The Shubb Capo Company was founded in 1974 in California by Rick Shubb (a banjo player) and Dave Coontz (an auto mechanic). Their first product was a fifth string banjo capo. Further products followed in the late 1970s including a compensated banjo bridge and a guitar capo which was Shubb's first big commercial success. Shubb also make a line of guitar steels inspired by John Pearse.