A very easy pass for me.
I wasn't too thrilled with the V1 dealers, as the cards felt pretty flimsy. The promos seemed to suggest that they were made for Expert at the Card Table type gambling slights... yet they didn't even have a traditional cut! That, combined with the not-so-firm stock meant that the cards didn't shuffle too well for me, and hardly lasted.
Adding a white border... I really don't see how that helps with gambling slights! If anything, it makes them less gambler friendly!
To each their own.
It's been a few months since I worked with a fresh out of the box deck of dealers. I don't remember if they were or were not traditionally cut. Like most USPCC decks they pharaoh shuffle just fine both ways when I'm done breaking them in. I never had a problem with the stock. They are to Daniel's preference.
As for gambler's, I don't believe these are for the gambling demographic. Most likely more the magician then gambler.
Hello there bro.
I have to disagree with the notion that the Madison Dealers are NOT aimed at gamblers. I'm going to refer to two paragraphs on Ellusionist's sales page for the dealers:
"As used in 1902, these playing cards utilize an edge-to-edge borderless casino "gambling house" design. If you are worried about double lifts etc, perhaps it's time to stop relying on white borders to hide inefficiencies. These cards will help you to get good at what you do. Madison has used the edge-to-edge design for that single purpose since he was a teenager taking people's money in real games."
Even if we ignore the very specific mention of GAMBLING HOUSE DESIGN, the end part also make it obvious that the cards are best suited for gambling.
One more paragraph:
"If you believe these fine playing cards fit your personal style, pick up a deck or twelve and put them through the wringer: bottoms, centers, shifts, palms, changes and switches. See how these trusted sleights feel in your hands."
Although those moves CAN be used in a magic routine, all of those moves are primerily gambling moves.
Then there is also the promo video... and that was very much centred around Erdnase and Expert at the Card Table -- and let's face it, EATCT was about card cheating, rather than card magic.
If anything, I'd say that the Madison Rounders are the cards which are aimed at magicians, rather than the V1 Dealers.
The Dealers definitely weren't traditionally cut -- the very first thing I test with any deck is the cut. Although I have heard many people say that cards faro well both ways when broken in, I guessing that they're talking about in-the-hands faros, rather than tabled faros. On a table, cards definitely riffle-faro much better one way, depending on their cut.
However, what I do totally agree with you on is the fact that they are made to Madison's personal preference -- and yeah, I would also say that his preference appeals to more people (by the thousands!) than my preference. For me, I just found the cards too flimsy... they didn't last long for me at all. However, that's just me, and I'm sure that I'm in a minority.
After all... to each, their own!
