
Do it yourself makeshift capo
So you’re at practice, or worse yet, at a packed gig, and you get to that song. The song the singer can’t sing unless you capo at the fifth fret. You reach into your case for your trusty Kyser, Dunlop, or Shubb….and it’s gone! You know it was in there yesterday! Now what do you do??
Or maybe you finally found tab for that awesome song the cute girl in gym class likes. You’re going to learn it so you can serenade her in the parking lot – only to find out that the song requires a capo at the third fret, and you don’t have one. After you’ve broken most of your strings trying to tune your guitar up a step and a half, you figure you better buy a capo. But, you don’t have enough money for strings and a capo, so what do you do now?
Well, never fear forgetful and cash strapped guitarists! Right here we have a dead simple way of making a capo that will do in a pinch, with items you can easily find in your home, or school, or local watering hole.
First, let’s gather up the supplies we will need. The first thing will be something straight, fairly sturdy, and wider than the neck of your guitar by a couple inches or so. I like to use a pencil, but you can grab whatever works… a pen, lighter, popsicle stick, nail file, sharpie, tuning fork, half of a clothesline clip, one of your drummer’s broken sticks… whatever you have handy!
Second, we need something with some elasticity to hold your pencil (or pen, or drumstick) onto the fretboard of your guitar. Rubber bands are perfect for this, but I have used hair ties, sweatbands, even elastic out of old clothing before… just remember it has to be able to firmly hold your rigid device on the fretboard with a bit of pressure, so it has to have decent elasticity!
Now, you’re ready to assemble your DIY capo! You simply loop one end of your elastic material around one end of your rigid device.
Then, place your rigid device at the correct fret.
Now, wrap your elastic material around the other end until it’s tight enough to put sufficient pressure on the strings to act like a capo.
You may have to double up your elastic device to get enough pressure, or put several wraps on one end of your rigid device. You also may have to ’tilt’ your makeshift capo to get a good sound. The ’tilting’ is similar to the movements sometimes necessary with any capo. This is required more on low radius fretboards than on flatter fretboards. The more curved your fretboard is, you may want to use a rigid device with a little more flexibility, such as a plastic pen. Something that can bend slightly and more easily conform to the curve of the board.
And there you have it! A down-and-dirty, super easy, silly cheap, on-the-spot, do-it-yourself capo that will surely get you out of a pinch. It will get you through that practice or gig, and impress that cute girl (or guy) from gym class!
So, what say you? Have you ever used this technique? Let us know below! We’d love to hear what you used, or what situation it got you out of!
Dan Cummings liked this on Facebook.
Ann Niichel Redinius liked this on Facebook.
Ann Niichel Redinius liked this on Facebook.
Dan Cummings liked this on Facebook.
Funny, but there were times when I had done something like this. Whatever works I guess.
I have absolutely done that. I’ll use a pencil and rubber bands.
You bet! Works great in a pinch!
George Gonzalez liked this on Facebook.
Mark Bair liked this on Facebook.
Donald Lee McGuire liked this on Facebook.
Glenn Whalen liked this on Facebook.
Geoffrey Davis liked this on Facebook.
Edward Williams liked this on Facebook.
Edward Williams liked this on Facebook.
Michael Yoho liked this on Facebook.
Mike Leavy liked this on Facebook.
Roz Tate liked this on Facebook.
Joe Canepa liked this on Facebook.
Heyheylarry Hallman liked this on Facebook.
Larry Wiegand liked this on Facebook.
David Collins liked this on Facebook.
Tim Manion liked this on Facebook.
Butch Greer liked this on Facebook.
Raymond Pulwicz liked this on Facebook.
Raymond Pulwicz liked this on Facebook.
Thomas John Scavotto liked this on Facebook.
Ray Darcey liked this on Facebook.
Arthur D Catalbas liked this on Facebook.
Alfred Gomez liked this on Facebook.
Schonn Macdonaugh liked this on Facebook.
Phillip Wauneka liked this on Facebook.
Mike Gentry liked this on Facebook.
Joe Stroud Sr liked this on Facebook.
Jerry Grubb liked this on Facebook.
Terry Grefrath liked this on Facebook.
Peter John Mapinda. liked this on Facebook.
Tom Ramey liked this on Facebook.
Rickie Castrillo liked this on Facebook.
John Dye liked this on Facebook.
Douglas Jotblad liked this on Facebook.
Shane Morrill liked this on Facebook.
Jeffrey Pierce liked this on Facebook.
Ian Wolf liked this on Facebook.
Roy Housewright liked this on Facebook.
Dillon Pittman liked this on Facebook.
Len Brunson liked this on Facebook.
Timothy Bing liked this on Facebook.
Gary Gentry liked this on Facebook.
Gary Gentry liked this on Facebook.
Steven Gonzales liked this on Facebook.
Harris Clampitt liked this on Facebook.
William Kopke liked this on Facebook.
Darrell Jerrell liked this on Facebook.
Stew Williams liked this on Facebook.
Lee Barnard liked this on Facebook.
David Drake liked this on Facebook.
Dan Williams liked this on Facebook.
Tommy Davis liked this on Facebook.
Tino Madrid liked this on Facebook.
Ed Walston liked this on Facebook.
Karl Hess liked this on Facebook.
Bill Howland liked this on Facebook.
Ryan Berg liked this on Facebook.