Who in your Opinion has the Best Parlor/Stage version of a Mental Epic Board? Mikame, Astor, Lefler etc......

I am looking for Qlty, ease of use, etc......

Thanks

Charlie

Hi Charlie, tough to beat the Lefler model. I have had one for many years and it still works great and the no force feature is great.

Thanks for the info JM... The others I mentioned have a no force feature too. Just wondering if Lefler is a superior/better way... I understand on his the predictions can be in different color too?

Hi Charlie

I have had an opportunity to handle the other two mentined but prefer the Lefler from a looks and handling persepective. The Astor model is clever but looks a little too flashy for my tastes. You might want to pick up Paul Romhany's "Mental Epic Compendium" for some great routines, if you don't already have it.

Cheers,

John

Any comments on the UF Grant version? Mak Citation -an epic board which only uses 3 'windows' - ie only the performer's predictions written down.

I have the Astor version - not too impressed with the third (no force) final reveal.

I also like Lefler's Supreme Slate Of Mind.

The Mental Epic Pad by Marc Oberon also seems interesting. Looks less like a magic prop.

Hen Fetsch came up with this and I think in some ways the old fashioned chalk board is better and more natural looking, though it does require a force. With layman though, they never know the difference.
Don't run if you are not being chased.

Richard

The simplest version of all reverts back to UF Grant's original "Citation" which becomes elegant and up-to-date by using a classy looking whiteboard in a polished wood frame from... Staples! Then, using the methods described by Spellbinder in Mini-Mysteries Book 2 - "Whiteboard Citation for Mentalists" you can perform a no-force version that will puzzle a room full of magicians (at least those who don't have Spellbinder's e-Book!) because the whiteboard is completely ungimmicked, as are all the marking pens, etc. The board and marking pens came to about $10 at Staples.

As usual, I'm with Richard.

I'm on my 3rd Mental Epic Board from Abbott's.........in my opinion, the prop doesn't matter at all.........it's the presentation that does.

I got mine many moons ago from Lou Walston of the Funhouse in balto. when the Yogi magic mart was open.(LIKE) the very one used by Harry B. Jr.
it's by far and this is my opinion , the best one.

The Spellbinder writeup says the Whiteboard Citation does require a force.

I don't see "cheesewrestler" on the list of purchasers of Spellbinder's "Whiteboard Citation for Mentalists", but for those who actually did purchase it, you'll find Spellbinder's "no force" methods (yes, there are more than one) on pages 20-21 of the e-Book.

I don't see where in my post I said I was a purchaser of "Whiteboard Citation".

What I did do is go to the Spellbinder website and look through the listed items for sale until I came to "Whiteboard Citation for Mentalists by Professor Spellbinder", where the description, complete and in its entirety, reads:

"Just in case you're not familiar with U.F. Grant's Streamlined version of Citation, it was a variation of Hen Fetsch's Mental Epic that shrank the board to half its size. The predictions are made on one side of the board and the events as they happen or items as they are chosen are written on the other side of the board.
As in the Hen Fetsch original, one item is forced and the other two are freely chosen. The original was a chalkboard, but Citation can take on new life if you convert it into a whiteboard and write on it with dry erase markers. I'll show you how to make several versions, including a Dollar Store versiom made for under $5.00, and the original Grant Citation which predated Hen Fetsch's Mental Epic by a couple of years ... yes, Grant invented the concept FIRST!"

Don't get mold on your cheese. I'm happy to discover that you are not a customer and are not likely to become one in the future. The secrets of the "no force" methods of Professor Spellbinder are safe from the world.

What are some of the routine and presentational problems with the Mental Epic, and what are the best solutions? I rarely see anyone talk about this effect and its problems. I find most people try to solve the wrong problems, if they look at the issues at all.

My original traditional-style board, a Supreme version I bought several decades ago, used big bulldog clips to hold on the heavy cardboard number squares that covered the predictions. That necessitated a lot of fumbling, but my more modern version features hinged panels to cover the predictions. I've also seen performers use various techniques to cover up the required movement of the gimmick. Some methods were physical, such as adding felt or foam to eliminate noise. One performer I saw (who must have had a sufficiently quiet version of the trick) simply dropped the slate to his side vertically, which did the deed. I don't expect these methods are news to seasoned performers, but may be of some help to those new to the effect.

I think the biggest challenge is to not drag the effect out too long. J.G. Thompson once said something to the effect that many feats of mentalism collapse because of their "wait".

Collapsing of their "wait," indeed! That is more of the problem I was suggesting. I wasn't referring to the technical so much as the presentational problems such as anti-climatic ending, lack of build, etc.

What are the strengths and weaknesses of the various approaches to presentation?

The current U.S. and World championships in Mental Epic presentation are held by Richard Osterlind.

For several years, I only had a traditional chalkboard mental epic that required a force. It always felt anticlimactic to me, even if I did the reveal in reverse. About a month ago I found someone selling the Lefler Supreme Slate of Mind and got to perform it a couple weeks ago. I absolutely loved it!

The handling was great, and the ability to go any any direction you want with categories was even more awesome! I perform for kids and in that first show, when I got to the third person I said choose any animal you want to which the kid responded, "Can I think of a car instead?" I was able to say sure go ahead. That was so fun.

I've not worked with the others, but had wanted the Lefler SSOM for a while. I'm really happy with it.