Several years ago I had a debate with affamed Michael Ammar on this subject in one of his workshops. He stated that he preferred using one because it just felt more comfortable to him. I, personally, prefer not to use one because I feel more comfortable without one. We showed each other our handlings and concurred that both were equally deceptive and had inherent strengths and weaknesses respectively. I believe the conditions in which the effect is performed is also an important factor. John Lovick's book is a wonderful encyclopedia and reference on the subject matter but here are the pros and cons that I have struggled with for years:

Tip Pros:

Bills can be handled quickly and freely once the transformation is complete.

Tip Cons:

The handling is very angle sensitive.
The handling requires one more object to manipulate that is considerably bulky.
The bill ducks out of sight momentarilly.

Tipless Pros:

The handling is far less angle sensitive.
The bills blend in and can even be hidden under the thumb.
One less object to manipulate and is very flat.
The bill never ducks out of sight.

Tipless Cons:

Cannot handle bills as quickly or freely.

I'd be interested to hear what the rest of you think. Magick Balay's handling seems to further complicate things by bluring the distinction.

I think your list sells the T a bit short. The T not only allows for a clean handling of the bill before and after, it gives a very strong sell of the emptiness of the hand, which is difficult to get in a non-T handling. Also, the bill doesn't have to go out of site in a proper T handling, and while angle-sensitivity might be an issue, keep in mind that in order for people to appreciate the effect and actually see the magic, they ought to be in front of you, and that means be at an angle favourable to the magician. If angles were tough, for instance, you could position yourself accordingly and say that you're doing it so that they can see the magic, which is true. If you're worried about people being suspicious about what's going on backstage, consider that you get a cleaner start point with a T rather than without.

Also consider that with a non-T handling, you're always manipulating more than just a single bill, whereas with the T-handling, you're only temporarily operating with more than just a single bill. Those moments before and after the change are important, since they make a strong case for the state of affairs being legitimate.

Yeah, the best T handlings are difficult. Life's tough sometimes.

You made some very objective and valid points Andrew. I did sell the tip a bit short in terms of it affording the performer the opportunity to show both hands unmistakenably empty but I feel that method is better suited for platform conditions where the environment is better controlled.

As a close-up performer; however, I've found that the performer can be semi if not almost completely surrounded when tipless with far less audience/angle management necessary. The concealed bill is nearly invisible from virtually every angle because it is so flat and camouflaged. Particularly the moment when the bill is reduced to sixteenths where it can be shown from all angles.

I solicit and eagerly anticipate more responses from everyone. This is all great food for thought. I believe this will be a very good and healthy debate with everyone learning as much as there is available to share on the subject matter with one another. It is also very interesting to hear what people believe and why.

It's a matter of what works for the performer. I show my hands empty, in a completely convincing manner, yet I refuse to use a tip. Magicians are convinced that I use one, only because my handling is so open.

I use the Mike Ammar Tip method, and have for many years without trouble. However, it would be good to learn a tipless method for those times I don't have the tip with me. Where might I learn YOUR method, Richard?

Doug

Great responses my friends. Doug: I think once you've transitioned you might never go back Alan can probably give testament on the abundance of benefits to be reaped with the organic approach. It would be my pleasure to teach you personally if we lived closer to each other. What I have found in my research over the years is that there is little to no material available on the tipless, bare-handed method in comparison to all of the material both printed and on video/dvd available on the method utilizing the magician's secret weapon Perhaps, this is an opportunity to release an instructional on the subject matter as I'm sure many people would be greatly interested. Mike Kozlowski's original manuscript just touches on it briefly at the conclusion of his notes but leaves oceans to be desired. I'm afraid the only material available at present is what appears in John Lovick's Switch book I've noticed that this is true with a lot of good classic magic.

I like the Kevin King "Money Morph" handling of the switch as more of the bill is shown. If you use the UCCU, you can bring the TT in and out of performance so easily.

Clarke

I learned with a tip so still prefer it. I drop the bill in their hands, finger are wide apart with thumb tips pointing to them.
I have worked on using no tip for a short time back but never followed thru with practice.

Yes. There is a considerable amount of additional work using a tip-less method but I've always felt that the end greatly justify the means. We went to Chris Randal's lecture last night and his tipless method fooled us all. He uses it in his Bill to Lemon routine which has a very organic feel to it and was easilly worth the price of admission alone. His forthcoming DVD Inception and comes highly recommended.