Steve Herschbach

1 hour ago, Chase Goldman said:

Cygnus-X from a few years back was a similar lofty promise - zero substance type project. Couldn't even get anyone to say what sensing principle it utilized (induction balance, pulse induction, ?) or even show a cartoon of a prototype unit.  Unfortunately, the person behind that effort passed away about a year or so after announcing his project on a detectorist forum.  The folks behind these endeavors appear to have some common attributes:  big thinkers, big talkers, perhaps even know their way around a breadboard or C+ code, but have little knowledge of how to practically package, produce, or market their inventions or to project realistic timelines and are great at putting off the big reveal with excuse after excuse usually backed up by murky proprietary or intellectual property protections.  It seems the motivator is not cash but the simply getting their ego fed by the throngs of folks who are buying their incredible story and promises and bestowing accolades by comparing them to ground breaking luminaries like Tesla before anything is actually demonstrated.  Kind of like the fake it till you make it folks in Silicon Valley - but that is usually both cash and ego motivated.  It's sad.

There have been several over the years. Dave at least did manage to get at least one patent filed. He did know his stuff, had respect from some in the engineering community. Unfortunately in the case of the Pulse Devil seems to have went down a rabbit hole, with the final step always just out of reach.

For those that do not know, the Nemesis and then Pulse Devil were supposedly PI detectors under development that would combine full VLF type discrimination with full PI type depth.

I'd be surprised if Dave is here because we did not part on the best of terms. He may be a brilliant man, but he said too many things that did not turn out to be true and I ended up calling him out on it. He was going to meet people and go places to demonstrate the machine, but in every case never showed. Twice he was putting one in the mail to me... then nothing. The machine was often said to be done and ready to ship, then did not. The excuses, often as flimsy as can be imagined, piled up to the point that he started repeating old ones. If you followed it all as I did for years it became obvious something was not right. When I finally called him out on it his excuse was that he had never taken money from anyone, so why all the upset over his words never proving to be true? Well, where I come from a man is only as good as his words and promises kept, and nobody ever cut me the slack that people repeatedly cut Dave, all because they wanted so much for what he was saying to be true. I'd be tarred and feathered and run out of town in Alaska for going on like Dave did for as long as he did. Nothing he ever said, ever, came to pass as he said it would, and he finally lost all credibilty with me at least.

One of the pithier discussions from 2008 is linked below that occured late in the game but before I finally gave up on him ever following through with the things he told me he would do. I was not a peripheral player but one of two people he selected, without me asking by the way, to be dealers. In the end I decided this was just another thing he was doing to try and make it all seem more real and to give his project more seemed legitimacy, by tying himself to a couple trusted players in the industry. He was not one for having anyone question him and finally "punished" everyone by folding up the dog and pony show. No doubt a brilliant man, but like many brilliant people I think his eccentricities got in the way of him being able to complete what he started.

https://forums.robsdetectors.com/topic/4830-anyone-have-a-picture-of-the-pulse-devil/

https://sites.tufts.edu/fellsgeology/files/2021/08/Chap7StructuralGeology.pdf

part of the full document found here:

https://sites.tufts.edu/fellsgeology/introduction-to-geology/

I guess I'll cop to being the guy that has had one of these for several months and loaned it to Andy for a while. I'll be sending it to Gerry soon to give a spin for any comments he might have.

I have used the E1500 in the desert, found a gold nugget with it, first in the U.S. I suppose. Also have some time on the Tahoe beaches. My main thing was to check the machine for EMI issues in the U.S. and I can say the machine has none. In that regard it's as good or better than most PI detectors and works fine in urban parks. As far as my general thoughts on the machine I already spilled the beans in an earlier thread. People should know by now I very rarely opinionate without something to back up those opinions. I really don't have much to add to what I already posted so you can check it out below.

All in all the Algoforce E1500 is a great addition to the PI possibilities out there. I see it mainly as a first affordable step up for people used to what a good VLF costs and who do not think a good PI should cost much more. Hard core PI users will opt for the more powerful and more expensive options. But for the people out there who are mainly VLF users and who want a PI for a second detector without breaking the bank I can very much recommend the E1500 as a great place to start. The caveat being that for that to happen here it has to become available for sale in the U.S. and there is still zero word on if or when that might happen. That's my excuse for not posting sooner. It is all moot for most people in the U.S. until that day comes.

I guess I can add this one thing on coils. I used both the Sadie and Coiltek Elite for nugget detecting and in general prefer the Elite. It's the smallest spiral wound coil you can get and is the one you see in Andy's video. The Sadie is lighter but like most mono coils is edge sensitive and therefore has an uneven response on tiny gold. The Coiltek Elite is hottest in the center so acts more like people expect and overall performs better than the Sadie. For beach use on heavy magnetite I have had good results with the older style Nugget Finder 14x9 Advantage and a Coiltek 11x8 Platypus mono I managed to track down. With these older bundle wound coils the E1500 handled heavy magnetite better than more powerful detectors that tend to suffer from blowback in extreme magnetite conditions. I prefer the lighter Advantage for dry sand use and the Platypus for wading since it is weight neutral underwater.

My thanks to Andy for shooting some video and doing some things that I would never have got around to doing. I'm sure he will add further thoughts on this thread.

On 5/14/2024 at 10:30 PM, Knomad said:

I don't think Whites has faded as much as you think, it is hard to find any serious discussion of metal detectors in general that the Whites name does not come up, and there is a steady flow of people looking for parts and info on Whites detectors.

I had my own dream of running White's at one point and like you think a lot could have been done to save the company. All water under the bridge now and no point in discussing a cold grave.

I'm sure some people will be using White's detectors for many years, just like they are still using Tesoro and even Compass detectors. And that means people will be looking for parts, etc. Detector discussions are largely driven by speculation around new models, comparisons of new models, and learning about how to use new models. In other words discussion revolves more around new models in general and obviously that can't happen with White's. Just so people know however, I'm happy with the slow but steady discussion on this forum and it's not going anywhere for those who do have a question or comment now and then.... or who are trying to find that certain part. Luckily White's was very popular and anyone looking for parts has a ready supply via old detectors for sale on eBay.

I want to take the opportunity to thank Carl (Geotech) for hanging out here and offering insights from somebody that was actually on the scene. Thanks Carl.

It is not impossible that competition has broken the back of Minelabs ability to charge ever higher prices. $10,000 GPZ and $2500 CTX, maybe those days are gone. Or are they? Gold prospectors in particular would probably line up to spend $12,000 for a detector that proveably goes just one inch deeper than a GPZ on sizeable gold, especially if you toss in ferrous discrimination. What will it take to get people to drop $2500 into a new coin detector now, given where we are with the Deus 2 and Manticore in particular? I'm a little more doubtful there, but there is a contingent of people that like owning stuff just because others can't afford it or refuse to spend money on it, so you never know. CTX 4040 with Multi-IQ FBS 3 would probably sell based purely on the number of people who constantly bring up wanting a replacement. If for no other reason that it is new and we do like our new stuff. 

14 minutes ago, ☠ Cipher said:

I still think a replacement could be on the way in the next few years. I have nothing other than my gut to tell me that, but it seemed like the Manticore clearly took the E-trac’s spot in the lineup, and hope is still alive for another top of the line. 

I agree. In marketing terms it's all about price slots, and Manticore replaced E-TRAC in it's position in the Minelab lineup. Minelab tends to bounce back and forth between coin detectors and nugget detectors in the upgrade cycle, so next up is probably a new GPZ replacement next year. A CTX replacement could come in the same time frame or slightly after. This would give Minelab two brand new top-of-the-line flagship detectors, one for coin and relic, one for gold nuggets. Both CTX (2012) and GPZ (2015) are very long in the tooth at this point in time.

From a technical perspective if you go to

https://www.minelab.com/usa/knowledge-base/key-technologies#

and read the difference between the E-TRAC FBS and CTX FBS 2 you will see that the only thing the CTX added was the chip in the coil.

I'm not seeing anything that makes me think that is platinum. Best bet if you still think it is would be to seek an assay. Good luck.

On 5/17/2024 at 6:02 PM, phrunt said:

You have to go to the USA Minelab site, not the worldwide one, I guess soon they'll redirect USA customers to the US site.  Here's a link.

Minelab GPX 6000 All Gold Detector with 11” Monoloop & 14” Double-D Waterproof Coils

This is quite funny, you click on their find a store thing, and it's absolutely swamped by big box and chain stores.

Alaska Mining and Diving was extremely lucky, I guess the name put it first before it got swallowed up.

If having physical product to look at is important, you can see why Minelab would lose interest in independent dealers. They put far more detectors at far more locations going the big box route, even if the people at the store are not as knowledgeable. Most of us simply have no independent dealer in our area but we probably have one of the listed big box stores nearby. Bass Pro and Cabelas probably buy more Minelabs than all the independent dealers put together.

Well it's not like they are paying your way to Australia for the dealer meeting. The meeting is probably there just because it's the cheapest way for them to have a meeting. In the past they sent people here at great expense. Now the expense is on you. So no, that message is not telling me dealers here got more important - just the opposite.

On 5/14/2024 at 4:09 PM, nevets said:

Weighs 25 ounces makes bubbles in peroxide found in an ancient riverbed that runs along a major fault line not attracted to magnets no reaction to acids 

Did you try and break it in half with a hammer? Have you done a streak test? A hardness test? Any basic mineral tests at all? Offhand it does not look like platinum but instead one of many common iron sulphides. The XRF result is not surprising at all. Platinum being as rare as it is it is by far the least likely possibility.

M9 Coil with Skidplate 9" Round Double-D - Accessory (minelab.com)

4 hours ago, Digalicious said:

Steve,

7 years later...what are your thoughts on the V3i compared to the SMF detectors from the Equinox and forward?

My V3i is long gone. I had planned using the V3i as a teaching detector in a series of videos I was planning that would illustrate different metal detecting concepts. I realized chasing views on YouTube was probably not going to be good for me so ended up not doing that. It was keep the V3i or the DFX to run my Bigfoot. I kept the DFX.

Finally... I'd rather use those newer models. Frankly people with V3i nostalgia have never done extended head to head tests with detectors like the Nox, D2, or Legend. If they did the nostalgia would fade pretty fast.

Bump for a trip down memory lane.

Sorry you went to all the work to take and post those photos when the pdf for this catalog and many others can be downloaded here…

https://www.detectorprospector.com/files/category/9-whites-electronics/

23 minutes ago, mn90403 said:

I just realized that the 'number' I've been looking at when using the 1500 is not the real ID number.  I'll have to research a bit more to know what the swinging number represents.   In order to get the accurate ID number available on the 1500 you have to put it in pinpoint mode!  Now let's see what our clad numbers really are.

Sometimes we know what we are using and often times we don't.  

The number you see while swinging is the ground mineralization number. To get a target id you must stop and analyze each target using the pinpoint mode:

Tiny thing but that old SD threshold warble drove me crazy. The GPX models have a rock steady threshold. That plus better small gold capability and better hot rock handling would have me never going back to a SD or even GP model from the GPX series.

New coil arrived today, works great, problem solved. Thanks Nolan @ Minelab!

Time elapsed April 25 - May 14 = 19 days

1 hour ago, Doc said:

Steve I hope you're right.  HOWEVER, there are only so many hours in a day.  I feel compelled to help people that purchased a Minelab detector from someone other than myself, even though I don't have the time to take care of my customers and big box store customers too.  I have customers that say, I know I bought my detector from XYZ store but no one there can answer my question, and being you are a Minelab dealer I was wondering if you could answer just one question for me.  Which invariably turns into 20 questions and a 50 minute conversation.

There is no polite way to say, hey so sorry.  That's why you should buy from your local dealer who uses the machines they sell.  First, that runs contrary to my personality of wanting to help people interested in this hobby, and Second, these could be possible customers for my accessory items down the road.  But I can tell you it absolutely kills me when I have a person who I literally spent hours and numerous calls telling them how to set up their GPX5000 purchased from a different company, who years later calls me back and says.  "I appreciate it so much that you helped me with my GPX5000 a couple years back so I was wondering if you could help me set up my GPX6000."  When I asked where they got their 6000, it was from the same place they purchased the 5000 who gave them zero customer service after the sale.  It's frustrating.

Seriously, I don't know how detector dealers stay in business. 

Doc

Doc, you don't hope I'm right in the way I'm meaning. That walk in store I am talking about is much more likely to be a Cableas or a Walmart or even a Costco. Independent small scale shops are pretty much limited to only those that have been in business for years and are still hanging in there. Guys like you Doc, and Ron, Gerry, Rob, etc. When you all close the doors, and that will not be too far down the line, nobody is going to replace you. We've all had a good go, myself included, but we are the past, not the future. I've heard people complain and make noise about how Minelab does things for ages, yet fall all over themselves to be first in line to buy that new model when the time comes. If the GPZ 8000 is Minelab direct only, will people boycott Minelab in support of dealers? Dream on. 

5 hours ago, RickUK said:

Ron,the GB2 sound like a good option,do you have any idea of the link please or a image of one that has converted to a pinpointer as a i have a spare control box and small coil that i could use to make one.

Have seen a Tesoro conversion with the 4'' coil and that really looked the part,but the GB2 really does grab my attention.

But multi- yes....

The marketplace has been splitting and sorting for some time. You have people who like to go to a store locally and buy things in person. And you have people who want to buy things online and have them shipped to their doorstep. There is good reason for companies to support dealers who have local stores that cater to people who want to buy that way. There is also no real reason to share online sales with anybody. Going forward I expect companies in general to hoard online sales to themselves, while also supporting any brick and mortar operations that want to display and sell their product to walk in customers.

When you say original Gold Bug do you mean the 1990 analog model or the first digital version? The link to the manual for the original Gold Bug (analog) is in the post above and is where you need to start. The only Fisher video about the model simply showed how to put it together and not worth watching even if you could find it. The machine was one of several featured in an old VHS video Gold Nugget Prospecting : Metal Detecting With The Pros* but never made it to DVD or YouTube as far as I know.

You best bet is the book Advanced Nugget Hunting With the Fisher Gold Bug Metal Detector by Pieter Heydelaar & Dave Johnson is an excellent primer on the use of the original Gold Bug model, linked below.

There is not much to tune. Put it in Motion Mode. Turn Volume and Sensitivity to max. Set Threshold for a barely audible buzz. Ground balance properly (see manual). 

*Gold Nugget Prospecting: Metal Detecting with the Pros

Authors: Ronald W Driscoll; Kathleen Driscoll; Brent Reason; Graham Alcock; Larry Sallee

Publisher: Westwood Production Co. Prescott, AZ © 1994

Summary: You'll learn detector set up, basic research, dealing with hot rocks, types of ground to look for, where to go, coil control, patch gridding, implements needed, and view a small commercial operation using a metal detector. Featuring Larry Sallee, author of the book Zip Zip: Mastering Your Nugget Detector showing how to detect with the White's Goldmaster II, Bob Gutowski a.k.a. Nugget Bob with his Fisher Gold Bug, Floyd Allen a.k.a. Frugal Floyd with his Minelab XT 17000, and Glen Anderson with his Tesoro Lobo. All filmed in the field in Arizona.

I’m sure it was hard for Scott to sell the magazine his grandfather founded but it was probably a wise decision. The economics of printing a physical magazine and distributing it in the mail will do nothing but get worse. Like Gerry said, thanks for the vote of confidence, but if I feel like writing you’ll have to read it here for free.