Is There Any Purchases You Regret?

[TylerScottIllusionist]

It's easy to fall under the glitz and glammer of a high quality produced trailer that is designed to make you believe that this purchase will make you the ultimate wizard of all time. But a lot of the time these trailers have been so doctored up that it hides what the effect really is. Sometimes it can be complete garbage and work nothing at all like the trailer demonstrates. My question is have you ever purchased an effect that you regretted purchasing later?

Two effects come to mind for me. Change by Lloyd Barnes is one of them. Granted, it's not that bad of an effect it's just that I haven't really figured out a really good real live performance application for it yet. I posted a video of it on Instagram and it was my most liked video but it took around 20 takes for the perfect shot. I just don't see any good use for it in a live performance just yet. I guess I better get my creative gears running. Another purchase that I regretted was Cut by Ran Pink. I will say that I bought it late into it's release and I think it's shelf life affected how well my gimmick works. Nevertheless, it's a complete dud and does not work at a reasonable amount at all. I hear Cut 2.0 works as shown in the trailer so I may give that a spin.

I would love to hear all of your regrets as well and hopefully it will help educate us on making better purchases.

 

[lawrencew]

For me it would be The Scarlet Utility by Lloyd Barnes (aka. Enigma Ltd) not to blow up his spot LOL. However, I've been into sleight of hand magic for 5-6 years now and I figured out how it was done as I've seen it before somewhere and learned the method. Admittedly the trailer was very nice so I ended up purchasing it. It was exactly the method I thought it was. The other effects the came with it used the same handling. Bit disappointed for $10 :/

 

[TylerScottIllusionist]

For me it would be The Scarlet Utility by Lloyd Barnes (aka. Enigma Ltd) not to blow up his spot LOL. :/

I feel bad because Lloyd honestly isn't that bad of a creator. His effect Iris is actually pretty decent and even Steadfast is pretty cool to perform. I just hate that I spent $30 on an effect that only looks good on video. Perhaps if they made Change a bit cheaper I wouldn't have been as regretful in my purchase.

 

[Khaleel Olaiky]

I do regret most of the things I get from the wire but NOT for the same reason, Everything I purchased so far is the same as in the trailer, but I regret it because I never used them, after purchasing I realize that I will never use this trick, move etc, However, I use a lot of free wire stuff which is kind of surprising.

 

[Khaleel Olaiky]

I just purchased (Elevation by Johnathan McRae) yesterday, it looks nice, but I don't ruin boxes for gimmicks, which is a thing he didn't say not even in the description ... but I guess you must be ready for anything when you purchase a download that involves a gimmick.

 

[Tower of Lunatic Meat]

I spent a couple thousand elite points on several two-handed cardistry tutorials.

There wasn't anything wrong with the tutorials themselves, i wanted to use several two-handed flourishes for a project. It's just my left wrist breaks a lot due to osteoporosis.
I thought my wrist was just had a dull pain for a while. Nope, turns out I broke it 3 times in the span of 14 months. Clean breaks.
That and my left thumb was in constant pain for most of the year. So basic cuts like Scissor Cut were not able to be executed in the left.

It's getting better, but I think I like one-handed cardistry better anyway. So sticking to one-handed cardistry it is!

But yeah, wish I didn't spend all those points on tutorials I can't use for a long time. Especially now since I want to use it for the 8K cardistry Skype. Long way to go

 

[TylerScottIllusionist]

I thought my wrist was just had a dull pain for a while. Nope, turns out I broke it 3 times in the span of 14 months. Clean breaks.
That and my left thumb was in constant pain for most of the year. So basic cuts like Scissor Cut were not able to be executed in the left.

So sorry to hear that Brett! I hope you have a quick recovery and kudos to you for having a good heart and still pursuing your passion of cardistry. Luckily when your hand does recover, you will have a couple of tutorials waiting for you to work on.

 

[JCash]

I definitely regret purchasing the Raven/gecko/others like them. They are so angle sensitive and hard to get down I don't see many times where I would ever use them. I feel most of these regrets haven't been a bad trick, or bad instructions, just simply the lack of use found after purchasing.

 

[XabierL]

Hey! Long time no see

I have many purchases I regret, and most of them are due to over the top gimmicks that are uncomfortable to get in and out. Many tricks that I've bought have ended on a shelf for that reason. Most of the times I perform, I'm in a casual situation, and while carrying a couple of gaffed cards is an option, threads, magnets and such are a nightmare.

In addition, most of the stuff I've bought from Jay Sankey has been quite disappointing. Even if I respect his work a lot, I don't think his DVDs are a good investment, the real deal is his three volume set of The Definitive Sankey.

 

[TylerScottIllusionist]

Hey! Long time no see

Haha I think you might have me confused with someone else.

 

[XabierL]

Haha I think you might have me confused with someone else.

LOL, simply saying I haven't visited the forums for ages!

 

[Justin.Morris]

Many many many times. Often impulse buys without doing my homework. I just get greedy and want to know. I was scammed once when I was younger by a magic shop owner who is no longer in business. He sold me a bunch of useless junk and I didn't know better.

 

[Tower of Lunatic Meat]

Many many many times. Often impulse buys without doing my homework. I just get greedy and want to know. I was scammed once when I was younger by a magic shop owner who is no longer in business. He sold me a bunch of useless junk and I didn't know better.

Ah man! The 'kool-aid'! This is why I don't take my daughter into any magic shops anymore.

I had a magic shop owner try and get my daughter hooked on Magic Coloring Book. A trick I vehemently do not like.

He did con her into having me get her a magic wand because he used one in his presentation, making her believe the magic was just in the wand.

Which made me rather mad because I was teaching her that magic can be a pencil, crayon, a tool; anything we put or hearts and minds into.
Then here comes the manager with Magic Coloring Book and shooting that to pieces.

 

[TylerScottIllusionist]

Many many many times. Often impulse buys without doing my homework. I just get greedy and want to know. I was scammed once when I was younger by a magic shop owner who is no longer in business. He sold me a bunch of useless junk and I didn't know better.

It's so interesting that we live in a day and age where that problem is almost eradicated now (keyword: almost). It's so convenient seeing effects distributed through the internet where a review can be posted about it. I often will not buy an effect until I have researched the reviews of it.

I realize that a lot of times some reviews that are written on magic sites can't be trusted as well so I will often go to YouTube to try and watch reviews as well. Hopefully the age of the internet will stop these scam artist magic shop owners. Not saying all magic shop owners are scam artists, just talking about the one that ripped you off.

 

[Tower of Lunatic Meat]

Actually, I had one purchase I regretted in getting. It was a Tenyo item: The Third Eye.

It's an effect where audience member #1 picks out a card. Magician mixes up the cards and hands audience
Member #2 the 'eye'. Basically a flashing red light that they put in their forehead. With this eye, audience meme bet #2 selects the chosen card.

I got it with the intent to use in a hospital setting; get more people in on the trick, you know?

But the light is a bit stronger than I thought and I immediately thought, ' I'm going to be THAT magician that causes a seizure episode during a routine'. I ended up selling it. But it was one of those purchases that somehow made it past every filter I use prior to purchasing.

 

[Justin.Morris]

It's so interesting that we live in a day and age where that problem is almost eradicated now (keyword: almost). It's so convenient seeing effects distributed through the internet where a review can be posted about it. I often will not buy an effect until I have researched the reviews of it.

I realize that a lot of times some reviews that are written on magic sites can't be trusted as well so I will often go to YouTube to try and watch reviews as well. Hopefully the age of the internet will stop these scam artist magic shop owners. Not saying all magic shop owners are scam artists, just talking about the one that ripped you off.

Fortunately there is a great brick and mortar shop in a nearby city and the manager is fantastic. I wish it was closer,but it's better than having nothing.

 

[Josh Burch]

For me it would be The Scarlet Utility by Lloyd Barnes (aka. Enigma Ltd) not to blow up his spot LOL. However, I've been into sleight of hand magic for 5-6 years now and I figured out how it was done as I've seen it before somewhere and learned the method. Admittedly the trailer was very nice so I ended up purchasing it. It was exactly the method I thought it was. The other effects the came with it used the same handling. Bit disappointed for $10 :/

I have bought a whole bunch of stuff I already knew the secret for. I feel morally obligated to give the creator money if I'm going to use it. It's pretty rare that I regret buying something, I don't buy much.

I bought the Raven and at the time I didn't have a use for it. I have since sold it since but have had a few ideas since. There have been a couple times that I have received gifts that have been less than useful. Black's CTW for example is almost unusable, Messado's Rings aren't really what I look for in magic but in either case they were gifts and very kind gifts.