I recently found myself looking at movieclips of the 3 shell game. It felt like getting bit by it. I want to explore this subject, and I was wondering if somebody here could point me in the right direction. What shells are good? S4s shells or maybe some other shells? Not talking about the vernet ones. Which dvd's and/or books?

Etienne

Bill's museum is a great place to start to look at various shells...
The one's Tom reviewed are a very nice set and though I have very little experience with shells I was easily able to steal and load a pea without fumbling.  I dare say that if I practiced I could get it smoothly very easily with these.

Bill recommended the resin shells over at the big green place, there's a thread in the ever so sleightly section.

Bri

Check out the School for Scoundrels website and DVD's. Get both their DVD's and you'll have everything you'll need to know about which to buy, what routines to use, single moves, everything. The SFS street shells are the best regular looking shells I've used, in my opinion but some people like shells that are a little bigger. If you're going to be getting into it though, get their DVD's, I couldn't recommend them more.

Thanks guys,

Another couple of items added on my wishlist for christmas.

Etienne

Hi Etienne,
I am really into the shell game and just heard that there is another great (some say the best) DVD on the subject by Phil Cass - available on eBay. I just ordered one myself and am anxious to see how it could possibly be better than the Whit Hayden and Bob Sheets material on the SFS DVDs.
The 3 Shells make great and entertaining close-up magic. If you present it right, the audience just loves it.

Oh, and don't dismiss the Vernet shells. The are cheap and good enough shells to learn a lot of moves with. I grew up on a set of these - and eventually made a set of my own out of walnuts, some wood putty and paint- there didn't used to be the large selection of exotic shells like there is these days.

Don,

thanks for your input, however I already dismissed the vernet shells. I have read many different things about the vernet shell, some of which are good but the most are very negative. I going down the same route as with the cups, I started with the Animal cups. Didn't know if it would suite me or not.

Dvd's are always welcome and if I decide to go for the street shells and it doesn't suite me, well than I am down for $45. After selling them maybe less, but gained alot of insight in another branch of magic. I have the same insight as bruce does, I always want the best or nearly the best.

Etienne

It's basically Oulette's handling, but with Phil's unique personality. I don't have what it takes to do what Phil does. Not many do. I like the SfS for teaching quality and overall general shell handling. Look at Phil's for boldness in spectator handling and sheer entertainment value.

Oh boy. Gary Ouellet's Super Shells is a great piece of work, but I know it already. I will be disappointed if there is little new in the Phil Cass DVD other than HIS presentation. But I do like "bold" technique!
I agree about the SFS DVDs - there is a lot of good new material in that last DVD set that came out.

In time will do, first have to get a firm grasp on the shells.

Etienne

Bob Kohler's "The Golden Shells" is a very good instructional DVD for a beginner to learn a great routine.

Tom

I have decided to go for the two S4S dvd's. I am still pondering what kind of shells to get, I like the scarab shells. On the other hand if I get the S4S shells I get the Bob Kohler notes/dvd from Frank. I also asked Frank (ambitious card)what would be the best way of starting the shell game and he said that he knew just what to start with.

Etienne

Change of plans,

Frank gave me an email in which he explains what to get. Strange actually that he didn't recommend the S4S dvd's.
So it will be like this:

Street Shells
Bob Kohler DVD
Phil Cass DVD
and a new close up mat.

Thank you Frank.

Have a great weekend.

Etienne

You'll also notice nobody mentioned getting the Sal Piacente DVD, but for a different reason. Sal's is a basic introduction, minimally taught and pretty much leaves you on your own to figure out what to do to build a routine with them. Whit's, on the other hand, is more like full college course on the shells. It takes you from the basics, complete with a very solid beginner's routine and takes you way further than anything else on the market.

Once you get started, you'll definitely want the SfS DVDs. The others are good too (I have all of them, including Sal's) and to give you some perspective, Whit performs Kohler's routine pretty much move for move, but with his particular brand of humor.

You'll do fine with what you ordered, but if you want to go further in your study and get some in depth training on how they would work on the streets or a mock game "for entertainment purposes", the SfS offerings cover that and much more.

DaveV,

Thanks for the indept knowledge on the DVD's, I will certainly look into the S4S dvd's.
I haven't ordered anything yet, need some more info from Frank and then I will decide.

Thanks Dave.

Etienne