Patent ID: 7566824

Claim:
A capo for use with a stringed musical instrument, the capo comprising: a frame comprising: a first arm having distal and proximal ends and being configured to extend across a neck of the instrument and engage strings of the instrument; and a second arm connected to the proximal end of the first arm and extending from the first arm at a first angle less than 180°, the second arm configured and disposed to receive a portion of a person's hand; and a pivot arm that is substantially Y-shaped, including a base portion, a clamp portion, and an actuator portion, a proximal end of the base portion being pivotally connected to the frame to move between open and closed positions, the base-portion extending away from the frame inside the first angle, a proximal end of the actuator portion connected to a distal end of the base portion, the actuator portion extending away from the base portion, the first arm, and the second arm when the pivot arm is in the closed position, a proximal end of the clamp portion connected to the distal end of the base portion, the clamp portion extending away from the base portion toward the first arm when the pivot arm is in the closed position, the base portion being biased away from the second arm such that the clamp portion is biased toward the first arm, wherein a distance from the proximal end of the clamp portion to the proximal end of the base portion is about the same or less than a distance from the proximal end of the clamp portion to a distal end of the clamp portion, wherein the actuator portion has a finger receiving portion that includes a knob that provides a lip to inhibit slippage of a user's fingers while squeezing the capo, wherein the second arm has a concave outer surface for receiving a portion of a person's hand.