guitar is much smaller than my others, and adjusting to the size has been quite a challenge. I’ve noticed that my right arm and hand tend to contort because there isn’t enough body to rest my arm on. If I’m not careful, it can lead to wrist pain — especially important to avoid as a fingerstyle guitarist, where right-hand form matters a lot. Using a pick would probably make this less of an issue, but it’s really not an option for me.

Update: I was able to find an armrest for the Little Jane that has helped quite a bit.

I’ve found that wearing a guitar strap helps keep the guitar at a consistent height, which reduces strain. I’m considering adding strap locks, like I did for my Larrivee, for the convenience of quickly taking the strap on and off.

Action:

The action was a bit high as noted in my last post and I reached out to Furch for guidance. their response was the following:

“Regarding your question about adjusting the action on your Little Jane, the setup works just like on any standard acoustic guitar. You can lower the action by:

• Adjusting the truss rod using an Allen key.
• Sanding down the saddle if truss rod adjustment isn’t enough.”
• The only difference compared to a regular acoustic guitar is the nut—since the strings go through it, the slots cannot be filed down as they can on a traditional nut. Other than that, the adjustment process is the same.”

I have yet to work on the neck and I don’t think it needs it but I did sand down the saddle and that has helped quite a bit. The guitar ships with D’Addario XSAPB1253’s so I’m going to try a lighter gauge which should help (Elixir Nanoweb 10/47). I am concerned that it might impact the tone but we’ll see and I can always go back to 12’s.

So far, I’m loving my Little Jane travel guitar and am really pleased with it after a little over a week. With a few tweaks, modifications, and plenty of playing, I’m confident this guitar will feel like it was made just for me.

I’m sure you’re aware that I recently got a new Furch guitar and now it’s time to accessorize!! I like to have a few basic necessities with each of my guitars so I have no excuses when I play/practice. It’s a little something I picked up from a friend of mine.

_{Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links to amazon. I may receive a commission for qualified purchases}

Gotta Stay in Tune!

First thing is first I have to have a tuner and it needs to be handy, like on the guitar itself. I have found that the D’Addario Micro Headstock Tuner is perfect for my needs. No more finding a tuner or finding a tuner app on my phone. I’m all about convenience and I use this device for performances as well. The only drawback I have found is when I’m playing outside, the sun will wash out the display which makes it impossible to see anything on the little screen. I thought about using D’Addario’s sound hole tuner to remedy this issue but how it clips onto the soundhole makes me worried it will scratch up my guitar.

*note make sure you have it set to 440!!!

Need me a Capo

All of the guitars I use have a capo attached to the headstock. Last thing I want to do is hunt one down, like I said, I’m all about the convenience. I’m currently using the Kyser Quick-Change Capo and it has suited me well. The quick change aspect of it is desirable because I do have some songs where I have to apply the capo mid performance. The intonation of the Keyser can be a bit tricky and not sure why. That’s why I’m considering a an old school capo like the Paige 6-String Standard Guitar Capo but not sure. The Paige works great on my mandolin but it definitely isn’t “quick change”.

Guitar Strap

I need all of my guitars to have a strap at the ready and each guitar has its own. With an acoustic guitar, the strap ensures that my ergonomics are consistent and therefor my playing stays consistent. Sitting with the guitar on my lap isn’t the greatest for my playing and my shoulder plus I want to practice how I perform.

I don’t have a “go to” strap for all my guitars, it really depends on the guitar. For example, my Larrivee OM, I decided to purchase a leather “JCL” Artist Series Strap and I love it. For my last tour, I added strap locks to the setup and so glad I did.

Each guitar setup is unique for me but base of my setup will always be a tuner, capo and strap. Do you have any must haves when accessorizing your new guitar?

Update: Needed to add some straplocks to my guitar. Details in this post.

OK. so we are on our first Alaskan tour and all is going well but the songs that I play Mandolin on just doesn’t seem right. Intonation is off; either me or the guys in my band were off but it was noticeable.

Dave, our bass player and lead singer keeps looking over to me with the look of “are you in the right key”. I stop in the middle of the song and do a quick check and yes, I’m in tune.. Finish the song and I pick up my guitar and all is well, it only seems to be with the mando. I’m actually getting worried that there is something physically wrong with the instrument and it will need to be repaired.

Tensions run high

After a couple of shows, the tensions are running high. I’m getting the looks of frustration and annoyance because of this issue. I literally showed my tuner to the guys and said “look, it’s showing in tune.” Perplexed, we decide it might be the venue we are at; they can definitely distort the sound. The problem is, we are now facing this problem over the course of multiple shows. All The venues can’t be bad right?

We are warming up, getting the sound check taken care of and the intonation issue shows it’s ugly head once again. What the actual?!?!??!? We are checking the mix, all the tunings and we can’t figure it out. I’m ready to scrap the mando songs until this is figured out but we can’t; they are some of our most popular songs so not an option.

“What is you tuner set to?”

That’s what our other guitarist asked me and at first I’m like, huh? What he was wondering was if I had my tuner set to 440. DUH! holy crap, it was set to 441. How about that? I set to 440, retune and the great tuning fiasco was finally resolved. It is crazy how just that one notch up can create such a discord in the music.

Goes to show how important our ears are to a musician and when you know your music in every way, a little change is noticeable. Needless to say, I double and triple check to make sure my tuners are always set to 440.

Lesson learned!

I’m going to be doing quite a bit of traveling this summer and I don’t leave without a guitar. For past trips, I have outfitted my Larrivee OM with a Calton case and I’ve never been scared that my guitar would end up in pieces. Been to Alaska for two tours with my band, trips to California a and Oregon. My Calton case was a smart investment but the tradeoff with a sturdy Calton case is the weight and size. It’s quite heavy and tough to lug around the airport and small rental vehicles. My wife and I will be traveling to Scotland this summer and I’m looking to keep it light so no Larrivee but I still need something to play on the trip.

Furch Little Jane Travel Guitar

In my quest for a guitar to take to Scotland, I stumbled upon the Furch “Little Jane” travel guitar and I have to say I’m intrigued. A solid wood acoustic guitar that can be taken apart and put in a backpack that fits in the overhead compartment of an airplane. Yes Please! I’ve checked out youtube videos and been on forums and the overall consensus is that this is a solid guitar that actually sounds pretty good. Due to its size, it would be comparable to a parlor guitar when put together.

Which one Should I Choose?

There are four models in the Little Jane lineup and they are as follows:

• LJ 10 – CM
  • Western Cedar and African Mahogany
• LJ10 – MM
  • African Mahogany and African Mahogany
• LJ10 – SM
  • Sitka Spruce and African Mahogany
• LJ11 – SR
  • Sitka Spruce and Indian Rosewood

Each can be outfitted with LR Baggs EAS-VTC and of course, I’ll want that because I might just want to plug it in for gigs.

So Will I Pull the Trigger?

I was on the fence when I began this post because 2k is a lot of money to spend on a travel guitar. The more I research Furch, the more comfortable I feel about their quality and craftsmanship. I’ve been going back and forth with sales for the past couple of days with questions on the guitar. They have responded quickly and have been extremely helpful. I have a LJ11 in my shopping cart and might just have to “checkout” sometime soon. More to come.

*Update: We are on to the next step!!

• LIttle Jane is Home
• Little Jane Review
• Little Jane Modifications
• LIttle Jane Goes to Scotland

Why Bother

Many say, “why even try, I never win” and I get it but what the hell. I haven’t won either but it only takes one time. My question to you is have you won? Do you know anyone that has one something pretty cool in the musical instrument realm. I figure, I’m due so why the hell not. I’ll keep you posted if I land something! Lemme know if you have won, want to hear about some good news!