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New For 2020 - Bounty Hunter Time Ranger Pro..


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Unfortunately, after looking at the manual, this really is a rebadged F19/G2+. What is the point????? other than trying to fool some unsuspecting newbie or uninformed person that this is a NEW, modern featured metal detector. If it was a lot cheaper to buy than an F19 or G2+, great. Otherwise it is just bait and switch in my opinion.

When FTP took the Bounty Hunter Land Ranger Pro/F4 and F2, redesigned their housings to make it more robust, water resistant, added back lighting and a different display and faceplate, to create the F44, F22 and F11, I thought it was an improvement and worth a look. The same happened with the Ameritek line since they were definitely less expensive clones of the original models. 

This seems like pure greed to me.

Jeff

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On 3/19/2020 at 6:33 PM, Jeff McClendon said:

Unfortunately, after looking at the manual, this really is a rebadged F19/G2+. What is the point?????

We figured that out back in November so it should be no surprise at this point. Personally I think the F19 is a terrific detector so my hope was that being introduced in the normally lower priced Bounty Hunter lineup would mean a much lower price. Especially when we now have detectors like the Simplex and Vanquish to consider. It looks like we have had a $50 price reduction from the F19 at $449 to this version out the door at $399 but I don’t see that turning many heads. At this point the Gold Bug Pro is more like a $299 detector and the G2+/F19/Time Ranger Pro a $349 detector at most.

But the reality is most people buying at Walmart or Amazon know none of this. Presumably enough people will like this “new” detector to make the cost of the new blue labels and cardboard boxes worthwhile.

I get the feeling folks forget something. It’s a business. Call it greed I guess but I call it capitalism. If rebadging an existing model to a different brand name, changing the color scheme, and dropping the price $50 generates a decent profit for FT then that is what they should do. It’s stupid to drop the price farther than you have to. If this works they made a good call. If not, they can always lower the price some more later. Personally I don’t think $50 is enough but that’s just my opinion. The sales numbers will tell the real story.

It’s about trying to keep the lights on and the employees supporting their families. You may as well go down to the local Chevy dealer and complain they are just selling rebadged GM cars and trucks.

Am I defending rebadging? Not really. I don’t own a FT machine at all right now as I do want something cutting edge or at least genuinely new in some way. Technology companies have to innovate or eventually they will die. You can only coast on old tech for so long before the world passes you by. But there is nothing wrong with taking old tech and dropping it in price to get some more life out of it. I would have bought a F19 variant for $399 just a couple years ago and been thrilled. Now it’s just not enough to get me to pull the trigger, but it may be enough for some others. No doubt about one thing. It will be less a year from now. It always pays to wait when buying electronics.

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  • 2 weeks later...
11 hours ago, phrunt said:

The downside for prospecting is it comes with the wrong coil,....

Serious_Detecting is selling the F19 new, with the 5"x10" coil right now for $449 in the USA.  That beats buying the TRP with the 7"x11" and then adding the 5"x10" (>$150), assuming you aren't interested in using the stock coil.

If you're going to be using the detector primarily with an aftermarket manufacturer (such as NEL/Cors) coil then you're better off buying the TRP at $399.

 

 

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I like the blue and black color scheme... owned too many black and gold detectors. :smile: But seriously the coil thing is the biggest deal, and for anyone wanting a machine that especially was for gold prospecting or even relic hunting, the F19 with 5” x 10” DD is probably the way to go. Double so if the goal is to own only one coil - the 5” x 10” may very well be the best all around coil for the 19 kHz models. In my nugget detecting reviews where I previously recommended the Gold Bug Pro I will be updating soon to recommend F19 instead. The only way you can get the 5” x 10” on the GBP is as part of a dual coil package, which effectively makes the GBP more expensive than the more capable F19. Even at the same price with same coils the F19 is the better machine... the Gold Bug Pro is getting a premium just for the name! 😳

I’m a little oddball in that stock coil sizes tend to be my least used. I flip between extremes from the largest coil to smallest coil. For instance on my Equinox the 6” coil and 15” coil do the heavy lifting. So with that in mind I am rounding up a TRP with 7” x 11” coil and just ordered a NEL Snake. Kind of dumb as I really don’t need this but I want it and as Simon notes we only go around once. Anyway, the 3.5” x 6.5” DD will end up being my “stock” coil with the 7” x 11” for when I want ground coverage.

bounty-hunter-time-ranger-pro-metal-detector.jpg

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48 minutes ago, Steve Herschbach said:

seriously the coil thing is the biggest deal, and for anyone wanting a machine that especially was for gold prospecting or even relic hunting, the F19 with 5” x 10” DD is probably the way to go.

I have all three Fisher coils made for the Gold Bug family and all have performed well coin and relic hunting.  I found a lot of coins with simply the small (5" round) coil.  I did not do well in the limited time I was gold hunting out West (on short trips -- I live in the Midwest where metal detectable gold isn't easily accessed) but that was neither the fault of the detector nor the coil.

Even for coin and relic hunting, IMO if you are to get only one coil then the 5"x10" is going to be the most versatile.  But as Steve has said on multiple occasions, the 5"x10" and 7"x11" are close enough in size and performance that getting both is a lot of overlap -- better to get one of those in the initial purchase and an aftermarket 3rd-party coil such as Simon's favorite Detech Ultimate 12" x 13" or Steve's choice -- NEL Snake / Cors Shrew 3.5" x 6.5" (or both) to maximize diversity.

 

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2 hours ago, phrunt said:

I just think people need steered off the GBP as it's over priced for what it is which was the point of my post, the F19 and Time Ranger Pro are clearly better variants (paint jobs) and are a better price.  I hate seeing people get ripped off and I'm disappointed they are using this tactic to effectively trick people.

I'm wondering if this is to 'protect' dealers who already have GBPros in stock and have paid the higher (wholesale) price for them.  Would FTP rebate them for items stocked at the higher price?  Or do I completely misunderstand the pricing relationship?

 

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3 hours ago, GB_Amateur said:

I'm wondering if this is to 'protect' dealers who already have GBPros in stock and have paid the higher (wholesale) price for them.  Would FTP rebate them for items stocked at the higher price?  Or do I completely misunderstand the pricing relationship?

 

No, you charge what the market will bear, and the Gold Bug Pro has a name that sells.

I used to sell outboards. Most outboards come in pairs as far as manufacturing. They are the same motor, but tuned up for different horsepower bands. You pay more for a 15 HP than a 10 HP even though it is the same motor. Only in the basest commodity products is there a direct correlation between production cost and retail. People will willing pay twice as much for a brand name product instead of the exact same thing in a generic package.

They sold a zillion Gold Bug Pro detectors in Africa, and you could probably not give away a F19 or TRP there to the gold prospectors. Just like they had to come out with the F19, G2+ and now TRP because coin and relic people would not buy a Gold Bug.

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