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runawayjag Inner circle 1085 Posts |
This is a rare and uncommon occurrence here; a review of an item, not yet commonly available, from someone who actually owns the prop and has experience with it. I have had Come Fly With Me for some time now and can give my assessment.
I think the first thing magician's are going to do is compare it to Kohler's Ultimate 3 Fly. Well, they are pretty much the same and both have their pluses and their downsides. Kohler's method/routine is excellent. Mason's method/routine is excellent. I know that sound like a politician's answer, but in this case it is quite true. They are both very good. Now, what you get are a set of coins and a DVD. The DVD is very good, the instruction concise and to the point. I failed to mention in my previous reveiew that I really liked that aspect of this. So many DVD's nowadays go on and on and I think the subjects enjoy seeing themselves on camera. As Mark mentions, you can watch it over and over, so his tutilage is very direct and refreshingly so. He also gives VERY good advise regarding the edges of the coins at the end of the DVD. If you are at all familiar with the other versions, you know what I'm talking about. All in all, the DVD is very well done. When I first saw this announced, I thought $400 was very expensive and that the price was probably based on the fact that U3Fly had pretty much already established a high price. But, I was wrong. The coins will come as a VERY pleasant surprise. This is one of those few magic things you will buy where you will be more than please with the raw material value of what you receive. I don't want to give anything away, but you are going to receive MORE than you probably think. I know, I was surprised and did not expect what I got. And, I don't know who made the coins, but they are VERY well made from soft Morgan silver dollars. There is also a little sheet that states that each set was hand tested by Mark Mason and I believe that to be true. My set works effortlessly. Now, despite our love for methods and moves, the effect of this is pretty much the same as most other versions, including Kohler's. One of three coins goes from one hand to the other. The second coin goes, then it goes back, then it goes again. Finally, the last coin goes. Effect-wise there is no difference between this and many others. By the way, I should mention that repeating the second coin transposition is something I have done since first getting Kohler's set. I felt the routine was almost too brief and did send that handling to several interested parties on a video. As I said in another thread the only thing that I feel distinguishes ANY version of this trick is the last coin. Does the vanish look just like the previous ones? If the coin is taken in the closed hand, in any manner, you might as well do any other version. In Kohler's version, the last coin is allowed to drop into the closed hand, then vanishes to reappear with the others. In Come Fly With Me, the coin is taken into the other hand, the fist closed, then the coins vanishes and reappears with the other two. Virtually no difference and no improvement in effect. Now, that said, Mason does uses Paul Wilson's effective principle of focusing the spectators' attention toward the vanish, thereby making the appearance a genuine surprise. This is much like Mike Ammar's approach to the third ball reappearing on the cup in his wonderful Cups & Balls routine. The one move that is most memorable of his routine and that pretty much went right by all of us. But, as I stated earlier, magicians may be more enamored with that approach than real world laymen. I'm not sure which is more effective for them, the unexpected surprise appearance as in Come Fly With Me, or the "visible" appearance in Kohler's and most other versions. I'm not sure. There are a couple of negatives, in my opinion, to Mason's when compared with Kohler's. First, I think it is imperative that the coins be examined in this type of routine. It is easily done with Kohler's. It is not so easily done with Mason's. It could be done, but not so conveniently. Secondly, after almost every transposition in Kohler's you can show both sides of the hands to hold the exact number of coins they should. And, you can gently toss the coins into the air, silently emphasizing that there are no extra coins, as the hands are seen empty as they toss and catch them. The same does not hold true with Mason's. Tossing the coins would require great care with the Mason set. But, in the end, both routines are excellent. Now, bottom line, is it worth $400 or a few bucks less? Yes, if, and only if you can afford it. It is an interesting method, very well made coins, generous gimmicking, and it is plain fun to practice. Will I replace the Kohler routine with it? After having a few more dayw with it now, I can definitely say NO. For the reasons I've expressed above, which I think are important for real world audience use; and that's where I really perform. Don't email me nasty arguments, as I am NOT saying it's bad at all. In fact, it is excellent; but given the choice of the two to really actually perform, I will stick with Bob's. In the removed thread, Bob did generously mention something that I failed to, so I'll repeat it here. If you do not have a U3Fly of any kind and have considered buying one, but the price kind of held you back, get Come Fly With Me over Bob's. Why? Simple. You can do Bob's routine with Come Fly With me but you cannot do Come Fly With Me with Bob's set. So, for one price, you get the best of both worlds. Of course, if you want to play with both routines, you'll have to find a way to get access to Bob's video, but then you have to do that if you buy the "unnamed" sets being sold now. In a nutshell, despite the high price, I can't imagine anyone being disappointed with this set. I think I ended the last one with a 1 out of 10 rating, so here goes again: Value of Materials Received 10 Ease of Execution (1 being easiest) 4 Clarity of Instruction 10 Overall Value 8.5 And, finally, I should add that if you are at all comfortable with Kohler's routine and handling his set, then the "Ease" factor drops down to a 2, very easy. Hope this helps everyone. I won't write it again! |
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Review King Eternal Order 14446 Posts |
John, thanks for taking the time to do that. I'm sure folks appreciate your help on making a decision!
chris
"Of all words of tongue and pen,
the saddest are, "It might have been" ..........John Greenleaf Whittier |
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katty New user 39 Posts |
John's review really help me a lot. At first I decided to order a set. I expect there is a great inprovement of vanishing the last coin,but now.... I think I will keep going with my U3fly.
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afknight Elite user 499 Posts |
I received my set today! I just finished watching the DVD and will give the routine and handling some serious time over the next week. I, too, have been enamored with U3F (which I still own and perform) but I'd like to give this version a run for the money (pun intended). I agree with runawayjag's observation about handing the coins out for examination but I think you can structure this routine in a way to minimize the audience's need to handle the coins. We'll see....!
afknight |
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Mehtas Inner circle England, UK 1649 Posts |
Thanks runawayjag,
Your time and effort is very much apritiated. |
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Nick23 Special user England 580 Posts |
Quote:
On 2006-07-24 22:37, afknight wrote: You've got your set already? I ordered one but told they wont be sent out until the 31st.
Nothing I do can't be done by a 10-year-old...with 15 years of practice."
-- Harry Blackstone, Jr. |
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solidoak Loyal user 201 Posts |
Those who ordered one at the SAM convention received shipment last week. Or at least I did.
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MBrook3902 Loyal user Naples, FL & Hickory, NC 202 Posts |
I received mine last week also. Very nicely made and a great routine.
It takes 4 to 6 minutes for the brain to die without oxygen. I can fix anything in that amount of time.
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Steve Brooks Founder / Manager Northern California - United States 3780 Posts |
John,
Thanks for the great review - very well done.
"Always be you because nobody else can" - Steve Brooks
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runawayjag Inner circle 1085 Posts |
Thanks for all the kind words from everyone for re-writing the review. I just thought I should add that when I wrote, "I won't write it again!" I hope nobody took that as an indication that I was upset that the post got removed. To be completely honest, I wrote that because I am WAY too lazy to write it again!
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e-man Special user HILTON HEAD,SC 880 Posts |
Great reveiw John!
Thank You
我被烹调
ERIC HELVENSTON |
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sileeni Veteran user UK. 361 Posts |
Nick 23, according to my friends in the USA, Mark had released it there first, so that's why there is a delay over here untill the 31st.
Sileeni.... |
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magiclee71 Loyal user 215 Posts |
I am new to this forum and have been waiting for a better demo of this trick. JB Magic's site just added a new demo that does show a little bit more of some of the routine. Not much more but at least you can see some things going on. Check it out. http://www.jbtv.co.uk/videos/cfwm2_hires.avi
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jerdunn Inner circle 1734 Posts |
As with all of JB Magic's videos, they don't play on a Mac computer -- at least not on mine.
Jerry |
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GeorgeG Special user Thousand Oaks, CA 977 Posts |
...they don't play on a Mac computer
You need a new intel based Mac running Windows XP on it Wonder if the coin set will ever be released in something other than soft Morgans, aside from requesting a custom set from one of the two gaffed coin machinists on the market. ...and thanks John for reposting the review, again. |
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Roth Inner circle The 18 5090 Posts |
Quote:
On 2006-07-26 18:13, GeorgeG wrote: Liberty halfs would be nice. |
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jerdunn Inner circle 1734 Posts |
[/quote]
Liberty halfs would be nice. [/quote] Although they wouldn't show up well enough for a Three Fly type effect. (On a Coinvention DVD, Chris Kenner comments that doing the routine with anything but dollar size coins makes no sense.) With dollars the effect can be seen well by a medium-size group, and I have done it in a small theater with 60 seats. Half dollars just wouldn't work. Cheers, Jerry |
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Roth Inner circle The 18 5090 Posts |
Listen you. Hi Jerry. I have a 3fly set I had made in liberty halfs and for parlor work it's great. Especially nice if do matrix work with the halfs.
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jerdunn Inner circle 1734 Posts |
Hi Rick!
I know that you personally could probably get a great reaction doing the routine with nickels But I do believe that the larger the coins, the greater the impact. Also, larger coins help to dispel the thought that you're concealing coins behind your fingers. True, with U3F you can do very clean shows, but still ... I think size does matter in this case Cheers, Jerry "the smiley king" |
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Roth Inner circle The 18 5090 Posts |
Hey I have some bigger coins too.
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