mn90403

JR, As you say ... a bit thin but thanks for the followup picture with the little ones. It makes it a bit easier to hunt around the piles! I do have to admit that many parts of our gold country in the west has range cows. There is evidence of them everywhere in the thick, tall brush and gullies. One place we hunt in the mountains routinely uses sheep to graze and it can be easier to detect after they have gotten many of the big leaves out of the way. The shepherds don't speak any English and it has the traditional mix of dogs to protect them. Most of this is on government land (BLM or Forrest Service) which can be claimed and you don't have to share unless you are working another person's claim. Your area in the picture is much flatter. From the looks of the gold it seems very old in place and would seem to 'open up' some areas I wouldn't consider holding gold ... until you find it! What is your understanding of the gold formations there? Mitchel

What a sensible and practical approach to the problem of finding gold. Thank you for that. I did think your picture of where you were hunting looked more like cattle country than gold country. Well done sir. Mitchel

Has anyone tried the 'fix' of going back to the old software to do the xchange and then going to the new software for the settings? When I upgraded I was surprised to see all of my previous find and waypoints there. They were not erased. Since that time I have had the screen replaced by Minelab because of the pixel problem so all of my points were gone. As to the screen problem, most of my problem was solved by placing a non-glare, phone-type screen protector on and I can see it most of the day with a little bit of an angle tilt but how often do you need to look? This isn't a 3030 screen where you can see the target. I guess you look a lot if you are using the GPS and doing an electronic grid. This is a hear it machine. If you can't hear it you are not going to find it. Mitchel

I find myself always agreeing with Norvic!

Great gold Chris. Very pretty on the scale ... I guess that was after cleaning? Well to add to the 19 sensitivity stories, I had some new shoes and used the 14 with no problem. Later in the day I switched to the 19 and found a tiny nugget with it but I also noticed it was 'falsing' on my swing. I couldn't understand it and then I swung my foot with the metal free shoes over the coil and ... voila ... signal. It turns out the new model added a metal loop at the top of the shoe (the old shoe did not have metal) and I had to take those shoes back. It is big and sensitive. I need to swing it more often but ONLY with a hip stick. Mitchel

I found this picture on a Russian web page. Has anyone seen this before? https://zolotodb.ru/gallery/digger/187

In the marketing world you want to be in 'control' of your message. Minelab is in control if they compare their new products to their old products. If they were to compare themselves to another brand (pinpointer or detector) then that brand could object and 'play off' of the comparison to disparage the competition. It is better to obsolete one of your own products. Some product marketers will to go directly at the competition but at a risk which it seems Minelab is not needing to take. There are many among us who will test and compare. The 35 is something I would consider buying but never a 15 or a 25. Mitchel

Let's see how many nuggets the GPZ has missed that the Gold Monster will find! You won't want to use the Equinox on a GPX, 2300, Z or Monster patch ... go find some trash.

Yes, the GPZ is not being used on very many virgin or lightly detected patches in the US. It seems that a big 18" NF got deep gold and we found out about it. A couple of years ago we were some of the first ones in Alaska with the 7000 and big gold wasn't jumping out at us in Nome! The posting of finds has changed a bit in the last couple of years. People are keeping more quiet about the big nuggets I think. (Maybe that is just an antidote or excuse!!) The videos I have seen from Australia show much bigger gold for the Zed from time to time but they are still getting huge nuggets with the GPX from time to time as well so it isn't the detector. Mitchel

Does anyone know unit sales of any of the detector companies? If they are public then their public filings would list such things. How many E's does Minelab think they will sell? How many 7000s, 3030 and others have been sold? The private companies won't tell. Mitchel

You can pre-order in some places and it says: Minelab EQUINOX 800 Series Metal Detector Sku: 237-37200002 Now Only: $899.00 (or $42.00 bi-weekly)* *No ship dates yet (TBD). Please check back for more info soon! Availability: Out of Stock

All of this is making me dizzy. I have a Gold Bug Pro but it sits at home or sometimes in the car without use because I have a 7000 and 2300. Will I be able to find more gold where I have been hunting or do I still have to find new locations? (I know new is the default answer but you know what I mean.) I'm assuming that the E will handle trash better in all of its modes and might make a few pieces of gold visible in a slaw patch? We haven't had much discussion HERE on the coins, relics and other things people use detectors for. Is it really going to give me more pennies and quarters at the beach ... or a ring I would miss at less than 10 inches with the 3030? Mitchel

I had/have an old Pro-Find and I think it was the worst product I've ever used from Minelab. I very rarely use a pointer now. Mitchel

I was not meaning to think opposite or just one way or another about any company as much as I was saying Minelab had painted itself into a corner but it doesn't look that way now. They have breakout products. They are reinventing themselves in 3-4 years and not like the 15-20 years of other companies. All of the other companies in the market space will have their own troubles gaining, keeping or losing market share. Much of that market share can be from brand loyalty and other can be from innovation. An additional amount of market share will come from 'Made in USA' or 'Not Made in USA' folks. Whites's (who made my first detector) and the other brands need a 'practical MBA' to keep them relevant. Electronic innovations happen all the time and someone needs to keep up with them in all of those companies to know what can be applied to detecting. It makes features we desire less expensive and lighter. Mitchel

Steve, You are right that this is just a general business article. Mike sees the connection between other technology companies like computers and phones and I think it applies here. I think this applies to Minelab as much as anything. Look at what they had just a few months ago ... the most expensive 'line' of metal detectors in the industry. Sure we could argue it was the best technology but what could be next for them along those lines? (More expense when competitors are gaining market share?) Now they have somewhat 'reinvented' themselves with lower price, lighter, potentially more functional detectors that have excited the industry. They have staved off technical obsolescence. They are relevant in every discussion about metal detecting for gold, relics and beaches. This will result in some cannibalization. The alternative business plan would be to ignore the much larger market. That market is now an international collection of metal detectorists seeking to replace an existing detector with a maximum 'bang for your buck' purchase. Their new products can also appeal to the newbie market as well. Innovate or die. Mitchel

The CTX and Explorers/Etrac have a choice of response rather than Normal. I like smooth or long. Is that available on the Equinox? Mitchel

Detector Interference Free (DIF) technology! We'll see upon release and use. Mitchel

Can you carry this with a 7000? That is my question and will it find one of those .2 or .1g nuggets that are so hard to pinpoint? Mitchel

Norvic, What an easy way to be rid of him, eh? (I bet he doesn't think it was your idea all along!) Mitchel

This was sent as an email but is also a web page: http://minelab.newsweaver.co.uk/FlyerIRL/huvrs090xkj1rrl3s4sxyo?email=true&a=11&p=52335006

Steve, Don't go there. We care about YOUR opinion and not theirs ... whomever THEY may be. Mitchel

Competition is now driving the market. You have to be mindful of the competition and try to be better than it even at the expense of your own line. Minelab will suffer from some cannibalization: In marketing strategy, cannibalization refers to a reduction in sales volume, sales revenue, or market share of one product as a result of the introduction of a new product by the same producer. The only feature I have not seen mentioned that I will miss is GPS. If my phone doesn't interfere with this unit then I guess I won't miss it on the detector. Mitchel

Steve, I keep reading the Impact thread (although it bores me) and know your comments about multipurpose and agree. That is why I ask what does 'gold' mean? Several things come to mind and I know there will be a wait but there are also a lot of people at Detectival now and they must be able to use one, right?

Who field tested these so far?

Wow! Price points are below what I (we) expected. They are competing with themselves now. Should I order an 800 or a Monster? What do they really mean when they say gold? How small and how good is the id? If they perform like other Minelabs then this one already has me ...