The Q5 (Tutorial - Index Discussion)

[@TheDilligan]

Thank you! I've been googling around and couldn't find much information on card indexes at all. I've heard of them for years. Never used one. Never even seen one and I was struggling to just find out what one of these looked like. This was so helpful.

[@eversosleight]

I made an Advocate and it works fairly good but I think it could be better with short/ long added to it. I like this index presented too and will give it a shot. Great material here!

[@kapilagarwal9244]

I like this, short long would reduce the number of riffles considerably. Most affects don’t mind if the card is short, unless the card needs to be controlled in specific ways such as a double lift after it is reintroduced. The odds of them picking a short index is slim and can be worked around if it does happen. In the process of making mine. @eversosleight : couple questions if you don’t mind? If the index card is chosen then would it need to be reset; I suppose you could double up the indexed card with a second suit to make that very unlikely. The other is there any merit to use a loose rubber band to hold it more in place, I worry about the index cards falling back in sideways?

[@thelibertarianguitarist6385]

Great stuff as always, my man!

[@condocord7544]

Excellent video -- material is first-rate... and well taught!

[@lyingcat9022]

You could also set the two up low and high. So you can pull all 4 cards from one pocket. If you needed say all 4 queens and don’t want to go into 2 separate indexes.

[@MexieMex]

Other than KK always being ready to go in my wallet (I use mini-cards rather than full size ones for this) but when I need a full deck index I actually use four seperate index set ups (one for each suit) and spread across four pockets. This allows for a far less bulky thing stuck in a single pocket.

[@condocord7544]

Howdy MM!

[@thecommonmagician]

Additional idea: Carry one index with only Spades and Hearts. You can produce either the exact card thought of or its mate. You can set this up initially by asking if anyone knows what a doppelganger is and explain that "it is a lookalike that isn't exactly the same as the original". At the reveal you can follow up by saying either "the back might be a different pattern than you imagined" or "everything is like you imagined down to the value and color, but this is the doppelganger, it's a match, but not exactly the same".

[@gazlawrence3643]

Is there anyway I can buy a pair of these indexes if you? They look brilliant Gaz 😊👍

[@nathanstockwell5642]

I'd buy one from you as well if you ever want to sell them. :)

[@a.b.4052]

@@nathanstockwell5642 Guys, but Cheetah by Berman Dabat and Michel. It is better, FASTER, and does the same thing, and will last forever.

[@adeadlysin272]

Wow. Really fantastic episode, thx

[@manomagik6634]

Great video! I actually recently picked up a set of Q5+ from eBay for a price I couldn't pass up! For my application I really only need a 26 card index. Hopefully the Q5 will work for me... Also been looking at Indexed on Saturn Magic. A little pricey for what I need although I'm sure a good index is a good investment! Thanks for posting this!

[@Cyesloks67]

definitely will try to make one thanks for the share.

[@DavidM-lj5yv]

I really want to make an index. Ironically just received my Corinda book today in the mail. My goal is to make an index that works for me. Thanks for the great presentation. I'm not great at DIY-- your's look really amazing. Wow. I also bought Madison's latest book- where he goes into depth on The Advocate. Need to figure out what works best for me. As far as having somebody name any card-- I have Marc Oberon's Outstanding and have been using that for around 6 mos and ike the effect .

[@thecommonmagician]

You can check the Internet for Q5 or Q5+ indexes. I have seen a few on Ebay made from similar plastic materials as mine. I highly recommend making your own however, even if you make a cardboard pair that wears out. You can just make them as you need them with simple materials and procedures (cardboard, scissors and tape, as described in Corinda). The book recommends reinforcing the tabs with tape, which might be helpful.

[@DavidM-lj5yv]

@@thecommonmagician Thank you so much for that information. I watch KZbin videos on magic daily-- and this was one of the best videos I have seen in quite a long time. Thanks!!!!

[@DavidM-lj5yv]

@@thecommonmagician I just watched your video again because I actually found 2 sets of the Q5+ on eBay for a very cheap price. I'm going to start working on it today. My goal as of now for this is to teach myself how to retrieve any card out of my pocked in a Gambler's Cop and add it to a deck-- for instance have a blue index and add the named card to the bottom of a red deck and then cut the deck and hand to the spectator . Not sure how much work will take--- I only got into cards and card sleight of hand 10 months ago but practice a lot and can cop a card off the bottom of a deck very well without being noticed- card to pocket type of effect-- But getting a card out of my pocket into a Cop position might take some practice. This video was pure gold for me. Your tips, along with telling me about the Q5+ was amazing-- I had no idea about the Q5 until your video. I do have Madison's Advocate instructions but just never got around to building it-- maybe I'll try that as well-- Thanks so much!!!!!!!

[@a.b.4052]

If you use the new ones on the market you dont have to pre-ready the card. You can come in and out of your pocket in but 2 seconds.

[@AmadeusMatella]

thanks 4 this TuT. 👍♠️

[@witzman]

How close is DEX compared to this?

[@thecommonmagician]

I suspect that DEX has design differences to the classic index, otherwise reviews would be indicating such. I haven't seen DEX to weigh in on it.

[@czl1841]

How do u make index?

[@thecommonmagician]

Look in Corinda 13 Steps to Mentalism for an assembly description.

[@manomagik6634]

Are you familiar with the one that Lloyd Barnes is putting out? The demo looks great! Just about any card in less than 3 seconds! 😮

[@thecommonmagician]

I have no inside info on how he has set up his index. One thought that wasn't mentioned here is that jogging cards out of the index can increase the points of contact and thereby potentially increase the speed of acquisition.

[@a.b.4052]

Smart to make one, but with the time it took, it would probably be cheaper to buy them. If you make, say, $30 an hour in your career, i bet it took 3+ hours for this project. If you worked those 3 hours, and purchased one, you would probably save 1.5 hours in sweat equity... And the new ones out these days would last forever.

[@thecommonmagician]

Of course this is true in material analysis... but when one creates or fabricates a thing, they not only gain something that is exact to their liking, they also gain an intimate education on the thing that cannot come from merely purchasing it. Ask the hot rod car enthusiasts out there that rebuild and customize classics, rather than buying restorations at market value.

[@a.b.4052]

@@thecommonmagician True. But in this case you end up with a far inferior product in many ways. From size, to speed, to longevity, to functionality, and beyond.

[@thecommonmagician]

@@a.b.4052 I dunno... mine is made of vinyl and is quadruple stitched with spacers. Are you confusing my template with the final? This is also what it is... a Q5. It isn't something else. But if you look, the build that I made is significantly better/stronger than many of the equal Q5 designs that are available.