Another excellent review! I will say, however, that I personally don’t like marking systems where one of the marks is “no mark.” I prefer it when each card has a distinct mark. I love the ESP origins deck and I’m also a huge fan of the Vernet deck. Both decks are way more affordable as well. They’ve both served me well. I agree with you about the back design. Between that and the marking issue I have, I will never use these. But those are personal choices and have nothing to do with the actual product quality itself. 🙃
Thanks so much Jeff, great points. I think you have hit on a point regarding the back design that is important to consider. I personally think the back design of the Origins Deck is really great. I just find it more appealing and the price point is far better. When it comes to ESP routines I personally like Mark Elsdon's Zenner-Tech put out by Alakazam. While the backs on those are Bicycle backs and not marked it is the routine and method I like. But let's face it at the end of the day it is the wonder we create in these routines that matters. Appreciate you being here and take care.
Thanks Carlo, I must admit this is something I have not really considered and worthy of exploring. I realize now based upon your comment that I find myself looking harder when there is no mark on a card and that becomes suspicious. Thanks for adding to the conversation.
Thanks Mr Harmon. The 1914 has really been doing some solid releases. I do wish this one was a little more affordable as there are other ESP decks out there that are comparable but half the price. Thanks for being here.
Another great review. I happen to like the back design of these. The front however not so much. I know that the 1914 are all about minimalist (razor, Shadow and now Orphic wallets) but I like the fronts to be bold. $40 is a bit silly high for ESP cards. After all that's what they are. Just another deck of ESP cards. As far as routines go, there are lots of sources to find ESP routines. Personally I like the Tenyo ones. They also have some great routines and don't require you to have any tattoos or black clothing. 🤭 I love Zenner-tech but that is the only effect that you can do with it.
Hello Rob, First of all let me just say I always enjoy seeing you here in the comments and hope you are doing well. I think you have hit a home run when it comes to the points you make. I particularly agree with the 1. A bit expensive for ESP cards. 2. And there are a lot of resources out there for ESP routines. 3. I tend to agree with you on the Tenyo cards. They do the job. 4. And finally I too LOVE the Zenner-tech cards and routine. I find myself wanting to go to that routine first when it comes to doing an ESP routine. Thanks so much for adding to the comments, it is always appreciated. Take Care!
Nice Review again Jonny, Eclipse is a nice set of ESP Cards to have and use. I have the Tenyo Hyper ESP Cards that are marked in the back that I can read without my glass 4 feet away that I have been useing. They cards come with a D/f as well as 6 tricks to learn. Cost is anywhere from 15 to 20 for the set. The back design is Blue with White Dots and the further away you are the better you can read the backs of the cards. I have showed they to my magician friends and no one was able to see the marking. I came up with my own routine with 5 bull clips and a wide shoe string that fools everyone as well. Staying Healthy is really the trick now days but still Love the Magic. Take Care
Hello Chet. The nice thing about the Tenyo ESP cards are that they are a great cost point and you can achieve some really great ESP routines. The addition you have added sounds interesting. That is one of the things about a lot of releases is developing your own routines or creations. Often I think those are better than the original release. Also the nice thing about ESP cards is they create a lot of room to develop your own routines. I couldn't agree with you more about staying healthy is the trick of the day. This Omicron is so contagious it seems hard to avoid. I will be so glad when all of this is past and we can get back to normal. Take Care and great to hear from you.
Happy New Year Jonny,1914 certainly seem to produce decent products I like the fact you can wipe the cards ,my esp to go are Michael Murray's Beyond ESP , in fact I must get them out and have a practice with Mrs O ,got family party next week . Lots of people getting the new Covid strain in the UK but mostly mild or no symptoms stay safe👍
Happy New Year!!!! I really like a lot of Michael Murray's releases. I don't have Beyond ESP but the trailer looks good. Pull those cards out and have fun performing. Things here with the COVID are getting bad again. I am glad that this strain is milder. I am getting frustrated by not being able to get out and perform. But that will all come in good time. Take Care of yourself and hope the party is awesome. Cheers.
I've been on the fence re Eclipse for the past few weeks. Fantastic review as always Jonny. It's funny, I just moved from a house to a condo and , after just starting magic/sleight of hand 14 mos ago, 90% of my personal items I had to move to my new place was magic stuff!! Yes I have tons of decks of cards-- but also I have bought SO much stuff from Penguin over past year I truly think I could have been their #1 customer in 2021 !! Luckily my condo has a ton of closet space because I had 25 boxes of stuff. Now to be fair- I do not just rely on gimmicks at all- I prefer just walking around w a regular deck of cards and 1-2 coins, -- But I put out a Saturday Morning Weekly magic video that I email to 15 friends and family every week this past year-- and find myself needing visual gimmicks for a lot of those vides. Thanks Jonny and wishing you a wonderful 2022. David
Hello David, I love hearing that you are doing the weekly magic video and sending it out to friends. I think this is fantastic and a great way to hone your skills. Since COVID has hit I too have really done more on line performing and find it to be a really different beast than in person performing. There is a lot of stuff that I really miss about in person performance and have a bunch of purchuses over the last two years that I think just work better in person and don't translate on line. By the way I am glad to hear the move to the condo has gone well. I would love Penguin to release a top 10 clients of the year. I feel like you and I may make that list. Also you mentioned the gimmicks vs regular cards and coins. Here is what I care about most at the end of the day. I want the spectator to have the most astonishment possible and I don't care if it takes a gimmick to make that happen. And while I use both gimmicked and ungimmicked methods for effects what I care most about is the experience of my audience. They will not know if I used a gimmick or not and mostly want them to have a good experience. I know a lot of magicians will get hung up on gimmick VS non-gimmick but I think audience experience is the most important regardless of method. Alright that is enough babbling on from me. I love hearing about your magic journey and wish you well and cheer you on. Take Care and Happy New Year.
@@fiddlinjonny Thanks so much Jonny-- I really appreciate your very kind words. Yes I honestly think we'd be top 10 on the 2021 Penguin buyer list-- I think they already just look at my massive order history whenever I contact them about something-- because they always just tell me they will just send me a new one or refund me if I receive a bad gimmick no questions asked. Amazing customer service. Regarding gimmicks I am 100% with you. Some of my strongest effects that get the best reactions are things like Richard Sander's Any Card etc etc-- However, my next step is roughing my own cards since in the heat of performance, I find I cannot rely on the roughing of the manufacturer/s. I have Krylon Matte spray, Science Friction, Plasti-Dip, various Roughing sticks etc etc-- including that glue stick you had mentioned before--so my next step is finding the best "roughing" product that works for me so I can gaffe my own decks. Thanks so much again Jonny for your kind words. Have a great weekend. David
Thanks. You will find a number of other ESP decks that are cheaper and may meet your needs. I left a comment below to The Magic Corner that you may want to check out that outlines my thoughts on steps that may help when choosing and ESP deck.
Hi Jonny, Hope you are well mate. I got a set of these the week they came out and I pretty much agree with your critique. Good quality cards. Well taught and clever routines. I kind of like the back design. The marking system is subtle and I think perhaps the back design enhances this. I wonder if there was a particular reason that Dee opted for it? I guess he must have tried a few. And any thoughts on the new wallet 1914 have just bought out. I'm eager to see some reviews of it. Take it easy my friend.
Hello Gary doing well here and hope you are too. Yeah I would like to pick his brain on the process of coming up with the back design. The plus side is that it is easy to read. Okay lets talk abut the latest wallet. I am holding back on purchasing the wallet at this point. I would love to have it. Maybe The 1914 can send it my way for review. (Dee if you are reading this I would be happy to review) I have a number of wallets but find that I do not actually use them a lot. I have used the shadow wallet a little and have found the peek system to be a little bit better than I expected in live performance. I haven't had the opportunity to use it as much as I would like given the COVID situation where I am at and so have had more limited opportunity to perform with it. Let's face it we all need at least one more wallet in our tool chest of magic. Thanks Gary and take care.
Bird first of all let me say thank you. I appreciate you being here. I have been playing the fiddle since I was 8 years old, and it is NEVER too late to start. Yes you absolutely should start playing the fiddle. It is tough in the beginning and can be discouraging but don't give up. Put in at least ten minutes a day and over time you will be on your way. Let me know if yo end up starting to learn. I will cheer you on. Take care and all the best to you.
Yo Crawdini, I am confident it is much better here in the low lands compared to your neck of the woods. Right now it is actually sunny despite that we have had about an entire week of solid rain. I am ready for spring and summer already. Take Care and a Happy New Year to you.
@@fiddlinjonny Thanks. It's been harsh up here . Cold and lots of snow. Finally thawing out. I am also ready for milder weather. By the by that Eclipse sounds pretty sweet. TY again for the review and the fiddle ,always !
Hello Dusty, trust your instinct. If you are still working on the Beyond ESP 3 I would stick with that. It seems to be a good release and will get you well on the road to ESP routines. Take Care and thanks so much for watching.
The backs matter highly (as you brought that into view with not really liking the backs, but it doesn't really matter? ESP & star-wars art-work doesn't gel! It's for people who have little imagination & are relying on Lewis & Dee for what will ultimately be copy-cat magicians! No sale! Cards look comic-booky. Great outlining and fab review, Fiddlin Jonny. Cheers!
Hello Tarotai, it has been a while and nice to see you here in the comments. I love your straight no BS point of view. I like the routines on this project but would have liked a cooler looking back design. I have not used these cards as much as I thought I would. I do have a gig later this week and think I will pull them out for it and play around with them a little more to see what the response is. Thanks so much for leaving the comment and watching the review. Have a good one.
Maybe. I want to but where I am at the COVID really limits performing in public. But I do want to and am looking for ways to make that happen. Take Care.
Love the review was looking to get this still on the fence...
Another excellent review!
I will say, however, that I personally don’t like marking systems where one of the marks is “no mark.”
I prefer it when each card has a distinct mark. I love the ESP origins deck and I’m also a huge fan of the Vernet deck. Both decks are way more affordable as well.
They’ve both served me well.
I agree with you about the back design. Between that and the marking issue I have, I will never use these. But those are personal choices and have nothing to do with the actual product quality itself. 🙃
I agree with you. What's the point of having no marks when you're always looking for one and the spectators won't even know that
Thanks so much Jeff, great points. I think you have hit on a point regarding the back design that is important to consider. I personally think the back design of the Origins Deck is really great. I just find it more appealing and the price point is far better. When it comes to ESP routines I personally like Mark Elsdon's Zenner-Tech put out by Alakazam. While the backs on those are Bicycle backs and not marked it is the routine and method I like. But let's face it at the end of the day it is the wonder we create in these routines that matters. Appreciate you being here and take care.
Thanks Carlo, I must admit this is something I have not really considered and worthy of exploring. I realize now based upon your comment that I find myself looking harder when there is no mark on a card and that becomes suspicious. Thanks for adding to the conversation.
I absolutely love the 1914. This looks super cool 😀😀
Thanks Mr Harmon. The 1914 has really been doing some solid releases. I do wish this one was a little more affordable as there are other ESP decks out there that are comparable but half the price. Thanks for being here.
Another great review. I happen to like the back design of these. The front however not so much. I know that the 1914 are all about minimalist (razor, Shadow and now Orphic wallets) but I like the fronts to be bold. $40 is a bit silly high for ESP cards. After all that's what they are. Just another deck of ESP cards. As far as routines go, there are lots of sources to find ESP routines. Personally I like the Tenyo ones. They also have some great routines and don't require you to have any tattoos or black clothing. 🤭 I love Zenner-tech but that is the only effect that you can do with it.
Hello Rob, First of all let me just say I always enjoy seeing you here in the comments and hope you are doing well. I think you have hit a home run when it comes to the points you make. I particularly agree with the
1. A bit expensive for ESP cards.
2. And there are a lot of resources out there for ESP routines.
3. I tend to agree with you on the Tenyo cards. They do the job.
4. And finally I too LOVE the Zenner-tech cards and routine. I find myself wanting to go to that routine first when it comes to doing an ESP routine.
Thanks so much for adding to the comments, it is always appreciated. Take Care!
@@fiddlinjonny Thanks for the thoughtful reply. Stay safe and keep on fiddlin'
Nice Review again Jonny, Eclipse is a nice set of ESP Cards to have and use. I have the Tenyo Hyper ESP Cards that are marked in the back that I can read without my glass 4 feet away that I have been useing. They cards come with a D/f as well as 6 tricks to learn. Cost is anywhere from 15 to 20 for the set. The back design is Blue with White Dots and the further away you are the better you can read the backs of the cards. I have showed they to my magician friends and no one was able to see the marking. I came up with my own routine with 5 bull clips and a wide shoe string that fools everyone as well. Staying Healthy is really the trick now days but still Love the Magic. Take Care
Hello Chet. The nice thing about the Tenyo ESP cards are that they are a great cost point and you can achieve some really great ESP routines. The addition you have added sounds interesting. That is one of the things about a lot of releases is developing your own routines or creations. Often I think those are better than the original release. Also the nice thing about ESP cards is they create a lot of room to develop your own routines.
I couldn't agree with you more about staying healthy is the trick of the day. This Omicron is so contagious it seems hard to avoid. I will be so glad when all of this is past and we can get back to normal. Take Care and great to hear from you.
Happy New Year Jonny,1914 certainly seem to produce decent products I like the fact you can wipe the cards ,my esp to go are Michael Murray's Beyond ESP , in fact I must get them out and have a practice with Mrs O ,got family party next week . Lots of people getting the new Covid strain in the UK but mostly mild or no symptoms stay safe👍
Happy New Year!!!! I really like a lot of Michael Murray's releases. I don't have Beyond ESP but the trailer looks good. Pull those cards out and have fun performing. Things here with the COVID are getting bad again. I am glad that this strain is milder. I am getting frustrated by not being able to get out and perform. But that will all come in good time. Take Care of yourself and hope the party is awesome. Cheers.
I've been on the fence re Eclipse for the past few weeks. Fantastic review as always Jonny. It's funny, I just moved from a house to a condo and , after just starting magic/sleight of hand 14 mos ago, 90% of my personal items I had to move to my new place was magic stuff!! Yes I have tons of decks of cards-- but also I have bought SO much stuff from Penguin over past year I truly think I could have been their #1 customer in 2021 !! Luckily my condo has a ton of closet space because I had 25 boxes of stuff. Now to be fair- I do not just rely on gimmicks at all- I prefer just walking around w a regular deck of cards and 1-2 coins, -- But I put out a Saturday Morning Weekly magic video that I email to 15 friends and family every week this past year-- and find myself needing visual gimmicks for a lot of those vides. Thanks Jonny and wishing you a wonderful 2022. David
Hello David, I love hearing that you are doing the weekly magic video and sending it out to friends. I think this is fantastic and a great way to hone your skills. Since COVID has hit I too have really done more on line performing and find it to be a really different beast than in person performing. There is a lot of stuff that I really miss about in person performance and have a bunch of purchuses over the last two years that I think just work better in person and don't translate on line.
By the way I am glad to hear the move to the condo has gone well. I would love Penguin to release a top 10 clients of the year. I feel like you and I may make that list. Also you mentioned the gimmicks vs regular cards and coins. Here is what I care about most at the end of the day. I want the spectator to have the most astonishment possible and I don't care if it takes a gimmick to make that happen. And while I use both gimmicked and ungimmicked methods for effects what I care most about is the experience of my audience. They will not know if I used a gimmick or not and mostly want them to have a good experience. I know a lot of magicians will get hung up on gimmick VS non-gimmick but I think audience experience is the most important regardless of method.
Alright that is enough babbling on from me. I love hearing about your magic journey and wish you well and cheer you on. Take Care and Happy New Year.
@@fiddlinjonny Thanks so much Jonny-- I really appreciate your very kind words. Yes I honestly think we'd be top 10 on the 2021 Penguin buyer list-- I think they already just look at my massive order history whenever I contact them about something-- because they always just tell me they will just send me a new one or refund me if I receive a bad gimmick no questions asked. Amazing customer service. Regarding gimmicks I am 100% with you. Some of my strongest effects that get the best reactions are things like Richard Sander's Any Card etc etc-- However, my next step is roughing my own cards since in the heat of performance, I find I cannot rely on the roughing of the manufacturer/s. I have Krylon Matte spray, Science Friction, Plasti-Dip, various Roughing sticks etc etc-- including that glue stick you had mentioned before--so my next step is finding the best "roughing" product that works for me so I can gaffe my own decks. Thanks so much again Jonny for your kind words. Have a great weekend. David
@@DavidM-lj5yv You are welcome. I have a can of Krylon I keep intending to put to use for an ID and am yet to get to it. Take care.
And I'm like you on the $30 threshold Jonny-- $30 and under seems like no big deal-- But $40 - $100-- now that's real money for a new prop/effect !!!
Thanks. You will find a number of other ESP decks that are cheaper and may meet your needs. I left a comment below to The Magic Corner that you may want to check out that outlines my thoughts on steps that may help when choosing and ESP deck.
Hi Jonny, Hope you are well mate. I got a set of these the week they came out and I pretty much agree with your critique. Good quality cards. Well taught and clever routines. I kind of like the back design. The marking system is subtle and I think perhaps the back design enhances this. I wonder if there was a particular reason that Dee opted for it? I guess he must have tried a few.
And any thoughts on the new wallet 1914 have just bought out. I'm eager to see some reviews of it.
Take it easy my friend.
Hello Gary doing well here and hope you are too. Yeah I would like to pick his brain on the process of coming up with the back design. The plus side is that it is easy to read.
Okay lets talk abut the latest wallet. I am holding back on purchasing the wallet at this point. I would love to have it. Maybe The 1914 can send it my way for review. (Dee if you are reading this I would be happy to review) I have a number of wallets but find that I do not actually use them a lot. I have used the shadow wallet a little and have found the peek system to be a little bit better than I expected in live performance. I haven't had the opportunity to use it as much as I would like given the COVID situation where I am at and so have had more limited opportunity to perform with it. Let's face it we all need at least one more wallet in our tool chest of magic.
Thanks Gary and take care.
Great video! Quick question, how long have you been fiddling for and would it be too late to try and learn at 32 years old?
Bird first of all let me say thank you. I appreciate you being here. I have been playing the fiddle since I was 8 years old, and it is NEVER too late to start. Yes you absolutely should start playing the fiddle. It is tough in the beginning and can be discouraging but don't give up. Put in at least ten minutes a day and over time you will be on your way. Let me know if yo end up starting to learn. I will cheer you on. Take care and all the best to you.
Nice review FJ. Hows the weather in the low lands ?
Yo Crawdini, I am confident it is much better here in the low lands compared to your neck of the woods. Right now it is actually sunny despite that we have had about an entire week of solid rain. I am ready for spring and summer already. Take Care and a Happy New Year to you.
@@fiddlinjonny Thanks. It's been harsh up here . Cold and lots of snow. Finally thawing out. I am also ready for milder weather. By the by that Eclipse sounds pretty sweet. TY again for the review and the fiddle ,always !
I love ESP cards but idk if I can justify buying new ones. I'm still learning my Beyond ESP 3 ones lol. Nice review though
Hello Dusty, trust your instinct. If you are still working on the Beyond ESP 3 I would stick with that. It seems to be a good release and will get you well on the road to ESP routines. Take Care and thanks so much for watching.
The backs matter highly (as you brought that into view with not really liking the backs, but it doesn't really matter? ESP & star-wars art-work doesn't gel! It's for people who have little imagination & are relying on Lewis & Dee for what will ultimately be copy-cat magicians! No sale! Cards look comic-booky. Great outlining and fab review, Fiddlin Jonny. Cheers!
Hello Tarotai, it has been a while and nice to see you here in the comments. I love your straight no BS point of view. I like the routines on this project but would have liked a cooler looking back design. I have not used these cards as much as I thought I would. I do have a gig later this week and think I will pull them out for it and play around with them a little more to see what the response is. Thanks so much for leaving the comment and watching the review. Have a good one.
Are you ever gonna show a live performance??
Maybe. I want to but where I am at the COVID really limits performing in public. But I do want to and am looking for ways to make that happen. Take Care.
@@fiddlinjonny what state are you in?
@@fiddlinjonny where do we get the special Manila envelope? Does penguin sell it?
@@fiddlinjonny ???
@@Davidblaine18 I am in a sate of confusion