mn90403

A few afternoons back I went out to a local beach to do my normal searching.  It has been a time of few waves and even fewer targets.  Everyone hears this from me quite often but I've heard it from other detectorists as well.  So, you relax, go slow and just enjoy the beach.

A bit down from me I saw a group along the blanket line and there was something different.  There was a little kid (older than mine) about 5 or so swinging a metal detector.  It had a kinda orange coil and the kid just was playing with it a bit and then running around with the other kids.  I decided to go up with my 800 in hand and have a little chat with him and maybe 'show' him how to find things.  By the time I got up to where he was he was out near the water and the only one still around was his dad and his dad's friend or brother.

We started up a bit of a chat and they said they had bought the detector off of Amazon for $60.  I didn't recognize it but it was giving my 800 an EMI fit so I went to a different channel.  I told them what I had in mind (quarter in hand) and they called the little boy over.  I wish I had taken a picture of the detector but it was a short arm, adjustable with compression fittings, concentric coil detector of a brand I didn't catch.  It had a screen that was discriminating and it did 'find' the planted quarter which the kid liked but didn't have that much interest in it.

One of the really interesting parts of the story was the friend.  He told me it was an Amazon purchase and thought that $60 should make it a very good detector.  They didn't really have a clue.  They asked me about mine and I told them and I could see their jaws drop a bit on now knowing that 'pros' like me were out with detectors from $500 to $900!  It was way out side of their conception so they asked me what did I think of their detector.  I didn't really pick it up but I told them there are these new little detectors that could be better than a lot of the detectors just 5 to 8 years old that sold for much, much higher prices.

This is part of the new purchaser and market for the detector companies which provide higher end products like Minelab.  It is a new reality of buyer and probably the reason for their low end detectors.

When I came back and searched Amazon looking for this $60 detector I was flooded with many, many detectors from companies unknown.  Minelab is not on Amazon it seems and many other searches for the average buyer.  Some of you here see some advertising on this forum for the best metal detectors.  I started a thread about it a couple of weeks back.

One thing I did happen across when looking for the metal detectors were a few 'board detectors.'  These were complete metal detectors on a circuit board that sell for less than $5.00!  It becomes more clear that these detector circuit boards placed in a molded plastic handle become the brains for a $50.00 detector that wholesales for maybe $26.  Components are cheap.

Marketing and R&D are expensive!

I didn't find much on the beach that day but I brightened the face of a little kid and I got a good story.

That claim you are on sends a lot of people home with a skunk.  You know, it was 80 acres and has been broken up so look around other places for the full map.  I've been there a couple of times years ago and didn't find anything.  What I did notice is that where the claims ended there was open ground in some directions.  That is where I'd go the next time thinking that there may have been less gold there in the beginning for old timers but there may be more of it still there than on the beaten to death claim.

I have it.  It is from the NF website.

https://www.nuggetfinder.com.au/

Just as a note, I asked about the free coil offer and they said it was only available in Australia.  I wonder if the 3 year warranty on coils is only available in Australia only also.  They don't have many dealers in the United States.

So ... the next detector won't be ZVT!  😛

4 hours ago, PhaseTech said:

3030 with the 17" coil?? As long as the gold is nice and sluggy. Probably the best ferrous disc still on the market. 

I certainly like the 3030 17" with a hip stick on the beach!  I need to break it back out again.  It was also really cool to see my finds all grouped together on some beaches.  I found a 13g nugget in the Yuba River near Downieville, California with the 6 inch coil about 3 years ago.  I wonder how the Equinox 800 would do in the same place but it is not my claim.

Norvic,

I'll always appreciate your comments.

You must know by now ... it is harder to be a prospector than some of us are capable of doing on a regular basis.

I'm back to a once or twice a month nugget hunter for the next 2-3 years.  I guess my best status now would be a tag along detectorist or wait for my metal detecting club to get an easy claim!  haha

Mitchel

(Right now I'm going out for a 2 hour beach hunt to finish my birthday.  It will take me about 5 minutes to get to the beach!)

Yes, I know how Google keeps track of me and pushes stuff at me that not everyone else will see.  I hesitated to put the link in the forum because you would lose some click revenue.

I've seen advertisers like this before and just like this ad link they introduce me to detector companies I've never heard of before but if they say they are the best ... I guess I have to believe them, right?  haha

I just 'clicked' on one of Steve's ads.  This just solves all my problems.  I should select a detector from this list!  😁

https://bestreviews.com/best-metal-detectors

As a detectorist with my nugget hat on I look at the 'price' and wonder how many nuggets this will help me find and that should 'pay for it' or what number of ounces I need to find to pay for it.  I bought the latest and greatest nugget detector AND the 'Dog Coil' based upon this premise.  I couldn't 'afford' to be without the best.

Several years later and neither one of these purchases is putting ounces of gold in my poke.  My next purchase will have to be a purchase of pleasure.  It is really frustrating to go out and get a skunk.  I can do that with my present detectors.

The appeal to me of the Xcoil at this point is that it seems to be finding previously unseen gold.  I know some who would say they could see that gold with the standard coil but I'll say that it still the Xcoil appeal.  Minelab will have to appeal to that same sense within me as a nugget detectorist no matter what the price or I'll just keep what I have.

Why would they come out with a new detector that would quickly fail or become another 'dog?'  I doubt they will but we've failed to understand a lack of a smaller coil to extend the life of the 7000 as well so ...

How much tiny and lager gold is left to be found in beaten up patches?  Much less than was there 20 years ago with lesser technology.  I miss the working GPS.

Steve,

You got it.  I woke up in the middle of the night thinking a similar thought. 

Discrimination with a PI.  I still might dig everything but I could see the ground and know there was something 'out of the ordinary' waiting for me to dig it.  I use the Nox this way and I'd do the same with a PI.

Mitchel

9 hours ago, klunker said:

set gold mode to fine gold

???  Sounds like a 5000 setting!

I didn't buy a Monster and it will do 80% of what you are looking for.  I don't know where to use a Monster where I'd have 'fun' because I would always wonder if there is MORE.

It is that depth and size thing we also want.

Well, it is the new year and based upon someone I know and trust they think a new detector will be out this year ... if the tests are complete.  They are excited and I'll get excited with them.

I don't know any details.  My interest in the new detector will be based upon price more than weight.  I haven't been able to pay for my last gold detector with my finds.  I would invest in an Xcoil or another smaller coil for the Z before I'd pay more than $3000 for the latest and greatest gold detector!

There, I've pinned myself down to a budget for the year.  Work with that Minelab or not.  I doubt their new top of the line nugget detector will be less than that so I'll leave it for the professionals and not a part time nugget detectorist like myself.  The results I see from other Z owners means my results are more based upon my errors rather than the detector.

When they come out with a detector that stops, detects and digs and gets equal results with any other detectorist then I'll pay the premium again.

6 hours ago, fredmason said:

Two people or a million saying the same thing does not make it true!

A detector company needs to have new products.  They don't survive without them.

Ok, where is the 'value equation' or 'sweet spot' of detector/coil price and finds?  How much is a 'fair price' to pay for a detector and still enjoy it?

My rumor source would discount the super high price detector in development in favor of a high sales volume unit which will help to keep the dealer network thriving.  It would be extremely hard to sell a detector weighing half the weight of a 7000 for twice as much money!  I'll buy a better coil for my 7000 in that case.  This is where having a coil aftermarket could impact a new detector release.

Most of us have had several detectors in our hunting careers.  Some have been good to us and we've paid for the detector many times over.  Other detectors have been so so.  I'm going to make a list of detectors that I own or owned and say which ones paid for themselves.  Some of this depends on just getting better or lucky at detecting and some depends on the detector itself.  I'm trying to give maximum credit to the detector.

GOLD DETECTORS

Minelab 5000                Yes

Minelab 2300                No

Minelab 7000                No

Gold Bug Pro                 No

BEACH AND RELIC DETECTORS

White's 6000 Di Pro      No

Minelab SE Pro             Yes

CTX 3030                      Yes

Minelab Equinox          Yes

That is a nice dragon or a bird!

I wish everyone a Happy New Year with good finds.  Most of all find time to look, swing and enjoy.

Mitchel

In case you are going to UK.

https://www.metaldetectives.co.uk/

Thank you and Merry Christmas.  Long live traditions.

We've had a Merry Christmas morning.  There is nothing quite like a 2 year old ... stopping on the first gift before he can get to others.  Sometimes we could all stop and enjoy before moving on to the next package!

Mitchel, Lu and Curtis

The night of that hunt I dug it all and displayed it all for purposes of the posting.  There are clues within the trash that have been grouped together because of the wave action.  I slow down when I find those targets because the heavier rings have been moved by those waves also.

We can't hunt the way you do in Mexico around here.  There are times down in San Diego you can go out to where coins and rings have been lost but you have to wait for them to be moved around up here.

I was disappointed when Minelab came out with this type of coil because I had coil ears break on the 3030 and no amount of glue or heat would fix it.  I bought an outside repair kit which made the ears out of a different material and then you attached that to the broken coil with plastic fastners.  That cured me from tightening the bolts on coils.

Gerry,

What year was the first piece found?

Mitchel

On 12/19/2019 at 2:10 AM, Goldpick said:

You have done pretty damned good yourself, very lucky to have such productive ground literally in your back yard.  This spot was a couple hundred kilometre round trip from home, so dodging Kangaroos and Wombats was part of the excitement.  I managed to collect a Kangaroo on the way home from the first outing, smashed my front grill though the bullbar did its job thankfully.

You guys should just rename that 'bullbar' to a 'roobar' and sell the heck out of them for protection!