Best capo for Trinity College TM-375 bouzouki?

It's always exciting to have a new challenge and this long scale is definitely challenging. I've found some general talk about capos and bouzoukis but no opinions about which ones people prefer. This chunky neck style stretches my Kyser guitar capos, and I'm hoping some experienced players can direct me to the best one for this particular make and model.

Also, strings. I know this is, to a certain extent, a matter of personal preferance, but if somebody knows of the best strings for this particular model, your advice would be gratefully accepted.

Any other general suggestions for somebody new would be most appreciated.

Have you tried one of these? http://www.paigecapo.com/

Love them on my guitar. Replaced my Kyser and never looked back. Would probably work well on a zouk too.

My picking buddy has one of the elastic ones, made for banjos.. to use on his TC 'zouk.. they dont cost much .

Thank you both for your advice. Anybody else who cares to chime in, don't be shy. ;)

Any and all advice to a beginner is welcome.

This Paige banjo capo, designed to fit above the 5th fret on a 5-string, works really well on my Petersen and Fylde CBOMs. I haven't played a Trinity College bouzouki, so I don't know if it might fit one. Elderly gives its dimensions.

Most any banjo capo should do ok. I use and like a shubb banjo capo on my mandola, OM, and tenor guitar. The Paige style is convenient though for leaving wrapped around the neck just above the nut when not in use.
I have found that the wraparound metal frame of the Paige or Victor capos can sometimes scrape the sides of the neck when using up in higher positions.

I finally have something to add instead of just asking newbie questions. I found a Kyser quick change capo that works very well. Model KBMB is designed for banjos, mandolins and bouzoukis. It can handle necks up to 1.75 inches thick. I really like the quick change capos because they are so easy to use. I've noticed used bouzoukis sometimes have neck scars from capos which I assume are of the screw on design. The Kyser style eliminates that issue. So if in the future, somebody searches this board for the same information, here is an answer to this thread's particular question in addition to the other great suggestions.

I've been a happy user of Shubb capos for decades. Shubb makes a banjo capo that works perfectly for zouks and OM's. The only downside is that you need a pocket to put it in when it's not in use. I have never had a problem with that, but some people prefer the kind that clamp onto your headstock in between uses.

I've had the results so far from the Kyser Banjo/Mando Capo on a TM-325. It is for a flat fingerboard, the perfect size, easy to put on and take off and reposition, does not cause damage to the instrument, etc.

The Kyser banjo/mando capo is a very good overall choice for the Trinity zouk. I often use my favorite guitar capo, the Planet Waves NS as well, but the jaws don't open quite far enough to get abouve the 5th fret if you want to do that (and I sometimes do).

You asked about strings as well. Elderly Instruments in Michigan makes up custom GHS Irish bouzouki sets in medium gauge and light. They are for octave tuning which I have kept on my Trinity. A lot of people might consider them too light, but I've used them for years and like them fine. I don't really want my zouk to sound like a guitar...I like the thinner sound and lighter texture you hear on a lot of the old 70s era Irish records when the instrument was just coming into it's own. Elderly is really easy to do business with and very reliable.

I've had very good luck with the Planet Waves NS capo for mandolin/banjo. It has adjustable tension, which is crucial for paired strings--easier to keep intonation sorted.

Attachment 100602

I've tried them all and hands-down, I'd recommend the Planet Waves Dual Action capo. It's adjustable, like a Paige or a Shubb, but has a trigger mechanism, too, which allows it to be moved while playing. Essential in my book.

Edit: just realized it's been improved and renamed the "TriAction Capo":



Attachment 100605

I use a Shubb capo; the banjo model and it works great. http://www.shubb.com/original/index.html

I have a P. Abnett zook and my Shubb banjo capo works fine, except for the fact that you can't clamp it to the headstock when you're not using it. It goes in a pocket or on a nearby flat surface.

The Planet Waves is cool, but it's weight tends to unbalance my zook unlike on my guitar.

My standard Paige banjo capo is perfect up to the 4th fret, where it becomes too narrow. So, I've ordered the Paige wide banjo capo, since I love the way these "park" behind the nut when not in use.

I will now officially have 1 million capos of varying size and shape lying about.

Well then - 2019 already!
Resurrecting my late 1980's TC Bouzouki (which has followed me around faithfully thru the years) for another try now that I am on the cusp of retirement and there are classes on the interweb. Going with a reload of the stock octave string setup to start, and just went through the capo finding ordeal.
The Kyser 6 maple acoustic worked, but was too tight and put a small dent in the neck behind the 5th fret :(.
The Shubb C5 Banjo (flat) is way too small - just wide enough, but not nearly deep enough to fit over the neck
The Shubb C1K (Darth Vader Black) works great. EZ to fret 7 and beyond. As it is steel I may give it a smoosh in a vise to flatten the slight radius, but it seems to work fine as is.

Right behind you Do'nal - don't slow down! ;-)
Cheers!
Donatlga