Old Vintage Capos
It's easy enough to scar a guitar neck if you're not careful how you install your capo, but some of these fellows can make the job even more dangerous:
Look familiar?
Seems like the "U-Clamp" capo gets reinvented every few years.
As does the C-Clamp:
Over the years, Elton made a large variety of capos. Here's one you don't see often:
Thank God, these aren't being sold any more:
In fact, the one on the right is "new old stock" and has its original store price sticker still on it. One guitar neck saved, if you ask me.
This one is a real classic:
It's the "Lightning" capo. You'll find these in lots of old guitar cases.
Here's one truly ugly beast:
I saw it listed as the "Cro-Bar" capo in an old accessory catalog. Looks about as friendly as a crowbar, doesn't it?
An earlier cast brass version of the Lightning, patented May 2, 1889:
Just the sight of this one scares me:
I don't know what it was called, but I suspect it's spelled "t-r-o-u-b-l-e."
Ah, but look at this little fellow:
From the top it's not too harmless, but watch out!
There's literally no way to use this capo without damage:
And it was a very popular model, if the number of old instruments with deep spring tracks down the neck is any indicator. Elton was one of the most prolific and successful manufacturers of instrument parts and accessories.
And, here it is, a capo that's even more dangerous than that little Elton:
This is one beefy spring!