G chord w/ muted 5th string?

It's hard to say without seeing the chords before or after the G. It could be that they're just using their first two fingers to fret the high and low G strings, and using the rest of their fingers to hit notes higher up the neck.

One example (if memory serves me correctly) was a song by The Cure where the progression was G - D - Am - C

The G chord in this case had the A string muted. I forget the song name but it was a simple strumming version using open chord fingerings & a capo on the 2nd fret (chord shapes I listed are relative to the capo).

Muting the A string isn't difficult but I don't see the purpose here.

I've seen open G fingered a couple different ways, but that's the first time I've seen it that way. The B is the 3rd and is also represented by the open B string. So maybe they prefer the higher B to stand out? I don't know. Maybe Robert Smith can't play that note? who knows? lol

Never saw this either. Sounds like a muddy Gadd9

Yes, the B is still in the chord from the B string. I've seen this more than once but this sounds barely different from a normal open G fingered chord, to me. ???

I have seen it in a number of songs.
In fact I am looking through my latest edition of Guitar World Acoustic and there it is again. The song this time is Cecilia by Simon and Garfunkel.
I have no idea why they are playing it this way and not a conventional fingering?
The other chords are Mini barre F and traditional C.

I almost always (but not 100% of the time) mute the 5th string when I play open G chord, though I usually eliminate both thirds using this fingering:

3x0033

I've just started playing the open G chord again with the open B string sometimes...I don't know...I don't really care for the doubled third or having the third on that low of string. Just me, I guess.

dsparling - I've seen that fingering you mention listed as a G5 chord (which makes sense). However, I have seen the G as I mentioned with a muted 5th string. I looked at the tab last night and the song was: "Just Like Heaven" by The Cure.

Could it be sloppy fingering of the G chord that the tabber somehow can hear? (I can't hear much of a difference on my acoustic). It's easy to mute the 5th string but I don't see a reason for it. ???

Yeah, could be the tabber (esp. if it's something off the Internet) just didn't hear it.

I used the G5 fingering when I played that song, but that's the fingering I normally use for a G chord. Not sure why anyone else would mute the fifth string, but for me it's just that I don't like the third of the chord that low and I don't like it doubled with the open B...I'll hit the B on the fifth string when alternating or walking bass line, but not usually otherwise. But once again, it's just my preference...well, sometimes I do this: 320033...really, I just switch around depending on the situation. Guess that's not too helpful :)

I was watching a Guitar World DVD last night and the guy on it (Andy Aledort) was saying that by muting (or even lifting your finger off and not playing) the A string gives the G chord a more power chord-type sound. He demonstrates it on his electric and you can hear the difference.

I tried it on my acoustic and it did not sound much different to me. :D

I've always played the open G that way. It was the way I was originally taught it by a classical guitarist. It has numerous advantages.

1) It is easier.
2) It leaves the index finger free for fingering other notes.
3) An interval of a 3rd that deep in the register sounds muddy.
4) It avoids the doubled 3rd.

Thanks Helgi. That makes some sense. I don't really hear a difference on my acoustic so I'll try the different voicings on my electric. (Note: the tab I originally referred to was for a strummed acoustic version of the song).