Ah yes. In lieu of real evidence, implication and projection work much better.
How are is it a trick deck?
- Thread starter James Wise Magic
- Start date
Ah yes. In lieu of real evidence, implication and projection work much better.
Justin Miller, Wayne Houchin and Daniel Garcia use Ghost and Master decks from E. I'd say those are custom decks.
Lee Asher uses Jerry Nuggest and probably any other card brands he can get his hands on.
The Buck twins use Nuggest and I think two other custom brands.
The whole argument of pro's not using custom decks is just destroyed and thrown right out the window.
David Blaine uses his Split Spades custom decks as well.
Need I go on?
Lee Asher uses Jerry Nuggest and probably any other card brands he can get his hands on.
The Buck twins use Nuggest and I think two other custom brands.
The whole argument of pro's not using custom decks is just destroyed and thrown right out the window.
David Blaine uses his Split Spades custom decks as well.
Need I go on?
How many of those guys make their living as magicians who perform for lay audiences versus the selling and teaching of magic to other magicians? How many of those had contractual relationships with a company whose bread and butter comes from the selling of cards? How many of these people profit directly off of the sales of these cards?
Don't think anything has been blown out of any water - except perhaps certain assumptions people hold about magic's "professionals."
This issue here was addressed by swiss a while back: the power of card magic comes in great measure from doing something extraordinary with something that is known to be completely ordinary.
Jerry's look and feel like normal cards. As do tally hos and even some of the more arcane bicycles. These cards still past muster because - at their core - they reflect what we know to be normal. Sure their back may be less common - they still reflect the normallicy..
Compare that to black cards or white cards. These contradict what we have learned to consider normal. Heck, cards with kitty cats on their back are less suspicious than these 'custom decks' They automatically invite suspicion. In fact, I would argue that they are DESIGNED to invite suspicion - they are designed to stand out and attract attention. This is exactly the LAST thing a magician would want.
But "cool" is more important than "smart". So people use cards that put the spotlight in the wrong place - and then they wonder why people suspect the thing on which they spent so much money to get people to look at.
Brad henderson
Don't think anything has been blown out of any water - except perhaps certain assumptions people hold about magic's "professionals."
This issue here was addressed by swiss a while back: the power of card magic comes in great measure from doing something extraordinary with something that is known to be completely ordinary.
Jerry's look and feel like normal cards. As do tally hos and even some of the more arcane bicycles. These cards still past muster because - at their core - they reflect what we know to be normal. Sure their back may be less common - they still reflect the normallicy..
Compare that to black cards or white cards. These contradict what we have learned to consider normal. Heck, cards with kitty cats on their back are less suspicious than these 'custom decks' They automatically invite suspicion. In fact, I would argue that they are DESIGNED to invite suspicion - they are designed to stand out and attract attention. This is exactly the LAST thing a magician would want.
But "cool" is more important than "smart". So people use cards that put the spotlight in the wrong place - and then they wonder why people suspect the thing on which they spent so much money to get people to look at.
Brad henderson
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All of them.
Justin Miller used to be a Restaurant magician for few years.
Lee Asher used to work in Vegas and also used to do restaurant magic.
Wayne Houchin also performs for Lay people all the time.
Daniel Garcia most likely also performs for lay people a tons of times to as well.
Should I continue this silly argument?
well, before we move on, what exactly is your definition of a "professional" if those guys do not qualify?
Doesn't mean that pro's don't use custom decks. Just because Jami Ian Swiss doesn't use them, doesn't mean that his word is god. It's just his opinion on them.
This is why you shouldn't open with a card trick, you should open with something that is so far out in left field that by the end of trick, they will believe you can walk on water. Then you bring whatever cards you want and do whatever card trick you want. Don't run if you're not being chased. If they mention the cards, simply say "They're pretty cool." then move on.
This is why you shouldn't open with a card trick, you should open with something that is so far out in left field that by the end of trick, they will believe you can walk on water. Then you bring whatever cards you want and do whatever card trick you want. Don't run if you're not being chased. If they mention the cards, simply say "They're pretty cool." then move on.
You might wish to consult ricky smith's article on daniel that was published in magic magazine. Entertaining and refreshingly honest.
And I am sure all these guys have worked for lay people in the past. I think to assume that is still their bread and butter may be in error. (Not sure if lee works a lot. I know aaron does )
There are a lot of misconceptions about many magic celebrities and their real professions. Don't get me wrong, I think its great that people can make a living creating tricks and selling them to other magicians - but to believe that these are always the same people who are out there working the high end corporate shows would be naive. (And I know that in at least two very rare cases where this DOES happen, the material they use would also surprise you.)
Not a silly argument. You are simply misinformed and defending a position which you feel passionately about.
Don't confuse ad copy for a biography.
And I am sure all these guys have worked for lay people in the past. I think to assume that is still their bread and butter may be in error. (Not sure if lee works a lot. I know aaron does )
There are a lot of misconceptions about many magic celebrities and their real professions. Don't get me wrong, I think its great that people can make a living creating tricks and selling them to other magicians - but to believe that these are always the same people who are out there working the high end corporate shows would be naive. (And I know that in at least two very rare cases where this DOES happen, the material they use would also surprise you.)
Not a silly argument. You are simply misinformed and defending a position which you feel passionately about.
Don't confuse ad copy for a biography.
I don't see what's wrong with using custom cards. We are magicians, nothing we do is supposed to look normal.
Everybody has their own taste and if some guys want to use custom decks, then they should. It shouldn't be up to one person to decide if they should or shouldn't.
Everybody has their own taste and if some guys want to use custom decks, then they should. It shouldn't be up to one person to decide if they should or shouldn't.
And this comes from how many years experience and how many paid shows?
Do I need to details the error in your assumption about an opening effect, or are they glaringly obvious upon a moment's reflection?
Well, yeah but i have been called out to be using a trick deck... Im sure a lot of us have, but you know. What it boils down to is that you have to make them believe that is not a trick deck even if it isny, to laymen like said before they see a different looking deck they think TRICK DECK. All i have to do is let them see the deck and look it through and some feel satisfied, yet you get those people that just arnt satisfied with it and will still think of it as a trick deck.
Just make them believe, thats what magic is about.
~ B
Just make them believe, thats what magic is about.
~ B
No one is trying to legislate what you do. But to pretend their are not consequences from this (or any) choice is short sighted. Everything matters. If you want to use custom cards - great. But you can't (or shouldn't) be surprised when people question them.
And I think innacurate information should always be corrected when offered. Don't take it personally.
Depends on you. It really shouldn't matter if you use a custom deck or not. Everybody has their own personal style and taste. Some guys love the black decks and that fits their style and persona. Some guys use the Ghost decks or the other decks. Some guys use regular bikes. It really doesn't matter and in all honesty if they look at the cards with suspicion.. So what. If it makes you feel better, you can point out the design before you perform and then move on to the effect.
Also there is nothing wrong with not opening with a card trick.
Also there is nothing wrong with not opening with a card trick.
Ah, but that raises some interesting questions. Does this principle apply exclusively to card magic? And if not, where does that leave a coin magician using coins of a currency not in circulation in his country? And what of illusionists? I don't believe I've run across too many Zig-Zags at Target or Costco.
Are you familiar with Kenton Knepper's manuscript Mystery by Association? Very thought-provoking, and the essays therein could make a case either way when it comes to custom decks.
As most guys will say. It shouldn't matter what type of cards you use. Hell you're a magician. If somebody hands you a worn out deck missing a few cards. You should be able to perform some magic with it.
These type of arguments have been going around for decades. Fred Kaps was often said that he didn't want to perform with anything besides his own cards, because he treated his cards like a violinists treats his violin. Which is something to think about. If somebody handed a musician a beat up peace of crap instrument and said "Play me a tune." Don't you think the guy would be like "No."
Which also goes into saying that a lot different musicians use different guitars and drums. They all have different designs yet achieve the same thing.
These type of arguments have been going around for decades. Fred Kaps was often said that he didn't want to perform with anything besides his own cards, because he treated his cards like a violinists treats his violin. Which is something to think about. If somebody handed a musician a beat up peace of crap instrument and said "Play me a tune." Don't you think the guy would be like "No."
Which also goes into saying that a lot different musicians use different guitars and drums. They all have different designs yet achieve the same thing.
Jonny Ramone played his entire career on $40 Mosrite guitar.
Still, I don't see what this obtuse analogy has to do with my argument in the slightest.
I won't tell you to not use them. Do what ever you feel like. But I will tell you why I wont use them; Why try to re-invent the wheel? I look to other working professionals because I want to successful so it stands to reason that the others who are working pros are so for a reason.
This may only be for me, I don't know, i'm just gonna put it out there though. I love my tally's alright, but if someone hands me a dirty beaten up deck, I can still do a double lift, so I can show them something. At the very least I can maybe do a simple ACR Routine. That's all i'm gonna say cause i'm just real low on brain power right now lol.
The question is pointless because no one has suggested doing that.
If the brand of cards they're using is remarkable enough for you to use as an argument, you're doing it wrong.
The type of cards they use is irrevelant. If you look up to the pro's you shouldn't do so because of the cards they use, but because of the skill they have. You also shouldn't try to be like them, because you'll never make a name for yourself if you do.
I understand what you're talking about, but remember that this is still about cards, if i'm not mistaken. People, feel free to correct me if i'm wrong, but I don't think anyone has made it famous or not because they chose to use a Ghost deck over a regular Bicycle deck. They didn't get to were they are because of the card choices they made when performing (unless it really was your card lol), they got there because they knew how to amaze people. If you can amaze someone with a plastic bottle and rubber band, do it. If someone says it's a trick deck of cards, do what needs to be done to prove them wrong. I'm simply offering my opinion on this.