by seige » Jul 17th, '06, 09:35
Tony
For a really 'nice' deck, I recommend you don't go toooooo snazzy... perhaps just regular Bicycles, Tally Ho's or somesuch, which have brilliant handling.
Some of the newer novelty decks—the oranges, yellows and reds, are GREAT for Jeff McBride style fans and flourishes, but when doing any card magic whose effect lies in the skill of the magician (such as your commentable classic pass) I think it's much better to use 'normal' looking cards, or cards which are as familiar to the spectator as possible.
Using brash, colourful or odd looking cards can dilute the skill of your effect, and your efforts, as many laypeople suspect that cards which don't look like the norm are potentially gaffed or 'special' in some way.
That's why I wrote BlackDeckMagic—to give justification to using Black Tigers, and is also why I am in the process of collating contributions for the upcoming Ghost[deck]Stories, to give justification to the Ghost deck.
Now you've learned how to perform your sought-after sleight, you should invest in a nice deck of cards. Bicycle 808's handle great, Tally Ho's too.
And they are in a price range which you can afford to use them and bin them, as opposed to some of the 'creme de la creme' decks out there which can cost upwards of £20 (Gerry's Nuggets or Tahoes, for e.g.) because they're out of print and a little bit rare.
Focus on easy to get hold of brands, and as you practice, stick with a brand you're comfortable with. Many of them have much different qualities—thicker board, stiffer feel, different coatings. Some are better for fanning, some are better for sleights.
But, as a solid start, Bicycle 808s are definately recommended as they're easy to get hold of, cheap, and pretty much the definitive card used by a majority of magicians.
