Title: Gonzo
Artist: Jose Lac’Quest
Producers: Jose Lac’Quest
Link: Available At Your Favorite Murphy’s Magic Dealer
Retail Price: $89.95 USD
Learning Difficulty: Medium to Difficult
Length of Video: Minutes (approx)
Includes:
· GONZO Leather caring case
· GONZO gimmick
· Instructional DVD
· Additional Special Stuff for other effects done with GONZO
Gonzo is a utility gimmick that allows for impossible vanishes, switches, and appearances in your hands in a more than apparently fair fashion.
I saw the video online for this product and I knew I had to order one, but before I could do that I’d have to pick my jaw up off the floor first. The visuals on the effects done with this prop is just insane. I’ve seen other systems such as the M5, the Raven, and the Gecko, that all promise to do what Gonzo does but never before have I seen a device that allows you to do all this stuff so cleanly. It’s like getting away with murder.
When my package arrived I was blown away by the production quality. Everything is top notch. From the nice DVD case to the leather caring pouch with the belt strap fastener and product name stamped into the soft supple leather.
There’s a learning curve when working with Gonzo. This isn’t going to be something you just strap on, run out, and start using. There is a lot of room for personalization as you get comfortable with the gimmick and set it up to work for you, but once you’ve got past that then the magic is so real you’ll fool yourself in rehearsal. If you’re already familiar with or own other shimmed gimmicks like coins, cards, cigarettes, shells, or other tricks that are responsive to Raven or M5 like devices then you’ll find that they work well with Gonzo too. If you don’t have access to those the extras that come with Gonzo will give you a good solid head start at making a few gimmicks for yourself that you’ll get a lot of use out of. There is a DIY element to Gonzo, but it’s no worse than a lot of what you already see on the market today.
Gonzo is angle sensitive. Don’t freak out, if you can learn to manage it then it won’t be a problem. However having said that there will be certain places, certain situations, that won’t be the best for it. There is a wide range of effects you can accomplish so this is going to be a device you’ll love spending time with, playing with, and finding new ways to incorporate it into your close up routines. This is a killer product for close up or street performers. Strolling magicians will love it also. Stage not so much so. Not because the magic isn’t strong enough, but it’s really optimized to work better for smaller up-close audiences.
At the end of the day all I can say is that I am faced with a very pleasant problem: I have bitten off more than I can chew with a single magical prop. Gonzo has over delivered and I’ve got more possibilities than I’ll probably ever use regarding this prop. The magic is solid, the effects are visual, and the prop is very well built and packaged. Worth every single penny I tell you.
When I give my product scores below I am measuring them on a scale of 1 to 10. 1 Being absolute the worst score possible, and 10 being the absolute best, making a score of five average. The four points that I grade upon is Product Quality, Teaching Quality, Sound & Video Quality and Overall Quality.
Product Quality: 9
Well constructed gimmick. It will last a long time. The price is on par, if not cheaper than what it should be. I would have gladly paid more for this.
Teaching Quality: 8
The video is easy to follow and learn from.
Video & Sound Quality: 9
The video and sound are both good.
Overall Quality: 10
This is one of the few magic products that over delivers. I seriously love the hell out of this little thing.
Have a product you want reviewed? Want to see if it will stand up to the Draven Seal of Approval? Contact me directly at draven@williamdraven.com to find out how your product could be on the next Draven Reviews! Don't forget to like my blog where all my reviews are posted at www.williamdraven.wordpress.com.
Artist: Jose Lac’Quest
Producers: Jose Lac’Quest
Link: Available At Your Favorite Murphy’s Magic Dealer
Retail Price: $89.95 USD
Learning Difficulty: Medium to Difficult
Length of Video: Minutes (approx)
Includes:
· GONZO Leather caring case
· GONZO gimmick
· Instructional DVD
· Additional Special Stuff for other effects done with GONZO
Gonzo is a utility gimmick that allows for impossible vanishes, switches, and appearances in your hands in a more than apparently fair fashion.
I saw the video online for this product and I knew I had to order one, but before I could do that I’d have to pick my jaw up off the floor first. The visuals on the effects done with this prop is just insane. I’ve seen other systems such as the M5, the Raven, and the Gecko, that all promise to do what Gonzo does but never before have I seen a device that allows you to do all this stuff so cleanly. It’s like getting away with murder.
When my package arrived I was blown away by the production quality. Everything is top notch. From the nice DVD case to the leather caring pouch with the belt strap fastener and product name stamped into the soft supple leather.
There’s a learning curve when working with Gonzo. This isn’t going to be something you just strap on, run out, and start using. There is a lot of room for personalization as you get comfortable with the gimmick and set it up to work for you, but once you’ve got past that then the magic is so real you’ll fool yourself in rehearsal. If you’re already familiar with or own other shimmed gimmicks like coins, cards, cigarettes, shells, or other tricks that are responsive to Raven or M5 like devices then you’ll find that they work well with Gonzo too. If you don’t have access to those the extras that come with Gonzo will give you a good solid head start at making a few gimmicks for yourself that you’ll get a lot of use out of. There is a DIY element to Gonzo, but it’s no worse than a lot of what you already see on the market today.
Gonzo is angle sensitive. Don’t freak out, if you can learn to manage it then it won’t be a problem. However having said that there will be certain places, certain situations, that won’t be the best for it. There is a wide range of effects you can accomplish so this is going to be a device you’ll love spending time with, playing with, and finding new ways to incorporate it into your close up routines. This is a killer product for close up or street performers. Strolling magicians will love it also. Stage not so much so. Not because the magic isn’t strong enough, but it’s really optimized to work better for smaller up-close audiences.
At the end of the day all I can say is that I am faced with a very pleasant problem: I have bitten off more than I can chew with a single magical prop. Gonzo has over delivered and I’ve got more possibilities than I’ll probably ever use regarding this prop. The magic is solid, the effects are visual, and the prop is very well built and packaged. Worth every single penny I tell you.
When I give my product scores below I am measuring them on a scale of 1 to 10. 1 Being absolute the worst score possible, and 10 being the absolute best, making a score of five average. The four points that I grade upon is Product Quality, Teaching Quality, Sound & Video Quality and Overall Quality.
Product Quality: 9
Well constructed gimmick. It will last a long time. The price is on par, if not cheaper than what it should be. I would have gladly paid more for this.
Teaching Quality: 8
The video is easy to follow and learn from.
Video & Sound Quality: 9
The video and sound are both good.
Overall Quality: 10
This is one of the few magic products that over delivers. I seriously love the hell out of this little thing.
Have a product you want reviewed? Want to see if it will stand up to the Draven Seal of Approval? Contact me directly at draven@williamdraven.com to find out how your product could be on the next Draven Reviews! Don't forget to like my blog where all my reviews are posted at www.williamdraven.wordpress.com.
