JSB TOPIT AND POCKETS SUPERSET

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JSB TOPIT AND POCKETS SUPERSET

Postby dat8962 » Dec 28th, '08, 20:29



The Effect

Ready to install in any jacket or vest, Jay Scott Berry's Topits & Pockets Superset has been custom tailored in heavy-duty black satin material to Jay's exacting specifications. Jay's new Topit design eliminates many of the risks and problems traditionally associated with using Topits and has been called "the best Topit design ever" by none other than Johnny Thompson.

Also included in the set are two JSB Sleeve Pockets-amazing new gimmicks which allow for the instantaneous appearance of coins or any other small object from bare hands! This idea alone has often been said to be "worth the price of the lecture" on Jay's recent tours.

Finally, the JSB Topits and Pockets Superset also contains the new CD-Rom (PC- and Mac-compatible) with 30 minutes of video instruction by Jay covering everything from basic installation through explanations of what many are hailing as the best Topit work ever. As a special feature, Jay also performs and teaches his highly acclaimed coin routine "Spellbinder," a hit of his Illusioneering lectures and showcases.

The JSB Superset kit contains:

2 JSB Topits (right and left)
2 Sleeve Pockets
Topits & Pockets CD-Rom

Cost

Around $60 at the moment. Mike Datata ordered me this set in late 2006 and with the exchange rate at the time I think that I paid around £45.

Difficulty
(1=easy to do, 2=No sleights, but not so easy, 3=Some sleights used,
4=Advanced sleights used, 5=Suitable for experienced magicians only)

2 for use, relatively easy to install.

Review

I bought this set in late 2006 and I had just got the Fabric Manipulations topit which I bought direct from the States and it took an absolute age to be delivered at around 4 months (reviewed here http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/ftopic22543.php).

This has been a great topit and is still in one of my DJ's but at the time I saw this somewhere and it took my interest. I was intending to install this in a lunge suit but never got around to it but I've recently bought a new frock coat so it's going in that instead.

The JSB topits are ready made in good quality black satin and you get a pair, one for the left and obviously one for the right side of the jacket. The printed instructions for installation are pretty easy to follow but you also get an installation chapter on the CD-ROM that will show you, although you'll need to watch a couple of times as there is no narration. All you then need is a suitable jacket and a needle and cotton.

If you take your time there is no reason why you shouldn't make a good job of sewing these into your jacket but if you can't be arsed then take it to a tailor.

Unlike the Fabric Manipulation instructions, the JSB set does not include instructions on how to cut and sew the pockets and lining so that the jacket pockets reach straight into the topit. Although it isn't strictly necessary to have this feature, if you want to get the most from your topit then I would advise you to seriously consider this option. Again, it's not hard to do with some preperation and planning and I managed to also do this myself on the topit installed in my DJ. Again, take it to a tailor if you are not confident or experiement first on an old jacket.

The sleeve pockets were somewhat of a novelty at first but having seen JSB in action on the CD-ROM I will also be installing these. They are very easy to sew into the jacket and the routine included on the CD will show you how worthwhile this will be.

The CD plays on Windows Media Player and includes tuition on some basic topit and sleeve moves using coins, TT's, woven balls (ala cups and balls) and other small objects. You then go onto putting these together into the full 'Spellbinder' routine of coin appearances, changes and vanishes that look great.

The instruction from JSB is visual only having no narration but it works and you shouldn't have any difficulty in following these moves and learning some new skills.

Overall

I've been using a topit on and off for a while now and once you get things right through practice, you can produce some really visual magic for your audience that's also pleasing to perform.

In my opinion this set is great value for money as it costs less than a Fabric Manipulations made topit and you get a whole lot more.

If you're in the market for a set of ready made topits then you should give this one very serious consideration. I'm not sure that you could make these yourself and to the same high standard for the same money (if you can then let me know :lol: ).

The only problem is that you'll find it very difficult indeed to get this off the shelf from a dealer in the UK so you will probably need to order one.

Member of the Magic Circle & The 2009 British Isles Close-Up Magician of the Year
It's not really an optical illusion - it just looks like one!
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Postby Duplicity » Dec 28th, '08, 20:36

http://www.dudethatscoolmagic.co.uk/aca ... r_Set.html

Are these they?

I was always tempted by the sleeves personally. You're a buying machine by the way sir! A buying machine!

Good review by the way.

Duplicity
 

Postby Jordan C » Dec 28th, '08, 20:57

Content with best reviewer 2009 DAT set his sights on CUPS award 2010

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Postby dat8962 » Dec 28th, '08, 21:34

They are indeed the same as on Dudes that's cool magic :lol:

If my memory serves me right, 2010 would make it a hatrick for reviewer but for next year I'm trying to buy as little as possible and only stuff that I actually need and will use :roll: . I plan to get around to opening the CUPS purchases made in 2006,7 and 8 that have yet to see the light of day. :lol:

Next for review is the Bob Fitch 3 DVD topit workshop set.

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It's not really an optical illusion - it just looks like one!
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JSB TOPIT AND POCKETS SUPERSET

Postby Kevin Cann » Dec 29th, '08, 11:30

I had JSB's wife install these in one of my jackets (he spends a lot of time at his house in Scotland so I posted the jacket to him there & it was back fully installed within a few days).

However, I can never get the jacket to 'open' properly in order to ditch stuff, even with rasing my elbow as suggested by Pat Page so the only use I actually get from the set is to do bottle productions Ammar style.

I have also never used the sleeve additions as really they are for parlour/cabaret stuff as your opening trick rather than close-up.

Personally if I was to do it all again I would check that you can get the space needed with the jacket first and then only install one Toppit rather than get the whole works.

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Re: JSB TOPIT AND POCKETS SUPERSET

Postby bucketheady » Jan 14th, '09, 19:26

dat8962 wrote:The Effect

Ready to install in any jacket or vest, Jay Scott Berry's Topits & Pockets Superset has been custom tailored in heavy-duty black satin material to Jay's exacting specifications. Jay's new Topit design eliminates many of the risks and problems traditionally associated with using Topits and has been called "the best Topit design ever" by none other than Johnny Thompson.

Also included in the set are two JSB Sleeve Pockets-amazing new gimmicks which allow for the instantaneous appearance of coins or any other small object from bare hands! This idea alone has often been said to be "worth the price of the lecture" on Jay's recent tours.

Finally, the JSB Topits and Pockets Superset also contains the new CD-Rom (PC- and Mac-compatible) with 30 minutes of video instruction by Jay covering everything from basic installation through explanations of what many are hailing as the best Topit work ever. As a special feature, Jay also performs and teaches his highly acclaimed coin routine "Spellbinder," a hit of his Illusioneering lectures and showcases.

The JSB Superset kit contains:

2 JSB Topits (right and left)
2 Sleeve Pockets
Topits & Pockets CD-Rom

Cost

Around $60 at the moment. Mike Datata ordered me this set in late 2006 and with the exchange rate at the time I think that I paid around £45.

Difficulty
(1=easy to do, 2=No sleights, but not so easy, 3=Some sleights used,
4=Advanced sleights used, 5=Suitable for experienced magicians only)

2 for use, relatively easy to install.

Review

I bought this set in late 2006 and I had just got the Fabric Manipulations topit which I bought direct from the States and it took an absolute age to be delivered at around 4 months (reviewed here http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/ftopic22543.php).

This has been a great topit and is still in one of my DJ's but at the time I saw this somewhere and it took my interest. I was intending to install this in a lunge suit but never got around to it but I've recently bought a new frock coat so it's going in that instead.

The JSB topits are ready made in good quality black satin and you get a pair, one for the left and obviously one for the right side of the jacket. The printed instructions for installation are pretty easy to follow but you also get an installation chapter on the CD-ROM that will show you, although you'll need to watch a couple of times as there is no narration. All you then need is a suitable jacket and a needle and cotton.

If you take your time there is no reason why you shouldn't make a good job of sewing these into your jacket but if you can't be arsed then take it to a tailor.

Unlike the Fabric Manipulation instructions, the JSB set does not include instructions on how to cut and sew the pockets and lining so that the jacket pockets reach straight into the topit. Although it isn't strictly necessary to have this feature, if you want to get the most from your topit then I would advise you to seriously consider this option. Again, it's not hard to do with some preperation and planning and I managed to also do this myself on the topit installed in my DJ. Again, take it to a tailor if you are not confident or experiement first on an old jacket.

The sleeve pockets were somewhat of a novelty at first but having seen JSB in action on the CD-ROM I will also be installing these. They are very easy to sew into the jacket and the routine included on the CD will show you how worthwhile this will be.

The CD plays on Windows Media Player and includes tuition on some basic topit and sleeve moves using coins, TT's, woven balls (ala cups and balls) and other small objects. You then go onto putting these together into the full 'Spellbinder' routine of coin appearances, changes and vanishes that look great.

The instruction from JSB is visual only having no narration but it works and you shouldn't have any difficulty in following these moves and learning some new skills.

Overall

I've been using a topit on and off for a while now and once you get things right through practice, you can produce some really visual magic for your audience that's also pleasing to perform.

In my opinion this set is great value for money as it costs less than a Fabric Manipulations made topit and you get a whole lot more.

If you're in the market for a set of ready made topits then you should give this one very serious consideration. I'm not sure that you could make these yourself and to the same high standard for the same money (if you can then let me know :lol: ).

The only problem is that you'll find it very difficult indeed to get this off the shelf from a dealer in the UK so you will probably need to order one.


is it better than the silent butler or workeroo because if it is im gonna get it man sounds great!!!!

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Postby dat8962 » Jan 15th, '09, 00:49

You could have just asked the question instead of including the huge quote :roll: :lol:

To be honest, I'm not familiar with the silent butler - whatever that happens to be but I anm familiar with the Workeroo despite not having one.

This is a different beast to the workerooo, although the effects that it can be used for will appear similar. My personal opinion is that the topit is just a little more flexible and is worn very differently than the workeroo.

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It's not really an optical illusion - it just looks like one!
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Postby Tapion1ives » Jan 15th, '09, 14:47

what is a topit can someone pm me an explain

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Postby Mandrake » Jan 15th, '09, 15:16

Follow the link in Dat's Review above then on to the website and you'll eventually see a photo. It won't help a great deal but you'll get the basic idea :wink: !

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Postby bucketheady » Jan 15th, '09, 17:08

sorry didnt mean to post the whole quote am new here

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