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Both the F75 and T2 have suped up 'black' versions which have processes called 'boost' and 'cache' that their basic versions don't have.  Sometimes they used 'limited' and 'special edition' to distinguish these, but I don't think those always go hand-in-hand.  Nominally the basic F75 has a gold colored upper shaft while the T2's equivalent is green.  But has that always been the case?  I.e. if a unit has a black shaft (and of course if someone hasn't simply swapped it in for a colored one), does that unit have boost+cache processes?

The reason I ask is for potentially buying a used one (e.g. on Ebay).  A lot of times it's easier to just figure out from a picture what a seller has than trying to get an answer out of him/her.  Often the seller doesn't know what s/he has.  I've seen on more than one occasion where a question tipped off a seller that s/he had a more valuable unit than thought, with the result being the item being pulled and later mysteriously relisted with a higher asking (or starting in the case of auction) price.

I realize I could e-mail First Texas, but on the one hand they don't make a dime if I buy used, and the one time I wrote them with a question (about if a detector could be damaged getting close to a strong magnetic field) it took several days for a person (turned out to be a sales person) to answer, and even that was terse and, IMO, not sufficiently detailed.  Besides, often readers & posters here know as much or more on technical issues than 95% of the people who work at these companies!

 

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To the best of my knowledge all solid black F75 models are the Special Edition (but usually referred to as Limited Edition) model. I am not as well up on the T2 versions. Of note concern would be what software version are you dealing with? There is a can of worms! I think we are at version 9.0/9.1 as of now.

We also have a monkey wrench in the form of upgrades done on standard models that can really confuse things.

I have to say that I am not shy of buying used detectors and do it a lot. Some models though there are just too many weird changes. And do keep in mind that the First Texas warranty is not transferable. If it was me I would probably get a deal someplace on a new full warranty unit as there were just too many versions and frankly, issues, in the past history of the F75 in particular. T2 not so much but still... be careful.

When I get time I am going to research and do a detailed chronology on this subject if somebody else has not already. If anybody finds a link to such a thing please post it. Here is one to show how complicated the issue has become.

Fisher F75 vs Teknetics T2

fisher-f75-ltd-special-edition-metal-detector.jpg

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Thanks, Steve.  Yes, I knew from lots of web browsing over the last year that this was a complicated issue, and it sounds even more complicated than I realized.  It also has me wondering how much different all these models and sub-models (including F70 and Patriot) really are.  When Dave says "...you'll never be left wondering..." if you buy an F70, it makes me wonder!  :biggrin:  Is he just saying all that extra cost, details in their advertising, etc. isn't worth the price difference?  Heck, he was the lead engineer (I think) and he still works for First Texas.

Another thing I'm confused about is the Digital Shielding Technology (DST).  I thought with the new models (the ones with that feature) that it could be turned off.  But from what lots of people are saying maybe that isn't the case.  Also I would have thought you could get an upgrade if you paid for it (as opposed to some "limited offer to upgrade" for free), but that sure doesn't appear to be true, either.

I'm still not ready to make the leap, but as Mike Wolfe of History Channel's American Pickers says:  "The time to buy is when you see it."  He's talking about 'rare' antique finds, but IMO that applies to used items which you find under-priced.  I understand the risks (like no warranty and possibly getting something that isn't as advertised), but I get sort of a thrill out of a 'used find' like all of us get a thrill out of treasure finds.  Having said that, the more educated one is about the product you're buying, the less likely to screw up and pay for something you didn't want.  I've learned that the hard way (more than once...) and it's always a risk.  Often I'm just willing to take that risk, but I appreciate the warnings from all here on this site.

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That is an interesting thread at treasurenet that you linked to, Steve.  But (as we all know), anything posted on the internet needs to be looked over with a skeptical eye.  Did you see this one?  (emphasis mine):

"Just a few minuets ago I heard the door alarm go off, it was Fed-X delivering my upgraded F75 LTD Upgraded. Total time including shipping over tehe weekend was 1 week. Great service. It came in a new box saying Fisher 75 years edition edition but with a sticker that said DST,FA, 4 levels of FE tone, Adjustable audio Pitch. Nowhere does it say LTD or limited Edition.
I did notice that it has a different serial number and had a Kellyco sticker on it than the one I sent in. Now as soon as the weather warms up I can test it out.

I talked to Fisher today and they said that they change the S/N and clean it and send the same detector back."

So if I'm reading correctly, he sent his detector to Fisher and a week later got the same detector back, but with a Kellyco sticker and a different serial number sticker.  First Texas is in El Paso, TX, and Kellyco is somewhere in Florida (I think).  FT doesn't do their own repairs (and Kellyco is lightening-fast reparing/upgrading FT products)?  And who is this 'they' who said 'they' did the work?

Here's another (not complete, I cut and pasted) which is tantalizing, but how true is it?

"I got the F70...no DST."

(cut out a lot of details on his experiences hunting in the Southeast US and in Kansas)

"You don't need boost, you don't need DST, you don't need to turn that F75 to extremely high levels to get deep and find great things in this state, you just need to understand how things work here, a new language and some special target behavior and use a tool that is capable of teaching you that language...and you have one.
Learn to understand it and the sky is the limit....trust me, I know."

So he has an F70 but we're supposed to trust him that boost process and DST (on an F75) aren't needed.  Hmmm.  Maybe, but I'd rather hear it from someone with lots of experience with both detectors.

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Well I have posted on this forum quite a bit about the F70 with notes as to how it relates to the F75 and will let those past posts speak for themselves. As far as the TNet thread goes my sole purpose in posting the link to it was to illustrate how messed up the whole issue of past versions can get. And therefore my advice when buying a used F75 and less so but also the T2.

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8 minutes ago, Steve Herschbach said:

As far as the TNet thread goes my some purpose in posting the link to it was to illustrate how messed up the whole issue of past versions can get.

Yep, got that, and thanks again.  That was quite a long thread (like some here :rolleyes:) with a lot of good info.  I've always been the 'doubting Thomas' type, which explains my choice of careers.  I've also occasionally been burned accepting things at face value, but I'm sure that's true of everyone whose lived more than a few years.  I want to accept that the F70 is every bit as good as the F75 Ltd because that means I can save lots of $, whether buying new or used.  But I guess my skeptical eye also spills over to second guessing.  E.g. I buy the F70/Patriot and when I'm not finding as much as I wish, I wonder if the Boost Process would have been the solution.  This is what the marketers want, of course, and thus the several hundred dollar additional cost.  (As you know and have stated here, there are a few other differences, such as manual ground balance on all 75's, so it's not just the Boost and Cache Processes that differentiate.)  The flipside is that I spend the extra money for the F75 Ltd (or T2 black), never see any advantage in using those additional functions, and say "why didn't I just get the F70?"  As life's challenges go, this is pretty insignificant.

 

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I would be the first person in the world to say that a good $500 - $700 VLF is all anyone really actually needs. I will never look down on anyone making that choice. I personally don't go that route however. I can tell myself all day long that the F70 is a far more sensible better but for the buck, but in the end I want the F75 with bells and whistles. We all have different perceptions of what represents a best value. I am of the opinion that picking good locations, knowing whatever machine you have well, and putting in the hours is what really matters. Ultimately though my time is more valuable than anything else so spending a little more to have those top end units works for me.

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On 5/23/2017 at 0:34 AM, Steve Herschbach said:

I am of the opinion that picking good locations, knowing whatever machine you have well, and putting in the hours is what really matters.

If advice/wisdom of metal detecting could be summed up in one sentence, this is probably that sentence.  I should frame it and put it on my wall, then read it every day.  Those three phrases sounds simple, yet you could write an entire book on each (and I guess some have tried) and still not cover them sufficiently.

It sounds and looks so simple, kind of like swinging a weed-eater.  How hard can it be?  Go over a valuable, get a good signal, and dig it up.  Soon you'll be supplementing your income with a weekend hobby!  Likely this is why detectors get bought after the intoxicating advertising, and then put on the shelf or sold after a couple outings.

How long does it take to get good at shooting a basketball?  Hitting a stationary golf ball?  Playing a musical instrument?  Looks pretty easy watching a pro do it effortlessly.  Well, come back in a lifetime and tell me the answer then.

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