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REMEDIES Playing Cards by Madison x Schneider – A Review

REMEDIES Playing Cards by Madison x Schneider – A Review

Remedies Playing Cards by Madison x Schneider – A Review

This is the Ad Copy:

It’s time to celebrate the USPCC comeback of Daniel Madison. The series of some of the most iconic playing cards continue with the Madison x Schneider Remedies. A reminiscence to the beginning of custom playing cards with a modern twist.

The new look and feel runs through the entire deck. Improved custom pips and indices, new custom faces and details on the Court cards. Daniel Schneider also redesigned Daniel Madison’s iconic King of Diamonds that you see from now on in every new Madison deck.

Packed with hidden secrets and built-in magic tricks, including an Angle Zero gaff and a series of brand new hidden revelations with an incredible quality of stock (and traditionally cut). Madison and Schneider are so proud to present this minimally wonderful weapon of deception.
Manufactured by the United States Playing Card Company
Printed on premium (Bee) crushed paper stock
Traditionally cut
Custom front and back
Angle Zero gaffHidden revelations for your magic routines

My Thoughts:

Playing Cards… you either love ’em, or you don’t. I’m not talking about the public… I’m talking about the pickiest bunch of them all… magicians. REMEDIES are designed for magicians. Let me tell you why…

First.. Daniel Schneider and Daniel Madison were two of the very first to introduce true custom cards to the magic community. Remedies is a great continuation of that tradition.

Second.. I’ve always been a fan of Bee’s. They handled slightly stiffer than Bikes, but I’ve always preferred the linen finish and the way the Bee’s slid together when performing faros. Remedies are printed on the premium Bee crushed stock, I think slightly thinner than original Bee’s, but not enough to matter. They are also traditionally cut and printed by USPCC, a trait I like in all my cards.

I found the edge cut to be slightly rough. That’s not a problem if the edge softens during use.. and my Remedies would faro properly after three or four minutes of faro’s. This shouldn’t be an issue for most of you, but I have several controls that are dependent on my faro.. I have to be able to perform a perfect faro or the deck goes on the shelf. Thankfully, Remedies came through for me.

Most of the court cards are custom made. The King of Diamonds is a redesigned image of Daniel Madison and the other King of Diamonds, yes, there’s two, is Daniel Schneider. The King of Spades is David Blaine, the King of Clubs is David at Magicorthodoxy, and the King of Hearts is a German magician who’s name escapes me. There are several hidden secrets within the court cards, including two Kings holding different cards and an angle zero gaff on the back of an extra nine.

The tuck case is a sharp, minimally designed, box with the raven feather and the black rose, both siymbolic of the Schneider-Madison kinship. Both the feather and rose are white on either a solid red, blue, or green box. The backs of the cards are similar to the case, except with a thin, white border and a dual rose and feather image.. I like it…

Ultimately, you buy cards for their collect ability, and REMEDIES are very collectable.. or you buy cards because you appreciate their feel and handling qualities. The features and design of any deck ARE important, and these cards have that in spades, but I have to be able to say I like how they feel. It’s that simple. That’s why I recommend REMEDIES to all my friends and readers.

$15.00 Available from Murphy’s Magic and their associates..
https://www.murphysmagic.com/Product.aspx?id=66777

Review by Rick Carruth

The Vault – Card Animations by Patricio Teran – A Review

The Vault – Card Animations by Patricio Teran – A Review

The Vault – Card Animations by Patricio Teran – A Review
Video Download

This is the Ad Copy (short and sweet):

“This is insane! Patricio just changed the game!”
– Hanson Chien

“I can’t tell what l saw is fantasy or reality, maybe both?”
– Hondo Chen

Four ingenious close-up magic animations!

Patricio Teran teaches you step by step how to build your own special cards by applying the concept of the animated card one of the most original animation concepts in magic.

My Thoughts:

OK.. most folks who follow my reviews know I am not a big fan of DIY. I was hesitant to review Card Animations for that very reason. I’m glad I gave it a go, and I’m happy to have the opportunity to review Patricio’s wonderful little video.
(I say ‘little’, but it’s actually over an hour and twenty minutes) .. I couldn’t complain about the DIY aspect though.. as this is a video solely intended on teaching you how to construct four cards that would easily cost you north of eighty bucks if you paid someone to make them for you.

I came in with the notion this would be a flip book (deck) type animation. I was wrong. This is a detailed tutorial showing how to create four different mechanically animated cards.. each with a different premise. If you’ve seen Bob Solari’s mini rising card that rises from a King’s hand then you know what I mean by mechanical. Cards appear.. but they appear from the depths of a card when you decide they appear. maybe from a small slit in the card or from a small envelope that magically appears – with an even smaller card inside. My best advice is to go to the link at the bottom and watch the trailer. This will give you a very accurate idea of what happens.. but it won’t tell you specifics.

This video is not about effects. It is about the props (tools) to make YOUR effects unique. You are left to create your own routines using the cards you build from scratch.. and Patricio teaches you exactly how to build each card from scratch.
When I first opened the video, I couldn’t quite understand how it was going to take 80 minutes to create four cards.. but you are literally walked through each step, in real time, from inception to creation. Everything you need is listed, and almost everything is something you probably have around the house: Scissors, double stick tape, a straight pen, Sharpie, and the one thing you may or may not have.. elastic (silicone) thread.

Everything taught is easily within the skill set of the average guy. Although my hands are not as agile as they once were, there’s noting too hard for me. You need to be able to cut a straight line, lay tape, and cut out a couple of small cards you’ll use for your ‘hidden cards’.

All the production values are typical Murphy’s Magic quality. Sound is a cool jazz-funk as this is a voice-free video. Words aren’t necessary.. fortunately. The video is tight and clear, detailing each aspect. I can’t find nary a thing to complain about..

I recommend CARD ANIMATIONS to all my readers and Roadshow guys. It’s priced very fairly and, if you’ll make the props, is a true bargain. Again, check out the video and you’ll have a good idea of what Patricio can add to YOUR magic. This is great for close-up and walk-around performances and will provide you with a very personal tool that I guarantee will earn you amazing responses.

$19.95 … From Murphy’s Magic and Associates who carry their line.
https://www.murphysmagic.com/product.aspx?id=67762

Review by Rick Carruth for Murphy’s Magic & The Magiic Roadshow.

Sven Pro Deck – Invictus Magic – A Review

Sven Pro Deck – Invictus Magic – A Review

SVEN PRO Deck –  Invictus Magic – A Review

Suit&Tie Magic kicks off their world-wide product debut by perfecting a classic in card magic! Presenting the Sven Pro! The gimmicked deck like you’ve never seen it before!

It’s difficult to reinvent a classic–especially one as solid as the Svengali deck–but teaming up with Invictus Magic, Suit&Tie has done it! Delivering the world’s smallest cut (to date) in this type of deck!

Expertly crafted with the working magician in mind, these cards are precision-cut to bring magicians the Svengali deck the way it was meant to be made.

Suitable for beginners and professionals alike, these decks boast the best handling on the market! … And did we mention that they handle sideways, too?!

Includes:

– Professional-grade Svengali deck
– Full step-by-step instructions, from the very basic handlings to advanced routines
– Mind Reading Effect
– Prediction Effect
– Card to Impossible Location
– Ambitious Card with Variations
– Acaan
– Svenwich
– Finger Tip Change (Our Favorite)

My Thoughts:

I’ve been a fan of Svengali decks since… a long time ago. I’m sure many of you bought one near the beginning of your careers, played with it for a while, and then let it slide to the bottom of your junk drawer. I think now one of the main reasons for that happening is we realized you had to perform magic with Bicycle decks, probably rider backs, and these Svengali decks, bridge sized and cheaply made, didn’t fit the bill. I know that was my case.

That said.. I have bought a Bicycle brand Svengali deck or two through the years and, although they felt much better than my earlier decks, I still relegated them to someplace outside my happy place.. ne’er to be used in actual performances.

That’s sad… because the concept is a good one, and you would think someone, somewhere, would create a solid Svengali deck.. one knowledgeable magicians would actually want to use.

SVEN PRO, by Invictus Magic, is THAT deck. Seriously..

Magicians are a picky bunch. There are always a few though who lead the way, and dictate what the majority wants.. or thinks they want. I wish one of the influencers would push the Svengali deck as the next great advent in magic, but it’s not going to happen. What IS going to happen though.. is.. a smart, talented group of performers will buy this deck, master an array of effects not possible with conventional decks, and fool the dickens out of magicians and lay folks alike who do not understand the possibilities of this classic deck.

One of the reasons for this is the care and skill that goes into creating each deck of Sven Pro. Unlike the older decks we’re accustomed to, Suit& Tie Magic, the developers, carefully cut each short card thinner than traditional cards.. and then rounded the edges to make them match the ungaffed cards. When aligned in a deck, you cannot notice the different lengths… at least not during normal use and typical handling.

The other reason, aside from the micro-cut of the short side of the card, is the micro-cut of the LONG side of the gaff cards. Imagine being able to cut the deck from the top OR the side. Imagine being able to dribble the cards. Imagine being able to riffle shuffle the cards or let the spectator freely cut the cards, from any angle. Now your repertoire is greatly enhanced, and one of the major drawbacks of ‘conventional’ svengali decks, the awkward handling, has been eliminated.

Before writing this review I spent about a week informally handling the Sven Pro deck. I sat in my favorite chair and cut, and cut, and cut.. top cuts and side cuts, to see if the shorter cuts affected the outcome. It didn’t. I fanned them, spread them, riffled them and dribbled them.. looking to find that weak point that made a liar out of the ad copy. Again… I didn’t. What can I say?

The one drawback of the svengali deck has always been that it could not be freely examined. I think that one fact alone prevents more magicians from using it than any other. Suit & Tie Magic includes a twenty-five minute instructional video with each deck that includes careful instructions for fanning, shuffling, and spreading the deck to prevent the spectator from feeling a need to manhandle the deck. The video is posted on the Invictus site and you do not have to download it. The url is provided inside the deck packaging wrapper. You won’t learn everything you need to know.. but you WILL learn enough to whet your appetite and send you on a little search for more in-depth info. Now would be a good time to go to Google and search for ‘svengali deck tutorial’ and you should find a couple of good instructional videos. (Magic Makers and Daryl have both made in-depth videos solely teaching effects with svengali decks..)

The instructions are good, considering the overall cost of Sven Pro is less than twenty dollars. Remember, this is a deck that has to be created by hand in a very time-consuming way. I have NO problems with the price, the deck itself, or the quality of the instructions. All effects are taught by Brandon Williams, a very likable and talented guy, and I appreciated the extra efforts put into the video instructions. They didn’t have to.. but they did.. so there…

I want to make one suggestion of my own… Find ways to incorporate the svengali deck into routines with standard decks. You don’t have to pull a hidden deck switch; keep it all out in the open. I usually have three decks on the table when I perform, if space allows, and I’ll tell anyone asking ‘why’ that each deck handles differently and I want to be as professional as possible. Each deck DOES handle differently, so I can say that with confidence.

I will use this deck. I will find ways to incorporate it into routines with conventional decks. I will surprise a few nimble minds who should know better, and I’ll leave them confounded.. and I ain’t telling them nothing… This Svengali Pro thing.. it’s going to be my little secret.

$19.95 From Murphy’s Magic and Dealers who carry their line of products.
https://www.murphysmagic.com/product.aspx?id=63255

Review by Rick Carruth

11 TOUCH – LongLong – A Review

11 TOUCH – LongLong – A Review

11 TOUCH – By LongLong – A Review

11TOUCH is our first exposure to the incredible magic teaching work of China’s underground magician, Longlong. With years of accumulation and clever thinking, he has created numerous sleights and routines.

Now, he has decided to publish some of them! In 11TOUCH, you will learn 11 strong sleights for cards and coins, and he will teach you how to fool others by only using a sleight!

Of course, these sleights have infinite applications, and they will make your routine more pure, instead of relying on gimmicks. We always think that integrating sleights into routines is the best way to embody the value of sleights. This can also help you understand the sleights in a more in-depth way.

In the magic world, sleights are voluminous. Let’s start with 11TOUCH and embark on our long journey of discovery into sleights.

There are 11 effects involved:

1. Anti Retention
2. Coin Change
3. Cut Palm
4. Ego Shift
5. Fan Change
6. Fm Vanish
7. L Change
8. Long Vanish
9. Shadow Change
10. Sound Retention
11. Thrum Change

My Thoughts:

First off.. I don’t know LongLong. He is, according to the ad copy, an underground magician from China. After reviewing his download, I still wouldn’t know LongLong if I saw him.. but I have a pretty good idea what his hands look like…

Now that I have your upmost attention.. or not.. I can comment on the copy. There are no outlandish claims, no mendacity, untruthfulness, fibbing, fabrication, perfidiousness, lack of veracity, telling stories, misrepresentation, prevarication, equivocation or fibs..

I agree 100% that 11TOUCH is a great collection of sleights. Nothing more.. no routines or effects. Sleights. And I have NO problem with that. There are 11 different ‘moves’ designed to make your current effects that much stronger. There are card moves, there are coin moves.. and then more card and coin moves.

I’m not going to break down each sleight, as it’s truly hard to properly describe a move, but each is designed to improve something you’re currently doing, I assume. Even if you aren’t performing something complementary at the moment, I’m willing to bet you will look for a reason to perform some of these slick sleights. I have a friend who just ordered a gaffed coin, the only gaff on the download, because he saw possibilities.

Most of the coin sleights are vanishes, of course, but one features a change of one coin for another.. and all are very visual and almost stand-alone sleights. Another features a ‘flick’ of a coin from one hand to another that results in a vanish. Nothing is a true knuckle-buster, but they are the type sleights that WILL require some degree of practice.

The card sleights include a couple of shifts and/or palms, a fan change, and a middle of the pack change.

The video quality and sound are first class. There are multiple camera angles and many slow repeats, giving you a chance to see the moves from different angles multiple times. There isn’t audio instructions.. everything is visual. There was an interesting Texas and Chicago blues soundtrack.. a la Stevie Ray Vaughan and Buddy Guy, and excellent lighting.

I am a value guy. I will pay twenty bucks for a couple of sleights I’ll actually use for the public. I know some of you will have reservations spending that for a download without effects, but IF you are a regular performer you’ll quickly see the value. This download isn’t for beginners.. you won’t know what to do with it.. but the rest of you guys will be really impressed by LongLong’s skill.

$19.99 From Murphy’s Magic and their associates..
https://www.murphysmagic.com/product.aspx?id=65160

Review by Rick Carruth.. https://MagicRoadshow.com