What do you consider to be the best signed bill in lemon/fruit and where can I find it. I have performed bill in Kiwi and Malone and Eason versions of the bill in the lemon. I currently use Eason version, but the loading the lemon could be faster?
Some my professional friends have got the lemon game and they rave about it, but it is little too expensive for my wallet.

This is a great question!

I too want to purchase the Lemon Game. It costs a lot. It maybe worth that much, but I am a working professional who is just trying to make ends meet. My Game is called Mac and Cheese. Just kidding.

I use a prepared lemon to accomplish this effect as compaired with knives, and other devices etc.

The method in lemon game is not anything special. Most of you allready know it. My professional friends say that it is the routine that makes it worth every Penny. If you are professional them it will soon pay its price back. I don´t personally like the idea of buying somebody elses routine and perform it from word to word, because basically the lemon game is just that.

I am also doing research on the Bill to Lemon. The two best I have found are on Bill Malones "Onn the Loose" tapes and Doc Eason "Bar magic"

Don

I didn't like Malone version very much. It is good but it was over too fast and quite difficult to load fast.

I understand that the old Sam Berland version is good. I saw it performed years ago and it got an excellent response! It requires little fuss, from what I remember.

Korttihai_82, “BEST” is so very subjective. There are dozens of technically good bill to lemon (or bill to whatever) out there. You should find one that fits your style and your act. The mechanics are similar in most of the different versions.

I see that you are looking for a “signed Bill in Lemon” trick. I agree that we shouldn’t even bother with a version that isn’t a SIGNED bill to lemon – don’t bother with the torn corner versions or the “take the serial number down versions” – they don’t have the power of a spectator’s signature! That would be my first point in considering any bill to lemon routine.

Second, don’t even consider spending a ton of money for this effect. You know about, or have seen the advertisements for, several expensive versions being marketed. The cost ranges from a big $325.00 (Doug Malloy’s “The Lemon Game” almost a whole act!), to $95.00 (The so called Ultimate version), to $65.00 (Mesika's Signed Bill to Lemon), and so forth. I repeat, DON’T spend a ton of money on a gimmicked version. The effect is the same in all cases.

Cellini markets a great version. If you buy it you will get a very workable routine a gimmick that can be made in any countries currency! It can be found in his book “The Royal Touch” which will give you a ton of great stuff beyond an excellent signed bill to lemon routine.

I learned the Cellini version from him in the mid 70’s and have been using it since. I performed a gimmick-less version well before I started to perform the Cellini version. In the gimmick -less version THREE SIGNED bills vanish and are found in a lemon wrapped in plastic wrap, which is tied, closed with a twist tie!

Yes, three signed bills to a sealed lemon!

It is Ray Gismer’s “Limey”. Ray is a genius! This little pamphlet cost me a big $8.00 over 15 years ago. I never used the lime; I have always used a lemon. I performed this version for about 10 years and then started performing the Bill to Lemon that I now do. An instant repeat can be done with Ray’s set-up also! I think that Jeff Busby sells Gismer’s line of stuff.

If you are planning to do a bill to lemon DON’T spend $300.00, don’t spend $60 or $30 bucks. Buy Ray’s book and start there or buy Cellini’s book (or just his individually marketed trick).

Of the two I perform the Cellini’s version (gimmicked) more than Ray’s, maybe at a 6:1 ratio. I do perform the Ray’s version when I want the show to appear bigger. Add a prop (table, glass, and silk) and viola' you have a cabaret or stage routine! It gives the routine some visual depth and helps fill an otherwise empty stage without taking the focus from the central players.

In fact, you could buy anyone of a number of DVD’s, Tapes, or Video’s that are available right now that include a strong signed bill to lemon as just one routine of many. I can think of Bill Malone’s new tape/DVD set (good version), Richard Sanders (very good), Doc Easton (Steve Spill’s version-excellent), Rich Marotta’s Video (volume2-very good), and so on.

Is there a best one? NO! But there is one that fits you and your performing style. That one will be the best on for you.

The Eason version seems to be working for you, if it’s not broke, don't fix it.

Hope this helps a little.

I just saw Michael Ammar's SAM lecture and he did Bill in Lemon with a great kicker. I do not know how he "loaded" the bill but it was great. He did not show the workings in his lecture but if any of you guys see his lecture please ask him. I really feel dumb for not asking. It was great!

Ammar didn´t reveal his method although I asked.

How well does the simple no frills Bill to lemon trick go over?

korttihai, What did he tell you?

The “No Frills Bill in Lemon” will go over as big as you can play it! Billy McComb used to perform the Bill in Lemon found in the Mark Wilson Course in Magic (from before it was bound into book form). Billy made it a feature in his act and in fact tells the story that he got several bookings where the Bill in Lemon effect was demanded to be part of the act.

Honestly, if you know a method (any method) you have all the basics you need to build a killer routine.

Thankyou.

Too often, magicians are trying in vain to find the ultimate method, rather than finding an excellent method and writing a great presentation. It's easy to forget that the highest priority is to entertain the audience.

So what was the kicker ending that Ammar did in his 'Bill to Lemon' routine???
Thanks,

Maybe you should look into different type of bills-to-weird-places. For example, there is Cup-o-Noodles, very easy and breaks away from the old "Bill in Lemon".

Hope this helps

I have had many different versions of Bill in Lemon down through the years, but in my honest opinion the best one yet is Vitamin C by Rudy Hunter and released by Martini Magic. It is a no gaff, borrowed, signed Bill in Lemon, grapefruit, eggroll, whatever you wish it to appear in, and very easy to do. Mr. Hunter makes the presentation so clean and smooth. One of the best $10 investments I have made in a long time.
Alex

Bascomb and others that are interested

Regarding the bill in lemon. There are sooo very many bill in lemon routines out there. It is a daunting task at best to decide on any one. However, since it was asked, I will tell you I have the Lemon Game and have performed it many times. It is worth the money. It is a well thought out routine and it gives you all the necessary props. In my honest opinion the real challenge for anyone with this product will be how to incorporate their own style/character/presentation into it. It also has a somewhat interesting kicker at the end that really sells it. I won’t go into or tell what it is . . sorry, but suffice it to say that it is really, really a nice subtlety.

My only problem with bill in lemon tricks is that you end up giving the spectator back a soggy, wet, messy bill. I know many of you will say, just give them a clean one, but sometimes they want that signed one back as a memento. Just giving them their nasty bill back is kind of … uncomfortable. I have tried a variety of solutions to include putting it in a plastic baggie for them. But none of my solutions has totally satisfied me. In a bar situation, this does not seem to be as big a problem as, say, a corporate gig.
Because if this, I have currently dropped it from my show, but hey if there are any ideas out there…let them flow.

Sergeant
***************************
One more thing

I should also let you know that the Lemon Game is not suitable for walk-around or close up. It is a platform routine.
And much like Harry Murphy stated, it might be much more expensive than what you are looking for or need. The advantage to The Lemon Game is that it is a complete, thought out working routine with all the props.

Yes, there are many versions that you can acquire cheaply that are just as effective. The Malloy routine was the third routine that I put into practice.
I will not compare it to the many, many routines out there, because it would be like trying to decide which automobile is the best in the world. Well a lot of factors go into that, such as the money you want to spend, your performing ability, your venue, etc.

Sergeant

Ammars kicker...
He cut the lemon open and there was a bill inside. I can´t remember if he took it out and showed the signature, but after the lemon was cut and the bill was shown to be inside, the lemon was handed to the person who borrowed the bill. But now the lemon was whole again! There was no mark of cuts or anything. The lemon was given to the spectator and the spectator himself cut the lemon open and removed the bill.

At one part he used topit, anything else I didn´t see. Ammar just answered that he does the routine professionally and doesn´t want to reveal it yet.

I think that there are many great ways to perform the bill in lemon, but I think instead of focussing on how, we should be focussing on why?

The best Bill in Lemon I have seen was "Fruit Cups" by John Carney. Which is a one cup and ball routine done with a mug as the cup, a signed scrunched up bill as the ball, and a knife as a wand. At the end, he has a good line which makes sense for the lemon appearing instead of the bill. And then - needless for me to describe the ending..... It can be found in his book (Carneycopia) and also is in one of his videos....
Thanks,
Maverick