Dropped My Zed

[brogansown]

Based on Steve's comments, I shouldn't be chiming in on the GPZ cause I don't own one, but here goes anyway.  ( I might someday buy a GPZ if and when it prove itself in all the situations that I espect to encounter and yes I do own a Minelab 3000 and a 4500 and a Gold Bug 2.)

 

First of all, I'm not sure why Steve is defending the GPz so vehemently, as I thought the forum's purpose was to report our finds, our problems and our freewheeling comments about metal detecting in general.  And I for one, really appreciate what Steve and this forum is doing for our hobby.  I especially like it when Zed owners not only show their gold, but all the trash they had to find to get that piece of gold.

 

Basically, if a person buys the most expensive metal detector on earth or the most expensive automobile such as a Rolls Royce or any "most expensive" item, he or she has a right to expect that item will be perfect for its intended purpose and not just be a laboratory experiment for the "most expensive" company.

 

So far, my reading of forum comments made about the GPZ and a small amount of field experience with the unit, many comment on their difficulty with ground balancing.  You can see from this particular topic that there is a problem with the housing and the too heavy coil for the shaft.  From the field, it appears that very wet ground gives the unit a lot of trouble.

 

The next major problem is the total lack of discrimination, causing all to dig nearly every signal and if the additional 40% is true, this means a lot of deep holes for us "old guys" to have to navigate.

 

So I submit to you that $10,000 is a lot of money and a buyer should expect perfection.  I'm an engineer, so maybe that is just my overly optimistic expectations.

[Steve Herschbach]

Defending it vehemently? Seriously? Did you not see my picture of the broken footrest? Please review my Reasons Not To Buy a GPZ 7000 http://www.detectorprospector.com/forum/topic/725-reasons-not-to-get-a-minelab-gpz-7000/ I am all for reporting facts and have said not one thing here to discourage reporting facts.

So to the list of reasons not to buy a GPZ 7000 add that it is not perfect. Having run a service department for decades, I can promise anyone buying anything that stuff breaks and fails for countless reasons. Expecting perfection from devices is unrealistic.

I guess my motivations are suspect so I will let others do the talking about the GPZ from here on out. I will just go use it.

[1515Art]

Ok, zed has duct tape covering his cracked case and he has spent the last couple of days roaming the n Nevada desert at rye patch. The ground is still damp down about 4 inches, but the only relly bad ground I found that was undetectable was down very low below etna rd.

The place was empty, in two full days no one else was out there but me and zed. Still no gold this trip and I hit a few areas very hard, not even that much trash. I even used the gps in enhanced to keep track of the ground I was hitting so I know my coverage was ok. Oh we'll next time...

Zed is having a new problem and will have to go back in for service, this evening I powered up and now have two black streaks about an inch apart running down my display where the pixels are dead. Anyone else have display screen issues?

[auminesweeper]

Ok, zed has duct tape covering his cracked case and he has spent the last couple of days roaming the n Nevada desert at rye patch. The ground is still damp down about 4 inches, but the only relly bad ground I found that was undetectable was down very low below etna rd.

The place was empty, in two full days no one else was out there but me and zed. Still no gold this trip and I hit a few areas very hard, not even that much trash. I even used the gps in enhanced to keep track of the ground I was hitting so I know my coverage was ok. Oh we'll next time...

Zed is having a new problem and will have to go back in for service, this evening I powered up and now have two black streaks about an inch apart running down my display where the pixels are dead. Anyone else have display screen issues?

I am Sorry To Hear That, I am sure MineLab will Take Care Of You, But This Is The One And Only Problem of this type That has happened Out of Thousands that have been Sold So No Need to worry,

 

Good Luck,,   

[auminesweeper]

Based on Steve's comments, I shouldn't be chiming in on the GPZ cause I don't own one, but here goes anyway.  ( I might someday buy a GPZ if and when it prove itself in all the situations that I espect to encounter and yes I do own a Minelab 3000 and a 4500 and a Gold Bug 2.)

 

First of all, I'm not sure why Steve is defending the GPz so vehemently, as I thought the forum's purpose was to report our finds, our problems and our freewheeling comments about metal detecting in general.  And I for one, really appreciate what Steve and this forum is doing for our hobby.  I especially like it when Zed owners not only show their gold, but all the trash they had to find to get that piece of gold.

Steve has No Brand Loyalty, When It comes to his Passion, For Him it's about the Bush and the Hunt and the Fact that The Next Bleep might just be a Trophy Nugget, Which Is Why you can Depend On Him and His Views, All Machines and Detectors or D9 Dozers are are just tools to him, ( He Loves That D9 )

I have Known Steve for quite A few Years and Vice Versa, So don't take Offence by what he says to me because He Knows that I do Tend to over Think Things.

John.

[klunker]

 1515art; Of the 5 GPZs here locally 2 have had screen failures. I heard that Minelab has a new version out with all of these problems corrected- but it costs up to %40 more. Just a rumor. Minelab did replace these detectors-and not repair them and in fairly short time.

[brogansown]

You're right Steve I didn't read the post "Reasons not to buy the GPZ 7000" and it is a good read with a lot of thought provoking information.  It appears that a lot of buyers didn't read or at least didn't take to heart your comments.

 

I built my first detector in 1965 and have owned one or more ever since that day.  My brother-in-law and I were ham radio operators and formed a company to built "state of the art" detectors back then and we sold a fair number of "Metal Dogs" until we were each transferred 1500 miles from each other. We formed our plastic coil covers in molds in our kitchen oven.  We loaned out or gave friends and relatives experimental detectors to try out and report back on what we should do to improve the units.  Our focus was on ruggedness, reliability and "state of the art" at that time.

 

So this is where I do disagree with you a little bit Steve-we do have a right to or should  expect perfection from "the most expensive" detector on the market.  Now if it is the cheap model or medium price model we can cut them a little slack.  As an example, for years the Connoisseur Magazine had an article in each issue that profiled "The Best of the Best" item or article in the world and each was expected to be perfect.

 

I believe Minelab has the reputation for creating the best gold detectors in the world and I own two of them.  But when the Company presented us with the GPZ 7000 and charged $10,000 for it, as an engineer, I expected it to be perfect, as it was advertized as the Best of the Best.  Since I wasn't able to just run out and buy one, I began reading every post in your forum to see what others thought of the detector, what were the drawbacks (and I see now your "Reasons for Not" told of some) and would this thing pay for itself in my area of detecting.  That's why I enjoy the pictures some have posted showing the trash to gold ratios.

 

So I wasn't impuning your integraty, as I respect you too much for that.  But I concerned with the "reported by others" problems that are occurring with the Zed and will probably wait a bit before buying one.  I am interested in the SDC 2300 as it might work very well in our detecting area. 

[Norvic]

I`m not defending Steve, he`s big and ugly enough to do that himself, but I`ll defend the GPZ and Minelab, The GPZ is worth every cent of what it costs and if you check my posts I`ve given Minelab a fair bit of "curry", to expect perfection from evolving tech or anything made by humans is a "long bow" but also importantly your right of opinion.

I expect gold and Minelab have always come the party there with the much less than "40%" a detector supplies to that quest. The GPZ does give 40% or more depth as they claim and that`s what they are about.

 

Put down the axe Steve your not really ugly, but don`t stop expressing your opinion, tis more valuable than gold.

[auminesweeper]

I`m not defending Steve, he`s big and ugly enough to do that himself,

Hahahahahaha,,,, I'm not feeling the Love here,

 

lol,, john

[AussieMatt]

Moral to the story:

Don't drop your $10k or whatever priced detector if you can help it.

As a footnote I heard of a bloke that had leant his TDI against his ute only to have it slide down & hit the ground. The control box was broken off the shaft mount. He was a little bit upset at Whites blaming a poor design etc. but mostly upset at himself for leaving it like he did. That's just one example of many similar "human error" type incidents that can't always be leveled at the manufacturers.

So these problems are not limited to Minelab or Minelab users!

p.s I hope you don't stop talking about the GPZ Steve. I don't find anything suspect in what you say in fact as someone who doesn't have one yet I find them, as well as what other owners have to say, beneficial in getting an understanding of how it ticks in anticipation of either owning or using one down the track.