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sehrgut Regular user Augusta, GA 105 Posts |
Has anyone seen or used the Hank Lee Electronic Paddle? Not that it's anywhere near my budget, but I'm just wondering if it's really two hundred bucks worth of enchantment. From the description, it appears to be a fairly simple effect. After you do a standard "bits of paper on a knife" routine (using little sawed-off LEDs as "spots"), the LEDs start flashing.
My question is, is this thing really going to grab spectators whose VCRs have been flashing little blinky lights at them for years? I know I sound negative, but I really would like to hear that "it's absolutely fantabulous and the description just doesn't do it justice." Cheers! Keith
"It is February, and time to take ink and weep.
One must always write of February while weeping." -Boris Pasternak "That night something of youth and beauty died in the elder world." -H.P. Lovecraft |
cataquet Veteran user England 363 Posts |
Keith, until you see the demo and decide that you must have it, spend your money on something else. Consider the effect: it's a paddle routine!! You can do this with a stick. Why use an electronic device? To make it look prettier?! Ridiculous.
Moreover, think of how an audience would explain the whole thing: "It's a bunch of remote controlled, electronic... blah, blah, blah" The props give them the possible explanation. I have the same problem with a magnetic version (where the paddle is magnetic and the spots are shimmed). The audience can see it's a magnet, so you are doing some tricks with magnets!
Harold Cataquet
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sehrgut Regular user Augusta, GA 105 Posts |
That's actually what I was thinking. I don't think an audience could get $10 worth of astonishment out of it, much less $200 worth. Combine that with the fact that less than a couple of dollar's worth of parts went into the thing, and . . . eh . . .
Actually, my reason for asking was that I was thinking of making one. It wouldn't be hard . . . in fact, the only difficult part would be fabrication of the paddle itself. The circuitry and such is really half a dozen components at most, though I think making it may be time misspent . . .
"It is February, and time to take ink and weep.
One must always write of February while weeping." -Boris Pasternak "That night something of youth and beauty died in the elder world." -H.P. Lovecraft |
MagiCanada Regular user Vancouver 140 Posts |
Sehrgut... Do you already do any paddle routines?
I bought my little brother a magic set and permanently "borrowed" the paddle. I got a lot of mileage out of it. I was amazed how effective something SO SIMPLE can be. I've never seen this Electronic Paddle before. I'm sure "bigger is better" holds true with this item. Looks "Sehr Gut" and über cool. |
sehrgut Regular user Augusta, GA 105 Posts |
Yes, I do a little bit with paddles: more so in the future, I hope. However, I've gotten completely fed up with the HotRod (in fact, it's one I would put on the "never buy" list, but apparently I'm in a minority . . . ). I've started making my own paddles. I need to dig out some paint to decorate and gimmick a couple I'm working on right now as my first hand-made paddles, in fact.
Have you seen Chance Wolf's PaddleCraft line? They're astounding. Just watch the demo video . . . Out of curiosity, what paddle did your brother's set come with? As far as "bigger is better" goes, that would be true if people weren't so used to electronic lights blinking on and off all the time . . . I dunno . . . maybe I'll make one when I can use my grandpa's electronics shop: I have no appropriate tools myself. Cheers! Keith ps. Wow! You know what sehr gut means! That makes me happy: maybe I'll have to buy something from you . . . *grin*
"It is February, and time to take ink and weep.
One must always write of February while weeping." -Boris Pasternak "That night something of youth and beauty died in the elder world." -H.P. Lovecraft |
MagiCanada Regular user Vancouver 140 Posts |
Keith!
I don't know what paddle or magic set I bought for my brother. It was the cheapest I could find. He destroys absolutely everything - I knew the magic set would only last one day. It was a great little paddle though - very smooth. I like the look of the wooden paddles on the link you gave. They look very professional. I love real wooden magic items. I bought a magic wand from http://www.alivans.com. I never use it in any magical demonstration, but I just love having it. It's nice to have a few things you can just keep as a personal collector piece. Oh yeah, "SEHR GUT" is a phrase I use EVERY DAY!!!! Of course I know what it means. Also, Danke und Bitte.... all the regular German phrases. My surname is Kremer. Can't get much more German than that! Are you German too? ...or just like use the phrases...? |
sehrgut Regular user Augusta, GA 105 Posts |
I too love wooden magic paraphernalia . . . as a matter of fact, I'm trying to make some of my own paddles (one of them based on the "hopping hole" given in the link). As for wands, I always make my own . . .
And yes, I use "sehr gut" every day as well. It, along with "danke schone" and "guten nacht" are in my small repertoire. I'm mostly German, and my mom speaks it, but I don't -- I've picked up some phrases from her, though. Speaking of "Kremer", a great resource for materials for handcrafted props is Kremer Pigmente -- one of my favourite companies in the whole wide world. *grin* Cheers! Keith
"It is February, and time to take ink and weep.
One must always write of February while weeping." -Boris Pasternak "That night something of youth and beauty died in the elder world." -H.P. Lovecraft |
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