talkmagic.co.uk

[TheOldForum]

A neat little effect that appears to cause a small stick with colored gems to change, but not something that I suggest be used much by the serious magician. Spectators are usually impressed at first, but it just doesn't take much for the layman to figure it out no matter how well it's performed. This is something that I would recommend more as a prop to be used with children, who also are usually drawn in by the sparkle of the colors.

[Tony Hyams]

Hi I've fooled loads of adults with this trick especially when it changes to the second colour and you hand it out for examination

[nickj]

Hmm, seems to me that the original poster wasn't too confident with it. I imagine he just assumed that it was too easy to figure out, but like most of these fairly simple concepts as long as you don't allow your spectators too much time to think about how it's done during the routine you will be perfectly safe.

My main problem with the hot rod is coming up with a reasonable routine.

[siborgotron]

Correct! Use different techniques for performing the secret move which enhance a more natural handling..just my penny's worth..

[magicdiscoman]

i have this effect on a giant lolly pop / tougue depresser style stick so you get lots of comedy by play as the spots chossen end up all the same colour and all over the spec too measals style.

[Michael Jay]

As a kid, the hot rod was one of my first tricks. The variations that can be made using the paddle move are tremendous. Now-a-days, I use two matches (put the heads into the pads of your fingers which makes for ease of motion) and point out that they are much like the human condition (a dark side and a light side). I then go on to make both sides dark or both sides light (most book matches have different colored sides, if they don't, just put an "X" on one side of both and you can make the "X" jump back and forth between the matches).

I remember fooling the hell out of adults with my hot rod. Again, it comes down to presentation. With a strong presentation, a bad trick becomes a miracle.

One friend of mine was attending a football game here in the states and they were having a tailgate party (a pre-game party, as it were). He was going to do a hot rod presentation and noted that the "choice color" was the same as the team's color. I told him to simply allow them to choose any color on the rod, because they would obviously choose the team color. The result was an arrestingly good routine, because it fit in with the football theme (team color) and was a completely fair choice of color (although, psychologically, we knew the only color that would actually be picked, so maybe not an honestly fair choice! ).

Again, no bad tricks, only bad magicians!

Mike.

[Robert Black]

Actually the Hot Rod is an under-rated trick for those of us in the know because we have grown up with it. The general public can recieve any trick (even ones as old as God, i.e. cups&balls) if done with a twist. I also have issue with it's the same old trick, so I changed it! I have combined the Hot Rod(s) with the Color Changing Knives routine (less arrests at the airport) and the additional moves that are associated with it. I call them Chopsticks (tongue-in-cheek) try it, you might like it. You will have to construct custom Hot Rods though to do the CCK verbatim as I did.

Robert Black

[dazzling david]

I have found the hot rod to be brilliant, It was one of the first tricks i bought and it stays in my table magic box. I use a routine where it changes from 6 different to six of the same then change one side back then give to be examined