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Svengali or Stripper?

Cain

Straussian
Cain
Joined
May 31, 2002
Messages
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Location
Los Angeles
My renewed interest in magic has pushed me into considering developing a routine with one of these decks. Which would you recommend for a person of intermediate skills and abilities? I'll probably end up getting both, but for right now I'm leaning toward a stripper deck. Thoughts? Suggestions?
 
I personally enjoy a stripper deck. Lots of routines to be had there.
 
A stripper deck has more possibilities, in that the effects you can achieve are more diverse.

A Svengali deck is okay for a single routine or a single knock-their-socks-off trick, but there are fewer effects that you can achieve with it. (I once saw a prominent performer use a Svengali deck that had been cut in half to achieve a pretty good effect... but this is an expensive proposition for an amateur performer.)

BTW, in case anyone gets the wrong idea, a stripper deck is NOT a deck of cards with pictures of naked ladies on them.
 
I like both, but there is a greater variety of effects you can perform with a stripper deck. It also stands up well to examination as no one will notice what makes its special. One time I left mine out after praticing with it, had guests come over and one of them started playing with it, and didn't see that it was different, even after several minutes of shuffling.
 
The first deck I got was a stripper. The magic guy in the shop showed me one simple routine and I was off and running on my own. Didn't take long before I had a whole bunch of routines that I concocted myself. Many of them were "mix and match" where I would combine two or more depending on the situation. Strippers are great! People go nuts when I blow the four aces out of the deck that they just shuffled.
 
As I've said, strippers are great, but one way decks are great too for alot of routines.
 
rustypouch said:
It also stands up well to examination as no one will notice what makes its special.
Click to expand...

It is strange how much scrutiny can fail to detect even the clearest strange things in a deck. For example, I did once a version of four aces to my girlfriend. She then quickly grabbed the deck out of my hands and for next five minutes stared at the faces of the cards, first searching for extra aces (didn't find any) and then wondering how I did the trick. She got so focused on the aces that she didn't notice there were two identical cards (threes of hearts) next to each other. After that time I got a little more careful in removing extra cards from the deck prior making the trick.
 
I'd suggest a few regular decks and one good book on card magic without gimmicked cards (there's no shortage of good books on that topic).
 
Get a Mirage deck. Its better than either. Its a Svengalli on steroids. Many more possible effects, with much more fluid, natural, easier handling.

Without a doubt though, sleight of hand with regular decks usualy looks more magical than with gimmick cards. (There are some exceptions).
 
Yes, I like my Mirage Deck, although I've never used it live.
There's something to be said for the Pop-Eyed Popper Deck too (Mirage Deck minus the "shortcomings" if you know what I mean). It can be fanned face-down for a spec to touch any card without any worries.
 
I must say that I rather like that routine that Voob referred to.
In fact I think it is the best routine in existence. I know the performer personally so may be a trifle biased.

On the website referred to there is a "for magicians only" page. This consists of an advertisement for a book on the svengali deck. It seems to be endorsed by people such as Paul Harris, Michael Close, Bill Nagler MD, Alan Wassilak, Richard Kaufmann and many, many others.

The author is a very humble person who wouldn't dream of blatant advertising so I though I would help him out. I am not sure that I approve of his previous profession though. I heard tell that he used to be a professional psychic.

Mark Lewis
 
Hey, wow--Thats you!

Wonderful routine and great, funny presentation. "Eveyone makes mistakes...my mother did..."

I humbly bow at your feet, sir.
 
gimmiked decks

While these type of special decks are good for an isolated trick or two, it is a mistake to develop your whole routine around them. The occasion will come when someone will hand you a regular deck after praizing you to high heaven in front of a group of people and ask you to do your thing! Needless to say, it is a reputation destroyer. It is best to develop a routine with regular cards so that you can always perform impromptu, and use the special cards sparingly.
 
I have been doing magic for over 40 years and never once has anyone ever handed me a regular deck to "do my thing"

I often use a complete svengali routine in professional shows. It is a killer if done right. You can switch the deck if you really feel you want to, however I have found the key to working with the deck is this simple phrase:
"This is a trick deck of cards that I bought at a magic shop"
then do the routine.
Audacity and bluff are essential skills for a card magician.

Incidentally, I can use a regular deck just as well, if not better than a svengali.
 
I am the proud possessor of two stripper decks that I have had since the 70s - they were made for me by a chap called - oh, what was it? - oh yes - The Amazing Randi, on one of his visits to London.

Damn, I'm smug...
 
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