talkmagic.co.uk

Hello all.

I want to buy a pressure pad or similar device and need some advice...

I've seen people like Derren Brwn get someone to draw a picture then tell them what they have drawn. I want to buy something that let's me do this.

I am sure people won't give away secrets and so they shouldn't but I need to distinguish between two types of pads.

I beileve that with most pads you have to take the pad back off the person before you can sneak a peek at the picture. I believe these are called impression pads and I've a pretty good idea how they work, though I've not used one.

I believe that the Thought Transmitter can be used while the magician is perhaps in a different room. My understanding is that the spectator can hang on to the wallet the whole time! I hope I am right in that understanding. Assuming that I am, let's call it transmitter type.

I've just ordered a Thought Transmitter which will arrive in a day or two, so I'm not after information about how this works.

However, I am aware that the TT is a very small device, some sort of wallet. This will be great in a pub or wherever but in some situations it might be better to have something A5 size or I think ideally closer to A4.

My main question is, does anyone know of any other products of the transmitter type (assuming I am correct in how they work), other than the Thought Transmitter? Perhaps there is one that is A4 size?

I guess that's my main question really.

But also (or certainly if there aren't any such products), can people help me figure out which is the best 'impression' type device, ideally A4 but it doesn't have to be?

It needs to be easy to peak (even if you do have to take it off them, which isn't necesarily a problem anyway), but mainly (as my audience control is pretty good but far from perfect) it needs to be completely examinable, if this is possible. I mean, people aren't going to try to pull it apart (never work with children or animals) but people are likely to flick through it for carbon paper.

I'm probably not the only person who wants to buy one of these so it might be useful to lots of people to have a post about this. There's lots of reviews but it's hard to find them all. Perhaps someone has already created such a post but I couldn't find it. So I will be grateful for any help!

I don't mind spending lots of £££ if the item is worth it.

I'm pretty sure I haven't given away any secrets here but if I have I'm sure someone will edit and slap my wrist....

If you check places such as Alakazam you'll see such devices and they can cost well over £1,000 for the type where you genuinely don't need to see or handle it. John Cornelius' Thought Transmitter isn't of this kind and you need to take it back but the spec closes the cover first and it's never opened until after your 'divination'. There are some previous threads on Impression Pads, Thought Transmitter and similar items, you just need to trawl the Review section and use Search with several variations of word or search features to find them.

I want to buy a pressure pad or similar device and need some advice...

I've seen people like Derren Brwn get someone to draw a picture then tell them what they have drawn. I want to buy something that let's me do this.

The BEST Imp device systems are made by John Riggs, bar none! They are the most deceptive and more practical when it comes to "real time" use. Aside from his material you may want to look into a Buma Board.

In reality the kind of Imp system you use really depends on your needs. I use several different kinds of systems based on the program and routines being done. The two I use the most however are the BUTTERFLY (from John Riggs) and the Kerry Sommer's NOTEBOOK. Both of these deliver real time peeks, DO NOT REQUIRE BATTERIES and are innocent looking vs. some ignorant piece of plastic that makes no sense (pardon my prejudice).

Just do a search for John Riggs (it will show up under the name St. Germaine) and send him an email about his products, tell him I sent you.

http://www.stevensmagic.com/

just search for buma! the pocket portfolio looks very good....

Thanks for those replies, you three.

I will look up John Riggs and the Kerry Sommer...

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The Buma board looks rather obvious to me, what with it being transparant. Perhaps there is something more clever about it... but even if it doesn't work by simply being transparant, surely people would just think that you're looking at the underside of the paper through the transparent board?

I can't find a review of it on here. Anyone had any experience with this see thru clipboard the Buma Board?

Craig, I love the look of the Riggs, but I have a couple of questions, I hope you don't mind filling me in...

Craig Browning wrote:more practical when it comes to "real time" use.

By real time presumably you mean that it is used during a show rather than to gather info before a show? Not that you can see the picture as it is drawn (in which case you wouldn't need to take the item back)?

Craig Browning wrote:The two I use the most however are the BUTTERFLY (from John Riggs)

Very tempted to buy one of these, but bit concerned, can people open it when they fiddle with it? Also can you get replacement notebooks in the UK?

Craig Browning wrote: and the Kerry Sommer's NOTEBOOK. Both of these deliver real time

Looked this up on google and didn't get any hits. Maybe the spelling is wrong?

Thanks for your help. I have tried to find reviews of these products on here but haven't found them...

The Buma board looks rather obvious to me, what with it being transparant. Perhaps there is something more clever about it... but even if it doesn't work by simply being transparant, surely people would just think that you're looking at the underside of the paper through the transparent board?

It doesn't work like that. You would use thick paper stock so you couldn't see through. The board is an impression device - just seeing through it wouldn't leave an impression on anything other than your brain - which is what all writing does and we don't call books, impression books.

As well as imp pads you can use peek wallets such as an outlaw wallet. You have a spec draw something on a business card and it is put face down in the wallet. You do not need to open the wallet again to know what they've drawn.

There are also switches and tears that cost nothing and are very effective.

I use the Butterfly when I'm doing tableside work with people and I carry it or the other device with me almost all the time and have NEVER had anyone accidently or otherwise, discover the workings or even suspect the pad in that it is so amazingly thin.

In that paper and pad sizes may differ you'll have to ask John about your size issue... I know he can gaff most any kind of device along this route... he even makes a Postit Pad and Tarot Card imp system.

And yes, you can peek the information within a split second. No need to step out of the way or any of those type of headaches.

As to the Sommer's NOTEBOOK I do not know if it's still in circulation. You may check with Murphy's however.

S. Lea wrote:It doesn't work like that. You would use thick paper stock so you couldn't see through. The board is an impression device - just seeing through it wouldn't leave an impression on anything other than your brain - which is what all writing does and we don't call books, impression books.

Thanks, S. Lea. I was very confused because although it's called an impression pad, the video I saw demonstrating the item had the mentalist stood behind it looking at it saying that he could see through it. I think it wasn't very clear in the demo.

You also asked about wallets. I can't say enough good things about Peter Nardi's Stealth Asaassin Wallet. It gives you three peek options, a billet index, a card to wallet option (which also lets you do an infinite number of instant predictions), and looks completely innocent. You could use this and then a regular clipboard and paper to do a design duplication effect.

Got to agree with dr todd the stealth assassin is a marvelous piece of equipment.

lindz wrote:Got to agree with dr todd the stealth assassin is a marvelous piece of equipment.

Does it look like an expensively made wallet? So if you were a stylish kinda guy in a posh suit you could use this as a normal wallet?

Yes it is well made and i use it as a normal wallet all the time. The only downfall if you use it as a normal wallet is theres no where to store your change but there is space for your notes and lots of credit cards . If you look on the alakazam website you should see a picture on there. Also have a look at the reviews section and you should get all you need to know. The wallet has 3 peeks and an out to lunch principle to it.

Thanks for the reply!

How examinable is it? (I will look for the review...)

I just bought the Thought Transmitter and as soon as I took it out of the box my finger was on the secret button and the secret was revealed. I tried to perform with it for a girl I know and she pressed it too (not right away but soon enough). Have I just been unlucky or is this not a good product? She also started fiddling with the notepad, and owners of this product will know that this is not something you want to happen!

Perhaps my audience control skills are not perfect, but, well, all the more reason I need to buy products which are very examinable until I perfect my skills.

If the wallet allows you to peek at the contents, surely the spectator can find the slit or whatever it is (or perhaps similar principal to the Thought Transmitter). Or is it just much more cleverly designed than the TT?

I was amiss on the wallet issue on that I loathe them -- they're a magic trick, not something the typical "dye in the wool" mentalist would use but on very exceptional ocassions (when it might fit in with a scenario).

My goal is to make what I do as real in appearance and affect as possible. I've yet to find a wallet that looks even remotely natural let alone logical when it is introduced. My SUC isn't used in the manner most people would use one (I actually use it for PW work so as to ring in info vs. peeks). Though I have experimented in some of the other handlings and idea around it, they simply aren't natural nor do I find them to be practical most of the time.

To me and a dieing breed "true" mentalism involves those silly little pieces of paper known as a Billet. If you were to set aside about $600.00 for a very genuine investment into yourself and obtain the following materials, you will never find yourself wanting when it comes to being able to present solid, spontaneous mentalism.

* VOL. I & II Thought Reading with Billets by Millard Longman
* The Allen Zingg MASTER BILLET COURSE
* The PEEK Trilogy by Richard Busch (book three is due out next spring)
* Post Justify by Julian "Bev" Moore

There are some other resources on this topic such as you'll find in several Bob Cassidy tomes as well as Elliott Bresler's soon to be released text, which is packed with even more great stuff. The point being, with this kind of knowledge you don't have to worry about not having a device and thus, not being able to work.

I will warn those of you in the UK area, that there is a deliberate kock-off to the SUC being produced by an Asian gent who is presently being watched quite closely by Mark Strivings and others, given his growing association with questionable "claims of creativity" not to mention, inferrior quality. So if you feel that you need to use such a device, at least make certain it comes from the originator to the idea.