Steve Herschbach

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Hi Chase, The link back in my post to Condor's thread has another set of adapters with video and everything... but where to get them? Probably Russian. See the little white sticker in the upper right on my pod? Says 1.5.0. There is another sticker on a different unit - says 1.7.5

As far as I know the first person to do a conversion of the Equinox to the Golden Mask telescoping rod was our very own Condor on this forum. Now, what I really want is this nifty adapter made for just this purpose. The Golden Mask upper rod is too large in diameter (must contain telescoping sections) and so an adapter is the best solution, but the one in the link does not appear to be easily available in the U.S. I am customer #1 for whoever out there makes this available for sale in the U.S. Being stuck with frozen ground I decided to get started with a modification of what Condor did. I cut two clamps in half. I also cut the mounting bolts in half (Condor used studs) and used the shortened versions to attach the clamp sections in place. I did not modify the unit in any way and it could be returned to original if I choose though I would need new bolts. Condor ground his Equinox down a bit for a better fit. Mine seems sturdy enough so I am leaving as is in hope that someday I will get the proper adapters to use. This machine is intended to stuff in a rucksack and for initial purposes I went as light and compact as possible using the 6" coil. Obviously the stock coil adds weight/bulk - see Condor's post. The photos say it best. New Minelab MicroNox at 2 lbs 8.6 ounces (2.5 lbs) that collapses to a cool 24" without disassembly. And extends farther than the coil cable will allow. Feels like a feather on my arm - I like it! The Equinox used here is older and will never be submerged and so it gets dedicated as a rucksack unit. Another Equinox will be rigged with the 15" coil on a balanced rod assembly. To do it right I should get one of Steve's new rods and I may yet in a few months. For now I think I will use an old Minelab GP fiberglass rod assembly I still have, one of Otto's old rods. And a third will stay with stock rod and coil for general use. Three Equinox may seem like going overboard but I hate reconfiguring detectors and for what I sold my GPX 7000 for I can get a few more and still have money left over!! Basically I am getting rid of everything else and rewarding myself with anything I want as regards Equinox. Golden Mask telescoping rod stripped of pistol grip handle Clamp sections bolted to handle using original screws cut to half length View showing how rough this all is and why you may not want to do it. Note bolt heads touching shaft on right - I may pad 24" collapsed, 2 lbs 8.6 ounces on postal scales And in the sun! Minelab MicroNox ready for use!

The Omega 8000 / 8500 has always tempted me Mike but never pulled the trigger. It is a fascinating study in First Texas model variants and revisions with much debate online about which version was best, and not everyone seems to think the 8500 was an improvement over the 8000. I don't know personally but I have always liked the feature set for the price.

These old machines are before the advent of high gain circuits pumping higher voltages to the coils. They all have a nice, soft, mellow feel but lack in true punch compared to modern machines. The Diable compares favorably to the 1990 original 19 Gold Bug for performance, no surprise since the same designer. They are hard to compare to new machines as most everything made these days is "sparkier". I have never had luck with the nostalgia and going backwards thing. Improvements in the technology may be glacially slow at times, but it does improve. The Compass Gold Scanner Pro was my last walk down memory lane quite a few years ago now. Some things you should not go back to, as the reasons you left the old machine in the first place still exist but even more so.

I used to be a metal detector salesperson. If I still was, here is the discussion we would have. 1. What precisely do you want to find with the detector? Coin detecting in a park calls for a different detector than looking for small gold nuggets in a desert. For most uses a beginner should start with a general purpose detector good for most uses, but if you have a specific need, like ability to work in the surf at a beach, that is important and can narrow the decision considerably. 2. What's your budget? Some people have one, some don't. Spending more does not necessarily end with a better result. Detectors now are sort of like computers in that the capability available often exceeds what people really need. For the longest time the sweet spot for general purpose power was about $700 but recent advances in technology and lowering prices means you can now get some superb detectors for closer to $500. An excellent place to review prices is at my new Metal Detector Database, which offers basic specs that can be sorted on along with reviews of detectors. Lacking any more specific information I am just going to toss out a few random models I think offer some real value at today's prices. I look for detectors that offer the ability to ground balance or adjust to soil conditions as a starting point... $256 Bounty Hunter Land Ranger Pro - Solid beginners coin, jewelry, and relic detector, dry land and wading. $259 Minelab X-Terra 305 - Solid beginners coin, jewelry, and relic detector, dry land and wading. $309 Fisher F44 - Adds robust weatherproofing to the above. $399 Teknetics Patriot - Same machine as $499 Fisher F70 - killer deal. $499 Minelab X-Terra 705 - There are no other detectors packing this many features at $499, including one of the better VLF gold prospecting circuits. This machine has so many features in fact that going higher in price will add few if any and in some cases you will go backwards! Not all manufacturers have adjusted to the new lower price levels. Frankly, above $500 you are getting into specialty and high performance detectors these days. This is the realm where you do really need to know what you want to do exactly because as you go above $500 increases in depth are pretty hair splitting and the sources of endless internet arguments. As you already know going to $649 and the Equinox 600 gets you fully submersible with built in wireless headphone capability and more. Just starting out I personally have a hard time recommending spending the big bucks. Some people say just dive in all the way. The idea is starting with anything less than the best might not get good results, and be self defeating. I say I was successfully metal detecting with detectors far less powerful than even the Bounty Hunter Land Ranger Pro above, and not all that long ago really. The technology really is mature, with excellent performance under $1000. And I know one dirty little secret. Metal detecting actually bores most people to death, and most will drop the hobby after just a few outings. I therefore prefer people get a decent detector first but not go overboard. Stick with popular models that might be easy to sell again used if this does not all work out. Stick your toe in the water and see if detecting is appealing to you before going crazy. The real success lies in good locations and hours anyway so just go have fun! As far as where to detect? Anywhere people have ever been, and the more active, the better. There are almost no limits to detecting opportunities if you have an open mind and are persistent. Check out my Steve's Guides area where I have a few articles on metal detecting basics like buying headphones plus the website Reference Library for some free metal detecting books. Finally, always leave no sign you were there. Use proper recovery techniques and take the trash to a trash can.

You can buy counterfeit detectors all day long. Minelab and First Texas have been hit particularly hard simply because their machines have been very popular with gold prospectors in Africa. Most counterfeits are blocked from sale in the U.S. but are readily available elsewhere. Buyer beware. Any brand new detectors being sold substantially below the Minimum Advertised Price that manufacturers enforce should be immediately suspect. "Too good to be true" is your best form of protection.

The inside of my head most often resembles a bag of cats. Metal detecting for me is a form of meditation when I get into "the zone" and wonderfully relaxing. I enter the flow where time ceases to exist. Metal detecting can be very good for people who need constant low level exercise (recovering from heart attack, for instance) and for calming minds that are otherwise anything but calm.

Hi Merton, In order for there to be discussion here there has to be a first thread. Apparently you are the first gold prospector with an interest in this machine enough to post about it here, so there you go. It would be nice to see you posting again. ? FYI you can also say that about every Minelab BBS, FBS and Multi-IQ machine. Be prepared for a detector that pushes VLF limits but does not replace a PI detector.

Since you've been gone Merton there have been a lot of forum additions. The Tarsacci is aimed primarily at beach hunters with possible secondary uses for relic detecting. It has therefore been under discussion for some time on the Metal Detector Advice & Comparisons Forum as Northeast has linked to above. Using the forum search function would have located the threads immediately so do use search when looking for things. If you want to give the Tarsacci a go as a prospecting detecting Merton I am sure there are many that would be all ears. I added the Tarsacci MDT 8000 to the Metal Detector Database With Reviews on Dec 30th. Tarsacci Mdt-8000 Launched 12-11-2018 My Tarsacci Mdt-8000 Commentary, Pics And Videos Video Comparing Gpx, Equinox, Deus And Tarsacci Mdt-8000 Eqx 800, Tarsacci, Deus, Anfibio Multi Head To Head - 2 Targets In The Wild Tarsacci Settings Explained Tarsacci Relic Hunt Gent Using Tarsacci Mdt-8000 At Great Salt Lake In Utah The Tale Of Three T’s ___ Tarsacci , Tesoro, And Technology

If somebody hung out on the White's forum and kept speaking negatively about a White's model I would at some point remind them that doing such a thing becomes trolling at some point. Looks like time for your reminder as regards the Orx Chuck. We get it - you think it is priced too high for what it offers. They are not going to lower the price just for you so may as well get over that part.