Gaff Deck

I was looking at the one on E and it's $30 bucks i think it would be worth it but i was wonddering about someone elses opinion. I'm a kid and i only perform to family and friends so it seems like it great and really great for a variety of tricks. If someone with experience with the gaffs and the deck in general, what their like blah blah blah, that would be great.
Thanks,
AceOfSpades2662
 
Sep 2, 2007
1,693
1
I was looking at the one on E and it's $30 bucks i think it would be worth it but i was wonddering about someone elses opinion. I'm a kid and i only perform to family and friends so it seems like it great and really great for a variety of tricks. If someone with experience with the gaffs and the deck in general, what their like blah blah blah, that would be great.
Thanks,
AceOfSpades2662

The Ghost Gaff, which is probably the best one available, is $24.95. I have it, and you need a Ghost deck to use it, but, for me, it's well worth it. There are some cards which I have yet to use because they do require some imagination, which I lack :D.

You need to know some sleights, and if you don't you'll probably need to spend some additional money on the Army of 52 training DVD, about which I don't know much. The tricks that one is able to perform with the Ghost gaff deck, or any gaff deck, is mind-blowing. The audience, many times, is awed. However, some cards such as the zombie-guy yell "trick deck," and, as a result, some times the deck is suspected of being one. Furthermore, it's almost impossible to perform all the tricks that are possible with the gaff deck all at once, as some set up is required, which is hard to do during a routine.

You can wait until UltraGaff is out, and you can get that, which will probably be better than all the gaff decks available, or you can buy the gaff decks then, as the price will probably depreciate. It's up to you, though.

Cheers,
JTM
 
i still dont understand why someone would pay 30 bucks for a deck of gaffs. for that price you could get 2 Special Assortment Decks at Penguin and still have cash left over. sure you wont be moving individual pips to the bottom of a card for example but it will give you the freedom to think of your own routines. Not to mention that this deck matches regular red/blue backed bicycle cards.

Description:
blank cards with Blue back
blank cards with Red back
blank cards with blank back
double back blue cards
double back red cards
double back blue and red cards
red backed cards which fanned one side is different from fanning the other side
double facers, both side different cards
double facers, both side same card
cards with blank back
shattered 5 hearts
3 1/2 clubs
52 cards in one
4 cards printed on one face
4 backs printed on one back
14 diamonds
a card with a tree and some
Tree of diamonds
 
Well I got the Red Gaff Deck from E, and it's been really worth the money. Although Army of 52 only shows how to do the tricks witht eh Ghost gaff you still learn how to do most of the tricks. It will take time though but, with a few days of practice, about a week depends on how much you practice, this deck will be like a god send lol. It depends on what you want to get also, the Ghost Gaff comes with less cards than the red gaff....but the red gaff has no explanation you need to use your imagination. It's up to you also if you want to wait to get the ultra gaff SO, I can't really tell you what to do it's up to you. Hope I helped out a bit.

-RA69
 
Sep 1, 2007
1,356
2
Los Angeles, California
Gaff cards are fun to do, but it is impractical.
For me, Gaff cards are basically something that I can practice my sleights on which will make it funner.
If I had more money, I would invest some money into an E Gaff deck.

If you want to perform with gaff cards, go with Red/Blue bicycle gaffs. They are pretty good with audiences, plus they have more variety of cards. But if you want it for personal stuff, go with a Ghost.
 
Sep 1, 2007
141
0
I'd recommend checking out reviews over on Ellusionist. There is alot of information on their gaff decks over there, considering they are the producers of them.

-Dave T. Wiltrout-
 
Sep 1, 2007
1,572
2
34
Leicester, UK
www.youtube.com
Here's one you might enjoy.

I think the Gaff Decks are a lot about your imagination and your presentation, these aren't just your run of the mill magic effects where you can say

Here, I have the Jack of Clubs
< 2-3 seconds later>
Here, it's now completely blank.

Now whilst the look of it might be alright and the blankness can be a bit of a shock. To people who have seen your magic before, it's just another colour change. So what can you do to enhance something simple like this? Use your imagination!! Say you're going to suck the image right off the card and place it somewhere else (maybe on a double blank card you've loaded into the spectators wallet at some point?) Granted you may want to remind them that it is the card they picked at "random" :p

I'll use an example that has gotten me great reactions and is the one I'm known for around my school.

A Royal Death

Effect: The performer shows the spectator the King of Hearts and points out the fact that it is stabbing itself in the head. The performer makes a point of how it is the only King that does this in almost any deck of playing cards (the spectator may view the others if their untrusting mind so desires). "But surely!" the performer says "If he's still alive, as he is now...That sword has really gotta hurt!!" Most spectators will at this point either agree or run away thinking you are a crazed psychopath. The perfomer continues "Let's help him out shall we?" The spectator is invited to hold out their hand and hold the King. After a few mystical gestures the spectator says they can feel something, a tingling sensation. Almost one full minute later, the spectator is reminded of the situation, one alive and kicking suicidal king with one spitting headache. The spectator is instructed to look at the King they hold, and (usually with a scream or two) they find that the King has become naught but bone; a 'Skull King' if you will.

Patter

Performer: Here, let me show you something a little strange. I promise you it's perfectly safe. Take a look at this King of Hearts, do you notice anything a little odd about it?
Spectator: Not really...
Performer: Most people don't. If you take a closer look though, you can see that this King is stabbing himself in his own head! Not a single other King in the deck does this. He is known as the suicide king, for obvious reasons; some say it was over his wife, the Queen of Hearts whom he found with the Knave doing unspeakable things. Either way, that sword has really got to hurt right?
Spectator: *shows some sign of agreement*
Performer: Great! Could you hold out your hand for me? Just that one will do.
Spectator: *does as they are told*
Performer: Now, if you could just let this King lay on the palm of your hand. I promise you this won't hurt and nothing bad will happen to you, but you must let me know if you feel something. Some people do, some people don't but just stay very still.

The performer makes motions underneath the spectators hand that look as if he/she is draining an energy from it.

Performer: Did you feel that?
Spectator: (usually) Yes! Oh my God! It's tingling!
Performer: That's okay, it's working. Just let me know if it starts to hurt.

5 -7 seconds later

Performer: *appearing the slightest of drained* Okay, I think it's been done. Remember before, the King was stabbing himself in the head?...Take a look.
Spectator: *screams/drops the card* Oh my God! How!! How did you do that?! *head explodes*

~ Fin

Obviously the reaction varies from person to person and never have I seen anyone's head explode over it. But I have had big screams and the card being thrown at me. Those of you who own Derren Brown's Tricks of the Mind book will recognise the presupposition. And those with experience in suggestion and/or mentalism will see how the effect works to a point where the spectator can actually feel something happening. I won't post the workings of the effect here, but if you have any questions feel free to PM me about it and I'll do my utmost to answer them.

Hope I've helped a little here. :)

- Sean
 
Sep 1, 2007
586
0
Cornwall
im interested in getting a gaff deck myself, but im in no way willing to spend 40$ on a deck of cards (25$, plus tax, plus shipping[canada...9$ shipping from E...])

i have a few double blank cards, and ive been making my own gaffs

scan a card so its real size, go in paint or photoshop, make the pips move to a different spot or whatever
and print them onto your blank card (use sandpaper on the card to wear down the slippery surface so the ink stays better)
and tada...

ill wait for the ultra gaff and probably buy it, unless its like 75$ lol
 
Aug 31, 2007
369
0
Hartford, CT
Hope I've helped a little here

OMG, Sean. That is beautiful. If you don't mind, I'm going to use that for Halloween!!!! :)

I too, have the Red Backed Gaff Deck from E and I bought the DVD with it. And if you plan on buying their gaff deck, I STRONGLY recommend you get both the deck and the DVD. Doesn't matter what Deck Back you buy, the DVD works for any back.

The DVD is excellent. Even a newbie like me learned how to do several tricks using the gaff deck. (Pip Matrix is the best! Worth the cost of the deck alone!) The DVD not only teaches you several tricks, but a bunch of sleights and ideas.

So let me tell you what my best trick is from this deck:

UNDER SUGGESTION:

EFFECT: The magician explains that the mind opens to suggestion very easily and he's going to show how. The spectator picks a card. The magician then explains to her that he will fail the trick, and in so doing, the spectator's mind will be open to suggestion: even though she knows.

The magician then has her take the next card on the deck. The magician then performs Pip Matrix, all the while that what she is seeing is a suggestion and it is not really happening.

To prove it, the magician changes the card back to normal. He then hands the card to her telling her to think of her originally picked card, saying that she is so confused she will see her card in that card. (Those of you who own the Red-Backed Gaff Deck will know which card I mean). :)

Sure enough, she does. He takes back the card, and tells her to return to her normal state of mind. With that, he tosses the deck on the table telling her to inspect the deck. No duplicate cards, no gaffs and the card she just inspected completely returns to normal.

I'm not going to go into the patter but those of you who know Derren Brown can pretty much guess at what it would be. The best thing is when you are moving the pips and telling the spectator "this isn't happening. I see the pips where they belong, you are merely following a suggestion that I am implanting in your mind". :)

In short, the DVD and the deck is well worth the money. I've learned a lot from the DVD and even going through the cards can give you ideas.

Any questions, feel free to PM me. :)
 
Sep 1, 2007
662
2
Gaff decks are great I guess if you don't have to worry about setting up, resets or practicality. It's special effects; it's eye candy.

It also draws attention to the fact that you're using special cards.

Personally, I prefer to concentrate on effects which use standard cards.
 
Sep 2, 2007
1,693
1
i would wait until the ultra gaff the red gaff deck is not very goood

Some parts of the decks require extensive imagination, like the reverse image of the box -- I have no clue what one can do with it.

I believe that UltraGaff is being package with three instructional DVDs -- this is a gaff deck that should surpass those that are currently present. So, yeah it would be wise to wait for it, as the red and blue gaff decks look like normal decks, unlike the Black Tiger, et al., but aren't as good.

Cheers,
JTM
 
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