2 reviews for Mystery Blox by PropDog, Steven Macrow, Nicholas Dakin
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Mystery Blox by PropDog, Steven Macrow, Nicholas Dakin
(c. 2019) (Submit Review) (Submit Update)For almost twenty years I have been performing John Kennedy’s amazing and beautiful Mystery Box. I’ve purchased every variation of John’s box that came along and also many other Card to Box variations. But to this day I still prefer John’s version (I use Mystery Box II, but all of the early ones have pretty much the same impact). The Mystery Box is perfect in almost every way, and I have not wanted for more. So when this new version came along from Dave Bonsall’s Propdog I didn’t really expect anything to change. Boy was I wrong …
What a clever idea filled with significant improvements over every previous version I’ve seen. Using legos is such a good idea because they look so innocent and normal. Even though no one has ever commented on the Mystery Box not looking normal, clearly it is a special box. But making a box out of legos in front of the audience and then tipping out their signed card from the lego box a few minutes later is simply beautiful and a genius idea too. Mystery Blox will be the version of this effect I use going forward.
Really amazing stuff from PropDog, Steven Macrow, Nicholas Dakin, this is just perfect, thank-you so much for bringing it to the community 🙂
Update: December 2023 – I have now switched back to the Mystery Box II, see my review below.
Effect: Mystery Blox is a great idea by Steven Macrow and Nicholas Dakin and brought to life and produced by PropDog. Based on the Kennedy Box principle, the spectator picks and signs a playing card (not forced) the magician then assembles the four walls of a lego box in front of the spectator, places a lid on the box very cleanly right in front of the spectator’s eyes.
On opening the box, the spectator now sees a playing card inside the box. The magician then tips out the card to reveal the spectator’s signed card.
The box comes with a red card gimmick ready made up for you that just needs a few minutes wearing in. All you have to do assemble a few lego pieces and you’re ready to go.
We also give you:
- 2 red card gimmicks
- 2 blue card gimmicks
- 1 paper with question mark gimmick
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Approx. Price: $65.00 (2019) ***
Notice: I am not a dealer and this item is not for sale on this site. It maybe available in the links below or at our sister site: qualitymagic.com, but not from here so please do not ask.© Martin's Magic (unless otherwise stated). All Rights Reserved.
Andy Martin –
For almost twenty years I have been performing John Kennedy’s amazing and beautiful Mystery Box. I’ve purchased every variation of John’s box that came along and also many other Card to Box variations. But to this day I still prefer John’s version (I use Mystery Box II, but all of the early ones have pretty much the same impact). The Mystery Box is perfect in almost every way, and I have not wanted for more. So when this new version came along from Dave Bonsall’s Propdog I didn’t really expect anything to change. Boy was I wrong …
What a clever idea filled with significant improvements over every previous version I’ve seen. Using legos is such a good idea because they look so innocent and normal. Even though no one has ever commented on the Mystery Box not looking normal, clearly it is a special box. But making a box out of legos in front of the audience and then tipping out their signed card from the lego box a few minutes later is simply beautiful and a genius idea too. Mystery Blox will be the version of this effect I use going forward.
Really amazing stuff from PropDog, Steven Macrow, Nicholas Dakin, this is just perfect, thank-you so much for bringing it to the community 🙂
Andy Martin –
Since 2019 the Mystery Blox as been my version of choice. But sadly I have gone back to John Kennedy’s Mystery Box II due to reliability issues.
I was practicing with the Mystery Blox this holiday season and the gimmick came apart unexpectedly. I replaced it which was relatively smooth. However, my Mystery Blox has never been the same. I tried it on some friends and it went drastically wrong twice. I even tried a brand new box from PropDog and had the same issues.
It is true if you really work it in you should be fine, however the more you work it in the less life the gimmick has, so now you are stuck between a rock and a hard place. If you work it in too little it can fail you, and if you work it in too much it will also fail you by breaking on you when you least expect it.
So as much as I love this box and idea it certainly can be more unpredictable than the original Mystery Box and as a result I have now switched back to as my go to set: https://www.martinsmagic.com/allmagic/cards/mystery-box-ii-by-john-kennedy/ . I just don’t have the time or inclination to deal with issues that can arise with this box.