How And Why I Review Metal Detectors

[Jonathan Porter]

Wow that was a long one Steve, but I can entirely see where your coming from and I think you've now made a line in the sand for every one to clearly see. Integrity to me is everything and to be accused of being a paid stooge or to have it even intimated is an insult of the highest order.

In a lot of ways I'm a one detector company guy but that's entirely down to the areas I professionally detect requiring the use of equipment that only one company in the world so far has provided, so my writings on the internet and in magazine articles are very single brand oriented due to my specializing on that companies products. I suppose the difference is I do do this for a living in a country that has extreme mineralization but also plentiful supply's of gold or at least plentiful opportunities of finding good patches, thankfully the money I make from it definitely offsets the public negativity I sometimes experience (putting it mildly).

Steve you have integrity in spades, you write from the heart and you write from experience and passion, all good combinations to assist those people who are wanting to research a product without the marketing hype. I think the bulk of this forums readers never doubted you for a second.

JP

[fredmason]

Jonathan, what I said about Steve in the above post, I have and will say about you...only a fool would not see the truth.

 

fred

[Steve Herschbach]

Hello JP,

My main motivation for the post actually came about from Nenad being questioned about if he worked for a Minelab and some comments how people should disclose such things if true. I have seen a couple comments about my working for Minelab. Which I do not, any more than I work for Garrett or Fisher or White's. So I just wanted to lay it out and create a statement that I can link to at the end of any reviews I do in the future.

Your association with Minelab is only natural and makes sense. You use what works, and what works where you are is Minelab. Pretty simple. All I know is that when I started reading your posts way back when I knew immediately that you were a person to pay attention to. You know the gear like nobody else and did a lot to teach me and others by answering questions clearly and in depth. I therefore tend to get irritated when people give you grief because running people like you off hurts us all.

If I only prospected and were half as serious as you the fact is I would probably only have a GPX and use it exclusively. But I enjoy dabbling in everything and part of the fun for me is using just about everything that comes along. The people that do not understand why you have used almost nothing but Minelabs for years just really do not know much about the realities of prospecting for gold in Australia and doing it with serious intent. As much as I might wish for the U.S. manufacturers to be at the forefront in that regard the fact is Minelab has had the run of the table for many years now.

I and others appreciate what you do JP and hopefully we will see more posts from you here in the future when you are able to have the time. Thanks for your comments!

[rumblefish]

Thanks for your honesty and dedication, Steve. Can't ask for more than that.

[Steve Herschbach]

Needed a bump to top since I deleted and replaced the original post. Things have changed in the last five years so time for an update.

[kac]

It is unfortunate that you don't review detectors anymore and understandably why since it has become toxic to voice any observation or opinion on anything these days without offending someone. It is rare to actually find unbiased information on anything as info is often swayed or has some bias to it. Seems like NoobTube videos are cluttered with apples to oranges comparisons.

Though I try to be mindful when I post as not to cause anyone from raging out in some sort of fit I try to call things out as I see them and not afraid to be stand corrected. Hopefully you change your mind or at least point out what you see.

For the short time I have been on this forum I found your information and comments invaluable and has certainly helped me in my purchases leaving me with no regrets. 

[Steve Herschbach]

I am always happy to offer help and advice and will continue to make sure no questions on this forum go unanswered. I enjoy helping people. I will continue to get cutting edge models and use them. No doubt I will have an opinion on them I might share. I just don’t feel like putting a target on my back any more. 

I may do direct development work with companies in the future but if I do I will basically recuse myself from commenting on those models.

[steveg]

Steve,

I'm really sorry you had to endure that garbage.  You are a great guy -- and it's really sad that some seem to enjoy slandering and taking pot shots at others, about whom they know very little, if anything.

Thanks for what you do, and for making this forum available for us.

Steve

[strick]

Hope you change your mind...your allowed to do that. Your reviews have really helped since I started detecting in 2014. I realize that it must take lots of time to do them...and then get bashed by a few dim wits must be disappointing to no end. But now that I think about it all I would really like to see is you out finding stuff....with  pictures... etc and which detector you are using at the time with a few comments about the detector and that would be help enough. Happy Hunting Steve

strick

[Steve Herschbach]

Good morning strick,

This testing and reporting stuff actually is work and takes huge amounts of time. It eats deeply into my “fun detecting”. If anything I will now be focused on more serious detecting projects. I can see me going after the endless number of places in Alaska I have never visited where pound plus nuggets are still hiding. I probably know more about where those places might be than anyone alive. As far as posting I intend on just being another Joe on the forum who posts now and then about his detecting. I am one who reserves my right to change my mind any time I want about anything so no worries there! 

The irony is a couple years ago I thought I was on a path that was going to take me to dealerships and shows around the country as a Minelab rep and dealer trainer. I was willing to ditch my impartiality just to find a way to get more involved instead of less. Again not a money thing I just thought it would be fun. It would have put me face to face with any of you who had wanted to have that opportunity to chat detectors. Unfortunately it did not work out, and in my life it really is a case of one door closing and other doors opening. It turned out to all be for the best for me personally and now I am off on a totally new and exciting direction in my life, but it does mean now that my attention is simply somewhere else more than detecting.

Thanks and happy hunting to you also!