Should it be neccesary to write anything more about the Xpert, after 10 full pages of hoorays and applause for it? (...and 10 pages is just in this thread!)

I ordered the Xpert mainly because of the bendt coin effect.
Let me emphasise (did I spell this word right???...guess not!! )that I neither am a card- nor coin man.
In addition, Up to rescently, I'd never believe that I'd as much as look at metal bending!!

Well, I guess it's ok to change ones mind now and then...if the reasons are good enough!
I got curious about the Xpert having read all the comments, and ordered it a short while ago.
(Neil's service was excellent btw)

I have been playing with it for a few days, and used the coin routine in front of some business aquaintances yesterday.

Eh...well...I more or less scared them out of their shoes..no kidding!!
I would never dream of that this effect would have such an impact on the spectactors.
I guess this is because of that the routine is so straight and fair.
No sleights of hand, no funny moves, and it all happens in the spectactors hands!!
WOW!!

I have to hold myself back right now, not to rush along and get Psychokinetic Silverware Video and all the other stuff about the topic. That's a pretty amazing thing to say for a guy who has been refusing having anything with metal bending to do all his life, isn't it?

Thanks again, Neil

Sven

I have just received Xpert and I agree with all the positive feedback. It is very clever and extremely workable. I am looking forward to trying it.
Also, a word of thanks to Neil's excellent service. The product and manuscript are well produced, the bonus routines on his website are great and he has responded quickly to any queries.

Many thanks, Giles

Neil, Thank you for your PM asking if I had a problem with XPert.

I just want to make it clear to everyone that the reason I am selling XPert has nothing to do with the quality of the device or the illusions included with it.

Thank you for caring. I am also sending this to the XPert site so people don't think I am selling XPert because it is anything less than an awesome effect.

Thanks for caring about my feelings about your product.

Jeff

For a person new to magic the Expert provides you with an excellent toll to stimulate your creativity. It's a great purchase.

I use this for the bent coin effect also and LOVE the reaction it gets!
I just feel that there is so much more that you can do with this and rack my brain everyday for that special something... oneday! This has kept me awake on my many trips to Memphis!
Thanks Neil!

This one is on my Christmas list, and should be in my hands very soon. Looking forward to it.

Well you all sold me! Will be ordering soon. Have never been much of a coin man but maybe this will change my mind.

Sold me too guys,just ordered one from alakazam.

I want it NOW!!!!!

What they should release next is a book or DVD of effects.

Funny you should bring that up. A booklet of routines submitted by Xpert users is currently in the works and expected to hit the shelves in the Spring.

The first real 10/10 item I have gotten in quite a while. Start doing mind blowing magic the first day!
(with a certain amount of previous working experience of course)

My wife bought me a deck of invisable cards about a month ago. These come in a see through plastic box and the cards are see thru plastic with the values flexographicly printed in the center and a left corner pip. The backs have a cover print in the same spots but otherwise the cards are see thru and show the value on one side. I thought since she bought the cards I had my first test subject.

She just could not believe it.

Hey Tim, Neil. You guys see this!! Eleven PAGES full of positive review!! I have never seen this anywhere before and probably won't see it again. Neil, I commend you on the invention of what looks like it may become the next thumbwriter, ie. absolutely essential for the working mentalist. Hopefully yours will not be overexposed like the TW. Once more Neil, WELL DONE.

Hello all! Great posts... I wasn't even thinking of buying a trick tonight until I stumbled on the thread. Now I'm going to have to get one too!

I do have a question for users of Xpert. On reading the review from Online-Visions Shane (the reviewer) notes that if you use Xpert often then, "...you will be needing to be buying replacements". Does this mean that one would need to repurchase the gimmick? Or just the props that you use with the gimmick? ie. cards, etc...

-TJ

No, eventually, you'll need to buy a new gimmick but Neil has replacements available on his site. It's worth it.

Mark

BTW: you can get the Invisible cards here:
http://www.shiptheweb.com/shiptheweb.fil......2DGG04OR

Thanks for your post Mark.

Is the cost of the replacement gimmick the same as repurchasing the trick?

No replacements come in packs of 3 so they end up being cheaper. Check out Neil's website. All the info you need is there: http://necromancerevents.com

Mark

Hmmm. Well okay if you haven't purchased it yet you won't be able to look at that part of Neil's site. But . . .take my word for it. It's worth the paltry sum he's asking and replacements are very reasonable.

Mark

Thanks again for the information Mark. I ordered mine and hopefully will have it soon. Neil sent me an email and said that he shipped it on the 17th so I should have it hopefully tomorrow.

Recieved my XPERT in the mail today! I must say I'm pleasantly surprised! Can't wait to start working with it.

My goodness, one of the most over-hyped effect in years - worst than anything that ever appeared from the Wonder Wizards website!

I agree with the courageous negative reviews (be careful with exposure, though): well produced prop, but very limited usefulness. An item that will roll to the back of your drawer unless you are looking to perform easy mental magic tricks.

About originality, Knepper is not the originator of this type of effect: Terri Rogers created the effect "X-tuality" several years ago... X-tuality, X book, X-pert.... what a Lady, young men...

Believe me, Highmagic, I'm as surprised by the unprecedented volume of positive postings about my product (aka "hype") as you are! But that, alone, doesn't make my product less worthwhile.

Since it is human nature to knock things and people that have been elevated in the public eye (see also, People Magazine), I don't share your viewpoint that negative reviews are somehow "courageous." In fact, I've found that most have been written (1) by those who have been either unwilling or unable to perform the effects in front of an audience, or (2) by those who had been expecting some glorious, God-given Super-Gimmick that revives the dead, cures baldness, and dices, slices, and makes julienne fries.

To members of the latter group, I counsel steering clear of advertisements in favor of considering the viewpoints of people you trust. To members of the former group, I can only request that you send me a PM regarding specific performance difficulties you may be having with any Xpert effects, and I'll do my best to help you through them.

Forgive me, but I must take also address your assertion that The Xpert is only useful if you're looking to perform "easy mental magic tricks."

As has been discussed before, there's a big difference between "simple" and "easy." "Simple" is what a great deal of strong magic and mentalism is -- not particularly difficult to learn from a mechanical standpoint, but still requiring the skill of a showman to put it over; that certainly is the case here.

"Easy" connotes that the effects are throwaway; they are not. If you've ever seen the reaction of a real audience of lay people to the bending coin effect (one of the Free Bonus Routines posted on my website and accessible to all owners of my product), I think you'd agree.

Also, any dismissal of The Xpert as having "limited usefulness" may be a tad shortsighted. Numerous magicians -- ranging from "names" to those a bit more underground -- have been submitting original Xpert routines over the past several months. A published collection of the best of these will be appearing in the Spring.

Again, feel free to PM me with any concerns you have about the performance of any Xpert effect. I'll be happy to help in any way I can.

Thanks,
Neil

P.S.
In previous postings in this very thread, you'll find that the lineage of the principle utilized by The Xpert has been explored already. This, from my post of October 17, 2003:

"In point of fact, the principle employed far predates Knepper's manuscript, X (2002); it is simply one of the better resources on the principle. As Paul Chosse mentions above, Terri Rogers' Wipe Out was written in 1986. Ben Harris' Epic Flight was also released in the 80s -- and specifically mentioned on page one of the instructions. And effects in the literature extend as far back as a routine in Larry Becker's World Of Super Mentalism II (1979)."