My Axiom

[peterinaust]

Still not knocking the Axiom, disappointed it didn't work for me in our ground in Australia. At start of season took it out for a week, was eager to try it on a little spot I had gone over and over with the Z7000, concentrating heavily around where I had picked up before, but no gold, thought well ok and moved on to other parts of the property. Put in good hours for the week, for no gold except for the normal boot tacks, shotty pellets and bits of rusty tin. 

Went home disappointed, but confident the Axiom would find gold, I just didn't walk over it? The Axiom was good to use tuned well and excellent battery life. Found the Axiom very over whelming on hot rocks (two types) and ground noise. Yes, I know about the hot rock window and used it. I have used the 6000 it gets hot rocks and ground noise too, but not like the Axiom does in our ground.

Three weeks later went back out for another week, three days into the week and nothing, teamed up with a friend with a 6000 and went out to compare, the 6000 picked up the first target, friend called me over to check the undug target, I couldn't hear it!! 2" down it was a bit of gold! "What the - - - -". A bit further on another target, a bit of steel on the surface I couldn't hear it, well that blew my confidence out the window, I wasn't going to push it around any longer.

I still don't know what happened that day, the Axiom can pick up my 0.065gr test piece as good maybe slightly better than the 7000 in an air test, the 6000 is better again.

The next day I was going to use the 7000 until a friend on the property turned up with his 6000 for me to use for the rest of my stay (never used a 6000) but had seen them in use. Well you guessed it took it to my 7000 hammered spot and got two bits straight up, one about 3' from an old find and another tiny bit about 6' from an old find. The rest of the time on the property went to different spots for 4 days while I had the 6000 making the most of it and found small bits every day. I now had my confidence back.

I don't think there was anything wrong with my Axiom. Just don't think it's suited to our ground and have since sold it, at a considerable loss and put that down to experience.

A bit long winded, but that's our it was.

Cheers, peterinaust.

[phrunt]

That sucks Peter, I really think there is some inconsistency in builds going on with the Axiom, I've seen a few cases now where people get under performing ones, some have had them replaced and suddenly it works as expected.

It seems no brand is immune to some quality problems on these complex high-end machines, it's just hard to know if it's just how it is or if it's got a problem without having another one to compare it too.  I know this problem all too well, I went through it with my 6000.

[peterinaust]

I meant to say I did hear there was another in the same area with same compliant. But wasn't talking to them myself. I was full of confidence and then got very disappointed.

Will have another go next year with a 6000. I know they have had there problems too. But better now, should be even more problems ironed out by next year.

Cheers

[dirtman]

Interesting reading here 🤔🧐.

[Steve Herschbach]

I’m not so quick to blame it on a bad detector. No detector suits all ground and all people. I asked Peter to post his thoughts here because I think people deserve to hear all sides of how something works. I’ve said consistently since day one that I think the Axiom follows behind the 7000 and 6000 in performance, and is more on par with the GPX 5000 in overall performance (ahead in some areas and behind in others). So a 6000 getting the goods where an Axiom would not does not surprise me. It just depends in the ground ultimately and just what gold remains to be found. Hunting ground thoroughly pounded by a 7000 is a tough go for any detector, and a 6000 will probably have an edge over the Axiom in such a location. To make it as simplistic as possible, here’s how I line them up after plenty of hours on all of them in different places and locations, including Australia:

1. GPZ 7000
2. GPX 6000
3. Axiom

Thanks for the report Peter. I'm sorry the Axiom did not work out for you. The first couple goes are all important in building trust and faith in a detector, and once that's blown it's hard to get it back. I'd probably have done the same in your situation.

[phrunt]

I guess it's another strong case for my wish to be able to hire detectors from dealers to try before you buy, if I could have hired all the detectors that I've owned I would have bought a third of them.

Some just don't suit my detecting at all much like I guess the Axiom doesn't suit yours Peter, some people were raving about and I get them and just don't get along with them at all, others I bought just to see what they're like. 

I'd rather spend $50 to hire one for a day to decide if I want to own it than having to buy it to find out and by the sounds of it if you had hired an Axiom and tested it out much like you did your own Axiom you likely wouldn't have bought it knowing it's not really suitable for your ground.

If manufacturers were confident in their product, they should have no concerns about providing dealers with a discounted detector or even a sample unit that they can use to hire out or loan to potential buyers encourage sales of their product.

[Steve Herschbach]

I’ll tell you straight up why it’s hard to hire/rent gold nugget detectors in particular. I sold a ton of nugget detectors in my day, and my company had a cheap rental detector to look for lost keys and property corners. But despite demand we refused to rent nugget detectors. The fact is most metal detectors are bought by people with stars in their eyes who think they just need to go out and fill their pocket with gold. Most detectors sold to new detectorists get used no more than a few times before finding a permanent place in the closet or getting sold. It’s just not that fun for most people, digging lots of trash for a few pennies. Or nothing but wire, bullets, and nails when it was gold nuggets sought.

If renting detectors out lead to more detector sales all dealers would do it. The reality is renting detectors out would kill many detector sales. You said it yourself Simon - “if I could have hired all the detectors that I've owned I would have bought a third of them.” That’s the simple reason why it does not happen except in rare places.

[Gazza gold]

On 8/12/2023 at 2:28 PM, peterinaust said:

I meant to say I did hear there was another in the same area with same compliant. But wasn't talking to them myself. I was full of confidence and then got very disappointed.

Will have another go next year with a 6000. I know they have had there problems too. But better now, should be even more problems ironed out by next year.

Cheers

Hi Peter

Have not been on forum for a bit.

It is I having trouble with axiom around meeka/cue. I took it back to prospector's patch and they sent to Garrett Queensland who said there was nothing wrong with it. Sent video to Garrett in the  states and they wanted "more detail". So I have the machine back albeit broken( and the box was not damaged) a crack on one of the clamps. (picture attached)

I have just now travelled back out bush . Same area SAME PROBLEM.

I am going to do another video showing the ground balance readings etc etc but I firmly believe the Axiom cannot handle this ground in comparison to my 4500 with a small mono and my 2300.

So I want a refund with no "considerable loss". Will send comparison video tests to the USA and wait for feedback. 

 

[peterinaust]

Don't know what to say Gazza, but pretty disappointing! There is not a lot of feedback in Australia good or bad, I can't work it out, there has to be plenty out and about by now?

Haven't seen Gone Bush on here for a long time. He did plenty of testing and good reports and was very helpful. Hope you get it sorted out soon, but these things can take a long time.