I am looking to buy a set of Fakini balls, and saw this one on Denny Magic http://www.dennymagic.com/cgi-bin/hazel.......m=002826 .
Will this set let me do everything on the World Class Manipulations DVD's by Jeff McBride?
If I wanted to perform a colour change, which set would you recommend that I buy? I am not aiming to spend more than $100, and on Denny Magic a simple set costs $75, but I can't do colour changes with it. Should I buy an extra shell/ball for a colour change? What about multiple colour changes?
Any help will be great.
Thanks.
Sam

The three balls and a s**** will do most of what you want to do. You will have to buy an extra ball of a different color for each color change. I did the very thing you are asking about and I can do almost everything that you see on the videos.

Other than the routines which require 7 balls and a shell, or 4 solid balls (of the same colour), you should be able to do most things on World Class Manipulation. However, Jeff does teach some gimmicked effects on this too. Diminishing ball, flash 4 production.

For color changes you can get bouncy balls that are the same size and grip as the fakinis, but will be different colors. They only cost a fraction of a fakini ball.

Jim

Thanks for the help. Kevin, did you say that you need 7 balls and a shell to perform some of Jeff McBride's routines?
Which magic shop sells fakini billiard balls for the cheapest price? Do you think it would be good to start off with 4 balls (one a different colour to the rest) and a shell? Are 1 and 3/4 inch balls the size to start with?
Is it possible to fit two shells onto a ball, with the shells and the ball all different colours, then do a colour change twice?!
Thanks.
Sam

The 8 ball routines on volume 3 require 7 balls and one shell. It may be possible to use 2 shells, but not with Fakini's. They grip the shell, making it difficult to secretly remove the shell. This would be twice as hard with 2 shells.

Start with 3 balls, one shell, and one different coloured ball, for colour changes. There's no point moving onto the 8 ball routine without previously working on the 4 ball ones.

Good luck mate,

Thanks for the help, Kevin. I'm going to buy four fakini balls and a shell from dennymagic.com or stevensmagic.com, as you suggested. I am thinking of getting them in white (as most people say that this is the 'best' colour to use) and I'm not really sure which colour to use for the colour change. Which colour do you think would contrast with white the most?
Thanks.
Sam

P.S. Is there any way to completely surround the ball with two shells, so that you can perform two colour changes (if all three objects are different colours)?!!!

I prefer the white.

The two inch diameter Fakini balls in white are very visible.
If you study Alan Wakeling's version of Roy Benson's multiplying ball routine (see The Magic of Alan Wakeling by Jim Steinmeyer) I think you will be won over to the two inch whites. Wakeling used the two inch Owen Magic Supreme balls turned from wood. There's one move in the Benson/Wakeling routine that's more difficult to do with the silicone Fakini balls than with the smoother wooden balls. I notice Mikame is making wooden ones that can be purchased from Steven's Magic Emporium. http://www.stevensmagic.com/shopping/shopexd.asp?id=3185 The Mikame multiplying balls are slightly smaller than two inch diameter (1 3/4") , but the Mikame set comes with extra shells so that might open up certain possibilities in routining. I've never handled the Mikame set, but the Fakini's handle very well.

I don't do any color changes, but a cool color change could be to make one of the white balls change to a black ball, then change it again to a zebra striped ball. You would, of course, need extra balls . I think Fakini sells singles, but as JamesinLA mentioned you can find matching silicone balls from juggling supply shops or even toy "bouncy balls."

Thanks Dai,
Almost everyone else that owns fakini billiard balls says that the 1 and 3/4 inch balls are the best to start with. Aren't the flourishes and moves easier with 1 and 3/4 inch instead of 2?
What size does everyone else use?
Thanks.
Sam

It really depends on the size of your hands. Some people find 2" to large to handle. Best stick with 1 3/4". As for colours, a good contrast is necessary. You could argue everything contrasts with white, but I think magenta contrasts better than yellow. As for the extra ball, I would go with a single magenta. Stevens Magic sells single balls for $25.

Hope this helps, good luck!

Is 1 3/4 inch the same as 5 cm?

Just check on a ruler. It's a little over 4 cm.

What is the difference between the magenta fakini balls and the new rocket red ones? Which one looks 'redder' and will stand out more (in a colour change from white)?
Thanks.
Sam

I just saw on Stevens Magic site that they now have the fakini balls in green which look really cool, I think anyways.....

Take care, Bry

Magenta is a purply pink colour. Rocket red is bright red. It really is up to yourself, but I prefer the magenta balls.

Does anybody know where I can get Fakinis in the UK?

Sadly they are not available in the UK, unless someone is selling them on. You will have to pay the shipping from US, but they are worth it. Honestly!

Thanks The Scot. Can you tell me where you got them from the US and how long they take to get delivered?

http://www.stevensmagic.com

They have 'em and global priority mail is not that expensive - ask for that shipping mode.

... only thing is I got charged custom charges which I had to pay before I received the parcel. The parcel was sent from Stevens magic, and took over 3 weeks too.