Price$8.95
Media TypeTrick, Online Instructions, Gimmick(s)
CategoryGeneral, Close Up
Date AddedJul 03, 2024
SPRING PUZZLE
Apprentice Magic
APPRENTICE
(Based on 2 reviews)
Apprentice products come complete with all necessary props, online instructions as well as a great storyline to capture the imagination of your audience. The Apprentice Line of magic is focused toward beginners yet, many professional magicians around the world use these same tricks in their live shows. Learn magic the right way with the Apprentice Line of magic!
- Easy to perform!
- Easy to learn!
- Online video instructions!
- All props included!
- Performance tips!
- Story / patter included!
- Great quality!
Reviews
(Top ▲)
Overview
Spring Puzzle is another release by Apprentice Magic whose target market are those who are new to magic. Every effect in the Apprentice Magic line is a recreation of a classic magic trick that has been in vogue at one time or another. Overall, the concept of a complete line of classic effects is one that I am very excited about, but just re-releasing tricks that are already on the market without adding anything of value seems to me, pointless. The Ring and Spring puzzle has been around for decades and it is included with almost any inexpensive kid’s magic set. They are also available from magic dealers for around $2. There have been several versions of this effect over the years from the most basic, to one that explored it to its maximum. So what makes Spring Puzzle by Apprentice Magic different than those? Unfortunately, not much.Effect
The Ring and Spring Puzzle, as the name implies it is a puzzle more than a magical effect. The performer shows a ring and a spring to a participant(s). The two components are shown to be independent of each other. The ring is then gently placed within the coils of the spring and handed to the participant. They are then asked to remove the spring and of course they can’t. The performer takes them back and very easily separates them. This is done until the participant wants to punch the performer in the nose.Method
The method involves a very subtle move to lock the ring on the spring. Due to the fact that the ring looks virtually the same in the unlocked and locked position, one cannot remove the ring unless they know the secret. The more difficult part of the “trick” is the presentation which leads us down a path that many magicians unfortunately go down. The Ring and Spring, The Popper and even some traditional magic tricks like Copper / Silver / Brass and The Slydini Silks fall victim to presentations known as Sucker Effects. These are effects where the participant is made to look foolish because they cannot do something and the magician can. At one-point Sucker Effects abounded in magic but by today’s standards they are looked down upon by most professionals. Making a volunteer look foolish to others not only make the rest of the audience sympathize with the victim but will more than likely turn the audience as a whole against the performer. Unfortunately, it is very hard to present The Ring and Spring in a non-challenging way.Product Quality
The ring and spring provided are chrome plated and feel nice to hold. The spring itself is longer than others out on the market but the ring a bit smaller. For those who think that any ring and spring can be used, save yourself some time trying to cobble this together yourself. There is a specific ratio of the diameter of the ring and spring and thicknesses od the coils for this to work properly. While some may not like the size of the ring provided, I happen to find it perfect for a one handed twist of the ring as it is passed to the participant. The issue I have with this release is the lack of attention in the instructional portion of the product. The video provided is 5 minute and 46 seconds and covers only the basic handling of the props. It isn’t much different than the printed instructions you would receive if you purchased the cheaper versions.Ad Copy Integrity
The ad copy does not live up to its claims. The claim is that “a great storyline is provided to capture the imagination of your audience”. There is no such storyline provided. It is the same basic “I can do it and you can’t version” everyone else uses. If a truly creative script would have been provided this would have been a worthwhile purchase.Final Thoughts
If you like the challenge of possibly presenting this effect in a non-confrontational way, look at spRING by Joonas Mengel. There are more presentational ideas in that release for not much more money.(Top ▲)
Overview
1 spring, 1 ring, 5:46 minutes of Javier, $9.00 bucks, and 1 Spring Puzzle Magic Review.Is it gem or is it rubble? Stay tuned to find out.
Effect
The magician can unlink a ring from a coiled spring but the spectator cannot.Method
A sneaky nearly invisible "move" that the magician knows and the spectator doesn't. It takes a split second and goes undetected and is easy.Product Quality
Overall this is solid. However, the ring is a bit too small for the spring. It still works, but if it were just a tad bigger it would work much better.On the flip side, the spring is a fair bit longer than the ones that you may be used to. In this case, it's an advantage that allows you do a cool illusion where the ring seems to just unwind itself down the length of the spring and just fall right off. It's a beautiful illusion that can't be done as effectively with smaller springs.
The tutorial is brief, but good.
Ad Copy Integrity
Claim: "Story / patter included!"Nope. This is running theme with these. They claim to provide story / patter, but they do not.
Other than this recurring theme, the ad copy is good.
Final Thoughts
Generally speaking I like the Apprentice product line from Murphy's. They are beautifully packaged, and sturdily packaged. They're bringing attention to some classic tricks that got many of us into magic, including myself.
The price is right, and they're doing a great job capturing the spirit and feelings that I remember having as a kid when I first starting learning about magic. I think they're truly inspiring a younger generation with this product line.
In this specific trick, the quality is good, but the ring is a bit too small, but that may be because I have ginormous hands. However, there's aforementioned ad copy glitch. Otherwise, solid.
Final Verdict:
4 Stars with a Stone Status of gem.