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MadisonH Inner circle 1752 Posts |
Paul Carnazzo came out with the PaC Stack years ago. I remember seeing the advertisement for it and hearing owners complain that it was a lot of work to make up the gimmick.
Well now Paul has decided to release a fully constructed PaC Stack gimmick. This was the best move he could have made in my opinion. It is available from all your favorite magic dealers including Penguin Magic. http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/S23868 So what is it? If you're not familiar with PaC Stack, it is perhaps the most deceptive business card peek in existence. You get a virtually full card peek out in the open under impossible circumstances. The best thing is: there are no wallets. The PaC Stack is a peek device hidden within a rubberbanded stack of blank business cards. This thing is genius. Gimmick Quality: First off, I'd like to state the quality of this product is superb. It is very well made and I imagine it will last a while if taken good care of. That said, you will have to replace the cards you write on and you will most likely have to remake the gimmick from wear and tear after a long time of use. But this won't be due to it being made poorly. It would simply be because the gimmick is made out of business cards; therefore eventually, those cards will get dirty and bent just like any other stack of business cards. It appears that these are all constructed by hand because of the level of detail required which always amazes me (How do magic companies sell thousands of hand made gimmicks? That blows my mind about this business. That's dedication.) The oddest thing about the gimmick is the size of the cards. They aren't a size I'm familiar with. They aren't US business card sized, that's for sure. They are larger. This does concern me a little with how I will find blank replacement cards. Paul suggests cutting your own or having a print shop cut them to the correct size for you. Sure, that would work, but it sounds like a lot of trouble that could have been stopped if they had just made it in a traditional business card size. Video Quality: The download you receive with this is the same video which was sold as a download years ago. This means it isn't high definition or in studio shots. It appears to have been made from the comfort of Paul's home. Personally, I don't buy magic for the quality of the video; I buy it for the content. So this lack of quality from the video doesn't take anything away from the content. The content of the video is fantastic. It starts with Paul performing and teaching the workings behind the gimmick as well as a ton of alternative uses for the gimmick. The video goes on to teach you how to make your own PaC Stack gimmick. Surprisingly, the construction wasn't as complex as I was expecting. It's something most could make in under an hour, but it will require a steady hand, a craft knife, and patience. There's also one part of the gimmick which you would have to source. I'm pretty certain the premade gimmick uses a different material than what is stated in the video, but both would get the job done. Paul teaches how to make it very clearly and slowly for those who struggle with making gimmicks. The truth of the matter is, if you're using this consistently, you're going to have to remake the gimmick at some point just from general wear and tear. I think the gimmick will last as long as an ungimmicked stack of business cards. The Peek itself: This peek is genius. I genuinely believe it is one of the most deceptive out there. First of all, there are no wallets. They simple put their card into the middle of the rubberbanded stack of cards. This makes since and it makes since that you'd have the stack (because that's how you carry the cards.) So there's no necessary justification for bringing the gimmick into play; it is already naturally justified. The peek also occurs even while they can see their card sticking out of the stack. Paul has them leave the card sticking out of the stack about a quarter of an inch. This insures they can watch their card at all times. It genuinely remains in the middle of the stack. This peek also has a very deceptive quality in that the stack remains parallel to the floor even when peeking. Meaning their image could never even be seen by the performer. The peek is also very reliable. There's nothing that can fail on you. The peek can also take as long or as quick as you want. You're in complete control. The peek can also be done while they burn your hands. Not that they should... but they could. After the peek happens, you can immediately show the stack of cards all around and even put the stack of cards in the specator's hands (if you're brave.) It's one of the most deceptive peeks out there. I showed my girlfriend is very familiar with peeks since I've tried out many on her. When I showed her this and began to reveal her drawing she said, "Wait.. you already know it!? How do you already know what my drawing is? when could you have possibly peeked it!?" If a magician doesn't know about the PaC Stack, I believe it would fool them too. Overall Thoughts: I am very impressed with this release. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a very natural and effective peek method. For those of you who purchased the download years ago but never made it up, I recommend picking this up. You already know what you're getting; you know it's great. If you haven't seen this, I recommend picking it up if you like the sound of it and like the trailer. You won't be disappointed. Plus, you'll learn how to make it. I may end up making one in a traditional business card size once my stack gets worn out. I plan on using this frequently. Madison |
Kuroth Veteran user Deep In the Heart of Texas 315 Posts |
Agree.. Just got mine Friday and it's very well made and packaged.. Well worth it to me..
Chapter 18 (Member circa 1938)
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saysold1 Eternal Order Recovering Cafe addict with only 10794 Posts |
I made my own years ago and this is a GREAT GREAT and very deceptive gimmick. Highly recommended.
Not easy to make DIY
Creator of The SvenPad Supreme(R) line of aerospace level quality, made in the USA utility props. https://svenpads.com/
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Paul Carnazzo Inner circle 1171 Posts |
Quote:
On Nov 5, 2017, MadisonH wrote: Thanks for taking the time to post your thoughts Madison, I’m glad you’re happy with pac stack! Quote:
On Nov 5, 2017, Kuroth wrote: Thanks for the feedback Kuroth! Quote:
On Nov 5, 2017, saysold1 wrote: Thanks Brett! The devices for PAC Stack: Fully Constructed really do look great and function beautifully. |
Stunninger Inner circle 2818 Posts |
PaC Stack Fully Constructed offers one of the most deceptive real time peeks I've ever seen.
There are two ways to get the information, and you can take as much time as you need. Unlike some approaches where the only option is a very quick peek, PaC Stack Fully Constructed allows an extended gaze when necessary. One of the best peek devices I've purchased. |
Paul Carnazzo Inner circle 1171 Posts |
Quote:
On Nov 8, 2017, Stunninger wrote: Thanks Stunninger, I'm thrilled that you are getting some use out of PaC Stack! |
Titanas V.I.P. 1995 Posts |
I had a proper sit down with Paul at MindVention and he showed me a lot of his effects (including PAC Stack).
If you are after some real world Mentalism and you like clever thinking then Paul is your man ps: I wish I had a Boston accent like him. Best regards, Titanas
Product Developer @ Murphys Magic Supplies
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NeilS Inner circle 3225 Posts |
As soon as I saw the smart box this comes in, I could see this was going to be a top quality product, and it is - far, far better than I ever thought, even though I knew the workings of the PaC Stack before. The whole stack and way it is constructed makes the product wonderfully deceptive and so easy to use.
I am really delighted with this and heartily recommend. Neil |
TuneHV Inner circle New York 2062 Posts |
My personal opinion is that this is the best peek device out there. So fair and innocent looking, yet incredibly deceptive.
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Paul Carnazzo Inner circle 1171 Posts |
Quote:
On Nov 17, 2017, Titanas wrote: Titanas, Thanks for taking the time to post your thoughts. It means a lot. It’s easy to speak with a Boston accent, it’s as easy as pahkin’ a cahh (“parking a car” for those who don’t speak Bostonian!). Quote:
On Nov 19, 2017, NeilS wrote: Thanks neil, I’m glad you’re happy with this! It’s true, the packaging does look excellent, and the devices work perfectly! Quote:
On Nov 19, 2017, TuneHV wrote: Thanks TuneHV, Although I am biased, I wholeheartedly agree! |
magicinsight Inner circle 4288 Posts |
Even though I alreay have the video download on how to construt Pac Stack myself, I purhcased two of the fully constructed Pac Stacks. They are great and perfectly made! Terrific and innocent peek. Highly recommended.
Michael
“Belief matters more than truth. Every moment, belief in imaginary things alters lives while truth sits unnoticed and waits.”
—Hakim, Loreweaver |
Sashac Inner circle 1041 Posts |
Just wanted to add to the already glowing reviews. I've owned the download for over a year now and still think this is one of the most innocent, and versatile utility devices out there. I like its carefree and unsuspicious look, devious workings and modular peek. I own almost every peek wallet out there (including Paul's,Weber's, The Viper and more) and still deem this to be the best for its price. By FAR.
The only (potential) downside was the arts and crafts the gimmick required, but I'm glad to see Paul listened to his audience and made this available fully constructed, at such an affordable price. I have a Fully Constructed version on the way to me, and will report back then with a more comprehensive review. But the core is the same: the utility is great, the instructions are comprehensive and the project is well worth your investment |
NeilS Inner circle 3225 Posts |
I fully echo this. This pre-constructed stack has been one of my best purchases of the year.
Neil |
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