Massa Deck Review:
For questions about how I review cards this template may explain my methods:
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=156760
Other Reviews on the Massa: http://www.penguinmagic.com/discuss/vie ... p?t=152693
For a video suppliment to this review: http://www.vimeo.com/9345095
Initial Impression:
These cards have Potential! My initial impression of these cards was pretty good. They are a lighter, slightly thinner card than an 808 which may appeal to magicians with smaller hands or those who are just beginning to explore knuckle busting moves. The stock feels a bit flimsy for a guy who just got used to the Fournier 605s but it seems sturdy enough to handle most moves. The finish is quite interesting in that it seems to try to bridge the gap between the heavily dimpled stock of the standard USPC brands and the smooth European style cards. A hybrid style finish may have been a bit of a gamble but it seems to work quite well on these lighter cards. Fans and riffle shuffles are silky smooth. Easily as good as a bike…perhaps better. My biggest beef with them is the size of the box. The box looks great but is just a bit too big for a card clip. Ironic considering the cards themselves are a bit smaller than an 808.
The Look: This is a black backed deck with a black boarder. There is design work of all four suits patterned on the backs of these cards. They have a one way back but it is subtle enough that it will not be terribly obvious. The fronts are standard white with very standard looking court cards. The ace of spades is a fairly standard design with a large spade and company info scrolled at the bottom of the card. Perhaps the most unique feature on the face of these cards is the deep maroon color used for the hearts and diamonds. It is a nice change of pace and seems to give the cards an elegant look. In all these cards have a “fancy casino” look to them. They seem like they would be a good fit for a Riviera Casino. James Bond villains and sexy bombshells not included.
Card construction:
Two things seem to stand out. It seems to use a thinner stock(I’ll confirm this once I split one) and much smaller dimple pattern than the USPC standards. Both combine to make an overall thinner deck. The thickness of the deck came to about 14.8 mm (warning: this was measured with a pretty cheap set of calipers) which when paired up against a Bicycle deck was a bout three cards thinner. The stock is not only thin but soft as well. The combination thin/soft stock and hybrid finish give these cards a real slippery, silky feel. Riffle shuffles and fans are a dream but moves like the one handed pop-over are very difficult to control.
Durability: These cards were KIA after 1 week due to poor crimp hold and recovery and it's tendancy to collect dirt faster than most other decks I have used.
Handling:
Fanning:
OOB:9
1 Week: 6(8 if cleaned)
These cards are easily the equal of the 808s but I hesitate saying they are better. My impression is that they do fan a tad better but not enough to warrant a rating. Regardless pretty fans are one of it’s better attributes.
Spring Moves:
OOB:6
1 Week:5.5
Definitely not as stiff as a Bike. That shouldn’t discourage you from checking them out. The light weight card means that you won’t need as much stored energy to get them to fly. They will flip a Diving Board Double about as high as an 808 but not nearly as high as a Fournier 605.
Dribbles:
OOB:9
1 Week:7
A nice dribbling deck. Every card comes off nice and smooth and it will not require much strength to attain nice smooth dribbles. This will be a good deck for those of you practicing the Anaconda. For magic moves dribble shifts should be deceptive and dribble forces should have good control.
Crimp hold and recovery:
OOB:6 for hold/ 7 for recovery
1 Week: 4/4
As you would expect with such a light stock these cards didn’t hold up to well in this category. After ten shuffles I could barely find my crimp. Once I found it and tried to straighten it out I could still make it out a bit. Overall this doesn’t bode well for the durability of the deck but it might surprise me.
Single Card Glides:
OOB:8
1 Week:9
Definite improvement over the bikes but not quite as thoughtless and easy to perform as with the Fournier.
2+Card Obfuscations:
OOB:8
1 Week:7
A surprise on this one. I expected the weaker stock and ultra smooth finish would hurt performance here but it was a bit of a mixed result. The Massa seemed to handle DL fairly well. It was also fairly secure when displaying cards held at one corner. Where it gets cagy was in the spin type displays where cards are held at opposing corners. Floop, Shape Shifter, and the Jones Change al felt very insecure. With all this I decided to split the difference and call it an 8.
XCM cuts: Depending on your style and skill level this might be a good card for a flourisher. It will fan like a dream and the lightness of the deck could help some with certain aerial moves but packet cuts will be a bit less secure.
Card Splitting and Gaff construction/availability: *edit 2/16/10* Finally got around to splitting a few of these. They actually can apart rather nicely. At least as easy as splitting an 808, so if you get a bunch of these decks and could devote a pack for Gaffs without too much trouble. There are no gaffs on the market, and since we will likely never see them printed again, you will have to split some cards if you need a gaff card effect.
A Few Thoughts on Magic:
I added this section to the review to address a few aspects specific to this deck. Primarily the black boarder with a white face. As many of you know black bordered decks have a tendency to get a white edge as they age. This makes 2+ obfuscations a little more sketchy with older black decks. I have no reason to believe that this deck will age any differently. The contrast of the white face and black bordered back makes various turnovers more challenging to disguise. You had better have perfect technique before attempting a half pass or card turnover with this deck since the slightest misalignment will quickly be detected.
Who should not buy?: Me for one. While I like the deck it is a bit flimsy and out of control for some of the moves I like to perform. If you are heavy handed with your cards or just prefer a stronger feel to a deck these might be a bit to slippery for you.
Who should buy these?: Folks who have a light touch with the cards will like this deck. If your flourishing includes lots of fans and dribbles this one should be in your collection. Also newer magicians might want to give this one a try. If you haven’t built up much hand strength this deck might be good for getting a handle on knuckle busting moves.
Final Thoughts: Great deck with a ton of potential! I know…I said it wasn’t a deck for me but I’m not everybody. For what it is it has qualities that are hard to beat. It will do Okay for magic but the look and handling will make it excel for flourishes.
Here are a few more thoughts on the history of this deck. It seems to be selling for cheap right now. There was kind of a mystery as to where this card came from on discussion boards I read. Furthermore a few have claimed that this may be the next Jerry’s Nugget in terms of collection value. If you read the bottom of the box it indicates quite clearly that it is made by Casino Playing Cards LTD. CPC LTD. is a small card manufacturer (5-10) people owned by Michael Massa…thus the name. It seems as if caninovendors.com has recently pulled the listing for this company and I suspect the company may have gone under? That would explain why listings of card prices from a few years back quote a deck at up to $10.00 and within the last year or so several online shops began selling these for between $2.50 – $5.00 range. Personally I hate to start speculating on the future value of these cards but here are a few things to consider. If my assumptions are correct then these cards may begin to increase in value once the supplies grow thin. Here are a few things to consider before buying these as a collection investment. First, remember that Jerry’s Nuggets were last printed in the 1970s and it wasn’t until the last 10 years that supplies were short enough and demand great enough that their value began to shoot up. Jerry’s were also featured by many famous magicians and the “I wan’na be like Mike” syndrome helped further fuel the demand. Before these cards start to shoot up in value something similar will likely need to happen. The biggest if is the current supply. I have no clue how many of these are sitting in warehouses but obviously enough that they can be sold for a very modest price. Not being much of a collector, and the fact that these cards don’t exactly fit my style of magic and flourishing I’ll likely pass but if you fit into one of those categories by all means buy a brick! There sure is a lot about this deck to appreciate.
For questions about how I review cards this template may explain my methods:
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=156760
Other Reviews on the Massa: http://www.penguinmagic.com/discuss/vie ... p?t=152693
For a video suppliment to this review: http://www.vimeo.com/9345095
Initial Impression:
These cards have Potential! My initial impression of these cards was pretty good. They are a lighter, slightly thinner card than an 808 which may appeal to magicians with smaller hands or those who are just beginning to explore knuckle busting moves. The stock feels a bit flimsy for a guy who just got used to the Fournier 605s but it seems sturdy enough to handle most moves. The finish is quite interesting in that it seems to try to bridge the gap between the heavily dimpled stock of the standard USPC brands and the smooth European style cards. A hybrid style finish may have been a bit of a gamble but it seems to work quite well on these lighter cards. Fans and riffle shuffles are silky smooth. Easily as good as a bike…perhaps better. My biggest beef with them is the size of the box. The box looks great but is just a bit too big for a card clip. Ironic considering the cards themselves are a bit smaller than an 808.
The Look: This is a black backed deck with a black boarder. There is design work of all four suits patterned on the backs of these cards. They have a one way back but it is subtle enough that it will not be terribly obvious. The fronts are standard white with very standard looking court cards. The ace of spades is a fairly standard design with a large spade and company info scrolled at the bottom of the card. Perhaps the most unique feature on the face of these cards is the deep maroon color used for the hearts and diamonds. It is a nice change of pace and seems to give the cards an elegant look. In all these cards have a “fancy casino” look to them. They seem like they would be a good fit for a Riviera Casino. James Bond villains and sexy bombshells not included.
Card construction:
Two things seem to stand out. It seems to use a thinner stock(I’ll confirm this once I split one) and much smaller dimple pattern than the USPC standards. Both combine to make an overall thinner deck. The thickness of the deck came to about 14.8 mm (warning: this was measured with a pretty cheap set of calipers) which when paired up against a Bicycle deck was a bout three cards thinner. The stock is not only thin but soft as well. The combination thin/soft stock and hybrid finish give these cards a real slippery, silky feel. Riffle shuffles and fans are a dream but moves like the one handed pop-over are very difficult to control.
Durability: These cards were KIA after 1 week due to poor crimp hold and recovery and it's tendancy to collect dirt faster than most other decks I have used.
Handling:
Fanning:
OOB:9
1 Week: 6(8 if cleaned)
These cards are easily the equal of the 808s but I hesitate saying they are better. My impression is that they do fan a tad better but not enough to warrant a rating. Regardless pretty fans are one of it’s better attributes.
Spring Moves:
OOB:6
1 Week:5.5
Definitely not as stiff as a Bike. That shouldn’t discourage you from checking them out. The light weight card means that you won’t need as much stored energy to get them to fly. They will flip a Diving Board Double about as high as an 808 but not nearly as high as a Fournier 605.
Dribbles:
OOB:9
1 Week:7
A nice dribbling deck. Every card comes off nice and smooth and it will not require much strength to attain nice smooth dribbles. This will be a good deck for those of you practicing the Anaconda. For magic moves dribble shifts should be deceptive and dribble forces should have good control.
Crimp hold and recovery:
OOB:6 for hold/ 7 for recovery
1 Week: 4/4
As you would expect with such a light stock these cards didn’t hold up to well in this category. After ten shuffles I could barely find my crimp. Once I found it and tried to straighten it out I could still make it out a bit. Overall this doesn’t bode well for the durability of the deck but it might surprise me.
Single Card Glides:
OOB:8
1 Week:9
Definite improvement over the bikes but not quite as thoughtless and easy to perform as with the Fournier.
2+Card Obfuscations:
OOB:8
1 Week:7
A surprise on this one. I expected the weaker stock and ultra smooth finish would hurt performance here but it was a bit of a mixed result. The Massa seemed to handle DL fairly well. It was also fairly secure when displaying cards held at one corner. Where it gets cagy was in the spin type displays where cards are held at opposing corners. Floop, Shape Shifter, and the Jones Change al felt very insecure. With all this I decided to split the difference and call it an 8.
XCM cuts: Depending on your style and skill level this might be a good card for a flourisher. It will fan like a dream and the lightness of the deck could help some with certain aerial moves but packet cuts will be a bit less secure.
Card Splitting and Gaff construction/availability: *edit 2/16/10* Finally got around to splitting a few of these. They actually can apart rather nicely. At least as easy as splitting an 808, so if you get a bunch of these decks and could devote a pack for Gaffs without too much trouble. There are no gaffs on the market, and since we will likely never see them printed again, you will have to split some cards if you need a gaff card effect.
A Few Thoughts on Magic:
I added this section to the review to address a few aspects specific to this deck. Primarily the black boarder with a white face. As many of you know black bordered decks have a tendency to get a white edge as they age. This makes 2+ obfuscations a little more sketchy with older black decks. I have no reason to believe that this deck will age any differently. The contrast of the white face and black bordered back makes various turnovers more challenging to disguise. You had better have perfect technique before attempting a half pass or card turnover with this deck since the slightest misalignment will quickly be detected.
Who should not buy?: Me for one. While I like the deck it is a bit flimsy and out of control for some of the moves I like to perform. If you are heavy handed with your cards or just prefer a stronger feel to a deck these might be a bit to slippery for you.
Who should buy these?: Folks who have a light touch with the cards will like this deck. If your flourishing includes lots of fans and dribbles this one should be in your collection. Also newer magicians might want to give this one a try. If you haven’t built up much hand strength this deck might be good for getting a handle on knuckle busting moves.
Final Thoughts: Great deck with a ton of potential! I know…I said it wasn’t a deck for me but I’m not everybody. For what it is it has qualities that are hard to beat. It will do Okay for magic but the look and handling will make it excel for flourishes.
Here are a few more thoughts on the history of this deck. It seems to be selling for cheap right now. There was kind of a mystery as to where this card came from on discussion boards I read. Furthermore a few have claimed that this may be the next Jerry’s Nugget in terms of collection value. If you read the bottom of the box it indicates quite clearly that it is made by Casino Playing Cards LTD. CPC LTD. is a small card manufacturer (5-10) people owned by Michael Massa…thus the name. It seems as if caninovendors.com has recently pulled the listing for this company and I suspect the company may have gone under? That would explain why listings of card prices from a few years back quote a deck at up to $10.00 and within the last year or so several online shops began selling these for between $2.50 – $5.00 range. Personally I hate to start speculating on the future value of these cards but here are a few things to consider. If my assumptions are correct then these cards may begin to increase in value once the supplies grow thin. Here are a few things to consider before buying these as a collection investment. First, remember that Jerry’s Nuggets were last printed in the 1970s and it wasn’t until the last 10 years that supplies were short enough and demand great enough that their value began to shoot up. Jerry’s were also featured by many famous magicians and the “I wan’na be like Mike” syndrome helped further fuel the demand. Before these cards start to shoot up in value something similar will likely need to happen. The biggest if is the current supply. I have no clue how many of these are sitting in warehouses but obviously enough that they can be sold for a very modest price. Not being much of a collector, and the fact that these cards don’t exactly fit my style of magic and flourishing I’ll likely pass but if you fit into one of those categories by all means buy a brick! There sure is a lot about this deck to appreciate.