The Bird of Paradise Capo - Innovation and Development

by John Wiesenthal

HISTORY - In 1993 I gave a workshop to elementary school music teachers for the New York State School Music Association. I was Chairman of the Guitar Committee of NYSSMA and I wanted to encourage music teachers to use the guitar in the classroom. The workshop was to be given in a location several hours away from my home right after a holiday weekend. I decided to use capos in my presentation but I realized that all the music shops were going to be closed before I could get on the road. I went into creative problem-solving mode and got the idea of using a wedge and a bracket. Well, I couldn't believe how well it worked and several other guitarists who showed up for the workshop agreed and asked me to make capos for them. Over several months the capo was transformed into an optimal design with critical tolerances. Around 30 prototype models were made: first from wood, then plastics. Throughout this process I have sought to use the highest quality, environmentally responsible materials and manufacturing practices and to add to our local economy. The name Bird of Paradise came naturally from the appearance and this led to lots of fun in packaging and marketing.

Why the Bird of Paradise Capo Works Better

When you tune a string you are adjusting its tension. When any force is applied to the string by a finger or a capo, the string is stretched slightly. The more pressure added, the more the string is stretched and the sharper it goes. When you make a bar chord, you don't CRUSH the strings down, but you only apply enough pressure to secure the strings against the fret. With a capo, it's the same thing. Spring and rubber elastic capos do not allow the player to control the force so the string is not only stretched more than necessary, but is wrapped around the fret increasing its sharpness. Screw capos require adjustment for each fret position. The Bird of Paradise Capo allows you to easily apply just as much pressure as you want at whatever fret you choose in a single motion.

GUARANTEE

We will replace capos for any defective parts or workmanship. Any defective capos must be returned to the supplier. Please note: The Bird of Paradise Capo is designed for the purpose of applying precisely adjusted pressure to guitar strings. It is not intended to be subjected to excessive force.

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