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| Capo-ing - Beginner Questions - Banjo - Banjo - ezFolk Forums | |||||||||||||||
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Cogs Approved
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I've just registered, I hope- a site like this is a real boon. I'm sorry I didn't buy a 5-string banjo years ago! I've been a fingerstyle Jazz and Rock guitarist for 45 or so years and I can read dot notation OK. I'm now getting to grips with TAB for the first time. I'm really enjoying the different sound and possibilities of the banjo. I'm fairly happy with my Deering Goodtime Special, despite its embarassing name........ Question: When a tab says capo 3-3 to sound in Bb when using "G" fingering, I presume I need a capo across the D, G, B and d strings AND some means of capo-ing the g string at the 8th fret. I realize that I can simply play the number in G, but I assume this will limit future tuning adventures. How can I deal with this problem? I gather that a really good instrument has pegs or pins on the g string to facilitate indidual capoing. (When I bought the banjo, the assistant was far more interested in unpacking the new stock than the old fart dithering over by the banjos, and didn't bring up such complications)
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Charlie Approved 
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Hi and welcome to ezfolk site, You have the capo worked out OK and the Deering Good Time is a very good banjo, I am not a very good banjo player and not experinced with a lot of the banjo methods, A lot of players do use spikes in the fret board instead of capos and I will let others explain where they put them. Again, Welcome Charlie
____________________ Yesterdays Tomorrow is Today http://www.ezfolk.com/audio/charlesculbertson |
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banjo brad Super Moderator 
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"When a tab says capo 3-3 to sound in Bb when using "G" fingering, I presume I need a capo across the D, G, B and d strings AND some means of capo-ing the g string at the 8th fret. I realize that I can simply play the number in G, but I assume this will limit future tuning adventures. How can I deal with this problem?" Most banjo players will either install a sliding 5-th string capo that will allow them to capo at any fret on the fret board, or install "spikes," usually model railroad spikes. This is a favorite for Old Time (clawhammer) players. There are several views on where to place the spikes, but the most-often used is a spike at the 7th fret and at the 9th fret. This raises the pitch by either 1 or 2 whole steps, depending on the spike used. For half steps, you can put the string under one of the spikes and then tune the string up or down a half-step to get the pitch desired. I spiked my Deering Goodtime at the 7th fret only, but then, I don't often play in tunings higher than Double-D (Double-C capoed 2). On my Chuck Lee, I haven't spiked the 5st string, since the neck has a truss-rod and can handle being tuned up to A. (I never would have sold my Goodtime, but I couldn't afford the new banjo without doing so.) Welcome to ezFolk and the WWOB (Wonderful World of Banjo). Brad
____________________ ezFolk Help Brad Prickly Pear Music Banjo Brad's ezFolk page TOTMC |
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Cogs Approved
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Thanks. It's good to have reassurance that I bought a decent instrument. Many thanks also for the info about spikes. I can't imagine what they look like though. The book I'm using (Scruggs) discusses them , but there are no pics). I assume I need to have holes carefully drilled to accomodate them? Any recommendations for good capos for the main 4 strings and the 5th string?
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Lyle Konigsberg Approved 
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There's a good page on spiking your banjo at: http://members.tripod.com/~banjoist/spike.html But I would hold off on this for a while. You can typically tune the g string up a note to "A" and for something like Bb you can capo at the third fret and drop the g string a note to "F." It will then be the same note as the first string. I've played banjo for 35 years and have never put spikes on the fretboard. I know it's not that destructive, but still I can't bring myself to do it. And Bb may be common for bluegrass (I wouldn't know) but it is extremely rare for clawhammer.
____________________ ezFolk page: http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/1084/ Some Tabs at: http://lylewk.home.comcast.net/ |
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J M Fenton Approved 
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If you've never been to frets.com give yourself a treat and look over Frank Ford's magnificent luthiery/instrument repair site. Here are some links for a very inexpensive 5th string 'cap-o' and clear pictures of the Shubb device and spikes. I use a shubb but I wish I'd known about the 'cap-o'; I probably wouldn't have bought the Shubb. http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Musician/Banjo/PenCapCapo/pencapcapo.html http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Musician/Banjo/5thCapo/5thcapo.html http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Musician/Banjo/5thSpike/5thspike1.html John Fenton http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/3100/
____________________ __ __________________________ John http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/3100/ |
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Lyle Konigsberg Approved
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Thanks for those links. Very helpful! I had forgotten about the pen cap trick. Have never tried it, but I will. I just don't like anything that involves drilling into a banjo neck or fretboard. I shattered a peghead once trying to install different tuners and that left me "scarred (and scared) for life." Thanks again for the links.
____________________ ezFolk page: http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/1084/ Some Tabs at: http://lylewk.home.comcast.net/ |
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Cogs Approved
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Thanks for the links. The pen top idea looks great- ideally suited to the British approach to things! I'll get on with practising now!
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| ezFolk Forums > Banjo > Beginner Questions - Banjo > Capo-ing | |
