What is an exotic shell?
Where function meets the exotic
It’s no lie that we here at Thalia Capos believe that we make some of the best capos on the market with our blend of form and functionality.
We’ll let you in on another little secret: we also believe that we make some of the best-looking capos out there. Part of that great aesthetic is our use of beautiful shell finishes such as mother-of-pearl and abalone. These give each of our exotic shells a truly one-of-a-kind look.
How do we do it? We’re glad you asked!
From food to fretboard
To make our exotic shell capos, you have to start with a great shell product. Our shell is sourced from the food industry, where they are a byproduct of seafood harvesting. Rather than the shells ending up in landfills, our extended team processes the shell into a thin veneer. The process is rather revolutionary, resulting in shell veneers with highest level of durability, flexibility, contrast and beauty.
Our shell come from all around the world with conservation in mind. For example, paua shell is one of the materials used in the development of veneers (and is a striking look, if we do say so ourselves). Free divers generally harvest paua, and the meat inside is considered quite a delicacy, but only under a quota system to ensure sustainability for years to come. Furthermore, because all parts of the mollusk are used for food and design (whether it be paua or other species), there is less waste to be had after harvesting.
Dressing the instrument
Shell products have been used on guitars and other instruments for years. It’s not uncommon to see fretmarkers, rosettes and other aesthetic appointments made from abalone, mother of pearl and other materials for their look. Thalia brings that same aesthetic to our capos, allowing you to complement the look of your instrument further! Even if your guitar doesn’t have such appointments, like a fine wristwatch, an exotic shell capo can provide just the right amount of eye candy.
If you’re looking for a beautiful capo, do check out our beautiful shell offerings in our exotic shell, deluxe series, licensed and custom lines. We’ve also taken these aesthetics to several of our accessory lines, so do take a look around our website and see what eye-striking offerings we have!
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Kevin Daoust is a guitarist, guitar educator and writer based in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. When not tracking guitars for artists around the world or writing music-related articles online, he can be seen on stage with Accordion-Funk legends Hey, Wow, the acoustic duo Chanté et Kev, rock n’ rollers Travelling South, and as a hired-gun guitarist across Quebec and Ontario. He holds a Bachelor of Music in Guitar Performance from Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
