Steel Capo.

Archie Nicol · Post by **Archie Nicol** » 14 Jun 2019 5:24 pm

I'd almost forgotten this. A Capo on a Pedal Steel. Use one myself on Dobro, but Gene O'Neal on Steel was new to me when I first watched one of several videos of he and Charley performing this song. Anyone out there use it?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNY_YxnasWg

Arch.

Karel van Bezooijen · Post by **Karel van Bezooijen** » 15 Jun 2019 2:24 am

Being a fan of Murnel Babineaux' wonderful cajun picking, i noticed he was using one on several tunes in his "Steel Guitar Unconvention" set. (starts at about 3.33.26) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4uZ_B7r93k

Dustin Rigsby · Post by **Dustin Rigsby** » 15 Jun 2019 4:43 am

Mike Sigler demonstrated a steel capo at an OSGA sponsored seminar several years ago.

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 15 Jun 2019 5:30 am

...aah... Gene O'Neal. What a wonderful and innovative player.

FWIW, I have a long 5/8" bar I acquired somewhere over the years that works pretty good as a capo and I use it occasionally. Slide under the strings against the fretboard. Fits most steels I've owned. Interesting effects...

Jeff Newman had an instruction tune back in the 70s or 80s, "Friend" by Paycheck IIRC, that demonstrated use of the capo.

Jerry Horch · Post by **Jerry Horch** » 15 Jun 2019 9:25 am

Any one ever partially capo up some of the strings groupings leaving some open ?

Jon Voth · Post by **Jon Voth** » 15 Jun 2019 4:48 pm

Jerry that is a genius idea. Wouldn't have thought that. Easy way to try that w/o getting a special capo.

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 15 Jun 2019 5:22 pm

Here's where I got the idea Jon. '77 Tom Bradshaw catalog with Jeff's capo instruction course for 2 tunes. I just happened to have a bar that would work already. I guess it would depend on the guitar's string height relative to the fret board.

Some players are hesitant to lay anything on the fret board though, but it doesn't bother me. Whatever works.

Marty Broussard · Post by **Marty Broussard** » 16 Jun 2019 8:49 am

I use a piece of aluminum angle with electrical tape on the bottom so it doesnâ€™t scratch the fretboard. Using the angle provides a straight edge to to line up with the frets and I fine tune with a tuner. The edge of the angle that touches the strings is machined to fit underneath the strings without creating too much tension. Wish I had a pic to show it but itâ€™s really easy to accomplish.