Troy Shadow X2 - Nostalgia

[Bill (S. CA)]

Great post, Bob.

I seem to recall that Troy was developing a visible target ID detector before he closed up shop. Does that ring a bell with you?

 

Bill

[Bob S.]

49 minutes ago, Bill (S. CA) said:

Great post, Bob.

I seem to recall that Troy was developing a visible target ID detector before he closed up shop. Does that ring a bell with you?

 

Bill

Thanks Bill.

Unfortunately a Troy VDI doesn't light up my screen! Not long after the X2 market entry, I moved on to other clients. The X3 and X5 did not have my involvement. Troy Galloway was a dreamer, but the good kind. He had the metal detecting experience and engineering background to know what he wanted that others weren't giving. I believe he got involved with Dave Johnson, an excellent electronics engineer of Fisher Research Labs fame, to help with the X3 and X5. It would have been interesting to see what he came up with if in fact he followed through. I do know he made all the right moves with the three models he conceptualized.

[Bill (S. CA)]

I think I remember him discussing it on another forum many years ago.  His detectors were fun to use.  I'd love to find an X5 sometime but the old beep and dig detector prices are skyrocketing these days.

[George Kinsey]

I field tested for Troy along with Robert C. I still use the X5. It tested very well in the red dirt of Central Virginia. I also have the X3 with the hard-to-find elliptical coil. I wish the Forum could still be seen as I posted many confederate buttons I found will using the X5. I sent Troy one of them. CSA with S. Buckley Birmingham back mark. I also Miss Amy who helped with the Forum.

[Bob S.]

11 minutes ago, Bill (S. CA) said:

I think I remember him discussing it on another forum many years ago.  His detectors were fun to use.  I'd love to find an X5 sometime but the old beep and dig detector prices are skyrocketing these days.

Pretty soon Antiques Road Show! 🙂 That's the problem today, everybody knows what something is worth on the general market and they just use it fleece others beyond an intrinsic worth. I found a really old "G" detector in a yardsale for "pennies". It was BFO and early enough to not have a serial number. I sent it to "CG" personally because it was one his earliest production units made in his garage. I'm sure he was pleased to get it, but his health was already failing. I felt good giving it to him and reuniting him with his accomplishment.

[Bob S.]

12 minutes ago, George Kinsey said:

I field tested for Troy along with Robert C. I still use the X5. It tested very well in the red dirt of Central Virginia. I also have the X3 with the hard-to-find elliptical coil. I wish the Forum could still be seen as I posted many confederate buttons I found will using the X5. I sent Troy one of them. CSA with S. Buckley Birmingham back mark. I also Miss Amy who helped with the Forum.

George, I wish I had your backyard up here in NY! 🙂  I started as a CW relic hunter and made a few trips South in my younger days. I had family that fought in many of the battles.

I can see they were still using my original graphics on the X3/X5. If Dave Johnson designed it, it has to be good. Funny how all these vintage detectors are still worthy. I never got to test the later models, I only got to own and use the X2. Loved it, from trunk to swing, no fiddling (pun intended)! 🙂 I wonder if Troy is still alive? Hope he's reading all this.

[D&P-OR]

24 minutes ago, Bob S. said:

George, I wish I had your backyard up here in NY! 🙂  I started as a CW relic hunter and made a few trips South in my younger days. I had family that fought in many of the battles.

I can see they were still using my original graphics on the X3/X5. If Dave Johnson designed it, it has to be good. Funny how all these vintage detectors are still worthy. I never got to test the later models, I only got to own and use the X2. Loved it, from trunk to swing, no fiddling (pun intended)! 🙂 I wonder if Troy is still alive? Hope he's reading all this.

I to wonder if Troy is still alive (or in good health).-----It's been a coons age since I've talked to Troy.---He was always so interesting to talk to--and he was interested in us--wanting us to do well with his detectors.--My wife & I bought two of his detectors (my wife the X3 & myself the X5).---One of the first things my wife did with her X3 was find a gold ring with it.---I told him about it and I think he was even more happy about that gold ring find than we were. :)---A great guy & certainly "one of a kind".----Too bad that last detector he was working on never came to fruition.-----Del

[Bob S.]

41 minutes ago, D&P-OR said:

I to wonder if Troy is still alive (or in good health).-----It's been a coons age since I've talked to Troy.---He was always so interesting to talk to--and he was interested in us--wanting us to do well with his detectors.--My wife & I bought two of his detectors (my wife the X3 & myself the X5).---One of the first things my wife did with her X3 was find a gold ring with it.---I told him about it and I think he was even more happy about that gold ring find than we were. :)---A great guy & certainly "one of a kind".----Too bad that last detector he was working on never came to fruition.-----Del

I was just now looking for my original X2 artwork to post, but can't find it. I think I had to surrender it all when I stopped working for Troy. I've worked for many metal detector companies, now all gone except one. Working for Troy was challenging yet fun because he had so many ideas. I wanted to do the best I could for him. I think you might find my original ad for the X2 here on the forum. I wrote the copy for the ad as well. Troy was always elated to see the great finds made with his detectors. It was like he lived through all of us vicariously when he wasn't hunting himself.

[DSMITH]

22 hours ago, Bob S. said:

Having looked around on the forums and recently posting about Tesoro put me in a nostalgic way! Reason being, I was the original graphic artist/designer for Troy metal detectors in around 1998. I designed Troy's corporate and Shadow X2 product logo, plus all the graphics for the box, panel, and coil. It was actually manufactured by Tesoro for Troy, he conceptualized and designed the features. It basically was a Tesoro Silver Sabre UMAX with a forward preset discrimination point tactile button called "Coin Check". The other button was the pinpoint mode. It came with a thin, solid 7" concentric searchcoil. The entire detector was all in black and it was a challenge (yet fun) to create its artwork and magazine advertisement. We were actually working on another version of the X2 called the "Shadow Lady" for women. I can't remember if it ever came to be, but I have one of the prototype box logo decals around somewhere. It was a great little detector and I actually enjoyed using it. The following is for those of you who enjoy true metal detecting adventures...

I was out with one of the first Shadow X2 production units. It was a site of an old hotel grounds that had been worked pretty hard by many detectorists over the years. Swinging around for 1/2 hour, my eyes started drifting to a section of the grounds which had sort of an "island" to it. It was a small stretch of land bounded by a good-sized curved stream and a steep hill. The only "easy" way to get there was to jump across the 6 ft. wide stream! The Shadow X2 was only like 2 pounds, so I got the bright idea I would toss the detector over the stream to the unhunted island. Then back up and then run myself unhindered and jump across! This was early Spring, sunny and cold enough where I could still see my breath.

The Shadow X2 was airborne! It hit the stream bank on the other side and teetered on the edge like a car on a cliff in the movies. You got it... It fell back into the raging water and went "submarine"! I ran along side the stream hoping to grab it as it bobbed in and out of the frigid water, it was just outside my reach. It traveled about 12 feet and stopped against a small branch laying in the water. I grabbed it nearly falling in... Got my arms soaked! Compensation for "brainy schemes"! A few minutes later after draining, I turned on the Shadow X2... Nothing! The water must have shorted the electronics. Luckily I carried basic tools in my backpack and was able to open the control housing. After awhile in the sun and breeze, myself and the X2 were almost dry. Dry enough to find a few coins still on my side of the stream!

I never did get to hunt the "island" that day or later on, but the events surrounding it has always been a treasured memory of my metal detecting adventures! I honestly don't remember what became of the X2. It likely got sold to afford a new detector, but I have solid 3 pages in my coin log of excellent coin finds from 1998 -2001. If I could have been able to look forward into the future and been nostalgic about the day, I would have kept the Shadow X2 for sure. So, if any of you, or you know someone would like to sell a Troy Shadow X2, I would be very grateful to have one back and give it a good home once again!

Bob I may know someone that has a X2 for sale let me give it some thoughts and see if I can remember who it is, I picked up an X5 and I love that X5 with the 7 inch concentric coil