Garrett Metal Detectors For Prospecting?

[Steve Herschbach]

I added prices to the post above. No reason to lower the 24k price. It’s new and good. Garrett should hire me as a consultant. I’m available. Seriously, but only if they’d like to get serious also.

[Jeff McClendon]

Even though I don't care for the ergonomics of the AT Gold (I'm not that crazy about the GM24K or the waterproof version's ergos either) Garrett could put the ATX in the gigantic AT Gold housing and update the faceplate and battery system.  

The AT Gold VLF is a decent small, shallow gold detector whether the gold is small nuggets or jewelry. To slightly disagree with Dances with Doves, the AT Gold is an all purpose waterproof detector that just happens to have Gold in its name. Personally, the Equinox 800 is a far better gold prospecting detector than the AT Gold and I own both. I would prefer just about any 18 to 20 kHz or higher VLF detector for dry land small nugget detecting compared to the AT Gold, especially the Gold Bug/Gold Bug Pro/F19/Tek G2/G2+/Time Ranger Pro because of their excellent all metal mode and better ergonomics.

However, if Garrett could turn the AT Gold VLF into an AT Gold PI, on an improved ATX platform, I would certainly try one.

[Dances With Doves]

23 minutes ago, Steve Herschbach said:

I added prices to the post above. No reason to lower the 24k price. It’s new and good. Garrett should hire me as a consultant. I’m available. Seriously, but only if they’d like to get serious also.

It seems they are all sold out so you are right about not lowering the price.This machine really is a hot machine.I like my Gmx in tot lots and on certain beaches.I will try it on the cleaner sandbars in lake  Ontario and save the close in iron spots for the Nox.It did get me one gold   earring a in posts past in the jewelry section.The only machine that has not paid for itself yet.My AT gold and Infinium did it in under 10 hunts. 

[Steve Herschbach]

They are sold out because whites ceased production. None have been made for months.

[geof_junk]

I ended up with a new Garretts DeepSeeker because she was more at home with the Whites 6000d. I had one problem with it and went and saw Arnold Muller the victorian dealer (The Aust importer was WA based). As I needed it for a prospecting holiday he said mail it or drop in at Kilmore over a 100 miles away, which I did. He looked at it as soon as I got there and said it major problem. The next thing he did was got a new mother board and replace it within minute. What a difference that made, I found gold and coins every where I went.

The DeepSeeker  was a big success in Vic and WA and followed up with the 15000Hz A2B that cleaned up Beggary Hills (considered very hot ground) till the PI came out and was very successful in WA.  

[Dances With Doves]

It seems that the AT Gold with the Nel snake coil make  a   pretty good combo if you had to use that machine for Nuggets.Our   Gerry did a video for Garrett using the 4.5''  sniper coil for the AT Gold and was finding #9 shot.Not bad for an 18kz machine.

[Aureous]

I also emailed Garrett a few years ago...I bought an ATX as well. Only owned it for a month, found maybe 20 bits of gold with it, mostly with the 8" coil (bump sensitive as hell). The sh*tty ergonomics of it completely stuffed my shoulder to the point where I needed surgery 2 years later. I couldn't use a heavy detector for 3 years (hence my 'conversion' to the Gold Bug 2 and the 24K). In my email I asked exactly the same questions and suggestions as Steve did....make the ATX into a lightweight, aftermarket-coil friendly prospecting PI, instead of the collapsible military Mine detector afterthought. It certainly sampled faster than the 4500 and 5000 and could find specimen gold almost as good as the SDC with the small coil. Never even got a reply 😞 

[schoolofhardNox]

5 hours ago, Aureous said:

I also emailed Garrett a few years ago...I bought an ATX as well. Only owned it for a month, found maybe 20 bits of gold with it, mostly with the 8" coil (bump sensitive as hell). The sh*tty ergonomics of it completely stuffed my shoulder to the point where I needed surgery 2 years later. I couldn't use a heavy detector for 3 years (hence my 'conversion' to the Gold Bug 2 and the 24K). In my email I asked exactly the same questions and suggestions as Steve did....make the ATX into a lightweight, aftermarket-coil friendly prospecting PI, instead of the collapsible military Mine detector afterthought. It certainly sampled faster than the 4500 and 5000 and could find specimen gold almost as good as the SDC with the small coil. Never even got a reply 😞 

Sad, but in essence you did get a reply.......silence. That in my book says it all. Unfortunately, that is how customer service is interpreted by companies these days. Say nothing. Ignore the interaction. In the old days you would at least get a generic   "thank you for your letter" and possibly an answer to your question or at least a nod for your suggestion.

[GB_Amateur]

In another thread there has been a discussion of why Minelab makes the decisions / takes the actions they do.  We've come to one (not so obvious) conclusion -- profit.

I consider Minelab a new detector company, which just shows how long I've been paying attention (and how old I'm getting to be,... and acting).  Minelab has been making detectors for ~35 years (?) compared to Garrett's 55 years.

JR, Geof, and DwD all mentioned Garrett's early success in Australia which peaked (in terms of finds) with the (still) largest nugget ever found with a metal detector and (still) largest surviving gold nugget ever found.  So, what happened to their status that they evolved into an also-ran?  Is the answer the same for Garrett as for Minelab?

Somewhere during my 35 year hiatus from detecting (1980-2015) I noticed Garrett's name popping up consistently as I travelled.  They had the first(?) hand-held detector used in security and one of the first walk-thru metal detectors.   They were everywhere here in the USA.  Apparently they were also involved with the military in developing better buried mine detector technology.  How do those two applications compare to the hobby/artisan metal detector space?  (Isn't Codan/Minelab involved in both, too?  I think we have our answer.)

One of the satisfying features of some of the early metal detecting companies was that some had founders who were as excited about treasure hunting as we were/are.  Charles Garrett was an example, maybe the poster child.  I think he kept that passion throughout his life.  But apparently he also had other goals.  His son Vaughn 'inherited' the helm several years ago.  I haven't seen much enthusiasm out of Vaughn in this regard.  But that's not to put any blame on him.  He has a company that apparently is kept profitable by other markets than the one we favor.

[Gerry in Idaho]

The AT Gold is a nice priced VLF gold detector and my brother/I have had success.  It's biggest features are light weight, semi adjust discrimination so you can hunt coins/relics and 100% waterproof.  But today, it's old technology compared to some of the newer VLF gold detectors on the market.