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Loyalty On Multiple Fronts ( Detectors )


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Although this post has some relevance to the threads of excitement regarding the just announced Minelab Equinox (wonder what Chevy thinks about that name...), it really isn't directly on topic so I started a new thread instead.  You'll see the relevance in my final comments, after the 'facts'.

Just back from Colorado and I mentioned in another thread that part of my trip was attending two events by Denver's Eureka Treasure Hunters Club (http://www.eurekathc.org/):  The monthly (2nd Friday evening) club meeting and the annual Coinhuna -- free(!) hunt for members only.  I slid through a loophole(?) to get to participate in the latter.

There were 50-60 attendees of the club meeting and a similar number for the hunt, and most were overlap = same people.  Being a detector zealot (thanks at least in part to some posters here who will remain anonymous), I spent some time walking around prior to the hunt to see what detectors people were using.  I was surprised at the results of this informal survey, but maybe you won't be.  NOTE:  I did not do a scientific tally, so the numbers aren't 100% accurate, but they aren't that far off.  I do know detector brands, although models (especially older ones) not so much.  Here is my view and recollection.  I'm assuming ~60 detectors were viewed (some brought more than one):

White's (mostly TRX, IDX, DFX) -- 35.

Garrett (AT Pro, Ace [various], AT Max, AT gold, older green models whose names I didn't catch/recognize) -- 15.

First Texas (F75, T2, Gold Bug Pro -- that was me!) -- 4.

Tesoro (Lobo Super Track, other I didn't recognize) -- 2.

XP (Deus) -- 2.

Minelab, Nokta, Makro, Bounty Hunter -- 0!

Ok, what's up with this? First off, it was a competition hunt.  But I only saw 9 of the long skinny rectangular coils, 8 White's Bigfeet and one Tesoro cleansweep.  That still leaves a whopping 26 White's detectors with tyical general use coils.  While in the Denver area I also went by Gold-N-Detectors (in Golden, catch the play on letters?).  Now we may be getting somewhere.  They have pretty much all of White's current models on display along with several Garretts and about four Tesoros.  The only FTP I saw was a Teknetix T2 black.  Didn't notice any other brands.  They sell detectors at full retail with, AFAIK, no negotiating.  So I'm sure not everyone at the club has bought their detectors at that outlet.  However, there is a strong influence, and if you see one you like at the store you can just go online and get a discount.

There is also a 'mentoring' effect.  For example, a person shows up at the club meeting wanting to get into the hobby and is influenced by what detector to get based upon the possessions of the experienced club members.

Does country loyalty also play a part?  I think it does; just read some comments you see here occasionally.  But that's not the whole story.  Why only 4 First Texas detectors in the lot?  Last I looked Los Banos and El Paso are still on this side of the wall.  (oops, might get in trouble for that comment...)

There are quite a few things that make the detectorprospector.com site unique compared to (or at least quite different from) other sites:  1) international participation; 2) dominated by gold prospectors; 3) more sophisticated(?) when it comes to understanding and using detectors; 4) more oriented towards the professional end of the spectrum than the hobby/weekender other extreme.  Most if not all of these give Minelab (and probably Nokta/Makro) a bigger audience/following.

Even if the Equinox is the best thing since sliced bread (and it might be; I'm not taking sides), I don't think it's going to put the other guys out of business.  In fact, I doubt it's going to knock Garrett off the back cover of just about every treasure hunting magazine (and that includes ICMJ).  There are more things that go into market share than the performance of the product, although it certainly is a big factor.

 

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I won't argue with your general observations as it is what it is. I can testify from my own experience at least that regional loyalties to certain brands exist. Alaska was "White's country" for a long time and I had a lot to do with that as the local dealer. Garrett was near non-existent. In other places Garrett is big, etc.

I gave a talk to a local club (Reno area) with around 100 people in attendance and just out of curiosity asked how many had a Deus. Basically nobody. And Nokta/Makro? They barely exist outside the forums.

White's has been slipping but still has a huge loyal user base to work with if they can just start getting traction again.

You being at a hunt did make a difference, as the one area Minelab is weak in has been hunt detectors. Who wants to swing a CTX in a speed hunt? Even the X-Terra is a "slow" detector. Which is why you just saw the Equinox appear. That's all about trying to gain back mindshare that Minelab lost while they focused on gold detectors. That is truly where the real money is for them, not coin detectors. So they tend to be big with prospectors of course, and you can bet they dominate in beach areas with the Excalibur in particular. I just saw a picture from a Florida guy that has about ten Excaliburs, all rigged with different coils, etc.

Local dealers often have strong influence on clubs, at least if they are smart. Special discounts to local club members, etc. There are clubs that have their own in house "dealer" that gets everyone that hot deal that even internet dealers won't match.

No, one new detector model is not going to put anyone out of business. It will simply sharpen the competition. The only once "big name" fading fast is Tesoro. I don't even pay attention to them any more.

I have always tried to foster competition, which is why I tend to bounce on the forum from one brand to another and give them all airplay. Even after what I just said about Tesoro I featured their latest model here when it appeared, so I guess I do still pay attention.

It's all about value really. Yeah, people buy high end stuff, but what I personally sold piles of was good $700 detectors. Most people are not going to part with the big bucks for a detector and "good enough" works just fine. And Garrett in particular has huge presence on social media etc. while other companies don't answer email and tell you to call. Most seem to be stuck in the 20th century when it comes to marketing.

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I also found it interesting as I moved around the county with my job in Aerospace that different areas seemed to have their favorite brands. When I moved from CA to Georgia, I was surprised at all the Nautilus detectors being used. I don't think I had ever seen one in CA where I had been a store front White's dealer. Most everyone I knew had White's and Fishers. Florida had lots of Minelabs (Sovereigns and Excals.)  Texas it was Tesoro, Troy and Garrett. I was the first in my present club to have a Makro/Nokta detector but there are now at least five of us.

   Where detectors are built plays a part as do successful hunters influencing others. Innovation accounts for sale of new detectors to many of us that are always looking for a better tool.  We buy, we try. If it's good we'll keep it awhile. If it isn't better than what we've been using we let it go. Some folks are happy keeping what they're familiar with and couldn't care less for a new machine. 

  I've never been much of a Minelab VLF fan but my Sovereign GT isn't going anywhere until I find a better wet Saltwater beach detector.  The new Equinox may just be a better beach detector. I'll give it a few months and see what the feedback is before I commit. 

  Garrett gained many fans with the ACE 250 and many of those folks graduated to the AT's. If Minelab can attract new fans with the Equinox, maybe they'll graduate to some new and more expensive model in the future. White's tried it with their Prizms and then Treasure Masters, a bad introduction with the MXSport, and no changes to their top of the line V3i in almost 9 years. I sure hope they can save themselves. Tesoro hasn't had anything new for years. Just moving switches around and changing decals. 

  The future of detector companies will be interesting for sure.   

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