Buyers guide for playing cards: The Baseline Decks
What are the Baseline decks?
The baseline decks are the decks that I originally used to evaluate all the other decks I have reviewed. These are(or at least were) pretty common decks within magic and cardistry circles. The first is obviously the Bicycle 808 Rider back. The next is the Tally Ho. For those who like a softer stock, the Bee Club Specials are the baseline deck and for those who like a stiffer stock, the Elusionist UV500s are used.
Bicycle 808 Rider back:
Going Rate: $2-$3/deck
Width: 15.5 mm Surface: Cambric Dimple
The most important deck to know in order to make full use of this guide and the card reviews in it is the Bicycle 808. When I started this reviewing custom playing cards two years ago I arbitrarily set the 808 at a 7 on a 10 point scale. That made it an average deck(a C Grade)that was well known. On a 10 point scale I would stop rating a card once it dipped below a 5. If a card didn’t rate above a 5 in the first place I decided it really wasn’t worth my time reviewing (basically cheap plastic cards you get in souvaneer shops)so I just shaved off the bottom 5 points and went with a 5 point scale. In my revised system the Bike 808 was downgraded to a 2. However, realizing that there are few cards that fan and dribble as smoothly as an 808 I bumped up each of those scores to reflect that.
Tally-Ho:
Going Rate: $2.50-3:50/deck
Width: 15.2 mm(-1 or 2 Bikes) Surface: Dimpled Cambric
The Tally-ho is a card that feels very much like a Bicycle on first inspection but has a tendancy to last a bit longer and handle more precisely. That, and the fact that it is comparable in price to the 808, has made it a favorite among serious card magicians. If you decide to embark on an quest to find the perfect deck of cards for you I would recommend you start here. I may not be the end of the journey for a budding card connoisseur but it’s a good beginning.
Bee Club Specials:
Going Rate: $2.00-$3.00/deck
Width: 14.5 mm(-3 or -4 Bikes) Surface: Dimpled Cambric
I use this deck as a baseline for what I call the “Artists.” These decks tend to fan smoother and have a softer flexing stock(low spring). They are also a bit thinner than an 808 and come in a borderless back design, all factors that make them an excellent choice for Gambling Demonstrations and table magic.
Ellusionist UV500 Decks:
Going Rate: $3:50-$10:00??
Width: 15.8 mm(+2 or +3 Bikes) Surface: Dimpled Cambric
This was my first introduction to a custom deck and I haven’t looked back since. Both a thicker and stiffer stock than the Bike 808, I use this as the baseline deck for what I call “The Workers.” These decks tended to withstand the abuse of heavy practice sessions much better than the 808s, Bees, or Tally-hos. Though I never did an official review of these deck I hold these decks in high regard.
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