I plan on getting both of these but I am curious as to which more people favor.
I myself have seen some killer cup and ball routines but not many chop cup routines.
Also what are some of your favorite offbeat loads that no one ever expected to be there, and what is the strangest routine you have ever seen?


Chris

If you can't decide why not get both in one.
Buy a combo cups and balls set.
You will have both at your disposal.

Guardian,
In my post I mentioned I am getting both, but just wondered what everyone else preferred.
I like the idea of being able to have two different routines.
I was also curious as to the differnt loads others use. That may give me ideas to modify the routines to my liking.
Thanks for the input though. I really appreciate the help.

Chris

A lot of what you prefer should depend on how well you can sell the routine to the audience. By its very nature, a cup and ball routine will probably last longer than a chop cup routine.

The loads have a lot to do with what you will use.

I've done a number of chop-cup routines but I'm using the cups and balls most of the time now.

With C&B all kinds of effects can be done, but the chop-cup is restricted to only one. Ball vanishes and returns under the cup. (I'm exaggerating.) And I have finished producing three large loads.
It does depend on the routine.
But -- I get a better result using an ordinary cup and a borrowed £5 note.

I don't know the reason for using a gimmicked cup in the first place, but I have read it was to fool magicians by showing the cup mouth down.
It doesn't save much in the way of sleights as we still have to load some balls anyway, and the final loads.

I like the idea of a combo set because then the cup can be used only once to show it's empty: in the middle of a routine. Or do a short chop-cup interlude before loading the final loads, or even after two cups are loaded.

I'm not sure a chop cup is worth the trouble because everything can be done with sleights anyway.
A chop-cup is good however if I need a short routine in a walk-around act or when I'm surrounded by grabbing children.

Just my thoughts.

As to final loads, I use standard fruit -- tomatoes, potatoes, lemons.
I wouldn't use livestock -- chicks or mice.
I have used metal balls.

I use the cups and balls to close, by the way, as I've never found anything to follow them.
Eddie

Charlie Frye has a great two cup one chop cup routine on his video, Eccentrics.

Regarding loads in the chop cup, I do a chop cup routine with THREE final loads. So the only restriction to the number of balls used is in the first part of the routine. I don't see that as a restriction or a limitation, really. I see it as a way of cutting down the amount of preamble before you get to the part of the routine that gathers the most applause.

The best reason for using a chop cup is it can be done in a restaurant setting. Where as a full set of cups and balls is difficult if not imposable to work out in a restaurant. As for chop cup loads three, lemon, lime, medium sized die.
As for loads with cups and balls, how about three juggling balls and one large stage juggling ball!

Chop cup is not seen as often but don't let that be a consideration since there are a whole lot of people out there who haven't seen magic in person.

I think many magicians don't fully appreciate the chop cup because essentially they copy the routine as done for years by Don Alan. There are many more things that can be done. Also we tend to rely too much on the gimmick and tend to forget that sleight-of-hand applies to chop cup as well.

Alan, btw, seems to be the only magician who could get away with using Chop Cup and Benson Bowl in the same act. Couple that with his Hat Trick, he essentially did the same effect three times.

I have seen large metal ball bearings used.

I agree with some of the earlier posts in that the chop cup is less often seen and easier to use in a walk around/restrauant setting.

I am a cheap magician in that I can't afford such things, so instead of buying a chop cup I just used one of my cups and some of the balls from my c&b to do a chop cup routine. It took a long time to be able to get the angles and loads down but afterward it floored people.

Go with the Cups and Balls. They are more original.

Actually, a chop cup routine is no different than a one cup routine. It is focused and effective. Most routines overuse the gimmick, relying wholly on its unique properties for the working of the routine. There is just as much latitude for personal expression with the added benefit of strength of conviction.

Almost anything that can be done with three cups can be done with one and to greater effect as spectators can not argue that they were looking over here while you "did that."

ajp

I have a set of 3 cups with one chop cup and use them separately or together with great fun. I think that when you are into the cups and balls you want to learn and paractice everything related to these babies...

I do a 2 cup, C&B routine. One of the cups is Chop and is used sparingly but really adds to the impact of the routine. I use it early and then dump the gimmicked balls so it doesn't interfere with the rest of the routine. As time goes on I have become a firm believer that 3 cups are just not needed.
I always explain that normally 3 are used but since they have only 2 eyes I will use only 2 cups.

Also David Regal has a really cute chop cup routine in his book Closeup and Personal called "My Best Friend." I use it sometimes for variety and have made some changes in the final load so that I can do it table hopping or strolling.
In short it uses furry little mice that can be bought in the pet dept. It is easy to gimmick one with a magnet and your set.

I would prefer 3 regular and 1 chop cup...that way I've got both.

I personally prefer the cups and balls, but I thought some of you may like to know that Brad Burt has a coffee cup Chop Cup. You can see it at his website magicshop.com Check it out. If it matches the cups in a restaurant that you work in, it would be very deadly!!!

Posted: Aug 31, 2003 6:45pm
Sorry about that! I meant RESTAURANT!!! Guess I got a little too excited about reaching the 150 post mark!

Hey it's cool, grammar sucks anyway.

I guess this is obvious but one advanteage of the CC is it is great for close up. It can be done fast or slow with a great finale. The C&B is better for a parlor setting. But both great classics!

I have never used a chop cup, but I have used C&B alot. I recently performed a week at the Magic Castle's Close-Up gallery. My routine is a bit different. I use chili peppers throughout my show. So I perform the cups and chili peppers, using small cherry peppers. My Finals are ordinary colored balls as I tell the audience that I have been lying the whole time and that this is a classic effect known as the Cups and Balls. I've done several very unique C&B routines and my advice is to make yours different than others and to use your personality, As Michael Ammar says, "you are the magic."