Wade The 1 Armed Warrior And His Gpx-6000

[Gerry in Idaho]

My 1^st customer of the new GPX-6000 is a very special man.  We’ll call him Wade (because that’s his name) and he drove all the way from Texas (with 1 arm) for the Rye Patch training end of June.  I am so glad and grateful this guy listened to me as he was eager to get a GPZ-7000 back in Spring and wanted to take my early class.   But as a conscious dealer and one who knows the GPZ-7000, I just could not see him enjoying the extra weight, the chest harness, the swing arm (it takes 2 hands/arms to use a swing arm) and or bungee.  The other issue I seemed to run through my mind… was how is a one armed guy going to use a pick and dig down 2 to 3 feet on occasion to find a beer can, an empty one at that?  So I called this stranger back and begged of him to reconsider his choice and told him of an up and coming new detector, the GPX-6000. 

Now when you have you mind set on an $8000 GPZ-7000 and some guy you don’t know is trying to sell you down to a cheaper GPX-6000, some folks just take that wrong and walk, thinking this dealer has lost his marbles – which I have lost quite a few, but I do seem to find a couple now and then.  Anyway, I was more focused on the customer and their lack of knowledge of what it really takes to properly use a detector, let alone a mammoth, heavy, awkward, robust, to many shafts, to much quirky harness which xo skeleton that can’t hold together properly to save my own life if needed, cheap built headphones that the 90 degree plug breaks after you take it out of the wrapping, a semi worthless WM-12 half of us forget at home or totally lose altogether, the ultra-thin slice of baloney (that’s not even fair to baloney, I actual eat it on occasion) cheap skid plate that a quality condom has better protection, the glare off the LCD screen is so bad your favorite polarized sunglasses are worthless because you see so many waves, you get a headache.  Yes you all who own a GPZ-7000 know exactly what I am talking about and you know I am not bull shitting one bit.  Now to be fare those laser focused pencil sharpened Engineers and Einstein minded Physicists’ (yes Geek squad Minelab has them too), are some of the brightest at getting performance out of metal detector technology and boy does that 7000 do it well.  Yes that GPZ-7000 was about to be in the 1 good hand of a stranger….all I had to do was say “yes you are right it’s the best at this time” and I would not have been lying one bit and would have scored an $8000 sale.

But that’s not how this duck walks (actually I kind of do walk like duck, but that’s just crappy feet) so I felt the long term relationship with this customer and most all of mine for that matter, was to get him the proper detector for his capabilities and in reality a GPZ-7000 is not that detector.  So we waited, waited some more and then waited even longer, until the day came and I was shipped a few of the GPX-6000’s.  It was so long of a wait I actually had to have a Staff Member grab a couple on 6000 and boogie to Rye Patch showing up early Saturday morning just as the 2^nd day of our 3 day class was about to begin.

So lets get back to 1 armed Wade the Warrior and his new GPX-6000.  Yes he was easily able to swing the detector and before long his coil control was smooth, slow and low, just like an Easy Rider… Warrior Wade was starting to get the hang of it and by afternoon of the 1^st day him swinging the GPX-6000 he is digging targets.  Just the 3rd target in of that afternoon and it turns to gold.  Warrior Wade is swinging his arm in air and smiling as a kid does when tasting his favorite sour gummy bears, with a golden grin.  After all, this guy drives 30 hours up the US to meet some guys in the middle of the desert and pick up a gold detector.  After all what kind of people are we?  Yes it’s the fever and many of us have it.

Anyway,  I was very impressed with Warrior Wade from TX and his desire to listen, learn and like…his new GPX-6000 and the 2 nuggets he recovered.

So the moral of this story is:  Even a 1 armed Warrior Wade who drove all the way from TX., can properly use a GPX-6000, can diligently dig his own target and willingly share his trip and experience of finding his first detected gold nuggets for the rest of his life and he had a couple more dreams come true.  Yes the 6000 is that easy, light and usable. 

Minelab Geek Squad did it again.

[Kodiak]

Wade sounds like a great guy glad you guys found some gold.  The story lead me at first to believe he only had one arm, which reminded me of a guy I met who was a an actual amputee, with only the stub.  He was a log truck driver, and would drive, shift, and use the CB to call out mile markers, all with one arm, and a little stub.

Stay cool and hyrdrated.

Kodiak

[Norvic]

You are a legend Gerry, it don`t get any better then Wades intro to MLs 6K detector in Gerrys Hall of Fame or anyones. Even if your a few grams short of an ounce. On ya.

[Lunk]

Awesome post, Gerry. Warrior Wade was certainly an inspiration to the entire class, and it was very gratifying to see him dig his first gold; too cool!

[Valens Legacy]

Great story Gerry, and thank you for sharing such an inspirational person to us all.

I know that even those with a handicap such as his can do what ever they want to as long as they believe and put forth the effort.

Thanks for helping him with the right detector, and the right instructions for his new detector.

[Gold Catcher]

Great story and well done, Gerry!

[Gerry in Idaho]

8 hours ago, Kodiak said:

Wade sounds like a great guy glad you guys found some gold.  The story lead me at first to believe he only had one arm, which reminded me of a guy I met who was a an actual amputee, with only the stub.  He was a log truck driver, and would drive, shift, and use the CB to call out mile markers, all with one arm, and a little stub.

Stay cool and hyrdrated.

Kodiak

It's amazing the capabilities someone can do when they set their mind to it.  He was in a bike accident with some serious body and nerve damage and so the end result, his left arm is paralyzed.  He keeps it in a sling since they are thinking in the future, there might be a chance to save it, but for the last few years and probably a few ahead of him, it's just hanging there in the way with no use or function, but the sling set up allows him to stuff small items there as a shelf or pocket per say.

Yes this year it's taking extra to stay cool and hydrated so back at you.

[Gerry in Idaho]

Norvic - You know what happens to us who chase the yellow metal for so many yrs.  The sun beating down all day, the solitude of the bush and other things day in day out.  Next thing you know, we're talking to objects around camp and giving them names (kind of like that airplane pilot who crashed on an island and lived with a volleyball).  Yes it's the Au fever and each of us have it just at a different level.  You right though, a couple/few grams short...of a pound or two each year and I'll continue to be.  But the reality is I can't have fun without new customers and or friends.  Thanks for being there.

Lunk - Heck I really never even seen how you set his detector up but I did notice that last one was about 10-12" deep.  Glad you were there to keep him grounded after the gold...he was pretty Texas stoked.

Gold Catcher - After this covid shit is over (seems to be creeping back up) and all is normal in CA (is that even possible?), I might actually head West to try my luck at scoring a coastal nugget or two.  I'll be sure to reach out ahead of time, so as not to make the news of an out of state gold prospector found dead, after walking into a pot field.  Actually I think it's legal there now right?

Valens Legacy - With my business it's never an upsell and won't be.  Getting to know the customer and their needs before the sale is most important.  Offering additional knowledge and the opportunity of Field Training down the road is actually 2 fold as the new prospector gets to learn from Pros and at the same time the 3 days in the field is building long term relationships and camaraderie with my staff/I.  Here's a funny fact many don't realize.  You can not purchase a detector from from my website (I have no shopping cart).  Do I lose business that way?  Most certainly and I don't really care.  What I do care about most is getting the right detector of the 150+ models I offer into the hands of the customer so they have the best chance of Success at the detecting styles they wish to pursue.  My Field Staff is a big part of my business as I have 9 different highly skilled detectorists in different parts of the US who are constantly trying to make the detectors perform better in a varying soils for different kinds of gold.  The bottom line to me.  A successful customer is a customer for life and if my guys/I can help that customer become Successful, my little non traditional MD'er business in Boise, Idaho will continue on.  Must be doing something right as Gerry's Detectors has been chugging along just fine for 25 yrs now.  Thanks for the kind words.

 

 

[rvpopeye]

Skuh kuh kuh kuh Gerry , You "Ain't Right" buddy !

Good news ,,, I have a club for that !

You're definitely a "brother of a different mother" !

Hope I get a chance to meet you out on "the patch" some day....

 

I was half expectin' ta see a pirate with the one arm reference..!

(Guess we're all on THAT ship anyhow..)

[Gold Catcher]

31 minutes ago, Gerry in Idaho said:

Gold Catcher - After this covid shit is over (seems to be creeping back up) and all is normal in CA (is that even possible?), I might actually head West to try my luck at scoring a coastal nugget or two.  I'll be sure to reach out ahead of time, so as not to make the news of an out of state gold prospector found dead, after walking into a pot field.  Actually I think it's legal there now right?

Awesome Gerry, looking forward to it. Nothing is ever normal in CA, but there is still gold to be found! I will show you some favorite spots that won't disapoint you. And yeah, with a bit of luck you'll make it out alive. 😉