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Phantom Deck Review

One wonky deck, 25 minutes of streaming video and $30 bucks. Is it gem or is it rubble? Stay tuned to find out.

Effect

Like the Omni Deck, the effect is that a deck of cards becomes transparent. However, in the case of the Phantom Deck you now are able to spread the cards and show that each individual card has become transparent. So rather than ending with a solid clear block, Omni style, you end with individually clear cards.

Further, you have added effects where the selection appears as the only non-transparent card in the middle of the deck. There's a routine that combines this deck with the Omni, and a couple more ideas. Lastly, there is a clever and visual illusion that can be accomplished with the deck. The illusion is that the whole deck has become transparent, but the selected card seems to visibly materialize in the middle of the transparent deck as you spread through it.

Method

Obviously, you're purchasing a deck of transparent cards, so it's all about the switch. Joshua Jay covers a couple of simple ideas for this. There's really not much to it. If you can do a switch, you can do whatever routine you come up with that might require transparent cards or an ending of a fully transparent deck.

Ad Copy Integrity

I do have some issues with the ad copy. The claim that it looks like a regular deck is not true. The corners of my Phantom Deck make the deck look a lot different from a normal deck. However, it's the kind of thing that I think will go unnoticed by the spectator. The basic structure and handling of the routine (if done properly) minimizes any chance for the spectator to notice any inconsistencies. Just keep in mind that it does look a bit different.

Further, the ad copy claims that these effects are self working. Not quite. That's about 99%, but you do need to be able to handle cards confidently, and there is one routine that requires you to palm cards and do a Finley Tent Vanish.

The only other issue I have with the ad copy relates to the claim that the deck handles like a regular deck. While this is 99% true, keep in mind that the deck feels a little heavier and will take a little bit of getting used to if you want it to truly feel and handle like a regular deck. This isn't really a hit to the ad copy, but rather a "head's up" to you the reader.

Product Quality

As mentioned earlier, the cards do look a little bit off on the edges, but not enough (I think) to be a problem. The biggest product quality issue was the streaming video. The lighting wasn't the greatest. The camera work was a little "off" and the audio was terrible. I had the video audio turned up 100% and my laptop audio up 100%, and I could still barely hear the video. In fact, the first couple of minutes had such terrible audio, that I almost turned it off, because it was too hard to watch.

When I turned off the video, and resumed my iTunes music listening, the volume of the music was so loud that it gave me quite the scare - proof that the problem isn't my audio system; it's the video.

Regarding the teaching, I felt it was also "off." Much of the instruction was rushed through. Also, he mentioned two particular times for doing the main switch, his favorite/the better (in his mind) scenario, and another scenario. He then shows both scenarios for doing the move while wearing a suit/sport coat. However, when he shows you how to do the move without a coat, he does not cover a method for the "better" scenario.

Also, one of the effects (the previously mentioned version that requires palming) is not completely taught. There's a moment in the routine where you're holding the Omni Deck and a few Phantom cards, so the whole deck is transparent. He then says to openly place the selection on top of this. You then have the spectator's cover the deck with their hands as you reach in and magically produce the selection. Um . . . Duh . . . everyone knows that it was on top of the deck . . . there's no effect here.

When I could (via ear straining techniques taught by Turkish Monks to me during my 47 year stint in Chateau D'if) hear what Joshua Jay was saying, the majority of what was covered was clear and useful. Just keep in mind that purchasing this product is really more about "here's a transparent deck of cards and a few pointers." It's less about "here are some in depth techniques and uses for it."

One final point: The dimensions of the transparent cards are slightly shorter than a regular playing card, so when you have a regular card in the transparent deck, it essentially becomes a long card. This can be good or bad depending on what you're trying to accomplish with the deck.

Final Thoughts

Considering the video quality and the fact that there was no physical product costs as well as the issues with the training quality and some of the problems with the ad copy, it's hard to give this about 3 stars especially at a price of $30. However, I will say that I have no idea how much it costs to produce this deck. It may cost $25 a deck, or it may cost a nickel a deck. I have no idea. So the price may or may not be fair.

Also, the quality of the deck is plenty good for its main purpose: showing a deck has changed into a clear deck. So if you have some ideas of how you might use a deck like this, then you'll, likely, be happy with the product. The video (if you can hear it well enough) does give a few valuable tips, and one tip about how to practice that was a fleeting thought and, literally, only 4 words, was a revelation to me. It's a great idea that will be valuable to me in future practice sessions with all of my magic.

Overall, this is still a gem. It's just gonna come down to how much you think you'll use something like this in your work, and how much help you think you'll need accomplishing that effect.

Final Verdict:
3 Stars With a Stone Status of gem.

13 Comments

  • John Greeger says:

    I have a question regarding your “Final Thoughts” section:

    You note that because there is no physical video included, the price of $30 seems high. You then mention you “have no idea how much it costs to produce this deck.” But even at 5ยข or $25 – the two numbers you provided, does it really matter? The price of the product should not be judged based on the cost to produce, it should be judged on its value.

    This is, after all, the whole concept of value-based pricing. Instead of pricing the product based off of the cost of the product or historical prices, the price is set on the value, perceived or estimated. And this pricing model has been proven to work best.

    While we can make an example out of nearly any product on the market, your newest e-book fits fine. There are very little production costs, yet the price is nearly $30…

    I have not read any of your previous reviews, so I am unsure if this is your common practice. If you wrote: “Because the video quality is so low, and the gimmick has some quality issues, this is not worth the asking price,” I would have understood. But mentioning the lack of physical product costs seems odd.

    • Jeff Stone says:

      @John – Thanks for the comment. Let me clarify what I was explaining. I was attempting to say that it was overpriced. Then I was sort of “thinking out loud” and “walking through” my thought process as to why I felt it was overpriced.

      My thinking out loud was that the video production quality was terrible, and that you’re not getting a lot of bang for your buck when it comes to the video . . . I was then “thinking through” the fact that maybe the price was high because of the production cost . . . then I “realized” in my “thinking out loud” exercise that “No – they didn’t have a physical DVD . . . they weren’t justifying the cost that way.”

      My “thinking out loud” continues . . . maybe they charged so much because the deck costs a lot of money to produce. If the deck costs $25, then they’d have to charge at least $30 if they’re going to make their money back, etc., etc.

      I was just thinking out loud trying to figure out why they charged so much. Their products are typically very reasonably priced. Since the product quality wasn’t that good, I was trying think through what they might have been thinking when they came up with the price.

      Regarding my book, there are a lot more costs involved in that then you may realize. In fact, if you add up all of the production costs of any one of my DVDs . . . camera & equipment rental, studio rental, paying an editor, paying a camera man, flying to Canada (where I produced Gemstones), food, paying for images for the DVD cover, having the DVDs printed, packaged and wrapped, and a few other expenses . . . add all of that up and it’s still less money than I spent on 793.8.

      I spent nearly a thousand dollars just on my “layout of the book’s interior” guy. I actually wanted to charge a bit less for the book because of the fact that it’s 100% digital and there is no time involved in fulfilling the order. In fact, Chris at Lybrary.com suggested that I charge less as well . . . to make it more appealing to a larger market.

      However, I went with the higher price anyway. I was afraid that it would take me years to recoup my costs. As it turns out, the book has been a huge hit, and so my paranoia was for naught. ๐Ÿ™‚

      Anyway, back to Phantom Deck . . . the bottom line is that For what you are getting, I felt that $30 was a little steep. Hopefully that helps.

      Thanks,

      Jeffro

      • John Greeger says:

        You don’t think that, for Phantom Deck, the producers had to pay for camera and equipment rental, studio rental, an editor, a camera man, food, etc.? Possibly flying to the production site of the clear cards for quality checks?

        • Jeff Stone says:

          @John – Thanks again for the post. You are correct. They likely had those exact same expenses. I never said otherwise. I only mentioned those costs regarding MY DVD, and the fact that MY BOOK, cost even more than the costs on my DVD. And I only mentioned my products because you mentioned it (my book) in your post.

  • Steve Black says:

    Hi Jeff,

    Agree 100% that the quality of the video was awful and even worse your deck had poor quality corners mine had terrible sides as well, so faulty in fact the supplier agreed to refund my money! I was very surprised that a product supported by Mr Jay was so bad as i loved Inferno etc.My main issue is the fact that on the video the main effect DOES require the switch to take place and the audience not to notice this has happened the quality of white edges was so poor this would not be possible.

    Superb review Jeff.

    Steve ( Happy Christmas and a prosperous 2015)

    • Jeff Stone says:

      @Steve – Thanks for the feedback. I agree. This was a little bit below the standard that I typically associate with Joshua Jay.

  • John Stevens says:

    Josh released this, and instructions were on DVD, about a year or so ago, and I am wondering if there is any differences in the physical product? The DVD that came with this version is really well done. Guess I am confused with what the need was to remake the product?

    Thanks!

    John

    • Jeff Stone says:

      @John – Yeah. I’m confused as well. Maybe they ran out of inventory and went back into production? I’m not sure.

  • Jay Best says:

    I’m a big fan of Josh, have had the opportunity to meet him twice, in fact my daughter and I are in the performance part of the DVD for his effect Extra Credit.
    I hate to hear that Vanishing Inc products are not up to par, I purchased The Cooler and was very disappointed. As for this effect, I would pass. I do Sankeys Fade Away where the entire deck turns blank on both sides except the selection… close enough.

    • Jeff Stone says:

      @Jay – Agreed brother. We just got the Jay Trifecta! Joshua JAY, JAY Sankey and JAY Best . . . crazy. I wasn’t a fan of the cooler either. Hopefully, they (Vanishing Ink) will take notice and think twice on future productions.

      -J

  • Jay Best says:

    Holy cow I wish I was in the same class as those guys…

  • Gary Ogden says:

    I asked a question of a renowned online magic dealer in the uk as to how easy it was to perform, they replied “very easy”. So then later I discover you have to switch decks under the spectators nose. How does this make it easy and it must be one of the only tricks I know of where you need to switch a deck? I saw Shin Lim do this on tv and he does do a wonderful deck switch but you have to be quick to see it!

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