Steve Herschbach

It was the other way around. The straight shaft goes back to the SD2000 if not before. The S shaft came in with the V2 series starting with the SD2100V2 and then the SD2200V2. I had a SD2200V2, kind of liked it. Never had a problem myself breaking a post handle off, but one thing for sure - you can't break it if you do not have it. For manufacturers in general the S shaft is just cheaper to make, and unfortunately they often get made cheap. Again, XP shows how that need not be the case. I have not actually answered the poll yet but I prefer simplicity and therefore I tend to like a S shaft design personally, but it has to be done right, and that is rare. Another S shaft model I grab and immediately like - the TDI SL. You have to have that underarm counterbalancing weight, or they are nose heavy, and that is not good. That is half the issue right there - nearly all straight shaft models are underarm control boxes. it is the S shaft units without that counterbalance that tend to feel really bad. Minelab SD2000

It is never a secret that manufacturers are working on stuff. Much as I love the old metal boxes time to retire them and move on. Gotta lower that manufacturing cost and spread the cost of that new housing out among as many models as possible, get the volume up, etc. There has to be a multi-frequency model in the works and possibly the new tech unit if they can work the bugs out of it.

Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OK, I am getting one for sure, no doubt about it. At that price I just have to check it out. Looks like White's is serious about getting back in the game.

Well, Big Boys Hobbies put a page up which was promptly taken down, showing a price of $1349 $1349 matches earlier rumors, but I must put in a standard warning this could be wrong until we get better confirmation. The $1349 I assume is MSRP and so if subject to White's standard 15% discounting you would be looking at about $1146 out the door. Does not surprise me if so, but lots of people will squawk if it is true. It is possible that since Bart copied my website he also just plugged the $1349 rumor in as a working price. I get it, he is just getting something up and ready to go and will tweak it up when he has better info. White's just put a teaser video up implying it will be less. So at this point I still just consider this pure rumor price until I can find a dealer leak, which as Bob notes will happen very soon. These dealers can't keep a secret to save their lives! That all said I am still hopeful out the door will be under $1K and for that to happen it would need an MSRP of $1169 or less. Other rumor flying I am hoping is true - that a cable adapter will be available to let existing Eclipse coils work with the MX Sport above water. The problem there is normal Eclipse MXT type coils are 5 pin coils, and the MX Sport is running 8 pins with 8 wires attached. Why? It may be White's is going to smart coil technology, where the detector reads the coil attached and adjusts parameters accordingly, like depth indications. If so older coils may not work, or it may be they will but will lose some of that possible smart functionality. Still hoping I can run my Bigfoot on this baby so fingers crossed.

Normally I like a curved shaft/post handle. F75 was a real favorite of mine, and the G2 pictured above is similar but lacks the underarm battery for better balance. I say DO NOT BAN THE S shaft because done right like on the DEUS it is really good. I always liked my Gold Bug 2 setup. Spent a zillion hours swinging the SD/GP/GPX and always was just fine with it. Considering the weight a good design and a comfortable grip. I find it mostly is how the actual grip fits my hand and the weight/balance, not about straight or curved.

I may do a buy and try at least. I have decided to sell my V3i as it is overkill for what I use it for, which is just a box to drive my Bigfoot coil. Will probably just replace with a DFX again that stays permanently attached to the Bigfoot. That will free up some funds that may go to an MX Sport when it becomes available. Then if I can get an adapter for the MX Sport that will allow me to put my Bigfoot on it, and if the Bigfoot does work on it, the DFX may go later.

Wow, our cup will runneth over with new detectors in 2016 for sure! I have to get you guys trained still to not be shy about posting links, so I added the link to your post Chuck. Thanks for helping keep me informed, I love hearing about any new stuff but just don't get out around the other forums as much as I used to any more. Too busy here. That Russian website seems to always get early leaks because that guy attends dealer meetings over there and posts stuff that if a dealer did it here would get them canceled as a dealer. Good for him I say and good for us. Ignoring any other changes just the change to LCD display is a huge improvement over the old Ace models, which lacked any actual target id numbers. Ace 250 Display New Ace 300 Display The Ace 250 was revolutionary when introduced for the power it put in an inexpensive little package. It single-handedly defined what a detector should be in the $200 price range and has been a great starter machine for a lot of people. The under $500 category is turning into a real shooting match between First Texas (Bounty Hunter, Fisher, Teknetics) and Garrett, and I am guessing everyone else is going to get slaughtered in the cross-fire. You may notice that with the international versions (the "i" models) Garrett is customizing the target id notches and tones for the European market, in particular adding expanded iron range capabilities that relic hunters here would like.

OK, that's a nice looking display.... ....showing the frequency offset (interference reduction) feature White's Facebook event page White's MX Sport Product Details Page

You hit the nail on the head strick. Post or S does not matter in my opinion, it is in how you design the grip itself, angle and shape. People usually say they hate S rod grips, but that is because most S rod grips are nothing more than cushion over a tube. XP shows how to do an S rod right. Maybe we call that a "Z" rod? The gun people make an art out of it. Can you imagine Smith and Wesson coming out with a pistol, and the grip is just a round tube with rubber over it?

Good digs! I have never found a spot yet with too much aluminum for me to detect. I guess I am just odd but I don't see the problem with it. Way easier that digging nails one to two feet deep day in and day out for weeks on end.

No problem Rick, I encourage links to good or relevant interesting information wherever it may be. That is not cross linking in my opinion, that is how the internet works! Cross posting is another matter - the copying of content from one site to another. The best way to do it is just link to it, like you have done, or sometimes a small lead-in except (teaser) followed by a link. Very interesting thread by Keith for sure. Gold jewelry, gold coins - gold relics... its all golden! The is a metal detecting and prospecting forum so topic is spot on as far as I am concerned.

This is pretty simple. Straight shaft, or some kind of curved shaft? The most common curved shaft is the S rod but there are others. Please vote in the poll so it tallies results but if you want to add commentary/particulars that is great.

Subject came up elsewhere so I thought I would run a little poll. The poll only gives you two choices but if you want to post about what you think your number one most comfortable detector model has ever been that would be great. It could be a lousy detector in every other way, all I am looking for it what detectors feel best on your arm when held for long hours. There are no right or wrong answers - this is a personal preference thing, determined in large part by hand and forearm size. The "S" rod grip is where the grip is just part of the rod itself, not a separate element. The Post grip is a separate post attached to the rod. Lots of people call this a pistol grip, but that really is more about the shape of the grip. I have seen good pistol grips in an S rod design. There are also Post grips on S rods so it is not the S that makes for the S rod grip but the fact it is integrated into the S. The photos here make it more obvious. There is a difference simply between curved shafts and straight shafts but that is actually a separate subject so I will make a separate poll on it.

Everyone sees everything from their own perspective. Having sold detectors for 40 years I promise you that not everyone complains about S grip designs and in fact many people prefer them. No matter which you build people want the other one. In my opinion the problem is not the S it is that most S rods are cheaply built and have little or nothing in the way of a decent grip. They are usually just a tube with foam around it. If a manufacturer does an S rod right they can work well. I tend to lean pistol grip myself for this very reason but have no problem with a properly designed S grip. My Gold Bug 2 always suited my hand well. The White's grip you mention like on my V3i my hand does not like as much but the GMT S rod designs feel fine to me. My all time favorite is the F75 pistol grip on an S rod. Its tapered design works much better for me than the oversize oval post on the V3i. The DEUS is the best example of an "S" rod pistol grip design people really like. More the difference between "S" grip and "Z" grip and to me the DEUS is more a pistol grip on an S rod. The MX Sport looks similar. I think it is more a small hand/big hand thing actually and no one grip suits all people. So let's run a poll and find out what forum members think!

The FORS Gold Plus might be better suited for many people as a primary gold getting unit. Could well prove to be so in your case. For me the Gold Racer serves a specific purpose as a secondary unit. I don't think one is better than the other, they are just two different machines depending on what a person is needing in a detector. I for one look forward to your thoughts.

Wowser!

What stem design is that? I had an E-Trac and I am not seeing it. The underarm portion of my E-Trac was like a tube not much bigger around than the handle, the underarm portion on this machine is more a flattened box.

You can see the quartz in it but it was fairly solid. About the size of a cantaloupe in real life. I had the invite to hunt gold there at Ruby but never did. Had some friends that did it but the nugget detecting was not all that great. I don't recall any of them finding anything memorable.

The funny part is people think Alaska is like some kind of super gold place, but California produced way more gold and way more big nuggets. That nugget would not rate a footnote in Australia. Yet it is the largest ever found in Alaska by a huge margin. The second biggest is over 100 ounces smaller.

I know the guy that took the photo that was posted on Facebook (Marshall Ronne) and got permission to use it on my old website at http://www.akmining.biz/mine/nuggets.htm I also know the guy that found the nugget, Barry Clay. Have not talked with him in a couple years though. One heck of a chunk of gold! People lift stuff from that old page a lot. I even found a "movie" on YouTube that walked through the photos one by one along with my descriptions. The Alaska Centennial Nugget - 294.10 Troy Ounces The largest gold nugget ever found in Alaska. It was found near Ruby, Alaska in 1998 by a miner as he operated his bulldozer. The nugget rolled off the pile of dirt ahead of the bulldozer blade. This nugget was sold and the current location is unknown. Photo Copyright 2001 by Marshall Ronne, Jr.

The stock coil would be a huge improvement in a park setting. I gotta give you credit Paul, it would never have occurred to me to use the big coil in a park! But now that I think about it, using the large coil and keeping it off the ground would give you depth but lose the tiny stuff. It would take some experimentation but maybe staying at least two inches off the ground? The problem would be the natural desire to get the coil close to the ground and then you are back to hitting tiny stuff. Maybe a custom scuff cover with a 2" gap? Anyway, go back to stock coil and leave the big coil for areas with sparse targets. The smallest coil would have you chasing foil the size of pinheads. Might want to back the gain down also. You really good not lose much depth but it cuts back on tiny stuff.

Anyone trying to mount an Infinium control box to the Infinium rod is in for a real treat! Hopefully Harry (LipCa) sees the thread and chimes in. He detects a lot up in your neck of the woods.

Very nice, clean looking unit - good work! I still think there is a market for "Super Pointers" similar to this if any of the factory folks would be willing to take a chance. Be a no-risk proposition for Tesoro in particular with no research or development costs. Just off the shelf stuff put together right. A short internal cable would be sweet. Thanks for posting, I really like that.

Be good on the Fortymile River in Alaska. In California the only place it will be running is in swimming pools.

There are four accessory coils available for the Infinium, but coil size or type is not the issue so much as pulse delay and a circuit driven by eight AA batteries. Going to a smaller coil, which I have done, only boosts sensitivity by a small amount and you lose depth and ground coverage. The 8" mono has depth as good as the 14" x 10" DD but does not cover ground as well. It does have good on edge sensitivity and is much lighter, so a good option. There is a lot to like about the Infinium. A ground balancing PI for under $1100, and I really like the ability to chest or hip mount it plus waterproof to 200 feet. I wish the ATX had been left in the Infinium box. Coils are very reasonably priced, more like VLF coils than PI coils. It handles ground and hot rocks very well, but like the TDI SL lacks serious punch. Here are 4.11 ounces of gold specimens I found at Moore Creek, Alaska in 2003 with my Garrett Infinium....