Discussion :: The Gaffed Card

[DavidMisner]

Hey guys, so this is something I've been thinking about lately.

There are two types of gaff decks: The "Ellusionist" decks, where the cards are actually specially printed cards that have a different graphic than normal cards.

There are also gaffed cards where the spectator never knows that the card is being used. An example would be a double backer or a split face. These allow you to do things not possible with normal cards, but never show the actual gaffed card to the spectator.

My question to you is, which is better (in your opinion)? One one hand, you have a card that lets you do the impossible, but it is never known. On the other hand, you have a card that is visually changed in some way, but the spectator then knows that you can get cards specially printed, which in my opinion ruins the magic.

In the words of Mitchell, discuss...

David

 

[MitchellStafiej]

I personally think that they both accomplish the same thing... create magic. If used correctly you can create the impossible with both. I personally use both because they are just so powerful...

Mitch

 

[RichmanMatthew]

I think that I'm going to have to go with Double Facers and Double Backers. I think that after you show an Ellusionist style gaff card, people are going to have much higher expectations of you, and unfortunately, some can't live up to it.

 

[Cyrus]

I personally think that they both accomplish the same thing... create magic. If used correctly you can create the impossible with both. I personally use both because they are just so powerful...

Mitch

I agree, you can use both effectively. I do believe that the gaffs where the spectator is aware of a card being different, require more practice and experience to use, so that you can have developed showmanship. If presented correctly, "Oh thats a specially printed card," will be the last thing on the spectator's mind.

-Cyrus

 

[Suux88]

E gaffs are useless
What is a trick if you can't let the specs keep the card

 

[Twozwozer]

E gaffs are useless
What is a trick if you can't let the specs keep the card

Ok, Ive performed many effects without letting the spectator keep the card. SP does that mean I'm performing terrible effects? No. Just because you don't hand out a souvenir, doesn't mean it isn't a great effect.

And E's Gaff are not useless. 'Useless' "having no beneficial use". I have used E's gaff card with great success, IMO they are not useless but a great help in once again, making the impossible, possible.

Cheers, Tom

 

[Jakeh]

E gaffs are useless
What is a trick if you can't let the specs keep the card

That's a very stupid way to think.

 

[quick_trick]

When you use a double backer, it's the same sort of effect as any normal trick. When you use a more visual gaff, such as the ghost gaff's inmamous "sliding pip." Performed correctly, when their hair stands up on the back of their neck and their logic shuts down for 20 seconds, job done. Even if they walk away and think, "he must have swapped the cards or something," you've touched that person in a way no one else ever will. And they'll remember the way it felt for some time.

Both are great!

 

[iq92]

I started a similar thread here some time ago. Here it is:

http://forums.theory11.com/showthread.php?t=5794

So back on topic. I do agree that sometimes, the fact that you can't simply give out the gaff is a sort of limitation on your part. It means you can't just give that card away, which might mean that the card is special. Though this is not always the case, it can still prove to be a problem in such cases.

When dealing with those cards, I just act as if the gaff card is the tool itself, which does the magic, or they themselves do the job. For the most part, I use only the gaffed Jokers on the Ghost deck because it's just a very subtle reveal of a card on an ordinary card; and it's not as in-your-face as other gaff cards in the E gaff deck.

 

[quick_trick]

I don't understand when you'd want to give a gaffed card away anyway? Like i said before, it's a different type of trick usually, one they watch. i only give away signed cards. pretty much just cos you can't use it again lol.

 

[Suux88]

Ok, do B.C So called favorite trick.... ok you got a blue circle on a gaff... don't tell me your gunna just keep the card

 

[iq92]

Yeah, maybe not all gaff cards are suitable to be handed out to spectators, but maybe they'd think that "since that card is altered and unusable, can I have it" or something like that. Obviously, they can't, unless it's just another card that you alter in the performance and not a specially made card. I've had encounters where the spectator wanted to have the card. In those cases, I just change the card back to the way it was so I make it look regualr and "not special" again.

Another problem I had with gaffs is the clean-up afterwards, for both types of gaffs mentioned above. Although double facers, etc. are easier to conceal, some issues may still arise.

 

[Twozwozer]

I don't understand when you'd want to give a gaffed card away anyway? Like i said before, it's a different type of trick usually, one they watch. i only give away signed cards. pretty much just cos you can't use it again lol.

Like Ive said before, you dont have to give a card away each time you do an effect. Plus, there are lots of Card effects where you have a gaff and you give a card away (not the gaff card). Examples, Mystery card plot, FiTH, some effects on FOUR.....

I dont think there is any magician here who only performs effects where you can give a souvenir away

Cheers, Tom

 

[quick_trick]

Another problem I had with gaffs is the clean-up afterwards, for both types of gaffs mentioned above. Although double facers, etc. are easier to conceal, some issues may still arise.

Easiest way to clean up is a deck switch. Go straight into a trick where you only need a few cards and put the deck in your pocket. Or start a prepared packet trick and put the deck away, or just switch out the gaffs going through your pockets. After only one trick, spectators won't even realise you've gone to another pocket to get your deck back. The beautiful part of that it you can have a freshly stacked deck to move into.

 

[JoeCarr]

to all who oppose E gaffs, i performed 'the seer' trick today, with the blue bicycle deck, basically a slip force and a twirl change... anyway he scorns magic, and tries to ruin my tricks occasionally, but isnt out to harm me, just to show how stupid it is... anyway, when that card had the 'KDiamonds' logo in its mouth, he flipped. He fiddled with the card for about 20 mins and was so shocked, and this girl next to me was begging for me to do it again... just goes to show how simple tricks work....

 

[Cyrus]

Easiest way to clean up is a deck switch. Go straight into a trick where you only need a few cards and put the deck in your pocket. Or start a prepared packet trick and put the deck away, or just switch out the gaffs going through your pockets. After only one trick, spectators won't even realise you've gone to another pocket to get your deck back. The beautiful part of that it you can have a freshly stacked deck to move into.

Or you can pull a Daniel Madison and use the Gambler's Cop. Thats what I usually do, I did it even before I read D+M's stuff. Sometimes its easier to do the deck to pocket deck switch. Put the deck in your pocket, "Oh you wanted to examine it?" and take out a clean deck that looks exactly the same. Or you take a fresh deck back out of the same pocket and say "Wait, I'll show one more trick."

-Cyrus

 

[Shodan]

"Hidden" gaffs all the way for me. Used properly, they can either make a trick look very clean, or they can create effects not possible with regular cards.

Tommy Wonder's "Everywhere and Nowhere" is a great example of this in action.

 

[Bijlogg]

E gaffs are useless
What is a trick if you can't let the specs keep the card

If you have to hand out lame souvenirs all the time to make people remember your magic then you are not performing it properly.

I think souvenirs should only be given out when it's a completely impossible item, one that the spectators can't even understand how it was made. Tommy Wonder's 'Through the Eye of the Needle' trick is a perfect example of this where you hand out a needle that has been threaded about 30 times. The spectators can't conceive of how it was made, compared to a playing card that they might have signed... so what, who cares, a single playing card.

Tom

 

[Jakeh]

Yeah, I can always see someone just throwing it away when they get home.

 

[toadwiked]

i use a lot of gaff cards and i like that if you take the time to make it the best you can then it doesnt matter if it is one they know is there or not.

wes