Just Now Sinking In

[Hard Prospector]

Loosing their chief engineer Dan Gayer  (to sudden illness) not too many years ago also seemed unrecoverable. He was pushing innovation the most at White's and very dedicated. I just don't think they wanted to spend the money on what was needed to keep up.  Sometimes its just too late.

[Jim in Idaho]

Another thing that would enter Ken's thinking on this is "who will take over the company when I'm retired, or dead?". Maybe he didn 't see a line of succession into the future. like his dad did.

 

Jim

[midalake]

On 7/2/2020 at 3:47 PM, Steve Herschbach said:

My first metal detector in 1972 was a White's Coinmaster 4. I became a White's dealer in 1976. Over the years I owned the following:

 White's Beachhunter ID, White's Coinmaster IV, White's Coinmaster V Supreme, White's DFX, White's Goldmaster, White's Goldmaster II, White's Goldmaster V/SAT, White's Goldmaster 3, White's Goldmaster 4/B, White's Goldmaster 24K, White's GMT, White's M6, White's MXT, White's MX Sport, White's Surfmaster II, White's Surf PI, White's Surf PI Pro, White's Surf PI Dual Field, White's Sierra Pulse Pro, White's TDI, White's TDI SL, White's Vision, White's V3i

And as a dealer I "borrowed" and played with countless more models. Right as of this moment I still have a DFX, V3i, and Goldmaster 24K I got in the fall of 2018.

It's just now sinking in that after 48 years of using White's metal detectors, I have probably officially purchased my last new White's. I guess it is not impossible yet somebody could purchase the company and somehow take things on to new and improved models. Unfortunately, I just do not see that as being very likely. The name may continue, but White's as an industry leader is probably nothing more now than a memory. It's hard to believe that a company that produced something as sophisticated as the V3i in 2009 is now done.... I was still harboring a hope that somehow a V4 would see the light of day. In fact I figured they either pull a rabbit out of their hat, or it was over. Unfortunately it proved to be the latter.

I do know one thing. My V3i is in pristine condition, and I am going to treat it with kid gloves now. If there was ever a detector that might become a collectors item, the V3i is it. I do not think we will see anything remotely like it ever again.

The Goldmaster 24k is a very good detector, and thanks to Tom Boykin I got to use it early on and write my last big review of a White's detector. I always felt a little bad about the MX Sport debacle, so it was nice to end things on an upbeat note. A picture of my last detector from White's Electronics, quite a difference from my first "big box" Goldmaster in 1973.

 

No wonder you do not have as much gold as I...….😁  Think when the Sovereign arrived in the timeline!  

[Steve Herschbach]

10 hours ago, midalake said:

No wonder you do not have as much gold as I...….😁  Think when the Sovereign arrived in the timeline!  

I guess whatever you are trying to say is flying completely over my head! 

[Skull diver]

I'll try to explain my point of view like a child.

If I'd have to describe with a word the entire White's brand's impact today, I would say "Old".

Four ancestral basic questions for an easy marketing plan are:

Who are You?+What do You Do?+What do You sell?+How can I buy it?

Well, I see over 70years factory's background, doing nothing new right now, closing production and sales and no way to buy stuff from them.

Please rewind the process back in the years with me:

Was the factory doing new plans on future's brand new projects?

Was the production line updated with new technologies and trained workers?

Was the dealer's + distributor's system improved?

Was the factory doing advertising bombing way before a newborn project was in the way to appear?

Hard to shrink everything in few steps, but here is the trick!

Nothing today is easy unless you MAKE it easy for me and the entire world!

Competition is out there ready to push you continuously with videos, mails, promises and believe me, it works.

People want to know what's in your boiler soon as You have first gunpowder to burn!

I close with one last word: Equinox.

Come on!!!!!!

 

[Tony]

The price on White’s detectors in Australia was absolutely outrageous and I emailed the company letting them know exactly that. I managed to buy all of my White’s detectors from US dealers who were not supposed to do so but they were good to me. The number of Aussies looking to buy White’s products generally didn’t have this luxury and when they saw the local prices couldn’t run to Minelab fast enough. White’s would have made some significant inroads into the Australian market by either selling directly from the USA or asking for a please explain from Aussie dealers for the exorbitant markups. I know we don’t have the volume of sales when compared to the US but that doesn’t account for the price differences. I got my TDIBH from the US for about $1500 Australian dollars.....local dealers here wanted about $2300. I saved $800  !!!

 

[Tony]

When a detector box is opened and batteries put in to test the unit and a coin is waved in front of the coil......technically.......it is now used and second hand.....used detectors can be sold out of the USA  🤫

[pinpointa]

Yes Tony, We have sure been taken to the cleaners in OZ with there rip off prices. But you know me well and to me the WHITES V3I is  the ants pants of detectors even though its 10 years old. Every time a set up  a new program it always  has the  advantages of working its way around to create mind blowing capabilities. 

Once you learn how to program the v it will reward you with some outstanding results.

I have had many many detectors since 1977 and the v3i will stay with me to the end. Thanks WHITES. I hope the name can continue on with a little bit of luck. 

[Tony]

Hello Ray

I would love to get a V3i before they disappear forever......I certainly don’t need one as my XL Pro and MX7 is all I need really......and of course I would purchase from the USA directly ?

I hope you are keeping well down in Tassie 👍

Tony

[King-Of-Bling]

My 1st Whites detector was in 1970. I have loved them for many years and had several throughout. I remember getting a Surfmaster from a local dealer in Santa Ana called Pederson's. Great shop and guys there. Paid $450 and it included a beach scoop ! What ever happened to Jimmy Sierra ? All I saw in the 70s and 80s was Jimmy this , Jimmy that. He is the greatest  , this is what he uses , etc. I never had a problem buying any whites product or any warranty. Sad to see them go.