Steve Herschbach

Bronze Age (circa 1500-1400 BC) cast copper alloy primary shield pattern palstave, dating to the Acton Park Phase (photo of Steve by Tim Blank with permission) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palstave https://www.detectorprospector.com/topic/10874-steves-2019-uk-adventure/

Could be - I was really just talking about T2 vs F75 and knew the Ltd had static AM for sure, not saying other models did not. The mix of F75 features changed so much over the years and diving into that was not worth my time.

No you had it right the first time. Large deep stuff.

T2 has expanded ferrous range compared to F75, and since gold readings meld seamlessly into ferrous readings more finesse there is better for nugget hunting. There is no particular difference in the AM mode between the two models, but the F75 Ltd does offer a static all metal mode the T2 lacks.

Here is a the most curious thing I noticed. The original AQ had a maximum pulse delay of 11.5 uS. Later a change was made to increase that to a maximum of 15 uS. The current pictures on the FT website at show 11.5 uS on the control faceplate still. And maybe they just never made a new decal, had a ton to use so never changed it. I never ever saw one that said 15 uS. But the User Manual now linked to on the new FT website also shows 11.5 Us as the maximum pulse delay. FT linked User Manual for Impulse AQ However, Kellyco still has the last manual I ever saw, a newer manual, linked to on their Impulse AQ page, and it shows 15 uS as the max pulse delay. Kellyco Impulse AQ User Manual It appears Kellyco no longer stocks the AQ but sells as special order only, lead time up to 14 days. Good luck with FT selling direct faster for less. My guess is the max is 15 uS and First Texas never changed the faceplate. And that whoever made the new FT website goofed and linked to an older manual. But for some reason they could also be selling the unit now with the pulse delay set to 11.5 Us max with faceplate and manual to match. Frankly I have no idea and only FT knows the answer on this one.

Was not a joke per se - is there a promotion #3? I am seeing 1 and 2 and 4 and 5. Metal detector sales like many outdoor products had a huge spike during the pandemic. And now like a lot of those very same products there has been a hangover effect after the party. Add in the big problem of ever depleting finds and it's not a bright future for sales. Lots of old farts like me still at it but I'm not seeing a lot of new blood wanting to jump into detecting.

So you are saying he is not a dealer? I know nothing about it either way; not paying much attention to any of this until some word comes down on U.S. availability. In my part of the world it's all moot if we can't buy them.

The reality is the there are a few excellent dealers. That's true. But the majority are order takers and no stock drop shippers, that know less than many of their customers, who compete from their basement with cutthroat pricing. Their idea of customer support is “call the manufacturer.” The idea that all dealers are knowledgeable people educating their customers and actually generating sales is laughable in this day and age. The vast majority of us have no decent dealer nearby, at best a big box store. Most buyers as a result get on the internet, Google around, find a deal, and place the order. No interaction at all. I was one of those very good dealers and appreciate the sentiment, but I also as a result have a very low opinion of what passes as a dealer these days. It’s no wonder the manufacturers are axing them or bypassing them, as they are simply leeches on the profit. Sadly, the good dealers will get caught in the grinder also.

Main problem is the average person does not read a manual and learn how to ground balance. I had so many Bug owners come in and tell me “I got a signal, dug, and nothing was there” and I immediately knew they were not properly ground balanced. Much as I’m tempted I have finally… finally! learned that going back to older models I used to own is an exercise in nostalgia. I let them go for a reason and going back has never worked out. So while I’m tempted I’m not going to pull that trigger.

It’s not really Fisher anymore, it’s First Texas Products. I'm guessing you were searching for Fisher.

Crap, makes me think of springing for one. One of my all time favorite detectors over the years. Almost sounds like Fisher is liquidating all the older models - hope something new is coming to replace them and it's not a getting out of the detector business sale. Has a cash flow desperation feel to it. Steve with 4.95 ounce nugget found with GB2 14” with 14 dwt nugget Another nugget with "Bulldog Nugget" with 3 ounce specimen

It's not just weight. Honestly, inexpensive modern models like a Minelab Vanquish will not only weigh less but outperform most older machines. No more money and a full warranty. If a person did a head to head between a $199 Vanquish 340 and an XLT I think the results might shock a lot of people.

No. I have in the past gone backwards and got old models I owned in the past, and in every instance it was just nostalgia at work. The new ones are better, that's why the old ones go away in the first place. It makes as much sense as trading my current PC for a ten year old one, or going back to an older iPhone model.

Probably the best EMI friendly machine I have ever used due to the 19 kHz frequency missing almost all the interference that's out there.

Fairly damning indictment of the members. Frankly I've observed little of that. Most of the criticism is warranted and generally motivated by a desire to see the company do better, not to tear it down. I'd love for First Texas to succeed, but they have been their own worst enemy for a decade now. Yeah, the Gold Bug/F19/G2, one of the best little machines ever made. A blast to use and quite effective for what it is designed to do.

Fisher is not going anywhere. What should be more concerning is what the out of warranty cost of repair will be on these machines, that will fail sooner rather than later.

The truth Chuck is nobody cares. Most people on this forum know what they want and will not be asking a salesperson to tell them what they need. By the time I ever talk to a salesperson I know exactly what I want and their only job is to get it for me. That's why most retail people now are not salespeople, they are order takers. Like McDonalds. I tell them I want a burger and fries, they sell it to me. I walk into Best Buy looking for a big screen TV, I promise you I'll not be asking the staff which one I should buy. I knew before I walked in the door. That's retail now, and it is not the companies driving it that way, it's the customers. As far as that person that walks into a store with zero knowledge and gets sold a nugget detector thinking it's a coin detector? Frankly, that's on them. Anyone that does not care enough about a purchase to learn anything about what they are buying does not get a ton of sympathy from me. Trust is earned, not given, and I'd never trust a salesperson without having a very good reason for doing so. There are some very good ones out there you can trust (a few are on these forums), but they are like rare gemstones in mountains of manure in today's retail environment. It's a fact they often do not have your best interest in mind but are motivated by a sales bonus for selling high priced stuff, or been tasked with getting rid of slow moving product. Just assume salespeople know nothing. You will almost always be right and experience far less disappointment. Easy answer - low pay, high turnover.

I totally hope it is the end of the AQ and it is replaced with the machine we were promised and deserve. I sold my AQ for no reason other than the replacement was said to be right around the corner. Three years and I'm still waiting, but hoping that wait will not go on forever. I'm cautiously optimistic the extra wait will have been worth it.

And behind door #3 there is……. ?????

The video looks decent in HD. Hmmmm.... interesting. It would make sense to leverage the very expensive development cost of that housing into more than one model. And personally I'm tired of pod on a stick designs, which are generally nose heavy enough that I find the well balanced Axiom to be no less strain to swing all day, even if it is heavier. A nice thing might be if it does have a color screen etc. it might also be mated to a week long battery in that housing instead of the short day battery you get with something smaller like a Manticore. What I find interesting is that if it was just an Axiom slapped into the video that's one thing, but this was done up with the detail of the cable being run internally up the rod. Nice touch if it is a fake, but if it is a fake, why bother? To fool Steve H? Don't know and I have no inside knowledge but it's not an impossibility. Better screenshot....

Almost nothing that 9m aware of. The last detector that Joe has had changes that were never implemented. What is being sold now is basically the same Fisher AQ as was sold in the beginning. Same 3.5 hour battery, same delicate cables, etc. What you see pictured on the First Texas website is what you get. Current User Manual referenced on that same website. Ultimately there are some real questions about the max pulse delay setting and quality of the potentiometers being used at this time. Only First Texas can answer those questions, and people should be inquiring them for answers to those questions. In general all we are doing here is speculating and voicing opinions. What is clear is what is advertised on the FT website and nobody should expect anything more than what is being advertised.

George Payne

It's basically colored glass so no streak or conductivity. Other types, iron slags, might be real reactive with a detector. Some might even leave a streak. It just depends on what the original source material is that was being smelted.

Looks like slag, common near railroads and smelter locations. https://albionfireandice.co.uk/what-is-slag-anyway/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slag Slag Photo Gallery