Get your Shubb 5th String Capo here.
History
Shubb Capos was founded by Banjo player Rick Shubb and auto-mechanic David Koonitz, who was a student and friend of Shubb's. After Shubb complained about the traditional "railroad spikes" that banjo players used to capo the 5th string, Koonitz and Shubb teamed up together to design a lever based mechanism, completing their design in 1974. This partnership led to the famous guitar capo, which launched the company into the spotlight, but it was the banjo 5th string that started the partnership.
The modern 5-stringed banjo is notable for having, well, a fifth string. The main four strings are what the player "fingers" and the fifth string is left open as a drone. This gives the instrument a ringing quality that is part of its charm and fame. This drone string has a big drawback, you can't change the drone note, or at least you can only change it by tuning it, so you can't change it too much. This problem has the potential to lock the banjo into certain keys. The traditional solution was to add "rail road spikes" to the fret board. That is, you would drill holes at certain frets along the fifth string, and insert permanent nails that can hold down the one string. You can see a video of a guy drilling into his fret board here.
Shubb's design is much more elegant and sophisticated than the railroad spikes. There is a longbar that is permanently attached to the neck. The capo has a little nut that slides up and down the bar and can be clamped down onto the 5th string at any desired fret. This capo is well made and is our recommendation for banjo players.
Installation
Before you buy this, you need to know that the capo will require permanent installation. Shubb provide guidelines on how do to this. This will require drilling the pilot holes so you can screw the bar-plates into the side of the neck. Shubb notes that the correct size of pilot hole depends on the type of wood. As this will be a permanent change you really need know what you're doing. The company "strongly recommend that you have a luthier or repair person install your fifth string capo." Keep this in mind when you purchase your capo!
Quality
This is a well made device. Conceptually, this was made by a professional banjo-player and it shows in the design. The bar is sturdy. When you move the nut up and down it feels solid, good. It is also unobtrusiv. Most players find that the capo does not get in the way of their playing.
The capo is based on a lever principle, rather than using springs. So, you slide the nut to the desired spot and press down on the capo and it closes shut. This ingenious design allows you to apply the right amount of pressure to eliminate buzz and reduce any intonation change. The capo is a pleasure to use.
Options
Unlike the other Shubb Capos, this one does not have colour options. The capo is plated nickel and has a classic look. There is one key thing to decide about though, you can choose the regular 5.75" bar or the longer 8" bar. The regular bar has two mounting points and can reach up to the 10th fret. Many players will not need a capo beyond that. Shubb himself uses this size. However, if you want to use the capo higher, you'll need to get the long bar, which has three mounting points and reaches up to the 13th fret. So, make sure you know which of the two you're getting!
Conclusion
If you are looking for a high quality 5th fret capo for your banjo, this is an excellent choice. The capo is well made, looks great and will be a joy to use. This kind of capo is much more committal than a normal one which will come on and off. We think because this will require screws in wood you should stick with the classic.
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