Cube3 or Cube FX?

[CrazyClement]

Okay, so I will probably have $100 dollars, and I would like to spend this on a rubik's cube effect.

The two that catches my eyes are Cube 3 by Steven Brundage and Cube FX by John George and Karl Hein (and Tyson Mao).

Which one should I get? I can't get both but price is not a factor for me.

Does anyone own both? If so it'd be great if someone could give some advice.

I have a couple of questions:

Do both need speedcubes to work? Because I currently have 2 rubbish cubes that works but is not smooth at all.

If yes, then cube 3 may be a better deal.

However, I would really like to speed solve cubes so I think Cube FX with the Tyson Mao DVD may probably be better. Also, Cube FX also has a routine, unlike Cube 3.

But I really like the Cube 3 moves too, so can I do nearly identical moves with the stuff taught on Cube FX?

Sorry for the long paragraph, but I am a beginner at this and would really like help.

Summing up my main questions:

-Do both routine need speed cubes?
-Can I do Cube 3 moves with Cube FX moves?
-Does Cube 3 feature a speed solve?

And generally which is better?



Thanks

 

[Tower of Lunatic Meat]

I don't own either, but I'm going to go after Cube 3.

- It's half the price of Cube FX
- Everything you can do in Cube 3 is inspectable
- the routine in Cube FX is good, but I don't see the point in the routine if you can just sit for a few hours and make your own routines anyway with such an odd, but recognizable prop anyway.
- Cube FX DOES have a gimmick for other routines. But as I venture out beyond the world of Tenyo, I'm finding myself more attracted to things in which are inspectable and end clean without a ditch. Cube 3 is nothing but inspectable goodness. While Cube FX partially has clean and ditch-less stuff.

I think that Cube FX lends itself more towards a close up show application if you use its routine. And Cube 3 is more impromptu, at the very bare bones of it. I'm sure you could easily create a great routine with Cube 3 and save yourself $35. Unless you want to pay $35 extra for the routine and a gimmick.

Then again, I come from a standpoint on saving money and purchasing what I'll actually use as a whole. I don't see myself ever using a gimmicked cube. There's already 2 gimmicky 'Cubes on the market. And I've been avoiding them like the plague.

Then with that extra money, you can buy some extra books, DVDs, or some of the new Tenyo! =runs=

 

[CrazyClement]

Haha yeah I am still thinking on which Tenyo to get next.

I heard the crediting issue on Cube3 is massive and I found that cubes are not really that expensive on Amazon...what do you think?

 

[Tower of Lunatic Meat]

Haha yeah I am still thinking on which Tenyo to get next.

If you wait for the new 2016 line next month. You have 'Ghost Camera'. Audience picks a card and they place it in the deck, you place a handkerchief over it and they take a picture of it with their phone camera. The picture on their phone shows the card the audience chose. Real neat piece of work.
2016 line also has a modified version of 'Tiny Plunger', which is supposed to be the big seller for the Japanese market, which means they built it to be an impromptu effect. I know of what it DOESN'T have that the original Tiny Plunger has and does. I'm really stumped at what Tenyo has done to make it different.

Outside of those two, what sort of Tenyo effect are you looking for?

I heard the crediting issue on Cube3 is massive and I found that cubes are not really that expensive on Amazon...what do you think?

I won't lie, I've heard a little bit about the crediting. But I'm not sure how much discord it has been causing. Not to say that there isn't a problem. I'm just not aware of how big the problem is.

True, speed cubes are cheap, and there is information out there on speedcubing, but Cube 3 has everything you need in a flash drive.

I'm just not sure about the information on how to do some of the feats that he does. Like the behind the back and the 'in-the-bag' solving.


What it comes down to is that both Cube 3 and Cube FX both have details of how to speedcube. That's the magic right there. Then they add in their respective routines.

Do you want to pay $35 or $70 for a detailed tutorial of speedcubing plus cube. Is $70 also worth an extra gimmick?

 

[Tower of Lunatic Meat]

Also, to lead up to the speed cube effect, I have been eye-balling 'Rubiks Rod'. Which is a pretty neat hot-Rod type effect.

It's pricy, yes, but the creator hand makes every one of them himself and they are VERY well made. You can do two different colors in one go, it's a bit more inspectable than a regular 'hot rod' and it's the most 'organic' hot rod I have ever seen.
And since you have a c-note for a budget. Perfect. And $20 left over for shipping and handling...or candy. If use it for candy.

Have some candy!

The routine I had in mind was something that happened to me, and you can use it (and my little brothers actual act of niceness as well).
Start with the Rod
I had a couple Rubik's Cubes when I was little and I had a hard time solving them and could usually only do one side at a time (have them name a color somewhere in the dialogue. Either red of blue. Get one of those colors). But when I get one color, it would mess up one of the other colors (do it again, having them name another color).
But one day, he tried to do something really nice: he solved it (bring out solved speed cube).

But! He replaced all the stickers.
While it was nice, I was mad. The sticker placements were everywhere. But hey! It was solved!

Then you find a way to have the audience mix it up. But I think that for a 'doofus who can't solve it' routine to work, you'd have to employ the 'in the bag solve' so the audience can actually hold the bag and you can work the patter to make the magic 'happen in this hands'.

At least, that's how I want to employ the Rubik's's--es. Not sure how to say the plural of Rubiks.

Rub-I. Pronounced roob-I.

More than one Rubik!

 

[Fredrick H.]

I guess I will throw my two cents in here. I know John George and Karl and was a part of the filming of Cube FX. So I don not want to sound biased but I think Cube FX is a much more solid work that allows for a lot of applications to provide a magical experience. Cube3 provides some impressive feats but its very flourishy not magical in my opinion. Cube FX has two different routines both Karl and John have unique versions and to me they come across as magical and impossible feat versus an impressive display of someone who is really good at solving a cube.

So it comes down to what you want to show off. If your looking for a magic routine that can add some good applications for mentalism, story, audience participation then I would go with Cube FX. Which by the way I have seen John do on a large venue stage and in a small close up act. Or if you like the more flourishy fancy looking knacky stuff then Cube3 would serve you well. Again I may be biased but I think you get your money's worth with Cube FX