I know cosmetic match is supposed to be unimportant, but Hocus Pocus advertises a nonmagnetic (about $100) and magnetic (about $135) TT made by Arlen Studio. A mold is made of your digit with color selected from a color chart and sent to them. Expensive, but sounds sexy. Anyone tried it? Is this overkill for the paranoid?

Yeah, I'd consider it overkill since you don't want to be showing your thumb in the first place. I mean, it'd be nice to be able to flash the thumb more freely, but there are ways of doing that, and for the price it sells for, a standard TT will be good enough. If somebody's doing TT work in the first place, I assume that they know how to use it properly and could probably pull it off with a bright red TT.

However, if it makes you feel more confident about your act, go for it, but it really isn't necessary.

I think most of us have seen that quote -- or one substantially like it -- but have you ever actually seen anyone do it? I haven't.

As for Arlen's work, I'd say if you, as a performer, can justify the use of the prop, then it's useful.

I've done similar work for a tool I use on occasion. I consider the work involved worthwhile.

John LeBlanc

Yes, that quote's thrown around a lot and I have seen it done, just so you know. I'm sure Arlen Studio does a good job on the prop and it can be useful to many, but it just isn't necessary in the long run. Just my honest opinion.

Michael Ammar uses a red TT in his teach-in videos.

True about the red thumb tip, but Keith's thumb tip is very handy if your doing a spirit board effect like Charles Cameron's "Ten Talons of Taz."

Mark

I'm my opinion, that TT is useful if you have an unusually large or small thumb, or a very evident scar on the thumb, or other very obvious mark.

As for matching the color, I don't think it's worth it. Just my thoughts.

Alex

Is there an available link to the TT? Thanks.

Amadrigal: http://www.arlenstudio.com/new_page_16.htm

I like Jay Scott Berry's ECLIPSE - TT, with a special finesse.

http://www.jayscottberry.com/jsbeclipse.html

I don't think you need any expensive good-looking TT's; you just need to master the techniques behind the cheaper ones. The owner of a magic shop a couple of cities away was showing a guy some tricks with a thumbtip. I was at another angle and it looked awesome; I thought he was using a very good TT. He then showed the man and he was actually using a temporary thumbtip made out of black electrician's tape.

Overkill for the paranoid.

Anyone that suspects you're using one would still suspect you're using one anyway.

Ditto.