Get your minds out of the gutter.  There was no better way to word this.  Well, maybe there was....

I've been thinking about this a lot, and figured this was the best place to get other opinions.  So much is said about our cups.  Brass, copper, silver, gold plated, chopped, coffee, RnT, Johnson, Sherwood, Riser.....K-Mart?  Less we forget, the trick is not really about the cups, but rather the balls.  The cups usually do nothing, they sit there and cover the balls.  It's the balls that appear, vanish, change color and shape.  Yes, I know there are exceptions, Duvivier and Regal to name but two.  I'm as guilty as anyone.  When I perform with my engraved silver Sherwoods I always comment to a lady, "I bet you didn't know that Tiffany's made magic tricks huh?"  What got me thinking about this was a recent purchase of....another set of cups.  I normally use white balls.  I have one set of red and black monkeyfist balls, but mostly, it's either mini baseballs, or white crochet balls.  When I bought a new set of copper cups recently that did not come with balls, I grabbed my normal white set.  I noticed how they "popped" when set on top of the cups.  They don't stand out nearly as much on the silver ones.  Yet that's exactly what I had been using when them.  So now I must order a set of red or blue to use with my silver cups.  I'd love to hear what others think and what color combinations you use.

I have a lot of balls....lol

No really i have a large selection of ball in a lot of colors. The ones that pop the must for me is a set of black and gold working balls from RNT II.

They look great on the close-up pad. it was suggestion from Jake, and I have all ways liked them.

I like to change it up every now and then with different types of balls. I even have a set of small American footballs that i like to use every now and then.   

The cups are great but you have to have balls to do the trick.

Sean

If you like using the baseballs you can always just order a set from someone in a different color, like red leather with white stitching. I'm about to do that for a chrome set of cups I have coming in.

Eddie

where are you getting the baseballs from? I have been wanting to get a new set of baseballs but I have not found a great place to get them.

Most places are over seas. Did you find a place here in the states?

Sean

Geez, talk about a topic difficult to write about. . .

I thank whatever power is in the universe that I had the foresight to get 4 sets of Mike Rogers baseballs when they were still available.  Two with wooden cores and two with rubber.  I prefer the wooden, though I'm now down to only one complete set.  The best balls I've ever handled (I don't believe I just said that). 

I'd be interested in finding out what sources you guys come up with for baseballs and what the quality is like. . . core material, durability, etc.

Another set I like are the balls that Tom Frank gave out with his cups.  I'm completely spacing out what the style is called.  I'm pretty sure they have a specific name.  They handle really well, though I'm almost afraid to use them as I don't want to get them dirty.  It has to be the right (i.e. almost sterile) environment for me to take them out.  When I do, though, I love them.

I've never handled Jake's balls (I'm sure we're both glad about that), but I hear they're really nice.

Until recently, I've never gone in for the sponge balls with c&b but I've been messing about with them a bit.  I'm still not so sure.  We'll see.

Mark

The balls from Tom Frank are Tayade balls.

Balls from Jake are quality products all the way.

That's it!  Thanks Tom!

Mark

You're very welcome Mark.

No, I don't know of any place in the states. I got mine from Michael Sullivan in Australia. They came within a week of ordering them, and the shipping wasnt bad.

Eddie

My favorite balls to use with my Sherwood cups are Brett's heavy rubber balls.  Until I found these, the heaviest I had found where monkey fist balls.  Sometimes, you need a ball to roll, like when doing the centrifugal move. 

RNT II will be producing Authorized Mike Roger Baseballs starting the end of this summer, sizes will range from 3/4" to 2.5" All hand stitched to Roger's specs from his original balls.  When they become available we'll post more here.

Jake

That's great news, Jake!

That's Awesome!

Jake,

I forgot to ask. . . what are you going to use for core material?

Mark

We're going with Silicone cores.