A Better Way to Capo Your 5th String Banjo – No Drilling Needed!
If you’ve ever struggled with tuning your 5th string banjo up to A or higher, you’ve probably faced the same problem I have — those tiny railway spikes that everyone drills into their necks.
Sure, they work… but once you drill that hole, there’s no going back.
In this post, I want to show you a simple, non-invasive alternative — a 3D-printed 5th string capo that clips on cleanly, works beautifully, and doesn’t damage your banjo. This clever little gadget was sent to me by Angie from the Isle of Skye, and it’s honestly one of the neatest banjo accessories I’ve seen in a long time.
You can watch the full video lesson here 👇
🪕 How The 5th String Banjo Capo Works
The 3D-printed capo is small, light, and hooks perfectly over any of the 5th string frets. It gently holds the string higher up the neck, letting you instantly tune up from G to A (or other higher keys) without using a screwdriver, hammer, or drill.
It’s a brilliant solution for players who want to keep their banjo in great condition — especially if you’re using vintage or sentimental instruments.
Click Here To order your 3D-printed capo directly From The Maker
🎵 Play the Skyeboat Song On 5 String Banjo Clawhammer Style
In the video, I demo this capo by playing The Skyeboat Song in the key of C (Banjo Capo at the 5th fret).
Here are my handwritten notes and tab from that lesson — feel free to download them or use them as a guide:
📘 Why Not Keep All Your Banjo Ideas Organised Like I Have
If you love writing down your banjo notes and ideas, you’ll love the Songsmith Scratch Pad — my pocket-sized creative journal as seen in this video is made specifically for banjo players.
It’s the perfect companion to keep all your tabs, lyrics, and licks in one place — with space for reflections, progress notes, and creative sparks.
👉 Get your copy of the Songsmith Scratch Pad here: BANJO ADVENTURES - THE SONGSMITH SCRATCH PAD
🎓 Ready to Take the Next Step In Your Banjo Learning Adventure?
If you’re just starting out on your banjo journey, I’ve got two great ways to help you level up:
🪶 Free Mini-Course — Perfect for total beginners learning clawhammer banjo from scratch.
👉 Join the Free Course
🌄 Banjo Adventures Membership — Step-by-step lessons, tabs, and community support to help you progress faster.
👉 Join the Membership
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☕ Support My Work
I don’t use Patreon like most other creators (Because it sucks).
But if you’ve found my lessons helpful and want to help me keep Banjo Adventures growing — you can toss a few nuggets my way to help cover my website hosting and production costs.
Every little bit helps me keep creating more lessons, books, and resources for the banjo community — and I’m endlessly grateful for it. 🙏
