here is something i wrote not to long ago on the "E" forums..it looks like there is stuff on these forums from everywhere penguin, e, dananddave, so i figured it could get some use here...enjoy!
Guide to "E" Playing Cards
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Ok guys, a while back i mentioned i was writing a guide to the E line, and i finished it. it also has reviews in it, so i was thinking i should put it there, but it is more than a review so i put it here, if its in the wrong spot, Mods please move it, if not enjoy!
bboulton’s Guide to...
“Ellusionist” Playing Cards
Bicycle Black Tiger Deck
Price:$6.99
Finish: Premium Air Cushion or UV500 Air-Flow
Variations: All White Pips or White and Red Pips
Gaff Available: Yes
Custom Card Clip Available: Yes
Description: The Black Tiger Deck was the first ever custom Ellusionist deck. It has a darker eerie theme. When released it sported the standard “Premium Air Cushion” and a slightly thicker stock. Later it was changed to the current UV500 Air-Flow finish.
Review:
The first impressions that you get from this deck are amazing. If it’s your first custom deck you will probably get the chills. The deck design is great, but it just doesn’t feel as nice as something like the Masters. My biggest problem was the edges, they were rough and white. Now on a black deck rough white edges don’t really work. These cards are great for tricks, as long as you can present them in a way no one will have a reason to believe that they are gaffed. I also didn’t like the website on the bottom of the box.
Overall score-3.5/5
Tally-Ho Viper Deck
Price:$7.99
Finish: UV500 Air-Flow
Variations: Circle Back with Red and White Pips or all silver pips Fan Back
Gaff Available: No
Custom Card Clip Available: No
Description: The Viper deck was Ellusionist’s second custom deck. It is based on the Tally-Ho design instead of the regular Bicycle Rider theme. This deck is also thicker and sports the UV-500 Air-Flow finish, along with a different metallic-style ink. This deck is the favourite for flourishes and XCMers.
Review:
Again the first impressions of this deck were phenomenal. The biggest thing that grabbed my attention was the metallic ink. It looks great. Then the edges, ahhh the edges, they are smooth and exactly the right colour. The stock and finish make it a great deck for XCM or flourishes. The edges also make it a great deck for effects utilizing LOOPS. But again, you need to present them so they don’t look gaffed. They also took care of the website on the bottom. That’s a big deal.
Overall Score- 5/5
Bicycle Ghost Deck
Price:$4.99
Finish: UV500 Air-Flow
Gaff Available: Yes
Custom Card Clip Available: Yes
Variations: Regular all White or Limited Edition Black Ghost (Only Available during Christmas 2005 if you ordered over $350 of Ellusionist items or during the 24 hour Trilogy Contest
Description: This is a very unique deck that has a ghostly motif. It is of very high quality and has a very nice Ace of Spades. The Black version is simply inverted, but is a limited edition. There is also a cool reveal, if you can find it!
Review:
The Ghosts, such a perfect name for these cards, they are just spooky. It’s a combination of the design and quality. The Ace of Spades also makes things a lot better. Even though they have the same finish of the Tigers, they feel a lot different, and these things last if you treat them right. If you don’t well, they aren’t the spooky white they used to be, but a creepy yellow. There are also people who have reported having warped ghosts, if so I would say contact E and talk to them, because you deserve these cards. My big con, the website has returned to its place on the bottom.
Overall Score- 4/5
Bicycle Masters Edition Deck
Price:$3.99(red) $4.35(blue)
Finish: UV500 Air-Flow
Gaff Available: Yes
Custom Card Clip Available: Yes
Variations: Red or Blue
Description: This deck was designed to resemble a regular deck of Bicycle Rider Backs. The only differences are the new Ace of Spades, the box, and the higher quality stock and finish. The end product is a very normal looking deck that is of higher quality, which in turn makes it last longer without the pain in the wallet. The blue also has a different box, along with an extra regular designed Bicycle Ace of Spades. There is also a reveal in the serial numbers.
Review:
This one has to be my most favourite out of all of the E custom decks. It looks completely normal except for the Ace of Spades, and if you buy the blue version of the deck you even get a regular looking Ace. They feel just as good as Ghosts, but without warping. The other great thing is that cost just a little more than a pack of regular bikes at CVS, and they last longer.
Overall Score- 7/5 (yeah improper fractions, they’re that good)
Bicycle Vintage Series 1800 Deck
Price:$5.99
Finish: Premium Air Cushion
Variations: Red or Blue
Gaff Available: No
Custom Card Clip Available: No
Description: This is the newest custom Ellusionist deck. It has a very unique design in which it looks aged. It has the standard Air Cushion finish and a very thin stock.
Review:
This deck is very unique. It has a much thinner stock than all of the other E decks, and a different finish. They look great, but they fan like sandpaper. I really do like the deck, but they don’t handle the greatest. I would recommend them for showing off, or doing a demo, not regular performing or practicing, they just can’t handle the heat. One of the other problems is that there is a barcode on the bottom. I didn’t know that they had barcodes and barcode scanners back in the 1800s. Well if someone was actually to look inside the box, they would see that there is no printing on the inside of the box. It doesn’t continue the “Vintage” look.
Overall Score- 3/5
Overall Rankings
Bicycle Masters Edition – 7/5
Tally-Ho Vipers – 5/5
Bicycle Ghosts – 4/5
Bicycle Black Tigers – 3.5/5
Bicycle Vintage 1800s 3/5
Guide to "E" Playing Cards
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ok guys, a while back i mentioned i was writing a guide to the E line, and i finished it. it also has reviews in it, so i was thinking i should put it there, but it is more than a review so i put it here, if its in the wrong spot, Mods please move it, if not enjoy!
bboulton’s Guide to...
“Ellusionist” Playing Cards
Bicycle Black Tiger Deck
Price:$6.99
Finish: Premium Air Cushion or UV500 Air-Flow
Variations: All White Pips or White and Red Pips
Gaff Available: Yes
Custom Card Clip Available: Yes
Description: The Black Tiger Deck was the first ever custom Ellusionist deck. It has a darker eerie theme. When released it sported the standard “Premium Air Cushion” and a slightly thicker stock. Later it was changed to the current UV500 Air-Flow finish.
Review:
The first impressions that you get from this deck are amazing. If it’s your first custom deck you will probably get the chills. The deck design is great, but it just doesn’t feel as nice as something like the Masters. My biggest problem was the edges, they were rough and white. Now on a black deck rough white edges don’t really work. These cards are great for tricks, as long as you can present them in a way no one will have a reason to believe that they are gaffed. I also didn’t like the website on the bottom of the box.
Overall score-3.5/5
Tally-Ho Viper Deck
Price:$7.99
Finish: UV500 Air-Flow
Variations: Circle Back with Red and White Pips or all silver pips Fan Back
Gaff Available: No
Custom Card Clip Available: No
Description: The Viper deck was Ellusionist’s second custom deck. It is based on the Tally-Ho design instead of the regular Bicycle Rider theme. This deck is also thicker and sports the UV-500 Air-Flow finish, along with a different metallic-style ink. This deck is the favourite for flourishes and XCMers.
Review:
Again the first impressions of this deck were phenomenal. The biggest thing that grabbed my attention was the metallic ink. It looks great. Then the edges, ahhh the edges, they are smooth and exactly the right colour. The stock and finish make it a great deck for XCM or flourishes. The edges also make it a great deck for effects utilizing LOOPS. But again, you need to present them so they don’t look gaffed. They also took care of the website on the bottom. That’s a big deal.
Overall Score- 5/5
Bicycle Ghost Deck
Price:$4.99
Finish: UV500 Air-Flow
Gaff Available: Yes
Custom Card Clip Available: Yes
Variations: Regular all White or Limited Edition Black Ghost (Only Available during Christmas 2005 if you ordered over $350 of Ellusionist items or during the 24 hour Trilogy Contest
Description: This is a very unique deck that has a ghostly motif. It is of very high quality and has a very nice Ace of Spades. The Black version is simply inverted, but is a limited edition. There is also a cool reveal, if you can find it!
Review:
The Ghosts, such a perfect name for these cards, they are just spooky. It’s a combination of the design and quality. The Ace of Spades also makes things a lot better. Even though they have the same finish of the Tigers, they feel a lot different, and these things last if you treat them right. If you don’t well, they aren’t the spooky white they used to be, but a creepy yellow. There are also people who have reported having warped ghosts, if so I would say contact E and talk to them, because you deserve these cards. My big con, the website has returned to its place on the bottom.
Overall Score- 4/5
Bicycle Masters Edition Deck
Price:$3.99(red) $4.35(blue)
Finish: UV500 Air-Flow
Gaff Available: Yes
Custom Card Clip Available: Yes
Variations: Red or Blue
Description: This deck was designed to resemble a regular deck of Bicycle Rider Backs. The only differences are the new Ace of Spades, the box, and the higher quality stock and finish. The end product is a very normal looking deck that is of higher quality, which in turn makes it last longer without the pain in the wallet. The blue also has a different box, along with an extra regular designed Bicycle Ace of Spades. There is also a reveal in the serial numbers.
Review:
This one has to be my most favourite out of all of the E custom decks. It looks completely normal except for the Ace of Spades, and if you buy the blue version of the deck you even get a regular looking Ace. They feel just as good as Ghosts, but without warping. The other great thing is that cost just a little more than a pack of regular bikes at CVS, and they last longer.
Overall Score- 7/5 (yeah improper fractions, they’re that good)
Bicycle Vintage Series 1800 Deck
Price:$5.99
Finish: Premium Air Cushion
Variations: Red or Blue
Gaff Available: No
Custom Card Clip Available: No
Description: This is the newest custom Ellusionist deck. It has a very unique design in which it looks aged. It has the standard Air Cushion finish and a very thin stock.
Review:
This deck is very unique. It has a much thinner stock than all of the other E decks, and a different finish. They look great, but they fan like sandpaper. I really do like the deck, but they don’t handle the greatest. I would recommend them for showing off, or doing a demo, not regular performing or practicing, they just can’t handle the heat. One of the other problems is that there is a barcode on the bottom. I didn’t know that they had barcodes and barcode scanners back in the 1800s. Well if someone was actually to look inside the box, they would see that there is no printing on the inside of the box. It doesn’t continue the “Vintage” look.
Overall Score- 3/5
Overall Rankings
Bicycle Masters Edition – 7/5
Tally-Ho Vipers – 5/5
Bicycle Ghosts – 4/5
Bicycle Black Tigers – 3.5/5
Bicycle Vintage 1800s 3/5