Bird of Paradise Capo (see photo): Anyone Ever Try One?

[Charmed Life Picks]

Howdy, All:

Everyone ever play or own one of these? I saw Jackson Browne use one in a show about ten years ago:



Design-wise, it reminds me the G7, but cheaper and apparently made from plastic instead of metal.

Anyway, just curious. Elderly used to sell them years ago.

Ungainly thing, almost the size of an actual BOP plant. Yikes. But hey, if it works, it works.

scott memmer

[mischultz]

Had one. Worked great. Gave it to a lady-friend. Clamping mechanism was a little more positive than the G7th if memory serves.

[Inyo]

A bird of paradise capo?

Would probably go well with a specialty plectrum Little Jimmy Dickens reportedly used: "May the bird of paradise fly up your nose pick."

[J Patrick]

...I used one for a while when they first came out...highly effective...it’s probably in a box somewhere...I liked it better than I liked a G7th...

[Wade Hampton]

Scott, a friend of mine had one, and I used it a couple of times when we played music together. It works well enough, though not as well as the Shubb capos I prefer.

The visual impact of having what looks like an acrylic toucan biting your guitar neck is the sort of thing that either you really like or really don’t. I have to admit I’m in the latter camp: it looked pretty garish to my eye. But my friend liked bold visual statements: his main guitar at the time we knew each other was a Gibson Hummingbird, and shortly before he moved out of state he got a Gibson SJ-200 Golden Harvest, I think it was called: it had inlay all over it, even in the pickguard, if I remember correctly.

So the Bird of Paradise capo that would have been visually dominating had it been placed on one of my (much) plainer guitars looked just fine on the more flamboyant guitars that he favored.

Speaking of visual flamboyance, I noticed that after several years of making the colorful original version of that capo the company started making an all-black version, as well. It makes perfect sense that many players will have told them that they liked the functionality of the capo but didn’t want something that large and that colorful on their guitars.

So they must have come out with that matte black Ninja stealth capo to try to serve that portion of the market.


Wade Hampton Miller

[Steadfastly]

I was going to try one but I was afraid it would fly up my nose.

[menhir]

I have two. One orange and one dark green.
They're the only capos I use.
Keepers.

[sleepjeep]

I use a bird of paradise capo almost exlcusively. The cam lock system it uses is very secure and easily adjustable. Elderly doesn’t have them listed on their website. Guitar Center has them out of stock on-line check local store for inventory. there is one on reverb on sale.

https://reverb.com/item/18527630-dig...r-capo-profrev

[M Hayden]

Yep. Got one from Eric Schoenberg ages ago. It works reasonably well, but I prefer Shubb or a D’Addario NS over it.

[The Bard Rocks]

I don't like mine - it takes up too much space that interferes with my left hand. But it will go some places where other capos fear to tread (ie - baseball ball bat-sized necks).

[guitar george]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

The visual impact of having what looks like an acrylic toucan biting your guitar neck is the sort of thing that either you really like or really don’t.

Yummy, this one tastes really good!

6940365457_c044b8072d_b.jpg

[musicman1951]

I have a very low tolerance for ugly - and this is waaaaay over my limit. If it automatically re-tuned the low E string and made coffee I might consider it.

[Goodallboy]

It's much larger than I prefer and it's not a yoke capo. I'll leave it there.

[Charmed Life Picks]

If anyone has one of these that they might like to unload, please PM me.

thanks,
scott

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Charmed Life Picks

Howdy, All:

Everyone ever play or own one of these? I saw Jackson Browne use one in a show about ten years ago:



Design-wise, it reminds me the G7, but cheaper and apparently made from plastic instead of metal.

Anyway, just curious. Elderly used to sell them years ago.

Ungainly thing, almost the size of an actual BOP plant. Yikes. But hey, if it works, it works.

scott memmer

Hi CLP

Have two in my capo museum. Great for children's parties, but pretty awkward when playing a funeral. They are 'cute' but not a serious piece. I'd use one in an emergency…(I have).

The clamp mechanism is plastic (the whole thing is plastic except for the top bumper), and destined for wear and eventual failure.

It will definitely fit a wide neck!!