talkmagic.co.uk

Ok, just a quick question for a starter - The Tiger Deck by Bicycle, other than the obvious visual differences, is it a normal deck?

And as a second question, I'm going to buy some Bicycle deck's to get me started as most of my cards are pretty trashed from trips abroad and beaches, schoolbags etc... so they aren't exactly looking great as far as magic prospects go. (think I'll save them for playing poker or something )

Firstly, how many should I get to be started with, I was just thinking two and maybe a tiger deck, that way I have two identical decks if I need to do switches or anything like that, and another different deck aswell. Would I need more than two on any situation (given that I'm just a beginner)?

Also wondering whether it would be worth getting a Royal Road To Card Magic E-Book or whether it would be too much hassle (inconvenience wise) and be easier to order the real book.


Thanks in advance! And sorry for the abundance of questions, it reads like an overexcited 5 year old on speed

Valtam wrote:Ok, just a quick question for a starter - The Tiger Deck by Bicycle, other than the obvious visual differences, is it a normal deck?

Yes...but given that you are a beginner it may be assumed that it is a gimmick so you really need either to have people examine it thoroughly or to construct a routine around the fact that it is the wrong color - anything to stop people assuming that they are 'super trick magic cards'.

Valtam wrote:Firstly, how many [Bicycle decks] should I get to be started with, I was just thinking two and maybe a tiger deck, that way I have two identical decks if I need to do switches or anything like that, and another different deck aswell. Would I need more than two on any situation (given that I'm just a beginner)?

Not really. For a long period I used to order new decks in twos or threes as I needed them. If you take care of them, don't drop them and so on each deck should last you several weeks so you don't really need more than two, no. Personally, I would recommend getting two decks of a contrasting back colour - that way you open yourself up to the possibility of a colour-changing deck, etc.

Valtam wrote:Also wondering whether it would be worth getting a Royal Road To Card Magic E-Book or whether it would be too much hassle (inconvenience wise) and be easier to order the real book.

Actually, I prefer to read ebooks, especially when practicing magic (not that I have many ebooks!). It's quite hard to hold the book open and turn pages if your hands are full of cards. That's just an opinion though...

Kati

Firstly: the Tiger Deck is a normal deck, but can be used as a trick deck if you buy the gaff deck to go with it! but if you are just begining like you said don't get the gaff deck, it comes with no instructions and you must be profficiant at slight of hand.

Secondly: buy a few decks of bikes, go to www.nothingupmysleeve.co.uk and get them from there, tell them you are a TM member and you get discount

Thirdly: Buy the RRTCM book (the real one) e-books are as you say, inconvienent and it is less than a tenner.

Fourthly: good luck

katrielalex wrote:

Valtam wrote:Ok, just a quick question for a starter - The Tiger Deck by Bicycle, other than the obvious visual differences, is it a normal deck?

Yes...but given that you are a beginner it may be assumed that it is a gimmick so you really need either to have people examine it thoroughly or to construct a routine around the fact that it is the wrong color - anything to stop people assuming that they are 'super trick magic cards'.

Valtam wrote:Firstly, how many [Bicycle decks] should I get to be started with, I was just thinking two and maybe a tiger deck, that way I have two identical decks if I need to do switches or anything like that, and another different deck aswell. Would I need more than two on any situation (given that I'm just a beginner)?

Not really. For a long period I used to order new decks in twos or threes as I needed them. If you take care of them, don't drop them and so on each deck should last you several weeks so you don't really need more than two, no. Personally, I would recommend getting two decks of a contrasting back colour - that way you open yourself up to the possibility of a colour-changing deck, etc.

Valtam wrote:Also wondering whether it would be worth getting a Royal Road To Card Magic E-Book or whether it would be too much hassle (inconvenience wise) and be easier to order the real book.

Actually, I prefer to read ebooks, especially when practicing magic (not that I have many ebooks!). It's quite hard to hold the book open and turn pages if your hands are full of cards. That's just an opinion though...

Kati

Thanks for a (very) hasty response. I see what you mean about the Tiger Deck though. Silly thing is, I got a pack of marked cards when I was about 11 and people told me to use them instead of my other cards, because the other (non-marked) cards looked like the were rigged because of their unusual colour and they didn't trust me

As for the e-book, cheers for the advice, I guess if I need to practice any of the techniques whilst not on the pc, or learn new ones whilst not on the pc, I could print off any pages in advance anyway. Plus, it's cheaper Which is not exactly a bad thing in itself.

personally i would recommend two blue backed bikes and one red back bikes...that way you can have duplicates but also like kati said you can do colors changes and things of that nature...


also, im sure this has already been recommened but why not consder investing in a dvd...you could get the 4 disc RRTCM set for like $60 or get born to perform for like $30..it would be a lot easier to learn since you are a beginer and probably havent seen a lot of the stuff...

these are just my opinions

but good luck anyways

leighton wrote:Firstly: the Tiger Deck is a normal deck, but can be used as a trick deck if you buy the gaff deck to go with it! but if you are just begining like you said don't get the gaff deck, it comes with no instructions and you must be profficiant at slight of hand.

Secondly: buy a few decks of bikes, go to www.nothingupmysleeve.co.uk and get them from there, tell them you are a TM member and you get discount

Thirdly: Buy the RRTCM book (the real one) e-books are as you say, inconvienent and it is less than a tenner.

Fourthly: good luck

I reckon I'll definitely buy the bicycle cards then in that case, seeings as they tend to be the preferred choice round here.

The book I'm now still undecided on, I'll take some more opinions anyway first.

And thank you




(PS: are there any better books for starting coin magic than Bobo's, as I have heard a lot of people on both this site, and on reviews for the book, that it is somewhat difficult to read a lot of the time)

grum7n7 wrote:personally i would recommend two blue backed bikes and one red back bikes...that way you can have duplicates but also like kati said you can do colors changes and things of that nature...


also, im sure this has already been recommened but why not consder investing in a dvd...you could get the 4 disc RRTCM set for like $60 or get born to perform for like $30..it would be a lot easier to learn since you are a beginer and probably havent seen a lot of the stuff...

these are just my opinions

but good luck anyways

Yeah I did have a look for the Royal Road DVD but I couldn't find it on any UK magic shops, same with Born to Perform. I might just not have looked hard enough or in the right places

Born to Perform is only available from Penguin (which is not a nice shop but not much choice if it's the only one that sells the DVD). There's a UK Penguin at www.penguinmagic.co.uk, just make sure that that is where you are getting it from!

The RRTCM DVD is available at www.nothingupmysleeve.co.uk and if you email seige after registering you will get a discount on all orders you make - yay!

If you are just starting with cards I would definitely go for a DVD - books are good but they are hard to learn from unless you have the basics down pat IMHO. Born To Perform comes with my highest recommendations but I don't own the RRTCM DVD set so I can't comment on it.

I personally think (not going to say "widely considered that"!) that Tally-Ho is the best type of card out there - to me they seem of better quality stock and the finish lasts longer. Still, they cost a fair bit more than Bikes so you may prefer to get Bikes and try them out before spending more money on Tally-Hos.

Kati

I would also recommend Born To Perform along with Kati and grum7n7.

And if you're going to get RRTCM on DVD make sure you don't get the "Magic Maker's" version. From what I've heard it's awful, and Rob Stiff (the performer) looks like he's just learnt the moves himself apparently. Although I haven't seen it, I would definitely recommend R. Paul Wilson's version of RRTCM based on his reputation alone. He is fantastic. You may even recognise him from the TV show "The Takedown" if you've ever seen it.

I know the black tiger deck looks cool, but whilst you're on a limited budget for magic supplies, I'd stick to cheaper regular decks. When you have the finances to exercise a bit more freedom then you'll undoubtedly be a full blown CUPS sufferer like the rest of us.

KatrielAlex wrote:

If you take care of them, don't drop them and so on each deck should last you several weeks so you don't really need more than two

I'm not sure I agree with this. If you're a true beginner then you are gonna be mashing your cards all over the shop and constantly destroying decks with inoperable bends, creases and stains in them. This is why I recommend avoiding the tiger deck...so a) you have more money for normal necessary decks, and b) so you don't inflict this punishment on your expensive black tiger deck.

Good luck. If we can be of any more help then let us know.

Going heavily off topic here chaps

Why spend bewtween £4 and £6 on a tiger deck to practice with when you could spend around £1.50 (or similar if converted to dollars four our American cousins) - on a deck to practice with:?:

Seems like simple economics to me

Go for the normal bike and buy as many as you can afford. You'll usually save on the postage at least when you buy more and will mean that you need to re-order decks less frequently.

One day you'll find that someone spills a drink over them and you're stuck if you haven't got a spare deck to hand.

Read the links for more info on the learning materials that have been mentionned and post comments under those reviews.

Good luck

do you guy's have costco in the U.K. cause over here in L.A. i can buy bicycle decks by the dozen at a buck a pack.

I'm having a Tiger Deck Bonanza at NUMS starting today, £3.22 for one deck, £3 if you buy 6 or more, £2.85 for 12 or more (brick).

This applies to Red pips too.

First come first served though!

do you guy's have costco in the U.K

There are several in the UK and they sell Bikes in bricks, often still with the US price labels on - $13.49! There are one or two previous threads on this topic so I won't add any more here.